Thorne III

He borrows the album from Nanay Sol and comes back to the living room. It's very thick, and it's arranged perfectly. Nanay Sol told him that Ayinah made it. Each photo has a caption. At the last page is the photo of the whole picture, identical to the one in her room, but it's in the big frames. It must be at Andrea's studio in Italy. Yes, it is, the caption says it.

(Andrea's Studio—for display only and not for sale)

Good, he doesn't want other people to have it. Again he reminded himself. It's not his business. He has no right to oppose.

Andreas and Ayinah haven't been back yet. They had been out for at least an hour now. He doesn't know what to do. He is bored. It's better to go down to the main beach or to the bazaar maybe.

"Nanay Sol, where to put it back?" He asked the woman in the kitchen. He didn't notice where Nanay Sol took it when they entered Ayinah's room. 

"Just put back in her room, in the second drawer of the bedside table," she told him.

He entered her room. He followed Nanay Sol's instruction. He pulled out the second drawer. He found the other scrapbooks. He takes out the first scrapbook. It's about her doctor's appointment. And he wasn't there on her first doctor appointment. He flips the page. There's the first ultrasound photo of his child. The caption says:

Some of it is all about her check-ups. He takes out another one and flips the pages. It's her lessons on becoming a mommy. There are pictures with other expecting mothers too. There are pages with Daddy and Mommy. And it pinches his heart seeing her with Andreas, not him. Of course, who is the one to blame? Where is he? He is making money. He keeps flipping more and more of their pictures together in every session.

He closes the scrapbook and puts it all back inside the drawer. Out of curiosity, he opens the last drawer. It's a basket of mittens, a bonnet, and booties. Some are baby dresses with the personalized name in it. T. Muller. She has sewn them. This woman might leave his child, but she gave her all, her love, her everything, by doing things for his child. He did nothing. Again he got a hard kick in his ego. He put them back in the basket and closed the drawer. He missed a lot.

When he was on his way out of the room, the maternity bag caught his attention. He opens it; he saw the complete things of a baby. She already brought all these things. He felt so guilty and useless.

How come the first mom ever so prepared, though she knows from the very start that she will not be in a picture of a child the moment she gave birth to his baby?

Nanay Sol spoke suddenly behind him.

"She prepared everything in case when the time comes, she will just grab that bag and go. You know what? I really admired that woman. Very rare. She's young, but she is very mature. Her husband would find a jewel in her one day," Nanay Sol said. 

"Have you seen the baby dresses in the third drawer?" Nanay Sol asked him.

"Yes," he replied.

"She made it. Everything in that basket. Take a look in here," she said, opening the closet.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's a baby mosquito net," the woman replied.

"I laugh at her when she bought it because that's not really necessary. But she insisted on it. She doesn't want any insects to touch the baby; that net is not only for mosquitoes," Nanay Sol said, laughing.

"I think she's just excited for the baby. I reminded her if she forgets the agreement. She said she still remembers it, that the moment the child is out, she's not going to hold it. She told me she only tried to do what she can while the child is still inside her because she knows that when the time comes, she has no right anymore." Nanay Sol continues.

He could hear from Nanay Sol's voice that she was a bit emotional.

"You know I prayed that you will find a woman who will love your child as much as she loves it," she added.

"Here." She handed him a book.

"Bible bedtime stories?" He's confused.

"Yes, every night she read it to the baby before she sleeps," she said.

"Like reading to a child?" he asked.

"Yes, she's talking to the baby like she's talking to us. That's what the mother should do," she said.

"I will leave you here; I should prepare what to cook for dinner. She will not come to eat dinner at home tonight; every Saturday night she's with the church members. They all eat together after the church service," said Nanay Sol.

"In that case, just cook for yourself. I plan to go down later," he said.

"Okay, since you are here, can I go home first?" Nanay Sol asked.

"Of course, it's fine. I think Ayinah is not due yet," he said.

"No, not yet," she replied.

"Okay, so it's fine, Nanay Sol. You can come back tomorrow. Does she have the key?" he asked.

"Yes, she has," she replied.

"That's good because I'm not sure what time I will be back," he said.

After Nanay Sol left. He changes his shirt with sleeves and also his board shorts into a light brown that reached his popliteal. It's been quite a while since he explored the place. He noticed that places have changed a lot. Too many new resorts and even hotels.

He ate his dinner from one of the English restaurants along the beach. After he spent quite four hours away from the villa, he decided to come back. It's already ten in the evening. Ayinah must be sleeping right now.

He opens the door quietly so he will not wake her up. But he heard her still awake. He heard her talking in her room. He walks closer to her room. He noticed that her door is not closed.

She is reading. He knocks softly.

"Hi!" he greeted.

"Hello there!" she replied.

"Come in. I'll show you something," she said, parting her clothes to show her tummy.

"Come sit here," she said, tapping the side of the bed.

She takes his hand and places it on her tummy.

"Hello, Baby, I want you to meet someone who's very special to you. Meet your Daddy. Say hi to Daddy," she said.

He felt the movement inside her belly.

His child. 

His heart stomping in delight.

He didn't remove his hand yet. 

He wants to feel his child inside. 

This raw emotion he felt is so new to him. 

He is happy. 

He looks up to see her face. 

She is smiling at him. 

He smiles back.

He wanted to kiss her on her lips, but he controlled himself.

There's a feeling that is growing in him. He gets jealous when he hears that Ayinah has been with Andreas for all time. 

Even felt jealous when he saw all the photos of her with Andreas in their session as preparation for parenthood.

"You'll be a good daddy for this little bundle of joy," she said, cupping his face in her soft hands.

He stands up and smiles at her. 

He tried to act normally when thanking her about all that she did for his unborn child. He told her that he saw all her efforts and hard work. 

Then he decided that he must go back to his room.

He can't show any emotion to her.

For the record, he felt so much emotion. 

He could feel that he had fallen in love with this woman, but he didn't want to admit it. 

He just wanted to keep it to himself.