Chapter 18 The news
1522 Words
After that troubled night, Aria can't let go of her husband's presence. She felt better whenever he was around.
"Can I go with you to Manila?" she asked.
"You can, but I'd love you to stay here. Dad wants you here. Besides, I'll be very busy in Manila. I may not be around for you all the time," he explained.
She can't dispute her husband's decision.
"I'm going to miss you!" she replied sadly.
"Sweetie, I'm going to miss you more. By the way, you don't have to be afraid. I know this house can get a little scary because it is so big, but you are safe here. There's plenty who is available at any moment for you when you need help. Remember that!" Lucio said.
"Maybe when I get used to everything with everybody, I will not feel this way. Thank you for being so patient with me," she answered.
"No worries! I'll ask Selda to always look after you. I am planning to fly back to Manila, but I need to make sure first you are okay when I leave you here," he assured his wife.
One night before bedtime, Lucio was working on his laptop while Aria was busy organizing their belongings during their trip. She removed the dirty items from the clean ones. Something dropped from the pocket of Lucio's short pants. It's a duplicate of the pendant she bought from the shaman that she gave to Lucio. However, he's not interested in wearing it. She looked back to see if Lucio was taking a glance at her, but it seemed he was occupied with his work.
She took the pendant and kept it in her palm. She slowly moves towards her bedding and puts the pendant underneath her bed. She had no idea what she was doing, but she was just following her instincts. She had not encountered anything strange in the past few nights because she had tagged along with her husband. He was her escape. She bids him goodnight when she feels like nesting.
"Yayyy!" she uttered as he stretched her hand and kissed her sleeping husband.
It was a beautiful day for her. She opens the windows to welcome the sunshine and fresh air. She takes a peek at the attic next to their bedroom. What she was overlooking was the healthy and refreshing feel of the garden, the bushes, and the trees.
"Good morning!" she shouted from the attic.
The house helpers would look up to her and wave. She smiled back at them and closed her eyes.
"Thank you, Lord, for this day!" she murmured.
"Hmmm, did you have a good sleep?" Lucio asked from her back.
"Yes!" she replied.
"That's nice!" his response, and he gave him a morning kiss.
Her feeling of contentment and peace of mind has been fulfilled in the past weeks. She was thinking that the old man was telling the truth about the protection that the pendant possessed.
That very morning, the couple took the stairs for their morning walk down to the dining room.
"I wonder what the kitchen looks like," she said to her husband, who ended up laughing.
It's been more than a month since they arrived in the province, but she hasn't had a chance to see the kitchen.
"Okay, let me show it to you," he presented.
He led the way to the kitchen. It is a few meters from the dining area.
"Whew! Can I work on my cooking stuff here?" she asked.
She freely walks around the kitchen with perfectly made cabinets, professionally sculpted drawers, and tool organizers. Cooking equipment is in the right places. It is very clean and spacious.
"Of course, but I don't want you to work harder," was his response to her request.
The cooking staff are pretty much ready to serve their breakfast. They are in a hurry to set up the table. They went off to the kitchen and found the Head Master already waiting for the food.
"Good morning! Where is Keila?" Lucio asked.
"Selda is checking her in her room," Alexander answered.
After a while, Keila is walking behind Selda, approaching the dining table.
"Are you sick?" Lucio is concerned about her sister.
"I am okay. I just need some rest. I can't get out of the house today," she replied, having a glimpse of Alexander.
"Alright, you better do that. Tomorrow you should feel better. I will call the family doctor to treat you," Alexander said.
Alexander told Selda to make the phone call for him. Selda called the doctor right away, as the Head Master had ordered.
"You should have told us that you aren't feeling okay, so we can just deliver your food to your room," Lucio stated.
"You don't have to. I will be better soon enough," Keila replied.
Aria enjoyed the food so much.
"Sweetie, take it slowly," Lucio teases her.
"Ignore him. Just take as much food as you want. Food isn't a problem," Alexander said to Aria, showing his support.
She just laughed it off and stopped when she was full.
"Sorry, excuse me!" she burped.
The guys are making fun of her while Keila's facial reaction is plain and blank.
While the guys are enjoying the food, Aria begins to feel her tummy react. She feels sick and a bit dizzy.
"What is happening?" Lucio looks worried about her wife.
She replied, "I don't know. All of a sudden I wanted to vomit."
She ran towards the restroom nearby, and Lucio accompanied her. He gently caressed her back, hoping it might help her feel better. She sat down on the floor after a few attempts to spill out some of the food she consumed, but nothing was coming out.
"Selda, please call the doctor again to come over straight away!" Lucio ordered loudly.
He carried his wife and took the elevator. He put her down gently and let her have some water.
"How do you feel?" Lucio checked on his wife.
"Better, I think," she replied hesitantly.
In a matter of an hour, the doctor arrived. He checked her vitals while Lucio was next to her.
"Did you take a pregnancy test?" the doctor asked.
She shakes her head.
"You better do it to confirm my assumption that you are bearing a child. I would also suggest seeing my friend's clinic. She specializes in this case," the doctor said.
"We better go now to her clinic to make sure," Lucio says, looking restless and excited.
"That's the best thing we can do," the doctor agreed.
The doctor proceeded to check with Keila, who was alone in her room.
Lucio took his car and accompanied his wife to the clinic for tests. He never let go of his wife's hand, and that made Aria even happier. She can feel her importance to her husband. His faithfulness and thoughtfulness toward her. Upon arrival, he assists her until they get into the laboratory. He let the doctor take care of the test, and he waited in the lobby for the result.
"What's up?" he asked very excitedly about the news.
He couldn't wait to hear it.
"The doctor said we have to wait a few minutes. She will call us whenever the results are released," Aria explained.
"What do you think the results will be?" he insists.
"I do not want to make presumptions, but I am hoping that Doctor Manibat was right," Aria replied.
Manibat was like their family doctor. He was the longest-serving doctor in the family.
"I hope so!" Lucio said.
In thirty minutes, the doctor must be ready for the announcement. However, they had not heard anything yet from her.
"Miss, what is the update on my wife's diagnosis?" Lucio checks with the secretary.
"Sorry, Sir, let me follow it up with Doc!" the secretary said.
"Hi, Mr. Moreau! My apologies for the delay! Please come in," the doctor called to him when she noticed his presence outside her office.
He called out for Aria. They get into the doctor's office for the results together.
"Congratulations! You will be blessed parents," the doctor announced.
The couple looked at each other and smiled happily.
"You mean my wife was pregnant?" Lucio confirmed.
"Yes, she must be very careful about her pregnancy because she will be bearing more than just one baby. I can see that in my findings," the doctor explained.
"Oh my God! We are having a triplet!" Lucio cried.
Aria can not believe what she just heard. She will become a mom of three.
"Sweetie! Did you hear it? We should celebrate!" Lucio added as he kissed his wife.
They went home with great news to tell.
The Head Master is waiting on the doorstep of the main door.
"Father! I will become a daddy!" he shouted happily.
"Wow! Congratulations you two! I am having my first grandchild," Alexander responded.
"You will be the grandfather of not just one but three!" Lucio continued.
The eyes of the Head Master grew bigger with disbelief. Aria was just so happy to interrupt them.
"Wow! Cool! You made me happy," Alexander blurted out.
- Writer
