The Colorful World of Love, Life and Living

Her ectopic pregnancy, the laparoscopy, the loss of their baby, an expectant mother, a distracted talk with Des, the accident on the road, the death of Mrs. Woods, the present state of that baby they just saw. Those recent events flashed back to Lei’s memory as if like a movie being replayed over and over. At last, home sweet home! She missed their house and the home they’ve made out of it. Pain was greeting her though. Sissy wasn’t there yet. Her mom will bring her there after their therapy sessions with Des were completed. Mitch took out their luggage from the car and headed straight up to their bedroom to fix their things. He saw Mitch going downstairs. Again, flashbacks of the recent events came through her mind.


“Lei, are you alright?”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“I mean, all those things which happened to us. I had been so selfish. I ignored you for awhile. But you were so patient, you stood by my side.”

“I just did what I can to make you feel you’re not alone on this route, sweetheart.”

“Back there on the road, that accident hit me just like how a typhoon would whoosh a tree.”

“Lei?”

“Listen to me. Hear me out first, ok? That accident earlier told me something. You’re still here with me. We’re both alive. I’ve got to cherish it while it’s still real. I don’t want to lose you, Mitch. I got scared awhile ago, what if you got killed too? Or I got killed? I don’t want to waste any more of our time weeping, regretting for something that isn’t here anymore.” Tears clouded her eyes again. “Life is too short. Our days could be numbered as we know it. Yes, I’ll definitely mourn over the loss of our baby, but I’m not going to lose you, too.” She paused for a second to release a big sigh and went on sobbing again. “And the baby earlier... that little girl...it must mean something, don’t you see? We saw her right after we got out of the hospital. Her mother’s dead now. I think it meant something for us, especially... specifically. If we lost our own baby, maybe we can have that baby here with us? Perhaps this is one of God’s ways of answering our desire to have a baby?”

Tears flowed faster from her eyes down to her cheeks then. Mitch thought that she was just experiencing the aftershock of the surgery. Post-surgery trauma, as Betty had put it.

“It’s alright, sweetie. I’m not leaving you. I am here. And I will be here with you always. I’ll call Vienne tomorrow to check up on that little girl, I promise. Let’s have you settled to bed for now. Perhaps you’re already exhausted.”

She was wondering to herself. Maybe she didn’t clearly say those words. He kissed her on top of her head, held her hands and led their way to their bedroom. He thought he will prepare their dinner afterwards and bring it to her there upstairs. He didn’t want to have to bother her just to go back downstairs to have dinner and then trouble herself again with any more activity. She had enough for the day, he thought. Her wife had very stressful and traumatizing days, indeed. She must have a good rest tonight, he’ll see to that. When they got inside the room, Mitch prepared the bed for her. He held her hand still and assisted her as she laid herself to bed.

“God, you’re so handsome. How did I overlook this part?” Lei was already lying on the bed as she reached out and touched Mitch’s chin.

“Thank you, dear. Now stay here, I’ll go get our dinner downstairs. I’ll be back, shortly.” He gave her a short quick kiss on the lips and turned around to head to the door.

“I’m not hungry.”

“What? Lei, we haven’t had lunch yet. Surely, you must be hungry now, ‘coz I am?”

“Yes, I am.”

“So, that’s why I’m getting us our food.”

“I don’t like it.” Lei’s brows formed a ‘vee’ shape now.

“Honey, you haven’t seen the food yet.” He showed a grin on his face towards her.

“I still don’t want it.” She let out her tongue like a bratty-kid who got annoyed by her teasing brother.

“You are hungry but you don’t want food for dinner? I’m confused. What is it that you want then?”

“I want you. I be damned if I never had you for the night.”

“Sweetheart, are you sure you’re ok?”

“Golly! Mitch, come on! Help me out here. I’m trying my best to seduce my husband, you know.”

Mitch laughed aloud. Damn it, why hadn’t he picked up from between those lines. He had so long wanted for that moment to come but he didn’t want to pressure her especially that they both just went through such trying times in their married life. He remembered how gorgeous his wife was when they were still at Rosy’s place and how he longed for her even then.

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” He hurriedly approached her.

“I said I want you. I missed you, you know. I missed those times when we simply cuddled each other.”

Pressing her down on the mattress, he bathed her with kisses everywhere, “Go on, go on.”

“I want your kisses, Mitch. Kiss me like we haven’t done so in days.”

“You can say that again. I feel like I haven’t seen you in years, sweetheart,” this from Mitch who religiously obliged to his wife’s wishes.

“Well, we’re in our honeymoon stage still, that I can honestly say.”

“Uh-huh,” he agreed to her statement as he kissed her on her cheeks, to her ears, then to her face again, down to her neck and back to her face, then he found her lips. Boom, he's gone to outer space or better yet, to their paradise. God, he terribly missed her. He wanted to kiss her all over. Now, he wanted her so badly.

His left hand moved to her stomach and rested there. “I missed you too, Lei. I love you." "I love you too," was Lei's response.

"I missed us, really...” Shortly, he moved his hand a little lower, just above her panties. His lips to her lips, still. She giggled. Then, he went even lower, he found her there, “I miss this too.” Geez, the sensation twirled around her, hot like burning flames, and heavy with passion. “Spread your legs, dear.”

The lovebirds spent their first night back at their own home. Honeymoon alas, for the couple. They sure went through such difficult, testing times in their marriage, and their baby’s gone now. But life didn’t have to end there for them. They still had each other. Their families were with them. And Mart and Alex were there, too. In fact, they both agreed that life’s yet beginning for the two of them, together again in each other's arms.

10:00 in the morning. Mitch woke up by the yell he heard from his mobile. His eyes were still closed when he tried to reach for his phone. “Hello? Yes? Uh-huh. Are you sure? Ok, we’ll be there in an hour.” He placed his phone back on top of the table.

“Who was it, hon?” Lei asked him with still a sleepy voice.

“Nothing. Vienne just called about that little girl,” Mitch responded. Obviously, he was yet half-asleep.

“Hmmnn.” Lei squeezed herself into Mitch’s chest. “What did she say, dear?”

He made a yawn and was still trying to get back to sleep. “She said the baby’s cleared. No immediate relative had been identified and she wanted to see us right away.”

“What?”

“Ha? What?”

“Honey, do you realize what you have just said? You said there wasn’t any relative known to take care of the baby. That’s what you meant, right?”

“Huh?” This time, Mitch was fully awake. Soon, he realized that what Vienne had just told him was very important to both of them, to Lei most especially. “Yes, I meant that.”

“Oh, sweetheart! God is so sweet. He really knows how to soften us.”

Lei embraced Mitch. She knew that they have yet to see Vienne for what she was supposed to tell them, but just at that moment, learning of the news about the baby, she was filled with joy, so much joy that it was hard for her to contend them all to her heart. She shed tears again, but this time, she was happily crying. It felt like she hadn't cried like that in ages. She started kissing Mitch again, she thanked him for all that he’s done for her, then she showed her gratitude for what had happened in both their lives by making love to him on that one sweet joyful morning.

Suddenly, raindrops started to appear through their window panes though the sun was still out there. They took a few moments looking through the window glass, enjoying those glimpses of the sun’s beautiful light rays which peeked through the droplets of rain while they still clung to each other. Then the sun was slowly fading as the intensity of the rain increased. They were awed with the joyful sunlight which immediately welcomed them at their home on their first morning back from the hospital. They kissed each other again. They felt blessed having come out from that recent rain in their lives. They gained strength and felt re-energized with God's presence amidst them.

Lei didn’t eat and drink anything within the last six hours before her surgery as advised by Rosy. To ensure safety over Lei’s body receiving the general anesthesia, an HSG (hysterosalpingogram) was done before the actual procedure. Lei was put to sleep during the surgery so she wouldn’t feel any discomfort. And as pre-arranged by the two doctors, Mitch was given a seat at the left corner of the operating room, with an access to the TV monitor, guarded with instant-foldable walls around him. He was seriously told not to come near Lei or any of the doctors while the surgery was ongoing.


The laparoscopic procedure.

Rosy cleansed and draped Lei’s abdomen for the procedure. Betty placed an instrument in the uterus through her vagina. She then allowed a nitrous oxide to flow into the abdomen just below her belly button with the assistance of her lady nurse. That gas, the nitrous oxide, created a space inside of Lei’s body by pushing the abdominal wall and the bowel away from the organs in her pelvic area which made it easier for Betty and Rosy to see her reproductive organs, clearly.

Rosy held onto the instrument, the laparoscope, which was a slender tube, like a mini-telescope. She inserted it through a small incision just below Lei’s navel where she placed a small probe through another incision, which Betty created, in order to move the pelvic organs into clear view – that small probe allowed both of them to visualize all the structures completely.

During the laparoscopy procedure, Betty and Rosy carefully scanned the entire pelvis, then, they systematically inspected the organs - the uterus, the ovaries, and the lining of the abdomen, called the peritoneum. In addition to looking for diseases affecting those structures, Betty also looked for adhesions (bands of scar tissues), endometriosis and tubercles. Both doctors were being very delicately keen in checking every detail because they knew, years of experiences told them, that in case abnormalities were found, they should be prepared either to try to correct them by way of operative laparoscopy, or to take out bits of tissues for histologic examination through biopsy with a biopsy forceps. Rosy injected a blue dye, methylene blue, through Lei’s uterus and fallopian tubes to check whether the tubes were open. When everything was cleared, Betty then surgically removed the ectopic pregnancy and so far, as confirmed by Rosy, no organ was damaged, so nothing else needed to be repaired nor removed. As stitches were unnecessary, Rosy simply closed the incision with Band-Aids. Then boom! It hit Mitch. Just like that and the baby was gone. He sat still, tears flooded down his face, no sound managed to escape from his lips.

After a while, he saw two shadows blocking his view from the T.V. monitor. Betty and Rosy were standing before him. Silence unfortunately enthralled all three of them, shortly. Rosy bent herself lower to reach for Mitch who then cried on her shoulders just like a teenager who got fooled by his supposed fiancé. While still on her shoulders, Mitch looked forward, to where Lei was. More tears appeared from his eyes just by the sight of her. So much pains in his chest. She felt sorry for her wife. God, their first baby and it had to be like that.

“She’ll be sleeping like that for a couple of hours or four hours, the most, when she recovered from the effects of the anesthesia. The nurses will take care of her now. We’ll have her brought to the suite you have earlier reserved. You can meet her there, Mitch. I really want you to be there when she first opens her eyes. She must see you right away to assure her that isn’t alone. Brace yourself as she might show unexpected reactions like how women normally do after this kind of surgery. Doctor Thompson will be right there with you at five o’clock this afternoon. I’ll go check on your families.” Rosy smoothly patted Mitch’s back though she knew, no gesture, nor word, of comfort can ease out the pain from his chest.

“Rosy and I will be checking on some details at my office first. We’ll see you there later at your suite, too.” Betty hugged Mitch and went out of the operating room with Rosy. The nurses directed Mitch outside and told him he will have his chance to talk to his wife once the anesthesia subsided.

Her head ached. Consciousness visited her. Only Black was around her. She blinked her eyes once, then she blinked them again, afterwards she saw Mitch, clearly, staring at her with his jaw locked down. She let her eyes scan the place around and noticed she was no longer in the operating room.

“Mitch!”

“Sweetheart,” was all he could speak out as he held out her hands.

“OH GOD, NO! MITCH! TELL ME I’M JUST DREAMING!!” Lei was becoming frantic almost in panic as soon as she realized that the operation was done. She touched her tummy. Their baby was gone.

“Lei...sshh..Lei.” Mitch covered her with his loving embrace. Tears started flowing out of his face, too.

“Mitch...the baby...our baby’s gone, Mitch.”

“I know, honey, I know.”

Lei was in great pain. It was as if tons of big rocks fell on her body and crashed her bones all of a sudden. She felt sorry for their baby. She felt sorry for herself, too. She knew the operation was coming, she had been preparing for this very day since last week as they went through their therapy sessions with Des and so she thought she was ok with it all. Yet right now, her heart was in chaos. She was feeling so devastated that it felt like she was going through hell at that time. But Mitch got her. He didn’t say anything and instead held his wife close to his chest. Lei murmured some more words but they were incomprehensible as she burst into tears and loud cries.

“Lei?”

“Mom? Mom!”

“Oh, Lei. I’m so sorry, darling.”

“The baby’s gone, mom.”

“I know, dear. Hush now, mommy’s right here with you.”

Thessa embraced her daughter, looking for ways to comfort her child. Lei never often shed tears when she was growing up. She had a happy and great childhood back then. Thessa never had a hard time with her daughter before. She and Ricky always made sure that although they spoiled her with love and pampering, Lei understood all of those set limitations for her, and sure enough, as disciplined as she was, Lei never showed tantrums neither to her parents nor to anyone around her. She was never the bratty-kind-of-only-child in the family. So it greatly hurt Thessa seeing her one and only angel crying like that, in so much pain, the kind of pains they obviously wanted their daughter not to go through ever since. But this time, the situation is different, it was already beyond their control, Lei has got to face them. Poor, angel! Lei sobbed and cried even more while she dug her head into Thessa’s chest and held her mother tightly, closer to her. Mitch’s mother came in. Christina and Emilio followed from behind her. Ana embraced his son and then kissed Lei on her forehead. Christina hugged her brother, too. Emilio did the same. Alex and Mart were also there. They came shortly after Emilio’s entrance into the suite. Mart gave Mitch a brotherly hug. Mitch clung onto Mart with so much emotion all waiting to be let loose. Pain flowed through Mart as he tapped and patted Mitch’s back in comfort.

Lei cried again when Rosy and Betty went inside the suite together with Des. Rosy talked to Ricky and Thessa for awhile to explain what happened in the operating room. Betty spoke with Ana, Alex, Christina, Emilio and Mart, she diligently attended to their questions. Des had her moment with the couple. That moment was a tragedy, everybody grieved, no one dared to smile, and nobody can. Des reminded Mitch and Lei that she will see them tomorrow. Before leaving, Rosy informed Mitch that they would want to see Lei regularly at least once a week for the succeeding three weeks to make sure her hCG level returns to zero. As Betty had explained, both Mitch and Lei learned that the follow-up check would be necessary as the doctors needed to check on Lei’s hCG levels, because if they would find that the levels were elevated, it could mean that they may have missed some ectopic tissues which should be removed with the use of methotrexate or additional surgery, right away; although so far, they had not seen any problem with Lei’s organs when they were doing that surgery awhile ago. Rosy advised them too, that they can go back to their own house as soon as Lei felt better. She was actually allowed to go home on that same day but Mitch decided that they stay in that suite on that evening and will just go home the following morning.

And so tonight, they stayed in the suite. Everybody was gone. Lei and Mitch were left alone inside the room. She was still in his arms, sobbing. Mitch was really hurting, perhaps thrice as much as she was, though he tried so hard not let his feelings freak Lei out. He was hurting for the loss of their baby. He was hurting because he was seeing Lei, in pain. But most of all, he was hurting because there was nothing else he could do to make those pains go away from them. The incident had somehow created an invisible wall between them, as husband and wife, during those past several days. He sometimes slept in the living room just to avoid being near his wife, avoiding the guilt-feeling of having put her in that situation, ignoring his sensuality, temporarily forgetting the need to make a decision whether they should feel sorry for themselves because of the decision they were making or to feel blessed for it brought them closer to their families and friends. He was thankful though that they got to spend time with each other during their last day of therapy at Des’ office but he missed his wife, he missed them so much but terrible pain is amidst them now. And he also thought back of those days when they were at Rosy’s place when he usually saw Lei blankly staring outside of the window panes beside the coffee table. Then, he soon found himself recalling that very night which changed it all.

“Mitch? Mitch? Mitch, wake up! I’m pregnant, Mitch!”



“Huh? Wha...what was it? You’re pregnant! Yo-o-ou’re pregnant?”



“Mitch, why do you sound unhappy with the news that I am pregnant? Are you upset? I thought you’d like to have one?”



“Yes...No. Oh honey, I mean, I am happy....Yes, I am happy that you are pregnant! Honest, I am."



“You see, I am going to be a mom, soon!"



“Yes, you are going to be a mom, soon. That’s great isn’t it? And I am going to be a dad, soon, too! How heavenly! See, it's going to be alright for you, for me and for our baby. We're both going to take care of it so lovingly."

Geez! How he wished none of those days happened for real. Everything could have just been simpler for the two of them. He made a hard sigh and felt a huge lump formed in his chest. How he wished he had not gotten his wife pregnant at all, so Lei wouldn’t have to encounter such loss. You’re a fool, he told himself. He so loved Lei that he never wanted to see her cry at all - out of joy probably, but mourning, never. Damn it, it had to happen, anyway. It happened, indeed. And the baby was gone now. He saw it. He witnessed how it was taken out of Lei’s body. He saw how merciless that major surgery, though how smoothly and shortly it went, has killed their baby. And he just sat there, watching through the T.V. monitor, as their baby was being procedurally slain...he did nothing to disprove of it. Stupid! Stupid! he repeatedly said to himself.

His thoughts back to the present. They stayed close to each other. Lei slept through the night, when she was all spent. Mitch then dozed off into sleep remembering that he had Lei in his arms still.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hon, are you crying again?” Mitch inquired. He was awakened by his wife’s sobbing. He made a short look at his watch which said, 9:00.

“Sorry. I tried not to wake you up. I already got us breakfast. I bought them from the canteen downstairs but on my way up here, I saw another expectant mother. She tactlessly talked to me about how happy she was for the baby’s arrival. She said her doctor confirmed her pregnancy was fine and that she’s due next month. I was happy for her but as soon as I reached our suite, sadness struck me again.” Lei was in tears again but she was trying to control them as she wiped her tears with tissues she took out from a box set on top of the table below their closet.

Damn it! How careless that pregnant mother was. “Oh, poor dear! I should have bought our breakfast instead.”

“No, I wanted to do it for a change.”

“Fine. Calm down now, sweetheart, please. Let’s have this breakfast then we’ll vanish from here.”

They billed out and got a clearance from the hospital. They proceeded to Des’ office who warmly greeted them with a smile and a hug. They talked for awhile but Des received an emergency call from another patient. Her face blushed; she was embarrassed that she had to excuse herself to attend to her other patient. Mitch told Des it was ok, they were feeling worn out any way. Des asked them to return the next day and promised that will not happen again and will make up for the lost hours. Lei bade her goodbye as she followed Mitch from behind to find their way out of De’s office.

Lei’s head was on Mitch’s right shoulder while he was driving for them. The car was running 20 km/h. They were both talking about the baby, the surgery, how their families had supported them. But they especially talked about Rosy and Betty, how the two made it possible for them to go through this ordeal with the least worries and pains possible. They talked about what they learned from Des, too. Then Lei heard the car squeaked.

“Hon? What happened?”

“I saw something.”

“What was it, Mitch?”

“I don’t know but something tells me it was a baby. Just a second, I’ll go check it out.”

Lei felt a little impatient. She wondered what took Mitch so long, outside. She released herself from the secured clasps of the seat belt and decided to go out of the car to look for Mitch.

“Mitch? What’s...?”

“It’s a baby, Lei. A baby just under the nose of our car with its mother right over there.” He pointed towards the direction of the mother who was probably 20 meters away from the baby.

“Oh my God! The mother’s bleeding to death! Some gang must have attacked her here on the road.” Lei widened her eyes at the sight of the accident. It was gross. The mother’s clothes were that of rugs and she was terribly bleeding all over. Mitch couldn’t figure out where the blood was exactly coming from. He was afraid to touch her for fear of hurting her even more. While she froze...she stood in front of the baby whom the mother must have tried to keep secured before some prankster stabbed her. She was trying to analyze how young the baby was. The baby’s a girl and probably just four months old.

“Hon, snap it out.” Mitch was calling to her now. “Lei, why don’t you get your mobile and call 911 for help? I’ll call Rosy and Betty to see if they can order the hospital’s ambulance to come meet us here. Whichever comes first should be fine. The mother has to see a doctor asap.” He instructed Lei as he carried the baby in his arms and approached the car to search for his mobile, too.

Five minutes later, both the 911 rescue team and the ambulance issued by the hospital as requested by Rosy, were all there at the scene. The 911 team contacted the Social Services agency for assistance about the baby; the inspector looked for ways to identify the mother’s name and to see if he can get a hold of her relatives, while the rest of the team was checking on her physical condition.

The inspector asked a few questions to Mitch and Lei then thanked them for their call. Soon, they brought the mother and the baby to the nearest hospital for immediate care and the Social Services representative asked them to go with her for further questioning which the two courteously agreed on.

They were both at the Social Services agency’s office and Vienne, being the specialist-in-charge, tried squeezing out for more details about how Mitch and Lei saw the mother and the baby on the scene. She asked if there were any people around whom they may have noticed at the scene or if they may have seen some note inserted in the baby’s clothes or something before the rescue team arrived. Another social worker approached Vienne who graciously excused herself afterwards. Mitch encompassed Lei’s shoulders and kept her still in his arms. Then Vienne came back with a look on her face unknown to the couple.

“Is there something wrong, Vienne?” Mitch instigated.

“Yes. I received a call from the inspector who was among the 911 rescue team at the scene earlier. He said the mother didn’t make it. DOA, dead-on-arrival, the doctor announced.”

“Oh, God!” Lei clung onto Mitch’s arms, tighter. Mitch responded by hugging her to his chest.

“And what’s worse, the inspector found out that the mother was Mrs. Cherry Woods.”

“You especially know her?” Mitch searched through the specialist’s face as she obviously looked personally affected having mentioned her name.

“Not technically. Mrs. Woods was one of the beggars that our agency helped once before when the police department caught her scattered along the streets begging for money. We had her here at our care for four months, educating her, attending to all her physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. She just gave birth to a daughter when we saw her. But after four months, she left without any due notice. But just last week, we received a thank-you-letter from her expressing her gratitude for all the care she has received from us. She wished to care for her baby on her own so she left.”

“And you said she was a beggar. Where’s her husband?” Lei asked further with much concern this time.

“I’m afraid that’s what’s troubling me even more. We’ve learned from Cherry back then that Mr. Woods was killed, by some burglar who barged into their tent settled under the bridge behind the police station, a couple of months ago prior to seeing his daughter’s face. After that incident, she went out through the streets begging for money and food.”

“What’s going to happen to the little girl, then?” Mitch asked again.

“We’re going to look for some foster parents for her. Or, perhaps we will coordinate with the orphanage to help us find suitable parents for the baby.”

Lei looked towards Mitch. He took out something from his pocket.

“Vienne, this is my calling card. If no other immediate relative appears, to claim for the baby, please, do call me. We’d sure be glad to take care for the baby.”

Vienne read the inscriptions on that rectangular small card. “Will do, Mr. Alvarez. I certainly will. Now, I wouldn’t take much of your time, but thank you so much for all the information and help you’ve extended today.”

“The pleasure’s ours,” the couple responded together.

Breakfast in bed, a quick warm shower, an easy change of clothes, putting make up on her face, Lei got accustomed to having them as part of her morning routine throughout their seven-day stay at Rosy’s place. But this morning, Lei didn’t feel like putting her make up on. She didn’t wish to leave the room at all. She thought maybe they could escape today and just go back the following day then simply move on with their lives. How she wished today didn’t have to come. She sat on a chair beside the coffee table, her face towards her left as she stared outside through the window panes, she caressed her tummy. She was sweating from the earlier images.



“I’m feeling guilty, doctor Thompson.”




“No, just call me by my nickname, Des.”




“I’m feeling guilty, Des.”




“You are feeling guilty about what, dear?”




“This is my baby but I am agreeing to its death. That’s what I am feeling guilty about.”




“You think you’re killing your baby?”




“Yes, I think so.”




“Why?”




“Because...because babies are supposed to be allowed to live, you know. They’re angels. They’re supposed to enjoy this world we’re living in and, and...” She didn’t get to finish her statement because she went on sobbing as she hid her face at Mitch’s chest.




“What if you did not consent to the surgery, Lei? Do you think the child will have a chance to live, anyway?”




Silence filled the room. She got tongue-tied. Mitch butted in, “Des, do you think what we are doing is the right thing?”




“You tell me. Why wouldn’t it be?”




“I just feel like we’re bad parents for this baby. What if after the surgery, our consciences will haunt us through eternity? That’ll be terrible.” Mitch caressed Lei’s stomach.




“Mitch, Lei, I want you to think about my question. If you do not agree to the surgery, will everything be alright for everybody, then? Given the fact that the baby was in the fallopian tube instead of in the uterus, and putting into consideration the risks that Lei was supposed to face had she went on with this pregnancy. Think about this, today until tomorrow.”


“Lei? Hon? Dear, come back.” Lei was still looking outside through the window panes, obviously staring blankly at nothing when Mitch saw her. He just got dressed and noticed that Lei wasn’t responding to what he was talking about while he was brushing his hair in front of the mirror.


“Ha?”


“I lost you there. I’m not going to ask if you’re all set or ready, sweetheart. I am neither ready myself, but...are you done here? Can we go now?” Mitch pointed his right index finger towards his wrist watch at his left. Thessa and brought his watch to him late last night along with a few more clothes which should last them through their seven days of stay at Rosy’s condo.


“Oh...let me just put some make up on...then we’ll be all set to go, hon.” She wiped her eyes with her palms as if to erase those thoughts from her mind and stood up to move towards the dresser.


Mitch felt a clutch in his chest as he watched Lei motioned towards the dresser. If only there was a way for him to spare her wife of all those miseries, he would definitely take that option. He too, transported himself to last week’s sessions.

“Mitch, how are you and Lei, lately?” this came from Doctor Thompson, Des as the couple called her.




“We’re always in pain, Des. It’s like we made a choice out of no choice at all. I don’t want to lose our baby but I definitely do not want my wife’s life to be in danger.”




“How are you feeling about the surgery? During our first meeting, I left that question for both of you to answer. Yesterday, you did an activity together which was also connected to that same question. Are we having any progress at this time?”




“Yes. We really couldn’t push through with this pregnancy, doc. It’ll be selfish of us to do that, ironically speaking...unfair to both our baby and my wife.” Lei held onto Mitch’s hands tighter, feeling the pain that her husband was trying to evade. “We’ve understood that if we went on with this pregnancy, we’re just going to prolong the baby’s agony as well as Lei’s, that’ll make us even ruthless being its parents. Betty already advised us that a classical ectopic pregnancy does not develop into a live birth and this pregnancy puts Lei’s life in danger.”




“Lei, is that how you are feeling too?”




“This is very painful for both of us, Des. I don’t want you to think that we wanted to end the baby’s life. We’d like to keep the baby as much as possible. We just want to have a happy and simple family life. God, how we prayed each night to ask for strength, for wisdom...for us to see clearly through this incident and to remain sane as we struggle between our will and emotions. And seeing you, talking to you, have slowly helped us understand the picture of it all. It’s not meant to be...at least for now, perhaps.” Tears started rolling down her face, but she was calm this time, unlike the previous days. “I’m positive, there’s still going to be a next time for us to become parents. I’m sure, God is not turning His face away from us because of this decision.”




“So, you don’t feel guilty anymore, I take it?”




“Yes, we’re ok now. We’ve come into terms of accepting the reality. Lei and I don’t have to feel guilty by this decision.”




“How are you as a couple, lately?”




No answer there. Both Mitch and Lei’s brows formed a ‘vee’ shape as they stared at each other. Then they moved their faces towards her way, shrugging their shoulders. Des realized the couple may be with each other every day at Rosy’s place but neither one has taken the time to really ‘see’ the other person as a lover.




“I understand. Tomorrow, being our last therapy session, I’d like to skip the routine for a change. Discard the list which my secretary gave you during her one-hour briefing with you about our therapy sessions. Tomorrow will be different but great for everybody.”




“I’m ready, dear.”


“Oh, ok. Let’s go then.” Mitch’s thoughts rocketed to the present and released a big, hard sigh. Lei was all set, indeed. She put make up on her face and did her hair. She also released a hard sigh and managed to look composed as she held onto Mitch’s right elbow.




Before they closed the door on their way out, Lei hugged Mitch. She hugged him so tightly and warmly. She hugged him as if she has never done so for the longest time. While in his arms, Lei recalled the last session they had with Des.




“It’s been one hour and Des isn’t here yet. She always comes on time.” Lei was beginning to worry about their doctor. “Do you think she has cancelled this session the last minute?”




“No, I don’t think so. If she did, her secretary should have informed us already.”




“But, why isn’t she here yet? Maybe something wrong happened?” She curiously looked at the wall clock then browsed through Des’ bookshelf.




“Neither that one. Let’s just stay here for awhile and wait for her, ok? Come here, honey. Sit beside me.”




Lei went to where he was sitting as though she was an eight-year-old girl being given an order. She sat beside him. He then slid his arms around her.




“Mitch, what are you doing?”




“Nothing.” He held her head close to his chest.




“Mitch?”




“Ssshhh. I just want to feel you here with me, sweetheart. I missed you.”




She felt so much comfort being in Mitch’s arms. Being with him at that very moment was the very thing she needed. He was with her since the start. He never left her side. His love never wavered even with this recent gruesome incident in their family life. She realized he had been constantly generous and giving to her throughout this whole ordeal. He took a month-leave from work just to be able to take care of her every day. Mart and Alex visited them often there at Rosy’s place. Lei got worried about the things left undone by Mitch while he’s on leave but Mart assured her that everything at his office was taken care of. Her parents also paid them three visits together with Sissy. She thought what a wonderful family and supporting friends they had. She was reminded about how she loved her husband. She thanked God He gave Mitch as her husband, her lifetime companion.




They haven’t noticed that several hours had already passed. All that mattered to them was they were with each other, reminiscing those moments when they first met each other, when they first dated and when they got engaged. They talked about their plans before the baby came and talked about which among those plans they could pursue still, once the surgery was done.




Des arrived just thirty minutes before their supposed session was to be concluded and explained that she purposely did not come to their session earlier because she wanted to give them that time, that opportunity to really talk to each other and appreciate their being together. Then the couple shared what they have talked about, how they saw each other once again. They realized they haven’t had an intimate conversation since they heard the news about Lei’s pregnancy.


“Prayer works, honey. We’ve always prayed. We’ve got our families and friends’ prayers and support, too. Soon, all these will be over. Everything’s going to be alright.” Mitch drew back but stayed close to Lei. He then gave her a smack on her lips and reminded her that they really must go to the hospital and face their doctors, Betty and Rosy, for the laparoscopy scheduled today. She nodded. He opened the door for her, helped her settled on her seat and then walked around to approach his side of the car. Before he slid himself into the driver’s seat, he hurriedly wiped his tears away from his face so Lei wouldn’t see them. Then off they went.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Ricky, Thessa, Ana, Christina, Emilio, Mart and Alex. All of them were present on that day. They each gave the couple a hug as they exchanged greetings. Everybody assured them that they were all going to stay for the surgery. Lei shed tears again when her parents embraced her. But she enforced strength and courage to herself, telling everybody that everything’s going to be ok...that she was going to be ok. She thanked them too, and hoped to be able to return all the good favors they have extended to them, in time.


Betty and Rosy appeared from the back, they just got out from Betty’s office where they finished giving instructions to all the nurses in preparation for Lei’s surgery. The two doctors greeted everybody. Rosy gave her cousin Ricky a big bear hug. Lei embraced her doctors like a child who was given a surprise visit by her godparents, only this time, she was not asking for any surprise anymore. The doctors also gave Mitch a hug, an assurance that everything will run along smoothly.


Then, both the doctors signaled that it was time. All four of them, Mitch, Lei, Betty and Rosy went inside towards the operating room. The rest was left outside of the hospital but they all decided to head to the canteen while they wait.



...to be continued.

Food’s here!” Thessa announced as she and Ricky appeared in the suite.



“Breakfast!” Mitch greeted back.


“I know, we took a little longer in getting them but come on you two, let’s eat. My stomach is talking.”


“Oh, great! I’m starving, alright! Thank you so much.” Mitch offered to help Thessa by retrieving the food from her hands. He then set them on the table.


“Hi dad, mom!” was Lei’s greeting to her parents.


“You’re showing a little color on your face at least, baby. Did something happen while we were gone?” Ricky smoothed-back Lei’s hair and kissed her on her forehead.


“Yes, Rosy was here awhile ago, she said hello to you both by the way, and she discussed with us about the therapy session. It’s scheduled tomorrow. Everything’s been set, thanks to her. She offered her condo for us to stay there for the duration of the therapy while she’s gone to New York for some appointments.” Lei received the plate with breakfast on it which Mitch handed to her. She went on, “Mitch thought it’ll be best that we leave this suite today and transfer to her condo. I need fresh air, too. But I worry about Sissy, dad.”


“Oh, don’t worry about her, honey. Dad and I will take care of her. She’ll stay with us for awhile but we’ll let her visit you there at the condo if time permits.” Thessa scooped up some food from the table onto her own plate and took a seat in front of the table.


“Great. Ok, after breakfast we’ll arrange our things so we can begin moving out of here.” Mitch took another bite of his burger. “But later, we’ll both be back here at four for the therapy-briefing by the doctor’s secretary,” he added. “Yes, we’ll be back here,” Lei confirmed.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Mitch just finished tucking their things at the back of the car, things they’ll need while they are at Rosy’s condo. “Rosy sure was very kind to let us stay in her place for awhile, sweetheart and...” Mitch stopped when he noticed that Lei was silently seated at the passenger’s seat, staring blankly outside to the car’s right side mirror while her tears were falling down her cheeks. He was coming from the left door into the driver’s seat when she saw her. “Hon, what’s wrong?”


“I’m feeling upset, Mitch. And really sad. I feel sorry about the baby.” Lei’s chest was beginning to tighten.


His heart clutched. “I know, love.” He sat on his side of the car, slid an arm around her. Lei leaned on his right shoulder.


“I don’t know if I can handle this. I’m not strong enough.” Tears were flowing down still.


“Lei, I’m here. Our families are there, too. You are not going through this alone.”


“And the therapy tomorrow? I don’t know how much any of those questioning and sharing I can take.”


“I’ll be strong for both of us. If we think it’ll be too much for us to say anything at all, I’m positive we can just stop the session and let it resume on some other days when we’re ok by then. You don’t need to do anything right now.”


“It just hurts, Mitch.” She hid her face into his chest.


Mitch hugged her, patted her back while he smoothed her hair down.


They left the hospital at ten o’clock and reached Rosy’s place ten minutes later. Mitch went straight to settling their things into the reserved closet space then headed onto the kitchen to boil some coffee. Lei proceeded to the living room. At first, she browsed through some pages of an entertainment magazine made ready for them as it was placed on a tea-table. She tried to squeeze out some sense from the article presented on each page. She slowly flipped the pages when the article did not interest her and then stopped at one where there were colorful images and familiar Hollywood faces but she couldn’t understand what was written and neither those pictures caught her attention for so long, so she flipped some more pages. She finished the magazine without knowing what information it shared with her. She returned the magazine to where she first saw it. Then she put her right hand, palm flat, on her womb and softly rubbed it up and down. Her eyes started to get watery. There was a combination of feelings in her chest. There was Joy. She was joyful that she learned she was pregnant. She was joyful that she was carrying a baby, their first baby. And there was pain. She felt like pain mated with her conscience and felt so sorry for the baby. It wasn’t given any chance to live nor fight for its existence. She felt sorry too, that as a mother, there was nothing she could do to protect it. Tears started to appear out of her eyes again. When Mitch approached her with mugs of coffee in his hands, she right away shrugged off those tears and those sentiments away from her body. She thanked Mitch for the coffee and hurriedly finished it off. She excused herself with the need to go upstairs to take a shower. He reminded her that she had just taken a shower at the hospital right after they had their breakfast with Thessa and Ricky. She wanted another shower still, was her reason. He knew her wife was in pain, he did not argue anymore so he escorted her on her way to their bedroom.


When Lei finished her shower, she came out of the bathroom all wrapped in a thick dark brown towel down through her mid-thighs, holding a face towel which she used to shake off excess water from her hair. She didn’t notice Mitch in the room, he didn’t leave after he escorted her, and instead he took a seat at the right end corner across the bathroom. She was almost moving in a routine, not thinking of what she was doing. She looked from inside the closet, selected and put her pajamas on, so obvious that she was not in the mood to go out of the condo anytime soon. But when he saw her, damn it, how he wished he could kiss her the way he did the last time when they skipped dinner just to spend the whole night together in each other’s arms. He watched her move toward the dresser and took a chair to sit in front of the mirror as she gracefully combed her hair. Geez, even at times like this, his wife was still very beautiful. He felt desire surged through his chest, he wanted to touch her, slowly kiss her, lick her ear and trace her nape down to her breastbone. And oh, he envied those pajamas resting on her skin. She must smell so good, surely with a scent that of the hair conditioner and bath soap combined.


And the motion picture froze.


“Mitch, where’d you go?”


“Ha? What?”


“Where were you?”


“Sorry, dear.” “Were you saying something?”


“Yes, I was saying I didn’t know you were in here. I thought you already headed to the living room when I was taking a bath.”


“No. I was right here. I didn’t leave.”


“For awhile there, I lost you. What were you thinking, Mitch?”


You. I was thinking about you. I wanted to smell you and kiss you all over. “Nothing. I was just tired, I guess.”


“You must be exhausted, hon. What time is it?” She looked at the wall clock. “Oh, it’s time to have lunch. What do you want?”


Nothing. I just want you. I want you to want me, too. “Any food we can get at this time, is ok with me.”


“Ok, let me just check the fridge. Rosy said she left it stuffed for us. Maybe I can fix us an instant lunch.”


Suddenly the door swung open and left Mitch alone in the room. He laid himself on the bed. Damn it, what was he thinking? Lei’s pregnant and they were there for its upcoming death. He closed his eyes and spread his arms sideways. Then he dozed off to sleep.


“Snack’s ready.”


Mitch woke up with that announcement like an alarm. He brushed his eyes with his clenched fists. Pulling off the bed, he did some stretching. “Maybe you mean, lunch’s ready?”


“No, Mitch. Snack’s really ready,” insisted by Lei. “You slept at mid-day even before I had our lunch set. I tried waking you up but you were really sound asleep so I thought I should just really wake you up for some snacks instead.”


“I slept that long?”


“Uh-huh. It’s three-thirty but it’s alright. You stayed up late last night taking care of me, so you deserved that long sleep.”


“Oh my! Then I must have slept like a log.” He smiled when he saw Lei giggled with his statement. He felt contented seeing her extend her lips with cheerfulness.


“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s eat now. Then you go take a shower, get dressed so you can drive us to our briefing-appointment.”


6:00 P.M. Two hours had passed since they arrived at the hospital. He didn’t know what happened but all of a sudden, after that one-hour briefing they had with the secretary, silence ruled them as they were both going home, to Rosy’s condo. That silence tried to kill him through after the briefing and during their dinner at the canteen but Lei seemed unaffected at all. He wanted to create a conversation but what should he say? How are you, sweetheart? Nonsense. Is everything alright, honey? He’d look like a fool. How’s the baby in there? Oh, yeah, like hanging onto the last days of its life? Let silence rule them then, he decided. Conversation was pointless at that instant.


Bedtime. Mitch tucked her into bed with the blanket at her waist. He had a lot of thoughts in his mind. He thought about how he felt towards Lei...earlier...just before he fell asleep at lunch time. He thought about their baby. He recalled the briefing this afternoon. The thought about the aftershock and aftermath of the surgery also consumed him. He managed to snap out of those thoughts, shortly. He saw Lei, his sweet Lei, lying on the bed. But he couldn’t let himself go nearer her.


“Where are you going?”


“I’m sorry, baby. I’m not going to bed yet. I’m not sleepy either.”


“So, what will you do, Mitch?”


“I’m thinking I’ll just go spend some time watching TV in the living room for awhile. I’ll be right back as soon as I feel like sleeping already.” Mitch kissed Lei on her forehead. When he shut the door, Lei held a pillow to her chest. She searched for the moon as it peaked through her window. She breathed, savored the solemn fresh breeze of the A/C. A minute after, she found herself crying...then she cried even harder until no more tears could be shed.



...to be continued.

"Good morning, Lei, Mitch."



"Rosy?! Good morning. What are you doing here?" Lei saw the doctor coming in. She then moved her head to the right and found Mitch there, she stared back at her and then added, "I mean, I know this is a hospital, you're my doctor, but what are you doing here so early?"


Mitch and Lei just woke up. He stood up, stretched himself, and tucked-in the sofa bed which he used last night. He saw a note on the table that Ricky and Thessa left which read, out to buy food for breakfast.


"Good morning, Rosy," Mitch greeted. "Are you looking for Ricky and Thessa? They just went out to buy breakfast. They'll be back, shortly."


"Good morning, Mitch." Rosy made a quick look at her left wrist. "My clock says it's seven o'clock. Yes, I realized it's a little too early for my visit, Lei. But I wanted to visit you both before my Monday work-routine consumes me all morning and my afternoon will later drive me crazy for sure."


"So, you've got something for us?" Lei asked Mitch to sit at her right.


"Yes. I talked to Doctor Merideth Thompson last night. She'll be back here in the state by eight o'clock tonight. Your therapy session will start tomorrow morning at nine o'clock but she instructed her secretary to give you an hour briefing about how the session's going to run for four days. Yesterday, Betty and I mentioned you'll have weekly sessions with her. As I've discussed with the doctor, she had to compress those seven days in a four-day session by extending the number of hours instead. So, that will be tomorrow until Friday. Their office is pretty stuffed these days, the secretary can only give that briefing later at four in the afternoon. She'll be giving you the list of activities which you'll find yourselves involved in for the duration of the therapy session. Do you have any question so far?"


The couple stared at each other, asked for something, silently. "No. None so far," Mitch said.


"Ok. I'll go on then. All those people we've informed yesterday about this whole situation will have to be involved in this therapy session, well in one way or another. I suggest you stay away from your house first to avoid any emotional conflict. I own a condo unit beside this hospital. I want you all to occupy that while you are undergoing therapy. I have a plane to catch at 4:45pm later, will be gone till Sunday for a talk in New York. My Monday appointment is fully booked so I'll be back here on Tuesday morning just in time for your laparoscopy."


"You want us to stay at your place?" Mitch asked.


"Yes. If that's ok with you, of course. It's already set. I've informed the condo management about you so they will be giving you access to all amenities including the pool and the gym. I've also asked them to give you my free treats to their bar and restaurants being its member. Both your families are welcome to stay there, too."


"Awwww, you're so sweet. Thank you, Rosy." Lei asked Rosy to embrace her.


"That's not a big deal, baby. That's the least I can do, I believe." Rosy tapped Lei's back.


"We can't thank you enough for all these." Mitch shook Rosy's hand.


"No thanks needed, Mitch. We're family. We all help each other. Oh and by the way, I almost forgot. Your mother and siblings will be here tomorrow afternoon. I'm sorry I really couldn't find any open flight earlier than that. Everybody seems flying everywhere every day, too."


"That's alright. You've done so much already. Listen, since you offered your condo, is it ok if we spend our Monday there? I'm worried Lei isn't getting much sunlight here in this room, anyway."


"Sure. No problem at all as long as you don’t forget about your briefing with the secretary later at four o’clock. You don't need to bill-out since all these are on Betty. Just call me or Betty whenever you have questions, concerns or problems, ok?"


"We surely will," Mitch shook Rosy's hand again who instead gave him a hug.


"I feel sorry I can't wait for Ricky and Thessa but be sure to mention to them I came here for a visit and hoped to have said hello to them before I left, darling." Rosy embraced Lei who thanked her again for her generosity and for all the help she has extended. Lei promised to relay Rosy's greeting to her parents, too.



...to be continued.

"You think these will be enough?" Thessa asked her husband as she handed him the two microfiber duffle bags. The dark brown bag was for Mitch and the one in beige was intended for Lei, both bags were accentuated with quilt for beauty and durability.



"Let's see... you got the toiletry in there?" Ricky inquired while he reached out for the two duffle bags from his wife.


"Yes, one set each for Lei and Mitch."


"Comfy clothes?"


"Funny you should call them comfy, but yes, they're all in those bags."


"Of course, sweetheart." Ricky approached his wife, cupped her shoulders and added, "If the kids have those comfy clothes, I'm just hoping that'd at least make them feel a little relieved and warmer, you know. I remember when I got hospitalized years ago because of appendicitis, I was always either too cold or too warm in the hospital. So, with these comfy clothes, I want our kids this time to have options other than a Johnny that ties in the back and tends to expose their backside."


"Awwww....you poor thing. You still remember your hospital-stay for that surgery? Years ago, indeed. But don't you worry. Rosy promised us that the kids are well taken care of at the hospital for the duration of their stay there." Thessa extended her right arm to touch Ricky's chin across her left.


"I know, Thessa, but this is the least we can do for them."


"Mmmm..their slippers are also in there."


"How about the headwear set?"


That was new to her. Not that it was her first time to hear that word. It was just not so her husband.


"You said, headwear set, hon?" Thessa raised her right eye brow while showing Ricky a teasing smile and an intriguing look.


"Why? All these years that we've been together, I've been keen enough watching you prepare those stuff for both of us and for Lei while she was growing up, dear," Ricky defensively answered Thessa.


Thessa was known of her headwear set whenever any of her family members was in a hospital. She always filled her own bag with toiletry, clothes and yes, headwear set whenever she planned on going to the hospital. Her headwear set was always comprised of a couple of hair clips, hair bands, hat/cap, and scarf. She believed that a patient's hair always got especially matted when he/she was having any kind of surgery and that belief was based on one scene she saw from an animated TV series when she was a kid. Not that she was always in the hospital for a surgery but bringing the headwear set had become customary to her, a tradition, a ritual, that without it, her things weren't complete, she herself felt missing something, and she wouldn't feel like staying longer inside the hospital with the knowledge that the headwear set was not with her.


"You're adorable. Thank you, dear." She gave him a smack. "Yes, the headwear set was also in Lei's bag."


"Hmm..if this wasn't the unfortunate time, I wouldn't let you take off with just that smack you gave me. But that can wait I guess. For now, we better get going and hit the road, love, because it'll be dark soon." Ricky with a bag at each hand enfolded his right elbow, Thessa swinged-in her left arm inside his elbow and together they walked out of the house, locked the door and sighed in unison before they went to their car.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Mart walked away from the canteen-crew and walked toward Mitch who was sitting at the left end corner sitting and staring at the floor-tiles blankly. Mart handed the cup of coffee to him and said, "Mitch, here's your coffee. Black. No sugar. No cream. As always."


No response from the other party.


"You want me to take you back to your wife now, Mitch?" he whispered.


"Ha? Oh, sorry, bro. I didn't notice you're here and already." Mitch slowly blinked his eyes, pulled back from the table, stretched his legs under it and extended his arms on the table.


"It's alright. We're not here for me, Mitch. We're here for you. I'm sorry that this ever happened to you, bro." Mart sat on the chair in front of Mitch.


"It sucks, right?" Mitch took one long sip of his black coffee. "We were just starting our own family. Less than a year yet, Mart. You saw us. You, Alex, her parents, my family...everybody was there with us. We were doing ok. We were living blissfully." He paused and then added, "Lei shocked me one early morning with the news that she's pregnant. I was excited to become a father. As early as on that day of having learned of her pregnancy, I have pre-planned at least two years of what we should be doing and thinking just to ensure that the baby will grow up receiving the best care from both of us." He felt his chest tightened. So much hurt was within him. He swallowed hard and went on, "But this? This, Mart? Ectopic Pregnancy...losing the baby?..my wife's life being put to danger?...Lei's surgery?...The emotional disaster it will have as an impact on Lei?...Argh! Bro, I can go on forever! But these are all too much for us to comprehend more so to accept. HOW CAN I?" He clenched both his hands and punched them thrice on the table. Mart stopped him. Mitch was so angry but didn't know where to direct his anger to.


For awhile, nobody spoke. Silence filled the void in communication between them. Mitch stared on the table blankly.


"Yeah...that really sucks!” Mart broke the silence first. "But you're both young, we could all still look forward to a normal pregnancy for Lei in the future. Have you asked Doctor Ramirez about it?"


"Both doctors indicated that they have yet to diligently check on Lei about her getting pregnant again in the future but with this case we are having right now, I don't think I would want to get my wife pregnant again soon, then have her life at stake and let her go through this painful experience all over again, Mart." His sigh was long and hard. "I know we will want kids ...still...should be...many many years from now." He took the last sip of what remains from his cup of coffee and released another sigh.


"Sure, bro."


Silence revisited them.


Mitch made an easy glance at his left wrist and noticed he forgot it at their house. "What time is it, Mart?"


"Five-thirty."


"We better get food for dinner, too. Thessa and Ricky must be here any minute and haven't had dinner yet. Lei needs this drink and she's probably starving, too."


"Right. We better order them now and get there, soon. Our lovely wives may be wondering what took us so long out here."


Both of them pulled away from the table, stood up and went forward to the food-counter. They gave their orders to the attending service crew. In a short while, they got out of the canteen area and went straight to Lei's room.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Lei?"


"Mom? M..O..M!!! Oh, mom!!"


"Awwww, baby. Mommy's here now, sweetheart."


Lei stretched out her hands. She has never longed for her mom's embrace more than on this day and she wanted her comforting touch as soon as she heard of her voice. Alex first approached Thessa and greeted her with a kiss on her right cheek. Then, Thessa lovingly motioned forward, hugged her daughter so tightly and kissed her on the forehead. Lei cried to her mom almost like a six year old again. She sobbed, sighed, cried, shouted and cried again. She did that for awhile as Thessa held her firmly in the warmth of her embrace. Both Thessa and Alex felt her mourning, the bitterness in her cry, the very pain of her grieving. They too, were in tears. This happened for almost half an hour.


"Where's dad, mom?" Lei suddenly realized she hasn't seen her father yet. She wiped her tears away with her own palms.


"Ricky's with Mitch and Mart outside. All four of us came here together. We both saw them at the elevator entrance on our way up here." She paused for a second to compose herself. "I've asked Mitch about you and him while we were inside the elevator but when the doors opened, I've excused myself because I wished to come see you, soon. They said they'll let us spend some time alone while the three of them also talk outside of this room." Thessa cleared her face out of tear-marks by pulling some tissues from inside her purse. She also gave some to Lei who thanked and hugged her again.


"Sorry to interrupt your conversations honey, but we've got to try to have some dinner now." Mitch together with Ricky and Mart entered the room. He raised his hands to show to Lei the take-out food they bought from the canteen downstairs, set them on the table and drew himself nearer her for a kiss. Mart put down the drinks he was holding on that same table where the food was set and held Alex on both her shoulders. Ricky greeted her daughter with a big hug and said, "We're here, baby. We're all going through this with you. Remember that, please." All of a sudden, Lei burst into tears again. Ricky kept her daughter in his arms. Everybody did not speak while Lei cried. Alex hugged her husband and Mitch comforted her mother-in-law.

"We're ok now," Lei announced as she saw Betty and Rosy entering the room.



Betty looked at Rosy's way. Rosy responded, "Good to hear that you're both calm now, honey."


"Yes, we're both calm now. But more than that was what I meant," Lei objected.


"So, you were saying...?" Betty curiously asked.


Mitch felt like there was a big lump blocking in his throat but he tried to clear it by swallowing hard and then slowly said, "Lei meant that we're saying yes to laparoscopy, doc."


After Mitch declared that terrible statement, Lei trembled in fear and her face turned pale in color. Mitch tried to calm her by tapping and holding both her shoulders. Lei released a cry to Mitch as she felt his hands on her shoulders. The couple hugged each other tightly.


The two doctors silently shared a thought while they stared at each other. They sensed that they were a little misunderstood by Lei and Mitch.


"Oh, you were thinking we're going to do the surgery right now, don't you?" Rosy asked in opposition to what she just saw from the couple.


"Ha?" they asked.


"You mean, it's possible that the surgery's not going to happen today?" Lei sighed and wiped her tears away as Mitch held out a handkerchief to her.


"Oh...no!" Betty interrupted. "We, doctors, are not in the habit of shocking our patients with a tragic news then forcing them to make a big decision without giving them much time to prepare themselves, Lei. First, we have to inform both your families and well, your closest friends, too, if you'd like. You see, you would need to have a solid support-care-system because we will all go through this as a process and not just a one-day in/out-of-the-hospital-session. Then we'll need to have you scheduled for weekly therapy sessions, one week prior to the surgery and another week after we've performed the surgery, with our resident psychiatrist here, her name's Doctor Merideth Thompson."


"Doctor Thompson is in Austin, Texas right now and will be back tomorrow night. But I'll see to it that her secretary sends her our message about your appointment with her the day after tomorrow. Lei, I'll call you tomorrow as soon as I hear a word from doc'," was Rosy's statement of assurance.


Lei smiled at Rosy, thanked her and looked at Betty again.


"Right. So, Rosy will be contacting you tomorrow about your session with doctor Thompson on Tuesday. Also, from the papers filled out by Mitch, we've collected a few names here, Mr. Ricky and Mrs. Thessa Ramirez - Lei's parents; Mrs. Ana Alvarez - Mitch's mother; Christina and Emilio - Mitch's siblings; we also have here, Alex and Mart being both your close friends. Would you want Rosy and I to give them each a call and discuss to them in details what we've talked here today and should there be names you wanted to cross out from the ones I've just read for the said notification? Or would you want to inform them, yourselves?" Betty closed the record of names with their corresponding contact numbers after she had read them to the couple and looked at them for answers.


Mitch stood up and approached the two doctors who were standing in front of Lei's bed. He stood in between them and stretched out his arms to pat the doctors' shoulders. "Rosy, if it's not so much to ask, would you mind informing all of them with the help of Betty? I don't think we are strong enough to deliver this news to them. We're still shaky at these times. That'll be too much for both of us, especially to Lei. Please?


"Mitch, it's never too much to ask for help from Betty and me. We're always glad to be of help. We're family, sweetheart." Rosy then embraced Mitch who was technically a nephew to her since Lei was her niece by her cousin Ricky. Rosy approached Lei and also gave her a hug then she promised, "We'll all call them today, honey."


Betty also embraced Mitch and patted the back of his shoulders to express comfort. Afterwards, Mitch moved towards Lei and sat beside her on the bed.


"I suggest you stay from tonight until Monday afternoon here," this came from Rosy. "I'll arrange a private room for you and will ask my staff to help you transfer from my clinic here to that room without a fuss. We'll ask Thessa to fix your personal things and bring them to you tonight. My cousin Ricky can drive your mom to your house, she can get those stuff and then he'll drive for them both from there to their way here. As I recall, you mentioned to me before that you gave them a spare key, correct?"


"Yes. Mom and dad still have that key," Lei confirmed.


"Ok. Good. Then, we'll check with any airline to see which one will allow us to book an early flight for Mitch's family to arrive here by tomorrow or on Tuesday, the latest. As for Alex and Mart, I am sure they wouldn't be able to spend a night here tonight with you because of Alex's condition but I'm positive they can be here any minute from now until the late afternoon."


Betty further added, "I'll alert the nurses about your stay here tonight till Monday afternoon. Your stay in that suite is 'on me'. We'll leave them instructions and direction to see to it that both of you are well taken care of in that suite and whatever it is that you'll be needing, please do not hesitate to inform the nurses. In the suite where you'll be transferring to, there'll also be a red button like that one which you pressed earlier, but in that suite, that red button is directly connected to the nurses' station so they can right away assist you. The nurses know how to reach us should an emergency arise."


"Thank you very much. You two are so kind to us," the couple expressed their gratitude in unison.


"You're welcome. It's always our pleasure," was Rosy's immediate response. "Well, looks like everything's already been discussed. We've got some phone calls to make yet. Betty, shall we?" Rosy gave the couple one last hug before she held onto Betty's shoulders while moving towards the door.


Betty nodded to the couple and the two responded with a wave to her.


Before Rosy closed the door, she saw Lei released a loud cry to Mitch. He embraced her tightly and cried with her, too. She knew that the couple was enforcing control and calmness for both of them while she and Betty were with them. But now that they were leaving the room, they can have all that time to themselves, she wished. Betty and Rosy embraced each other when the door was shut. Betty felt the pain that Rosy was feeling. They too, wanted the couple to keep the baby but it was too risky for Lei. They felt pity for themselves knowing that they could not spare the couple the pain and the heartache that the situation was causing them. Rosy was not able to help herself, too. She shed tears which she herself was trying to hide from the couple back there. Betty comforted her and escorted her to her office.


"Bro, we came as soon as we've heard," this came from Mart as he and Alex were coming inside the room at four o'clock in the afternoon. Mart was holding a basketful of fruit-variations. Alex rushed to give Lei a hug.


"Oh, you poor dear. We're here now, Lei." Alex then kissed Lei on her forehead.


"Thanks, bro. It's really good to see you here. We needed you guys here." Mitch warmly hugged Mart who then tapped his back for comfort.


"Doctor Ramirez prepped us about the news before we got here. She said Thessa and Ricky will be coming over tonight," Alex reported. "Do you guys need anything?"


"My lips are a little dry. I think I could use some drinks," and then she added, "But Betty said we can just press this red button here and the nurses will come over to assist us."


"Nah! Sweetheart, I think I could use some walking down the hospital's alley." Mitch placed his left arm on top of Mart's shoulders and said, "Let me and Mart get you the drinks ourselves. Alex, would you want anything?"


"Just a bottle of water will be fine," was Alex's reply.


"We won't take long, babes," from Mart as he gave Alex a quick kiss on the lips. Mitch kissed Lei on her lips, too, but that kiss was a combination of love and pain.


The two guys headed towards the door and Mitch closely shut the door. Alex was standing at Lei's left side when Mitch and Mart left the room. She took a chair and situated herself near Lei.


"I know it's awkward for me to ask you of this but, how are you, Lei?


"Still hurting, Alex. This is very painful for both of us. Everything seemed to have happened so fast. First, I learned I was pregnant. I was so ecstatic then. It came as a shock to us as a couple, though. I thought Mitch wasn't happy with the news that I am pregnant, but I was wrong. He was so happy about it. We both wanted the baby. Last night, we even talked about adjusting our lifestyles or our daily routines so to be able to properly take care of the baby. And now this...this..." Lei started crying again.


Alex held Lei's left hand and caressed it to assure her friend that she's right there by her side...to let her know that she and Mitch will not go through this pain alone.


"Oh, Lei, I am so sorry to hear this tragic news. Yes, I know you both wanted the baby. All of us wanted you to have this baby. We're all excited about the arrival."


"Yeah. I remember..." Alex handed her a box of tissues. "I remember...in that dinner party we held at our house one Friday...together we talked about our pregnancies. I asked you about yours and you asked me about mine. I've shared what Mitch and I planned for the baby." Lei hid her face with both of her hands and sobbed immensely.


Lei went on crying. She knew she wasn't being hospitable to Alex or was being thoughtless of her visitor but she just froze there on her bed, her chest was full of crumpling pains, heartaches, unreleased tears, dismay, regret and more. Alex knew Lei needed that opportunity to get a release from those feelings. She gave Lei that chance to cry those hurts away so she just sat there, continuously gripping on Lei's left hand.