ASHANTI
“Are you alright?” Kristoff asked me as I paled when I was looking at the calendar. I was looking at my normal cycle before realizing that I am delayed. Three weeks delayed.
I looked at him and nodded.
He narrowed his eyes on me and sat closer to me. “Come on. You can’t fool me with that face of yours,” he beamed. “Tell me. What’s wrong, baby?” he asked in the sweetest voice that I have ever heard in my whole life.
The way he calls me baby! I can feel my intestines coil with each other and the butterflies are flying all the way up to my throat. I want to throw up.
I gulped when I realized that it’s true. I want to throw up. I immediately ran to the toilet and vomited on the bowl. Kristoff came running behind me, panicking about my condition.
“Hey, what’s happening?” he asked me as he caressed my back. “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital,” he told me.
He slowly picked me up and carried me bridal style to the car. He didn’t even think of getting me dressed appropriately. But hell, this is so Kristoff.
I was still feeling dizzy and nauseous on the way to the hospital. I guess I know what I am feeling but I don’t want to conclude that it’s it.
Kristoff glanced at me then held my hand while his other hand is on the stirring wheel. “Are you still dizzy?” he asked me softly. His voice sounded all the worries and concern in the world.
I nodded. “A bit,” I replied as I tried to smile. I need to smile because I don’t think this is something serious. It’s the only thing I can do for him to stop worrying.
“Just endure a bit more.” He squeezed my hand and stepped on the gas.
This feeling. Until now, even now, that he tells me how much he loves me and he only sees me, until now, even now, that he always takes care of me and he always makes me happy, I still have that falling feeling for him. It’s like I’ve fallen really hard but then as time goes by, it goes deeper and deeper and I can’t do anything about it. It feels like it’s the most natural thing that would happen to me.
To fall for him more and more each day.
Well, who wouldn’t fall in love with someone who cancels all his appointments—no matter how important they are—for you, who’s just experiencing a bit of dizziness and nausea? He didn’t need to stay home because this is only a minor discomfort and I can just sleep it off. But he did, he stayed.
“Can you walk?” he asked me as he pulled over the hospital.
I gave him a look. “Of course, I can,” I replied.
He smiled at me before stepping out and running to my side, opening the door for me.
Since when have I deserved to be treated like a princess?
He assisted me and wrapped his arm around me as we walked to the hospital. We talked to the triage and directed us to the Obstetric Clinic.
I know it. I just hope this is normal.
“You want me to come with you?” he asked as he cupped my cheeks. It was my turn to know the results after doing some lab tests.
People are looking at us because of Kristoff. Well, of course, he’s someone no one could ever miss. He’s tall with that Greek godly feel. The young ladies, who are even with their boyfriends lining up outside the clinic, couldn’t stop to stare at him.
I smiled at him and shook my head. “No need,” I replied. “I can handle it.” I assured him and he smiled back before planting a kiss on my forehead.
I can see the people around us smile and gasp as they saw what Kristoff did. When will he stop being this greasy? I can’t handle it already! I am slipping on the floor.
“Okay, I’ll wait for you here,” he told me.
I nodded and entered the clinic. The reason why I don’t want Kristoff to come inside is because I am afraid that he would panic more than me. And the thing is, I know that I could be—
“You’re three weeks pregnant.” The doctor told me, smiling. “Congratulations!” She is looking at me with a wide smile.
My eyes widened at the news. “Are you sure?” I asked her.
She chuckled and nodded. “Here’s the result of the laboratory tests we’ve done on you and all of the results suggest that you are pregnant,” she explained. “You now have to take these vitamins for you to have a healthy pregnancy,” she told me as she took her prescription pad and wrote the vitamins I have to buy.
I watched her while I am still in utter shock. I have expected this but knowing the results coming from an expert is different. It’s like a new sense of happiness is burning in me and I want to jump up and down right now. If I only could…
The doctor handed me the prescription and instructed me when to come back for the monthly checkup. She also instructed me to avoid strenuous and stressful activities as it would affect the development of the baby.
I knew about those things. I watched them on the TV. But right now that I am the one to experience it, I feel anxiety rising up. It seems easy when I watch it on the TV but doing it on my own is pretty hard, I guess.
***
I walked to Kristoff who’s waiting for me on a secluded chair in the end of the line. I can see the girls checking him out and I wanted to glare at them so much but I don’t have to. Because Kristoff is looking at me and smiling widely…
“What happened? What did the doctor say?” he asked me abruptly.
I smiled at him and held his hands as I dragged him out of the hallway. I didn’t want to tell him about it in the hallway where a lot of people are watching.
He was constantly asking me what the result is until I stopped in front of his car on the parking lot. Here, quiet and it’s just the two of us.
I took a deep breath before facing him and holding his hand. “Kristoff,” I called him as I looked into his eyes.
He looked down at me with his eyes shouting the anxiety and worry.
I smiled at him. “I am pregnant,” I told him.
He was frozen on his spot as he heard those words coming out of my mouth. He stared at me for a few seconds before it dawned on him.
“Really?” he asked with his wide eyes and dropped jaw.
I wanted to laugh at how he looks like a fool right now but I just smiled. “Yes,” I replied and then it hit him.
“Yes!” His shout echoed around the whole parking lot and he was jumping while pumping his fist! He stopped and looked at me then he hugged me tight. “Finally!” His voice was shaking.
I smiled through the hug. It’s my first time to see him cry of happiness.
He hugged me tighter and sobbed.
I softened at what he did. I’ve seen this scene in movies and dramas, where the girl tells the boy that she’s pregnant and there are only two possible replies from the boy—denial or extreme happiness. I have never seen one cry on this news. Just now. Just with Kristoff.
“You don’t know how much I’ve longed for this to happen,” he told me but his voice was cracking.
I smiled and hugged him back. “The wait is just starting,” I told him.
He chuckled. “Nine fucking months of excitement, hell yeah!” He told me as he kissed me passionately. I can feel his sincerity through the kiss. All the feelings, all the things he isn’t able to tell me. How much he loves me.
I smiled as he broke the kiss.
“I love you, Ashanti,” he told me as he kissed my forehead.
I smiled wider. “I love you more, Kristoff,” I replied and he hugged me once again.
“I promise to take care of you and our baby,” he whispered and I melted at the way he told me those words. How could he be this romantic? I don’t know how to control my feels anymore.
Kristoff always manages to destroy my sense of control over the feels that I am feeling. When he starts to talk sweetly and greasily, I feel everything in me break and shut down, like all of my defenses are going down at his words. It’s somewhat uncomfortable but heck, it feels great.
***
He was cuddling me on the sofa while we’re watching the Asian Games on the TV. I am secured in his arms and he trying to sneak kisses on me from time to time.
I don’t know why he’s acting like this right now. Maybe it’s the baby’s effect, but I love it.
“Eat this,” he told me as he holds the apple out and I gladly take it. “There, you have to eat more fruits for our baby,” he told me.
I narrow my eyes on him. He seems like he is the pregnant one.
“What?” he blinked at me.
I shook my head and just smiled instead. “I’m just happy,” I told him. “Because I have you and we’re going to have an awesome and beautiful baby girl.” We don’t know the gender yet but I personally want a baby girl.
He frowned. “No way! He’s going to be a baby boy.” He contradicted me.
“No! A girl.” I insisted.
He chuckled. “Well, I have a feeling that he’s a boy. Wanna bet on that?” he asked me as he dipped down and kissed me once more, preventing me from talking back.
So unfair!