Chapter 13
1225 Words
Raina
I was too tired from yesterday's event so I woke up late the next day. I took a one-week leave from my job, so I didn't need to go to work. It's okay even if I get up late from bed.
But I was startled when I heard a loud knock on my door. I lazily get up to open the door for the person knocking as if she was in a hurry to enter the room with the way she knocked.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" My sleepiness suddenly disappeared when I opened the door and saw my mother-in-law standing outside. She was frowning when I saw her but frowned even more when she saw that I had just woken up.
"The sun is already high, yet you're still sleeping. You're so lazy. You should get up early and attend to your husband's needs. And why do you sleep in separate rooms?" Early in the morning, Evo's mother was already nagging at me. She really wanted to show me that she didn't like me as her daughter-in-law.
"Sorry, Mom. I was tired yesterday. Also, I'm on leave from work, so it's okay for me to wake up late," I replied to her.
I'm also in the first trimester of my pregnancy, so I'm experiencing symptoms typical of pregnant women, such as cravings, frequent dizziness, nausea, and always wanting to sleep.
"Even if you don't have work today, you should take care of your husband. Just because you have many helpers in the house doesn't mean you can rely on them to attend to your husband's needs. Why did he even get married if the helpers are the ones taking care of his needs?" my mother-in-law said with glaring eyes.
"I will go out now, Mom," I replied to her weakly. I didn't want to argue with her, so it's better to just follow what she wants.
When Evo's mother heard what I said, she left without saying goodbye. I'm thankful that she didn't ask again why Evo and I don't sleep in the same room. I really don't know what to answer her.
Even though I was too lazy to take a bath because I still wanted to sleep, I forced myself to enter the bathroom to take a shower. I just took a quick shower because my mother-in-law might complain that it took me too long to come out of my room.
When I went down to the living room, I found Evo and his mother both sitting on the sofa reading a magazine.
Evo stood up when he saw me coming down the stairs.
"Why did you come out of your room so soon? I know you were very tired yesterday, so I just let you sleep," Evo said to me. He held my hand and guided me to sit on the sofa. This simple gesture from Evo makes me feel that he cares for me.
"I woke her up. The sun is already high but she's still sleeping. She's married now. She should wake up early to take care of you," my mother-in-law said to her son.
Evo took a deep sigh before facing his mother. "Mom, I got married so as not to add another helper in the house. We have many helpers, so she doesn't need to take care of me. Besides, she's pregnant. She needs proper rest for herself and our child."
My mother-in-law smirked when she heard what Evo said. "You just got married yesterday but she was already pregnant. Who knows who the real father of the child in her womb is."
"Stop it, Mom! How can you say that to your daughter-in-law?" Evo said, holding back his anger.
"You can insult me and call me lazy. But never doubt that another man is the father of my child because that's not true. I'm willing to take a DNA test after I give birth to prove to you that Evo is the father of the baby in my womb," I said to my mother-in-law with my head held high. I'm telling the truth so there's nothing to be afraid of.
"I'm not saying that Evo is not the real father of your baby, Raina. What I mean is—"
"Mom, please. Stop talking nonsense," Evo pleaded with his mother. "I know Raina. She wouldn't do whatever bad thing you're thinking."
I felt joy because Evo defended me. Finally, someone is defending me now. Before, I had to be brave because no one defended me.
My relatives respected me and showed that they loved me before they knew about my pregnancy. But I knew they were just waiting for me to make a mistake so they could criticize me. And I wasn't wrong. Because when they found out I was pregnant and the father was my sister's fiancé, that's when their true colors came out. They all mocked and insulted me. No one of them defended me.
"I know that you don't like me because—" I couldn't continue what I was going to say to Evo's mother because I suddenly felt nauseous. I ran to the bathroom near the kitchen and vomited even though there was nothing to throw up but just water and saliva.
Evo followed me into the bathroom and gently rubbed my back. "Are you okay now?" he asked me worriedly.
I weakly nodded at him. "I'm okay. Why did you leave your Mom in the living room?"
"She's gone. She went home already." Evo noticed that I was feeling weak, so without a word, he carried me and took me to my room. "You better stay in your room. I'll cook you some hot soup to warm your stomach."
I felt like a big hand caressed my heart when I heard what Evo said. He said he would cook me some hot soup. No one cooked for me besides the maids at home. Even my ex-boyfriend never cooked for me, not even noodles.
"Thank you," I sincerely thanked him.
"No need to thank me, Raina. You're my wife. Even if we are just married in name only, you're still my wife. The mother of my unborn child," he said seriously to me and then suddenly smiled. "If I don't take care of you, our baby might scold me when he comes out of your womb."
I also smiled at his joke. "The soup I want is the sour one. And I also want calamansi juice. But I don't want you to add sugar. I want you to put pure honey instead of sugar."
Just thinking about the sour soup and calamansi juice with pure honey makes me want to drool. I don't know why I'm craving that just now. I was having late pregnancy food cravings.
"Yes, Ma'am. I will follow your order. Wait here and I will prepare your order," Evo replied with a wide smile before leaving my room.
I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh when I was finally alone. I didn't want Evo to be too kind to me because I might get used to it. I'm sure I'll have a hard time when we part ways. But in the deepest part of my heart, I secretly wish that Evo wouldn't change the way he treats me even after I give birth.
- Writer
