Special Chapter

Triplets.

I was carrying my triplets inside my womb when I really thought it was twins. We were all surprised, of course. Sino ba naman ang hindi? We all expected two children, a twins rather, but God gave us an adorable triplets. And I couldn't be more happy at that.

"They are all adorable, baby..." Chaos whispered in my ears as he watched the triplets being carried by their grandparents.

Nanganak na ako't lahat lahat pero hindi pa rin nawawala ang pagkairita ko sa lalaki. Hanggang nagyon ay dala dala ko pa rin ang inis ko. Hindi na naman ako buntis pero ang arte ko ngayon kaniya. I don't want to share the same air with him. I felt irritated pero pinigilan ko nalang ang sarili dahil nandito ang buong pamilya.

Crisis cheekily smiled when he approached the bed where I am currently sitting. Nakasandal ako sa headboard ng kama habang katabi ko si Chaos na ngayon ay nakahawak na sa aking kamay. Panay pa ang halik nito roon pero hindi ko pa rin siya pinapansin.

"Damn bro. I didn't know that you would hit a jackpot. Isang sagad, naka-tatlo ka kaagad?" Chaos' younger brother teased him, but he only let out a smirk.

"Ikaw lang yata ang mahina sa pamilya natin," saad naman ng loko sa tabi ko. Napailing lang ang kapatid nito pero ako ay napasimangot naman. Mukhang napansin yata iyon ni Crisis kaya bumaling siya sa akin.

"Bad mood ang bagong panganak natin ah," kinindatan niya ako at saglit na tiningnan ang nakatatandang kapatid bago ako tiningnan ulit. "May gusto ka bang ipabili sakin sister in law? Lalabas ako ngayon to check up on something, baka lang may gusto kang padaanan,"

I bit my lower lip. Because of what he said, para tuloy akong nakaramdam ng gutom bigla. "I want the spicy pizza, Cris. Nagutom ako bigla e." I said smiling at him.

Tumikhim naman ang katabi ko. Maya maya ay naramdaman ko ang dahan dahang pag-gapang ng kamay nito sa aking baywang. I sighed.

"I can buy it for you, love. You don't need him—"

"Ikaw ang nagsabi niyan, but I badly need him, hindi ikaw." mataray kong saad dito dahilan para mamilog ang mga mata ni Crisis habang nakatitig sa aking dalawa. His mouth even formed an 'O' shape.

"Damn. Roasted, bro. You are roasted. Awit."

***

"Happy birthday triplets! Happy birthday triplets! Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday triplets!"

Nakangiti kong pinagmasdan ang tatlo na nakangiti habang pinapapalakpak ang mga maliliit nitong mga kamay. Caius Axle, the eldest is keeping his small but adorable smile. Napaka-tipid lang ng ngiti nito ngunit sa tuwing lumilipat ang tingin niya sa gawi ng dalawa niyang kapatid ay mas lumalawak ito at napapasabay ito sa pagpapalakpak ng mga kapatid niya. Channix Acid, our middle child. At the age of 1, masasabi kong ito ang pinaka-pilyo sa magkapatid. I don't know how can he create those small but messy trouble at his age. I mean, is that even normal? And of course, our Princess, the youngest, Yvaine Eumoiriety. She's such an adorable child. Ngayon pa lang ay kitang kita ko na kung gaano siya ka-protected ng buong pamilya, especially her two Kuyas and Chaos. She has asthma, unfortunately. Pero hindi naman daw gaano kalala iyon. It will be only triggered kapag nakakain ng mga foods na allergy siya

Nalaman lang namin na she has asthma one time when I ate a spicy shrimp. Sobrang dami kong kinain nun dahil gutom na gutom ako that time. I felt like the triplets is sucking all my energy in the body. That time, I was breastfeeding the three kaya sobrang bilis ko talagang magutom.

Nagtaka nalang ako nun when I was breastfeeding Yva, she was slowly turning red. Tumigil din siya sa pagdede because she was gasping for air and I panicked. Mabuti nalang at mabilis naming nadala sa hospital si Yva. And there, the doctor told me that she has asthma. It was triggered because she was allergy of the food I ate which is the spicy shrimp. It was possible, because the protein from the food that I ate, for breastfeeding mommies, will appear in the milk within 3 to 6 hours after eating them. That's what the doctor said.

Since then, I haven't eaten any types of seafoods. I love to eat spicy, but I choose not to dahil ayaw kong pamahamak ang bunso namin.

Ang bilis nga naman talaga ng panahon. Parang kailan lang ay pinagdududuhan ko si Chaos about his feelings, and now, I am happily tied to him with our triplets.

Yes, I married him. Of course. Magpapakipot pa ba ako? He proposed to me sa hospital mismo noon. Napansin niya na daw na sobrang lamig ng pakikitungo ko sa kaniya and he couldn't take it. He canceled his original plan dahil natakot daw siyang baka takbuhan ko siya ng mga anak namin. Kapag iniisip ko 'yon ay hindi ko rin maiwasang makaramdam ng guilt. I doubted him. I mean, normal lang naman siguro 'yon sa isang babae kapag wala pang binibigay na assurance ang isang laki. Hindi naman kasi sapat sa aming mga babae na aanakan kami as an assurance na hindi kami iiwan. A marriage. That is the assurance that women wanted to have from men who promised themselves to us.

The nights where he comes home late pala ay busy siya noon sa preparation for his proposal to me, but got canceled because I doubted him. And now that I am married to him, I can now see why trust is one of the most important foundation of a relationship.

"Picture with Mommy and Daddy!"

We took so many pictures together. It was such a happy day for me, not until...

"Damn you!" I cursed him loudly. Nag-iinuman siya kasama ang mga pinsan niya sa ibaba when I dragged him inside our room.

He was so confused when I muttered a lot of curses to him. Galit na galit ako at umiiyak pa. Masamang masama ang loob ko dahil sa nalaman ko.

How could he do this to me?! How dare him!

"Baby... What's... what's the matter? What's the problem?" malambing nitong tanong at sinubukang hawakan ang kamay ko pero mabilis ko lang itong tinampal. Mas lalo pa akong napakislot nang maamoy ang alak sa kaniyang hininga.

"Love, please... talk..." namamaos nitong pagsusumamo.

Nagpatuloy lang ako sa pag-iyak.

"T-tangina mo..." I cursed. "Kaka-one year old pa lang ng triplets natin tapos... tapos binuntis mo na naman ako. Tangina ka..." I cried. Bahagya siyang natigalan at maya maya ay kumawala ang isang ngisi sa labi nito na mas lalo kong ikinagalit.

"Baby," he sighed. "I'm a sharp shooter."

Hinampas ko ang mukha nito dahil bigla akong nairita sa boses at mukha nito.

"Proud ka pa talaga diyan, ah?! Paano nalang kung triplets ulit, ha?! Anim na anak natin kung ganun! Paano ko maaalagaan sina Caius ngayon?!" pag-aalburuto ko. I love being a mother, sure. Pero kasi ngayon, kailangan pa ako ng tatlo kong anak. They're still one year old for God's sake! Kaka-one year old pa lang tapos ito na naman! Sinabi ko naman kasing magpapa-shot nalang ako pero ayaw naman ng gago dahil may side effects daw 'yon. Sabi nitong lokong 'to na gagamit nalang siya ng condom, and that, he would be very careful. Pero tingnan mo nga naman ngayon! May nakalusot!

"After I give birth, hinding hindi mo talaga ako magagalaw Chaos hangga't hindi pa eight years old ang mga anak natin. Doesn't matter if you have to use your own hands basta huwag mo lang akong mabuntis ng wala sa oras."

"Baby! That's unfair..." he pouted.

I glared at him. "No sex policy after I give birth, Chaos. No touching."