Chapter 30: Labor time!

Isang malakas na sigaw ang narinig mula sa kwarto na ikinagulat nila Jazy at Justin. Both rushed to the bathroom where Regina is.

"Ang sakit!" Muling sigaw ng buntis habang nakasandal ito sa pader at nakahawak sa kanyang tiyan. "What are you guys doing there? I said ang sakit!" she shouted.

Nagkatinginan ang dalawa na hindi alam kung anong gagawin. Muli nalang silang gumalaw nang makarinig muli ng isa pang hiyaw. Si Justin ay agad na lumapit kay Regina habang ang kaibigan ng dalaga ay mabilis na lumabas upang magtawag ng nurse.

"Noona, are you going to give birth? A-anong gagawin ko?" tanong ng binata. Dahan-dahan nitong inaalalayan ang buntis at tinulungan na makaupo sa higaan.

But Regina didn't like the feeling of sitting down, as she felt uncomfortable, so she slowly bent down like she was praying. Napakamot sa ulo si Justin dahil sa nakita nito at napaatras nalang s'ya dahil isang malutong na mura ang kanyang narinig.

"Putang-ina Jace! Nasaan ka ba!" she was furious. Nakaluhod ito habang hinihimas ang kanyang tiyan dahil sa sakit. Pinagpapawisan ng malagkit ang binata dahil kahit kailan ay hindi pa ito nakakita ng babaeng naglalabor sa harap n'ya. He took his phone and tried calling his brother. Seconds after, Jace picked up the call.

"Hyung, where are you? Malapit ka na ba?" he asked in their first language. Sumagot naman ang nakakatandang kapatid at sinabing kakalabas lang nito sa NAIA at papunta na ito sa ospital, so he should be there in an hour.

"Okay. Because just so you know, she's transforming."

"Into a?" Jace asked with worries.

"Oh, you don't want to know." Justin answered habang nakatingin kay Regina na ngayon ay hinahampas ang sahig habang nagmamakaawa na tawagin ang doktor para pakiusapan ito at sabihing manganganak nalang s'ya via c-section.

Ilang sandali pa ay bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang isang OB at dalawang nurse, sa likod naman nila ay nakasunod si Jazy na may dalang pagkain. Agad na nagpaalam ang binata sa kabilang linya at ibinaba ang cellphone.

"Ms. Alterro, I need to perform an i.e.," mahinahong sabi ng doktora. Justin excused himself out of the room while the other girl stayed with her friend.

Napilitang humiga si Regina kahit pa sobrang sakit na ang nararamdaman nito. She tried to calm herself by doing the lamaze method, which is the breathing technique to decrease the pain.

"You are eight centimeters dilated. Your contractions will become stronger. I'll have the delivery room ready." Agad na nagpaalam ang doktora kaya muling pumasok ang binata at kinamusta ang nararamdaman ni Regina.

"Don't worry. Hyung is on his way here. Do what makes you comfortable," sabi ni Justin at umupo sa tabi ni Jazy.

"You can hold my hand, mamaya darating na din si Jace." Agad na hinawakan ni Jazy ang kamay ng kaibigan at muli ay nakarinig sila ng hiyaw.

An hour later, at three in the afternoon, Jace has arrived at the hospital. Pagbukas nito ng pintuan ay agad n'yang nakita ang nobya na nakatayo at namumula. Agad na nagtama ang kanilang mga mata. Regina burst into tears as she hugged his man. "Akala ko hindi ka na makakapunta,"

Jace wiped her tears and held her hands. Maging s'ya ay naluha dahil sa sitwasyon ng nobya. Agad niyang hinalikan ang tiyan nito at hinaplos.

"Hello baby, daddy's here. We're so excited to see you. You can go out in one push, right?" bulong ng binata. Bago paman s'ya makapag salita muli ay muling napahiyaw sa sakit ang nobya at nakaramdam ito ng likido na dumaloy galing sa kanya.

"H-her water broke! Her water broke!" Jace shouted nervously and turned to look for his brother. Mabuti nalang at nakalabas na ang kapatid para tawagin ang doktora habang si Jazy ay mabilis na lumapit sa kaibigan at sinabihan s'yang humiga.

Regina was crying in pain while Jace was still holding her hand. Ilang minuto pa ay dumating na ang doktora at ilang kasama para mailipat ng higaan ito. Sunod sunod na hiyaw ang narinig sa labas ng delivery room. It's been fifteen minutes since the doctor last performed an I. E and was now told she's fully dilated. Meaning, pwede na s'ya manganak sa anumang oras.

Pinayagan si Jace na pumasok sa loob habang ang dalawa ay nakabantay sa labas. Iniabot ni Jazzy ang gamit ng baby sa isang nurse habang si Justin ay muling tinawagan ang kanilang magulang upang balitaan sila sa sitwasyon. Kabadong nakatingin ang binata kay Regina dahil kita nito ang pagod at sakit ng nobya.

"Okay, take a deep breath and I'll count to three, then give me a firm push. Ready?" The doctor advised her to do the Lamaze technique.

Pinagpapawisan ng malamig si Regina na para bang wala s'yang ibang naririnig. She's losing her consciousness but still tries to stay awake for her baby to be delivered. Jace once again held her hand and whispered how much he loves her. "You can do it. I love you."

Pagkarinig nito ay agad siyang binilangan ng doktor. "One, two, three... push!"

Isang malakas na pag-ire ang pinakawalan ni Regina, hindi naman ito nahirapan sa panganganak at ilang segundo lang ay isang malakas na iyak ang kanilang narinig. She successfully delivered a healthy baby girl.

Hindi makapaniwala ang lalaki at lalong naiyak nang ipinatong sa dibdib ni Regina ang magandang sanggol na tila gutom na gutom. He kissed his woman and again whispered, "You did it. I love you."

"ANG ganda ganda naman ng baby na yan!" Gigil na sabi ni Jazzy habang nakatitig sa maamo at magandang mukha ng sanggol na buhat ni Jace.

Nakabalik na sa sariling kwarto ang mag-ina, and they were just waiting for the documents to be signed regarding the birth certificate of their child.

Even Justin giggles just by seeing his niece. "Hyung, it seems like she didn't get any of your features. She looks exactly like noona," sabi nito sa kanyang kuya.

Nagkatinginan ang magkapatid na lalaki at natawa. Wala namang masabi ang nakakatandang lalaki dahil ang tanging nakuha lang ng kanyang anak sa kanya ay ang isang cheek dimple na hindi kalaliman. The color and shape of the eyes, lips and nose were the same as her mom's.

"Look how gorgeous she is," Jace smiled and giggled as he looked at Regina. "What would her name be?"

Kahit nanghihina ay sumulyap ito sa kanyang mag-ama at ipinatabi sa kanya ang sanggol na mahimbing ang pagkakatulog. May bigat itong 2.9 kilograms at may haba na 47 centimeters. She couldn't control her feelings and tears fell from her eyes. Tears of happiness, as they say.

"She's so beautiful. I wonder what she'll look like when she grows up. Nakaka excite," tuwang sabi niya habang nakatitig sa anak. He slowly leaned toward her and gave a kiss on the lips. Nakaramdam naman si Justin at Jazzy kaya lumabas nalang ang mga ito nang walang paalam.

Regina slowly opened her eyes after having that deep kiss from his man. Akala n'ya ay may sasabihin pa ito but she was surprised when Jace knelt down and took a small black box from his pocket and opened it. It was a three stone classic solitaire engagement ring and under it was an engraved name of her and Jace.

"I have loved you for longer than I can remember, and I would love to keep doing it for the rest of my life. I choose you, and I'll choose you every day. Be my wife."

Pagkarinig nito ay agad na sumagot si Regina nang, "Yes!.." Medyo napalakas nga lang ang hiyaw nito kaya biglang naiyak ang kanilang anak.

Kasyang-kasya sa kanya ang singsing na isinuot ng kanyang fiancé. Muli n'yang hinagkan ang lalaking nasa kanyang harapan. She couldn't utter any other words aside from 'I love you and I miss you.'

"Teka, I read you got injured during the accident. Are you okay? Baka kailangan mo magpatingin sa—"Hindi na niya natapos pa ang gusto nitong sabihin dahil isa pang malalim na halik ang dumampi sa kanyang labi.

Makalipas pa ang ilang oras ay napirmahan na nila ang birth certificate ng kanilang unica hija. They even video called Jace's parents for them to see their granddaughter. Buti nalang at napakabait ng magiging future in laws ni Regina dahil full support ang mga ito sa kanila.

They even suggested having their wedding earlier para alagaan ng mga ito ang kanilang apo sa araw ng kanilang honeymoon. They just laughed at their parents' idea, lalo na si Justin na ready to rant na dahil sinabihan s'ya ni Jace na s'ya ang naka toka na mag-aalaga sa kanyang pamangkin pag may lakad ang future Mr. and Mrs. Park.

Kinabukasan ay nadischarge na ang mag-ina sa ospital. Justin went with them as their driver, while Jazy went straight home because of her duty. Nagtaka naman si Regina dahil sa forbes park dumiretso ang mga ito, imbes na sa kanyang apartment.

"Forbes Park? Why are we here?" she asked. Nagtataka nitong nilingon si Jace na nakangiti. Hindi siya nakakuha ng sagot kaya ang kinulit n'ya naman ay si Justin.

"Because it's Park. Jace Park... Forbes Park." pabirong sagot nito sa babae. Pansin n'yang hindi natawa ang kanyang future sister-in-law kaya mas pinili niyang itikom ang kanyang bibig.

"Mr. Jace Park, bakit tayo nandito?"

Hindi na nakatiis pa ang lalaki kaya sinagot na niya ang kanyang fiancée na may ngiti sakanyang labi, "I bought a house. Our house." Sa

Hindi na nakapag salita pa si Regina sa bigla kaya iginala nalang nito ang tingin sa paligid. Ilang malalaking bahay ang kanilang nalagpasan hanggang sa huminto sila sa isang itim na at malaking gate.

It was a sage modern design dream home with a modern look. Napakaganda ng exterior and interior design at halatang pinag-isipan. It has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, one enormous kitchen and even the car space could fit four to five cars. My malaking swimming pool ito at garden na puno ng mga halaman.

"Did you like it?" he asked her. Kita ng lalaki na napamangha ang babae sa bahay.

"This house, h-how... how did you..." hindi na matuloy-tuloy ni Regina ang gusto n'yang sabihin.

"I read it. Remember when you let me sign your sister's diary at the event back in Busan? It was stated that this was a kind of your dream house. I read you want to build your family in this kind of house with your loved ones," he answered. "It was stated in your sister's diary."

Lalong napaawang ang bibig ni Regina sa narinig dahil bigla nitong naalala ang kapatid. Lagi kasi niyang nababanggit ang tungkol sa kanyang pinapangarap na bahay. She didn't expect this. "But..."

"Shh, no buts. We will live here and make more babies." Jace whispered, and winked at her.