The Sub Rosa [Completed]

TSR 16

I had a hard time getting up from the bed.

My large, round stomach was too heavy for me to carry.

Being pregnant at 19 changed me a lot in many ways.

Seleucus and I are now married. I can't say that I matured in the 2 months that we've been married, but somehow I felt happy, for real and genuine reasons.

We have a simple life on our own, with me as a stay-at-home wife and him working on his company. I never imagined this whole set-up before, but it turned out good and peaceful.

Our wedding was held in my mother's homeland, Russia. So basically, my babushka and dedushka were the ones who were with us during my wedding.

Hindi nga lang nakapunta si Dad dahil mainit parin ang dugo nila sa kaniya until now.

They both scolded us when I announced my pregnancy after having lunch with them.

Dedushka threatened Seleucus for impregnating me outside of wedlock. And it made me so guilty for dragging him into this situation.

He apologized despite the fact that he's not the father of my babies. Matapang niyang hinarap lahat ng pamilya ko.

He defended me to all of my mother's relatives, who were judging me for getting pregnant at such a young age.

How can a man like him be selfless and loveable at the same time?

May lalaki pa kayang ganito sa kaniya na handang ibigay, i-alay ang kalayaan para sa kagaya kong babae?

Kaya naisip kong napaka unfair sa kaniya lahat ng nangyayari.

One time, when we were alone, I told him.

"You can back out tomorrow while it's still early. Do you really want to be tied to me? Accept the children I carry in my womb if you can live a free life without being burdened by what is not really your responsibility."

He had his jaw clenched, but when he saw my glistening eyes, it softened. Hinawakan niya ang dalawa kong kamay, pinagdikit ang aming mga palad at daliri bago tuluyang pinagsiklop.

Kung aatras siya, buong puso kong tatanggapin iyon at magpapakalayo na ako.

Tinaas niya ang baba ko para lumebel ang aming mga mata.

"I promised myself na wala akong ibang mamahalin na babae bukod sayo. I lost myself when I let you go. I love everything about you and they're my babies too. Amastrise you're my life."

Sa oras na iyon naramdaman ko ang tuluyang pagkatibag ng pagpipigil kong mas mahalin pa siya.

May exercise ako every morning dahil advice narin ng doktora na gawin ko iyon para hindi ako mahirapan manganak.

Sa susunod pa na buwan namin malalaman ang gender ng triplets.

Humalik sa pisngi ko ang nakapang opisinang si Seleucus. Gulat ako dahil hindi ko narinig ang pag-uwi niya at Isa pa maaga pa sa nakasanayan kong uwi nito mula sa trabaho.

"May nakalimutan ka ba?" Tanong ko agad sa kaniya. Inalalayan niya ako habang hawak ko ang malaking tiyan papuntang kusina.

"I bought you an apple pie and I decided to take a one week leave from work." Pagka-upo namin ay pinakita niya ang pagkaing pinaglilihian ko.

Nag hugis puso ang aking mga mata sa tatak ng lalagyan kung saan niya binili. He hugged me and I equal it too kahit pa ang malaking tiyan ko ay humaharang sa pagitan namin.

Ingat na ingat kong haplusin ni Seleucus ang tiyan ko. Bahagya akong humilig sa balikat niya nang maramdaman ang ginhawa mula sa pag angat o buhat nito saking tiyan.

"Thank you." I kissed his lip at sa tuwing ginagawa ko yan sa kaniya ilang segundo siyang natutulala. I open the paper bag para malanghap at makita na ang pagkaing laging nagpapatakam sakin.

Humila siya ng upuan para sakin at Isa pang stool para naman sa paa kong kanina pa sumasakit. When he finally seated beside me nagsumiksik ako sa kaniya to sniff him.

He chuckled when I brush my now chubby cheeks to his chest.

He doesn't mind me being close to him. Ang sabi niya ay mas gusto nito ang ganoon. Nang magsawa akong kasi-singhot sa natural at mabango niyang katawan sinimulan ko ng buksan ang paper bag.

"I've been thinking about your brothers invitation." I put down the plastic knife, kinuha niya sakin ito para siya na mismo ang maghati sa apple pie.

My mom organize a family dinner with my triplets brothers and their wife s***h my best friend, Khalista. But before that we also received an invitation from my husband's family, a dinner too.

Kung sa mga kuya ko lang ay pupunta ako dahil walang problema roon. Hindi ko lang kaya kung sa pamilya niya.

May mga tao akong ayaw makita at makasalamuha.

I'm not hiding that I'm pregnant, hindi lang ako maingay tungkol dito. Kaya nabigla ang ilang kakilala nang malamang buntis at may asawa na ako.

Sa tingin ko ay kumalat na kaya gusto nila kaming pumunta.

"Kahit hindi tayo pumunta." Tinusok ko ng tinidor ang hugis triangular na apple pie saking plato. Maluwag saking puso kung pupunta siya sa family dinner nila, basta hindi ako kasama.

I cancel my dinner with my brothers if he want to attend their own fam dinner.

Umiling si Seleucus sa sinabi ko.

"We can go on vacation right away after dinner with them." He said pertaining to my brothers.

Nakuha ko ang gusto niyang sabihin kaso pwede naman na mauna na ako kasama si mom para sa hapunan namin at susunod siya kung doon.

"Pumunta ka sa family dinner niyo, I won't mind, Seleucus. I'll wait for you at my mom's house." Sinubo ko sa kaniya ang may kalakihang bahagi ng pie.

Namumula ang aking ilong sa lamig ng klima rito sa New York. I'm a bit irritated to my heavy coat. Gusto kong hubarin kung hindi lang kami lalamigin ng mga anak ko.

Napabili ako ng unisex na onesie dahil nagustuhan ko talaga ang uri ng tela sa isang store na napasukan ko.

Tila kinikilig ako sa pagpili ng baby stuff dahil yung feeling na ganito ay dati kong nararamdan sa tuwing may bagong season na labas ang paborito kong luxurious brand ng damit.

Bumuntong hininga ako nang kuhanin sa kamay ko ang paper bag ng isa sa mga bodyguards.

Mag-isa dapat akong lalabas ng bahay pero ayaw ni Seleucus kung walang bodyguards na kasama. It's for my safety and our babies safety.

Okay lang naman sana kaso nakakaasiwang maraming bantay.

Nagutom ako sa ilang store na pinasukan kaya nang madaanan ang McDo nag order na ako. Malapit sa bintana ang pinili kong table rito sa second floor.

I messaged Seleucus while I'm eating the snacks. 3 Happy meal orders with toys.

Wala akong ibang ginagawa sa bahay bukod sa exercise, read books, kumain, matulog, at kumain ulit. So I decided to learned how to cook russian cuisine. I tried and Seleucus seems to like it.

Binaba ko ang cheese burger dahil may kumalabit sakin sa likod. Isang napaka cute at chubby na baby pala. Walang sabi itong kumuha sa fries at gustong umupo ngunit hindi niya abot ang upuan, lumapit ang isang bodyguard ko para buhatin ito pa-upo.

Nagtaka ako kasi Imbes na ihiwalay o paalisin bagkus ay pina-upo saking tabi.

Eh bata yan Amastrise?

"Hi?" Napakamot ako ng kilay dahil pati ang inumin ko ay inaabot nito.

Asaan ba magulang nito? The little chubby kid looked foreign and at the same time his face looked so familiar.

"Hungry, war loves chicken, don't you have it?" Kinabahan ako dahil inalis nito ang maliit na cap kaya lumitaw ang may pagka pula at itim nitong kulot na buhok.

Hindi pa naman nanganak si Khalista ah, tyaka ambilis naman lumaki kung sakali.

Tumingin ako sa paligid baka mamaya kung sinong Salem ang magulang nito.

He pouted when I just ignored him.

"Where are your parents?" Tanong ko bago i-abot ang spaghetti dahil tumayo ba naman para abutin! Kung nahulog? Kasalanan ko pa!

Ang maliit at mataba nitong kamay ang humawak sa tinidor. Inulit ko ang tanong ko at parang medyo nataranta itong sumubo ng pasta.

"Papa downstairs with girl I don't know." Pakiramdam ko ay nagsusumbong ito sakin sa paraan ng paglaki ng bilugan nitong mata at expression na parang naiinis.

Ngumiti ako at pinalapit ang Isa sa mga bodyguards para magtanong na dahil malakas ang kutob ko na pamangkin ni Seleucus ito.

"Anwar Reagan Salem is the son of Regent Salem." Sinabihan ako na parating na si Seleucus.

Binuksan ko ang take out na fried chicken at nilapag sa harapan.

Kinurot ko ang pisngi nito dahil nanggigil ako bigla.

"Anwar!" Pareho kaming nagulat sa sigaw ng isang lalaki. Nahulog niya ang chicken sa plato na agad kong pinahawak muli kasi baka umiyak.

He didn't cry at parang masaya pa itong palapit ang papa niya.

I took another bite from my cheese burger, kabado man na baka narito rin ang tatlo. I don't care anymore, I'm just here to eat because my babies are hungry.

"Congratulations, Amastrise, on your wedding and pregnancy?" Binuhat nito ang anak bago maupo sa katapat kong upuan.

His eyes went down to my bulging stomach. Walang komento pero nagtagal ang tingin niya roon.

We knew each other, isang beses ko palang siya nakausap at saglit lamang iyon.

"Thank you, I think you should put him down? Naiiyak na kasi." He chuckled before kissing his son's chubby check. Tumatawa at parang nakikiliti ang anak niya.

Having a conversation with Regent wasn't bad at all. Kwento niya ay basta nalang umalis si Anwar habang may kausap siyang dating classmate.

I was amazed when I found out that this little chubby baby is only two years old! Manang mana ang itsura ng anak sa tatay.

They're both handsome.

Well my husband genes are waving!

Dumating din kalaunan si Seleucus.

May nakakalokong ngiti ang namutawi sa mukha ni Regent when he watched us kissed Infront of him.

"How are you and our babies?" Hinalikan nito ang tungki ng aking ilong. I hugged his big arm and brush my cheeks there.

"I shopped a lot of baby stuff for our babies." Sinabi ko, nag pakuha siya ng upuan para sa mga binti kong medyo masakit dahil kalalakad.

He also asked me if my back was hurting. I don't know if it's normal or if I'm being emotional because of my pregnancy, but I feel like I want to cry.

He caressed my tummy when a fat tear rolled down to my face.

Comedically, I find it funny that he looked worried and romantically when he wiped it off using his thumb.

"What's wrong, baby?" I shook my head but he hold my chin and lift it up. His dark green eyes were staring at me.

He licked his lower lip twice.

"Nothing... I want to hug you tightly, Seleucus, and kiss you so hard right now, but it can wait, right? Your nephew is looking at us. Look." I whispered back, trying to say it incoherently, but it seemed impossible because I heard his cousin laugh darkly.

Kailan ba kami uuwi?

Nahihiya tuloy ako sa mga naiisip ko!

Both of my cheeks burned when he whispered again. "Should we go home now? I want to taste your red, plump lips." His mint breath goes to my nose and heck! Gusto ko ang amoy!

Napaka bango niya!

I have weird thoughts sometimes, and they always appear whenever I see him in his normal clothes every day before he goes to work.

Though I knew what it meant, I never voiced it out.

My doctor said it was okay to have s****l intercourse while pregnant. We are making out, but every time it goes further, we abruptly stop.

May hiya pa ako kahit pa-paano?

I sat there quietly while entertaining his cute baby nephew. The one bag of Happy Meals wasn't enough for Anwar, so I opened another one. Regent bought me a new Happy Meal when he saw who ate all of my takeout.

He apologized for his son's big appetite.

I said I wouldn't mind because I enjoyed watching baby Anwar happily eat his food.

I wasn't paying attention to what they were talking about, but I was asked about my opinions since he and Seleucus were now back in business.

Seleucus flashed an encouraging smile.

And to be honest, it felt awesome to share my thoughts about their business, the innovation, and all.

Anwar and his sleepy eyes tell us that we spent a very long time inside the fast food chain.

He called me Ti Mama, short for Tita Mama? So cute!

"My wife and I have to go now. My babies need to rest. Send my regards to Tito Richmond and Tita Aurora." Ngumiti ako habang nagpaalam siya sa pinsan nito.

Tumango si Regent at sinabihan ang anak na uuwi na kami.

"Kiss cheek?" Tinapik tapik niya ang balikat ng papa niya para ituro ako.

"Ti mama?" Pa-iyak na nga kahit inaantok na at gustong magpababa.

Ay gusto ko rin ng ganitong katabang anak!

I can't crouch down so Seleucus can carry him and so I can pinch his cheeks again.

He giggled when I kissed both his chubby and soft cheeks.

Whoever is your mama, baby Anwar, she must be so beautiful because you're too handsome!

Parang boss itong lumapit kay Regent at muling nag pabuhat. Ewan kung matatawa ba ako dahil sa kagustuhan kong Ilagay siya sa bulsa at iuwi nalang.

"I was gone for a year, but I'm updated, and s**t, I'm not impressed by what I heard. We are family, but I won't meddle with this one." He sounded disappointed about something.

He apologetically nodded his head at me.

"Good luck to them. Amastrise, Seleucus. I'm happy that you ended up together."

Hanggang sa maka-uwi kami.

Hindi ako makatulog kaya narito ako sa couch ng aming living room. His scent was waking me up. I'm a horny pregnant woman!

At hindi ko sasabihin sa kaniya kahit anong mangyari!