What Becomes Of Us (An Anthology)

Epilogue

"Babe, are you okay?" Allen asked as he helped his very pregnant wife take a seat. It has been 2 years since he took a turn to surprise her when he “kidnapped” her from her in the middle of the night and drove straight to the mayor’s residence to have a civil wedding ceremony before their already thoroughly-planned church wedding 2 weeks later. 

"Yes, babe. Don't worry too much." Mae smiled.

"Dapat kasi di ka na sumama. At 38 weeks, you can go into labor any minute." Allen frowned.

"Ano ka? I can't miss our son's First Moving Up Ceremony. Tsaka wag kang mag-alala, Celestine will be a good girl and stay right here while we watch Kuya Ethan get his award. Right, baby?" She said as she rubbed her tummy.

Allen smiled. "Ofcourse, babe, our baby girl knows how much Daddy had planned for her arrival. We made a beautiful birth plan and she will arrive right on schedule."

"By the way, did Ethan get his cap already? I'll go there and put it on." Mae said, about to get up.

"Ako na po. Diyan ka na lang. Look how stressed your husband is. Parang siya na ata magle-labor any moment." Colleen interrupted.

Mae laughed. "Grabe ka sa asawa ko. He'll be fine. Medyo nagpa-panic lang when he's not in charge. Thank you."

Colleen smiled. "Anytime. Ikaw pa ba? Eh mahal na mahal kitang pangit ka."

"I love you too, pangit." Mae grinned.

Colleen then went to Ethan to help him with his toga and cap.

"Anak, late na ba ako?"

"Tay, hindi po. Mag-uumpisa pa lang. Upo ka na po." Mae said.

"Mano po, Tay. Dito ka na po sa tabi ni Mae umupo." Allen offered.

"Okay. Thank you." Thomas then turned to his daughter and asked, "Nak, anong problema ni Allen parang pusang di maanak."

She giggled and answered, "Kinakabahan po si Allen na nandito ako, Tay."

"Why, Allen? You're a doctor. You know these things." Doc Ricky said from behind them.

"Dad? Nandito ka din?" Allen asked.

"Of course. Graduation ng apo ko. Dapat nandito kami, di ba, Pare?" He extended his hand to Thomas.

"Oo naman. Salamat sa pagpunta." Thomas said as he shook the older doctor's hand.

"Kumusta na Mae? Ang bunso?" Doc Ricky asked.

"Okay naman, Dad. Mabait naman po today. Di masyadong malikot." Mae smiled.

A teacher announced that the program was about to start so they all settled in their seats. The dads sat on either side of the couple.

They all watched the program and cheered as the children did their song and dance number.

Colleen stayed in front taking photos and videos. She liked doing those things. Mae would have loved that too if she wasn't like a balloon ready to pop and Allen wasn't as finicky at the moment.

"Now, let us all welcome on stage our Star Student of the Nursery class, Ethan Sebastian Reacher." The host announced.

Allen stood proudly as he loudly applauded and smiled while Ethan made his way to the stage. It felt great to hear his name with Ethan's. It was the first time he heard it announced that way after finalizing the adoption last month.

Luke was cooperative in the whole process as promised. They heard that Chloe had been responding well to her treatments and there was a huge chance that she would survive from the illness.

Allen and Mae were also called on stage to receive the awards with Ethan. Allen carefully assisted his wife as they walked to the stage and then happily pinned Ethan's ribbons and put on his medals.

They smiled for pictures and shook hands with the teachers.

"Thank you, Mama. Thank you, Daddy. I love you." Ethan said.

"We love you, baby. We're so proud of you." Mae smiled.

"Great job, buddy. You make us all very proud." Allen beamed.

The three of them were making their way down the stairs, when Mae suddenly stopped in mid-step and clutched Allen's hand.

"Babe? What's wrong?" He turned and saw Mae with one hand below her belly and her face twisted in pain.

"Oh my god! Babe!" He rushed to pick her up and carry her down the stage.

Colleen ran to get Ethan as the teachers crowded around the couple.

"Doc, the clinic is just a few feet away. We can take Mrs. Reacher there while waiting for the ambulance." Ethan's adviser offered.

"No, thank you. I'll take her to the hospital now." Allen said.

"Babe... Aaah... We won't make it." Mae told him breathlessly.

"No, babe. This wasn't the plan."

"Tell your daughter that! Aaaah!" She yelled in pain as she dug her nails in his shoulder.

Doc Ricky rushed to assist them. "Take her to the clinic now." He ordered and Allen did as his father told him.

He laid his wife on the bed and stepped back to allow space for his dad to check Mae.

The older doctor felt Mae's belly and timed her contractions. "Sixty second contractions in three minute intervals. Son, you are having this baby here."

"What? Dad! No. There's no obstetrician here."

"Allen, we're both doctors. We can do this. You have to deliver this baby here. The ambulance won't make it here in time."

"Doc!" Colleen called.

Both Allen and Ricky turned to her.

"Si Tito Thomas po medyo nahihilo daw mukhang ninerbiyos po ata para kay Mae."

"Tatay?" Mae frowned, worried about her dad in the midst of her pain.

"Don't worry, iha, I'm sure ninerbiyos lang yung si Pare. He was all clear last week sa check up niya. Just focus on you and the baby. Nak, ikaw na bahala dito. Puntahan ko lang si Pareng Thomas."

"Dad..." Allen appealed.

"You can do this, son. You're a good doctor. Kumalma ka lang para sa asawa at anak mo." With that, Ricky left them.

"Babe, what do I do?" Allen asked. "Okay, check ko muna ang dilation."

He looked around and thankfully found a box of sterile latex gloves.

Mae could hardly speak in her pain.

"Babe, remember your breathing, okay? We can do this." Allen said, trying to calm his wife down though his own nerves were killing him.

Mae inhaled and exhaled slowly.

"Okay, gloves on." Allen told himself and put on a pair of latex gloves.

"Babe, I really don't think we could have Celestine here. I'm not even sure how sterile this place is." Allen frowned.

In between her contractions, Mae had a sudden boost of adrenaline. She pulled Allen's arm.

"Allen Reacher, I swear if you don't deliver our daughter right now I am going to leave you! Aaaah! Please..." She cried.

"It's okay, babe. I know you're in so much pain and didn't mean that." He chuckled nervously. "I love you. You're amazing. Hang in there, okay?"

Mae nodded her head. "Don't worry about me, babe. Just take care of our daughter."

Allen kissed Mae's forehead and her cheek.

"Let's go get our baby." He smiled.

He went to give her another examination when her water bag broke.

Water and blood soaked the bed then pooled at his feet but the mess didn't faze him as he focused on his wife and child.

"Babe, I can see the head. Just breathe, okay?"

Mae tried hard to keep the rhythm of her breathing. There were no anesthetics to help her with the pain so she had to rely on her breathing and meditation to help control it.

"Okay, she's here, babe. Take a deep breath and give me one long steady push when I tell you."

Mae felt like she's about to pass out from the pain but she focused on Allen's voice and waited for his signal.

"Okay, babe. One, two, three... Push."

She took one deep breath, tucked her chin to her chest and focused her energy into pushing their baby out. She gave one long and steady push as instructed.

Mae felt the world whirl around her and her body drained from the pain. Her eyelids started to drop from exhaustion when she heard Celestine cry.

Celestine's voice was like the sound of angels.

Mae opened her eyes and found Allen beside her carefully carrying their new born daughter in his arms. She was neatly wrapped in Ethan's clean shirt that she kept in her purse.

"She's beautiful, babe. So beautiful." Her husband smiled as he stared at their daughter, mesmerized.

He placed the baby on his wife's chest.

"Hey, sweetheart." Mae smiled, suddenly energized by Celestine's presence. "It's nice to finally hold you in my arms like this. You're so beautiful. You look just like your Daddy. I'm sure you'll be as smart and kind as him."

Allen pulled a chair beside her bed and sat down. He wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter and rested his head beside Mae's.

"She may look like me but I think she's more like you, a wonderful confusion that brings amazing surprises at every turn." He chuckled.

Allen kissed Mae's and Celestine's forehead. "I love you and I promise to take care of you and Kuya Ethan always and forever."

Just then they heard the ambulance wail its siren. Ethan and the rest of the family came in to see the baby.

Allen made Ethan sit on his lap.

"Kuya Ethan, meet Celestine, your baby sister, our Little Star." Mae said.

The little boy's eyes twinkled as he smiled and spoke to his baby sister as gently as he could. "Hello Celestine, I'm your big brother. Do you like The Avengers?"

THE END (for real)