53 (end)

I'm already bathing in my own sweat and my dress has been wet already but I don't care. All I want is to take out everything I ate this afternoon. I clung to the toilet bowl and for the last time vomited. I sat on the bathroom floor while clinging to the bowl.

I cried in extreme frustration. Is it really this hard to be pregnant?

I heard someone open the door and enter. I did not move. I just kept crying. Maverick sat down beside me and wiped my face with a towel. He also flushed all of my vomit down.

"Feeling better?" He rubbed my back.

I nodded. "A little."

He caressed my growing belly. "You guys are really torturing mommy. Behave children. Don't make it harder for mommy, okay? "

I glared at Maverick. He always talk to my stomach every day since we came from the doctor days ago. Maverick shouted with happiness upon hearing it. I was moved to tears by mixed emotions. I'm happy and at the same time scared about this new chapter of my life.

I remembered being so scared and always asking him if I'm really fit to be a mother.

"Will I be a good mother, Mav? Can I protect my children, Mav?" I asked with full of doubt.

I remembered him giving me a tight hug and kiss.

"Yes, of course. You are a good person Fem and you will be a good mother if not the best one to our children, okay? Don't be scared. I am here for you. We'll be together every step of the way, okay honey? "

I also remember how I clung to him and believed in his assurance. He's been consistent all the way through. We immediately went back to his penthouse in the city. He can hardly go to his office and just stayed to take care of me. His family also visited us to learn about my condition.

They have been so understanding, especially Mav's mother who insisted that I call her mom. She also asked when we will get married which Maverick just answered with a meaningful look.

My only concern was how his family would react when they found out the truth. Maverick coaxed me into thinking of it. He said I should trust him when it comes to that matter. I did. I will always do.

"You are ganging up against me again. These are my babies so they should be closer to me," I joked and put my hand on his hand on my stomach.

He didn't reply. He just stared at me like he didn't see anything except me. Like nothing exists except us. He kissed my head and murmured

"Will you marry me, Fem? Will you spend the rest of your life arguing with me, loving me and our children, and keeping me under your palm? Will you?"

My tears fell in a mixture of joy and annoyance. Joy because he finally had the courage to propose to me. I know about his impending proposal but I kept it a secret. I wanted to know what he's going to do so when we flew back to the island, I knew then that he's gonna ask me. I'm just annoyed because there are so many places here in the house that he can ask those words but he did it right here in the bathroom.

Frowning, I pushed him away.

"If you're going to propose, then at least do it in our bed. I still smell of vomit. You could have done this in a more romantic place."

I slapped my forehead.

"Oh, I almost forgot. You don't have any romantic bones in your body. "

It was as if the sky had fallen on him with how his shoulders slumped.

"A-Are you rejecting my proposal, Fem? I-I'm sorry if I said it right away. I just couldn't help myself when I saw you earlier having a hard time bringing up our children. There was a voice inside saying I should say that. You know I've been meaning to ask you since the day I saw you in that river back in Sta. Barbara. "

"I know."

His forehead furrowed.

"You know?"

"I know that you're planning your proposal. It's just too obvious." I raised my hands to him. "Help me get up."

He helped me stand up. I immediately brushed my teeth and washed my face. He's just standing behind me, too frozen to utter a single word. Afterwards, I hugged him.

"Now, ask me again and I might say yes."

I was shocked when he suddenly lifted me and went out. He laid me on the bed while he took a box out from his pocket. He got down on his knee on the carpeted floor and opened the box. It revealed a ring with a Moussaieff red diamond as the center stone. I covered my mouth with my hand and sobbed.

"What's this? I know you're going to propose after you mentioned it before but I still can't stop myself from crying. Do you find me ugly every time I cry? "

He shook his head, tears were visible on his eyes.

"No, never as long as it's happy tears."

"Good answer."

I took a deep breath before nodding weakly. Why should I prolong it? This is what I wanted from the very start when I saw him inside that restaurant.

"Yes, Mav. I'll marry you… "

I saw him bend down to wipe away the tears before standing up and sitting next to me on the bed. He took the ring in his trembling hand and put it on my finger. We both looked at it. The fit of the ring is perfect. It seems like there's no other worthy bearer of this but me.

"It's beautiful," I murmured while staring at the ring on my finger in awe. Crying I turned to Maverick who was also looking at me.

"Thank you."

"I have to thank you more. Thank you for coming into my life, for loving me, and for bearing our children. I know you're too young to get married but whatever your dreams are, I will always be here to support you.. " he caressed my stomach "… and our children. We still have many trials to go through. There are times when we will fight, we will get hurt but that will be fixed through conversation." He kissed my lips." I can't wait for you to be my wife."

"Mrs. Femella Fuentebella. Nice name." I stared at the finger ring. "Mav, why red?"

"It best describes you and what you've become in my life. You're my fire, my flame, my raging flame. When it comes to your fire, I always melt. "

I slapped him on the shoulder.

"It's too cheesy."

"Cheesy but you like it."

He stood up and went to the closet. He took something and came back next to me and opened his hand.

"This belongs to you."

My eyes widened in shock as I took the anklet in his hand.

"W-what? How did you get it? I thought I really missed it."

My heart was filled with joy as I inspected the anklet. Nothing has changed. It still looks the same as I remembered it to be.

"I got it from Trisha before that accident happened. You know I didn't want to let go of that even when I lost consciousness and even when I was in the hospital, I didn't want to let go of that anklet. It served as my lifeline but now that the real owner is here, I have to let it go. May I? "

I gave him the anklet. He dropped to the floor and knelt down. He put the anklet on me then kissed my foot.

"I want to see you wearing this, love. Only this."

He grabbed me and pushed me gently to the bed.

"Shut whatever you're thinking right now! Your family is just outside."

As if on cue, someone knocked on the door.

"Children, come out now. Save it for later," said his mother's voice.

He groaned.

"Yes, mom."

He buried his face on my neck when the sound of the footsteps were gone.

"What a nuisance. Don't mind them. Let's not go out. Maybe our baby's anatomy isn't complete yet. Let's complete them."

I rained kisses on him.

"I love you, Mav."

He gazed at me lovingly and traced my lips with his fingers.

"I love you more, Fem. Let's love each other forever, okay?"

"Okay, Mav. Forever."

"Yeah, forever."

His lips captured mine and I responded wholeheartedly.

END

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