Chapter twenty-eight: Second Ultrasound

~~~If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as your wife? I never know what the future brings, but I know you're here with me now. We'll make it through and I hope you are the one I share my life with. I don't wanna run away but I can't take it, I don't understand. If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am? Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?...~~~

-Nikki Gil-

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Tomorrow is my second ultrasound and I'm thinking of asking Luke if he will come with me to see his baby since he wasn't with me on my first ultrasound day.

I asked Elaine when I found her in the living room if she knows where Luke is and she pointed out the study room or should I say his extension office. I knocked twice and waited to hear his voice from inside before pushing the door to open it.

There were lots of documents and folders on top of his table and a mug on his left. It's Saturday today, but he still had a bunches of papers in front of him.

"Uhm... Luke?" I called him while I was taking my steps inside.

"What?" I bit my lip when I saw how serious he was with his work.

"I just want to ask you... if you want to come with me tomorrow? I'm going to visit my doctor and she said that I'm gonna have my second ultrasound tomorrow."

I noticed him sigh and I waited for a few seconds before I finally heard his answer.

"What time is your schedule?"

"She said I have to be in her clinic tomorrow at 10:00 am."

"Okay, I'm going with you."

"Ohh... thanks." I was about to say thank you but his next word made me swallowed it back to my throat.

"It's for the baby, Samantha."

"Of course, it's for the baby." I said, forcing a smile... which I often do lately every time he emphasized the word 'baby'.

"I just don't wanna give you false hopes and I expect it to be clear to you that I'm only doing this for my child, nothing more and nothing less."

"Don't worry, it's already registered in my brain." But he didn't say anything. "I'm going back to my room."

He just nodded and returned his attention to the documents in front of him, so I decided to leave and go out of the room. I leaned on the wall and heaved a sigh after closing the door. When will I be used to this situation?

***

"Urgent meeting?" I asked Rory, confused when she told me that Luke had already left for work the next morning when I woke up.

"Yes, but he said he will go with you to the clinic."

"Alright, but that's not the point, Rory. Today should be his day off, so how can he have a meeting?" I asked while taking the seat.

"I don't know, maybe it's really an important meeting so they couldn't wait until tomorrow." She shrugged.

"Haist... I really asked my doctor to have a special appointment today because I know it's his day off." I mumbled in a very low voice but I didn't know she had heard it.

"Don't worry, we wouldn't know maybe his meeting will be over soon."

"I just hope so, Rory."

But I started to lose hope when I checked the time and it's already 9:15 am, I still haven't received a message or any sign that he could be able to come with me. So when 9:30 am has come, I asked Paul to get the car ready.

9: 45 am.

I kept on glancing at my phone and wristwatch at the same time, still waiting for his call or even a message, but nothing came until we reached the clinic.

But I was surprised the moment I got out of the car.

"Jack?"

"Hi, bestie." She has a broad smile on her lips.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her, raising my eyebrow. I was really surprised to see her instead of my husband.

"Well, I called you earlier on the landline but Rory was the one who answered and she told me that you're on your way to the clinic, so since I don't have things to do today, I decided to come with you." She shrugged, smiling.

"Okay, let's go, it's only 10 minutes before my appointment."

"Yeah, what are we waiting for, let's go." She held my hand and we headed towards the clinic while Paul was walking behind us. "By the way, where is your jerk of a---"

But it was I who finished her question.

"My jerk of my husband?"

"Yup, exactly my question! Where is he and why didn't he come with you again this time?"

See? I smiled and mentally rolled my eyes. I have already memorized her lines.

"He has an important meeting so he couldn't come with me." I simply emphasized the word 'important' so she would never ask again... but since Jack is Jack...

"Important meeting?"

"Yup."

"On a Sunday morning?"

"Uhuh."

"Jeez, Samantha! Who would set a business meeting on Sunday? It's the entire staff's day off and most of the company has no operations every Sunday!"

"Yes, but not all the officers and staff have a Sunday rest day and I just chose to believe what he said rather than think about things that might just make me feel stressed."

"Ohh, I'm sorry, you had a point there. Hmmp! Anyway, it's his loss not to see his baby in your belly but--- what a great opportunity for me to see my goddaughter for the first time!" She squealed in excitement.

Paul and I couldn't help but chuckle at her.

***

After my appointment with Doctor Mary, I decided to go to the mall with Jack and eat in our favorite pizza restaurant. But I was in the middle of eating my third slice of pizza when I received a call from my mom. She and my mother-in-law were on their way to the mall and they were planning to buy dresses and some stuff for my baby... again.

And I just agreed as I couldn't say no to the old ladies, even though my baby was already complete with dresses, shoes, socks and everything, including those toys and baby stuff for one to three years old.

"Mom, are you sure that our house might not look like a baby's stuff factory with all these?" I asked, half-amazed and half-shocked after seeing the five large carts full of all my baby's items.

But my mother just gave me an echoing laugh before hugging me with the tears that formed in her eyes.

"These are too much for a newborn baby, mom. Cali will only need diaper, dress, socks---"

"Shhh... it's okay, sweetie, we can simply donate them to the charity or institution that takes care of orphaned babies." My mother-in-law also smiled warmly at me.

"Yeah, they have a point, girl, so don't worry about these things. Well, who would know tomorrow I would be pregnant? I will just borrow them instead of buying---"

"Jackeline!"

"--- ouch!"

She didn't get the chance to continue her sentence as my mom narrowed her eyes on her and hit her ass at the same time.

"What are you talking about that you will be pregnant tomorrow?"

"I was just kidding, untie." She said who looked like a 10-year-old kid while rubbing her behind.

"Well, it's not a good joke! It's enough that one of you has become desperate and too hasty to get married!"

'Ouch!' I screamed in silence. I know I was the one who my mom was referring to.

"I'm not against my son-in-law. Haist... if it's not because of your best friend who made a desperate move!"

"Mom, I'm just here standing next to you--- hello!" I couldn't help waving my hand in front of her.

"Hmmp... I know." She huffed that made my mother-in-law and Jack laugh.

I somehow understand and how she felt when she knew I was pregnant. I know it was hard for them to easily accept what happened, especially that their youngest and only daughter--- who was me--- was only 17 and still a minor when I got pregnant, but as parents, they have no choice but to forgive, forget and accept what happened.

And with tears that started forming around my eyes, I hugged my mom tightly... and a few seconds later, I just found myself sobbing in her shoulder as she continued to rub my back.

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm so sorry. I didn't know this would be the outcomes of what I did, I'm sorry."

"Shhh... it's alright, it was in the past, my baby." I heard her sniff... it means she's also in tears... and that's what made me cry again. "You know what, honestly, I'm happy because you're going to give us a new blessing and an angel, so everything you worked hard for during that 'night' is worth it."

"Mom!" I protested but I also couldn't help laughing as I parted from her embrace. She just emphasized the word night that brought me memories of what I did.

They all come with me to the house and they helped me sort out the things they bought in my baby's room.