The Colorful World of Love, Life and Living

"Hey, boss! I was told you were looking for me?" Mart blurted out as he opened Mitch's door without knocking as usual. Mart made himself comfortable inside as he took a chair and sat on it with the chair's back touching his chest.



"Hey, bro! Welcome back. Yep, I just missed you, that's all."


"That's what I thought so. Skilful guys like me are hard to find, you know. Darn, am I so in demand, nowadays?"


They both laughed at their jokes.


"But, seriously bro, I've got news to share with you. I wanted you to be the first to know around here."


"Don't tell me you're quitting your post and passing all these loads to me, man? You gave me all those paid leaves just to make amends to this tragic news?" Mart broached as he raised his right eyebrow then.


"Don't be silly. Why would I do that? I like my job and honestly, I'm enjoying this privilege of being such a pussy to you every now and then." Mitch grinned at him.


"Ok, so you're not quitting? What's the news then, bro? Good news I hope."


"Lei's pregnant. Two weeks pregnant! Hope that's enough good news for you, Mart?"


"Hey, hey, hey!! My bro's going to be a father, soon? Yeah, that's too great a news, alright!" He stood up and drew nearer to where Mitch was sitting.


The two shook hands and Mart gave Mitch a warm hug as he congratulated him.


"Ok, enough with this hugging, bro...before my wife gets jealous over you," Mitch separated himself from Mart's embrace as they both laughed. "How was your vacation, Mart? How's Alex?"


"Well, the vacation was great. Thanks to you, Mitch. We spent the weekends at Alex's parents' house and then Monday to Tuesday, we spent them all to ourselves just being at home. We turned off all our mobile phones, no T.V. shows and no outside distractions allowed. I guess you already know what I mean." They laughed. "She's seven months pregnant now and Doctor Ramirez had already confirmed 2 months ago that the baby is a boy so we've talked about what to name him and we've decided to give him two names, Sandro Rafael."


"Sandro?"


"Yes, Mitch. Alex and I thought it's a way of giving the old man a tribute. After all, if it weren't for him, I couldn't have gone to any school and more so, be a family man, myself. He adopted me and treated me as if I was one of his children. Your family has been so good to me, Mitch. And naming our son after your father is just my little way of telling all of you that I am going to take care of my own family the way your family has taken good care of me."


"Wow! I was not expecting this. Neither does my family expect any payment in return for what we've shared with you all these years, Mart. We love you. You're my brother, Mart. But I'm touched. Really. Thank you. Father would have been so proud of you now that your family is growing. He has always been proud of you since the day you set foot to our house."


Mart's father died of cardiac arrest six months before his birth. His mother died three years after he was born, out of diabetes and heart-complications. No other relatives were identified to them so the social welfare services asked Sandro Alvarez and his family to take care of him since he was known to be the closest to the Rivero family, Mart's family. The Alvarez family had been their neighbor for 5 years and was known to have a good record of maintaining a happy-family-relationship. Sandro never hesitated in taking care of Mart at all. His family fell in love with him the moment he came into their lives.


"I know, bro. God, I miss Sandro so much. At times like these, how I wish I could ask him more questions about fatherhood and how he handled us while we were growing up, trying to become bullies and stubborn and all that," was all Mart could wish for.


"I know what you mean, bro. But, isn't it even greater news knowing that your boy is going to have a playmate, soon?" Mitch distracted Mart from becoming sentimental then.


"Yes and we both have to celebrate on that. My treat. Let's go get a couple of beers after work, tonight. I promise, we won't take long."


"Alright. Count me in!"


On Friday night, Mitch and Lei invited Lei's parents who lived just 5 blocks away from their house. Lei was the only child in the family and the baby she was carrying in her womb would be the first grandchild of Mr. Ricky and Mrs. Thessa Ramirez. Mitch's family who flew all the way from Morelia, Mexico was also there - Mommy Ana, Mitch's sister Christina and his brother Emilio. Mitch's siblings were both single so Mitch and Lei's baby will also be the first grandchild of mommy Ana. Mitch's real name was Miguel but when Christina was just two years old, she was having a hard time pronouncing even the already shortened name Migs and mispronounced it as Mitch and everyone liked the way she said it, so Mitch became his nickname since then. Alex and Mart were also there. Everybody had a lovely dinner together. Afterwards, Mitch announced to their families the good news that Lei was two weeks pregnant. Alex and Mart knew the news beforehand, of course. Ricky stood up, congratulated his children and asked for a toast. Everybody raised a glass and favored a warm toast. Rosy was invited too, but was not able to make it to the party as she was on-call for another patient scheduled to give birth to a child at that time. Everyone went around the table and greeted each other and expressed their happiness for having learned about the great news. Ana spent the most time talking to Mart. She asked him questions about how he was, how they were handling Alex's pregnancy, and how life has been to him and to them as a couple. Mart, as if like a baby, excitedly and generously shared all the loving memories he had in his life and with his wife during all those years that he was not with Ana's side. Alex had a one-on-one sharing with Lei. They both talked about their excitement, the joys they were feeling in anticipation of the arrival of their baby, their fears, their anxieties, their plans, what stuff to buy, how to hug the baby, when to know the baby's hungry or merely upset. The night was filled with pure joy and celebrations of a new life, of the family's togetherness, of seeing happy faces all over again in one place.