JL parked his car to a five - star hotel where he decided to plan on revealing Naomi’s pregnancy to his family. He nervously went outside the car with a face mask on. He assisted Naomi until they reached the elevator to the VIP room of the building’s hotel. His heart can’t stop pounding while her is being devoured by anxiety and pressure. Although she came from a wealthy family, still JL’s family is more powerful and conservative of preserving their perfect bloodline.
JL twisted open the VIP room’s door knob. Everyone is already there including his parents and Caleigh. All eyes are focused on them as soon as they arrived and removed their face masks off. Lorenzia did not look surprised at all since she has been the bridge of Naomi to JL for them to reunite. Lt. Col. Peredo acted innocent while sipping a cup of tea in the table’s top seat area.
JL went to the vacant seat without glancing at Naomi. His family’s eyes except for Lt. Col. Peredo and Lorenzia are focused to them with eyebrows raised. He sat down and greeted his family members’ stares. Naomi followed him and sat on the vacant seat between Lorenzia and JL. She looked at his family members and there she observed that all of them looks well - off and successful.
“Why did you call us here for, JL?” Lt. Col. Peredo asked while putting down the cup of tea. JL tightened his grip on his knee below the table. With nervousness he answered, “I just want to reveal something”. Naomi looked away with her heartbeat racing; their eyes feel like knives throbbing her chest. They looked so judgmental the moment she stepped inside the VIP room JL booked.
“Go ahead” Juliana said with eyes focusing on her son and Naomi. JL cleared his throat and pulled out two pieces of paper from an envelope. He handed those for the family members to glance at, ending to his parents and to his little sister. Juliana and her husband’s eyes widened upon seeing the papers. It included the paternity DNA test and a shot of ultrasound picture showing the two little babies inside Naomi’s womb.
JL can see tears accumulating in his mother’s eyes. He looked away and stood up; he was faced by all of the people inside the VIP room. “I will be having twins…” he announced that made his family react in surprise. “Can you tell us who is the mother? I mean, it was stunning, you know” Dior said while playing the fork twirled with a pasta serving. He bowed down, raised his arm and pointed his finger of Naomi who feels sitting in a hotseat.
“This can’t be…” Juliana said while her eyes are still focused on the DNA paternity test results. His father asked, “If I am not mistaken, this girl you are referring to as your kids’ mother is Naomi Nievez, the runaway bride in the news. She is also your ex - girlfriend, right?”. JL slowly nodded as a response; the members of his family especially his aunts got gossips to share.
“From the start, I knew it was you who owns the fetus carried by Naomi. Surprisingly, there are twins” Lt. Col. Peredo commented. Lorenzia raised a hand and said, “Sorry, I did not tell you. I know about their situation since Naomi left Australia”. Juliana stood up with an amount of rage in her eyes. She stood up; as a mother she feels disappointed.
She wiped her tears and uttered, “JL I have always placed my trust in you. You are on your perfect age but that does not mean you will hide these things from me. I feel so pained; you are still not married!”. JL knelt down from standing; it surprised everyone including Naomi. There she felt that JL is perseverant of fighting for her and their soon to be born babies.
“Sorry, it took me a while to prove that I am really the babies’ father” he said and quickly wiped his tears. “I waited for months just to get that paternity DNA testing done. I promised her that after we prove that I am blood related to the babies, I will quickly reveal them to you… because I want those kids to be acknowledged like how I am acknowledged in this family”.
For the first time, he failed his family’s expectations. For the first time, he prided down and explained what went wrong. For the first time, he proved everyone that he is still responsible despite the mistake he did. He added, “That is why I brought her here today because I want you to accept her and the babies inside her womb. After all, the babies in her womb are your unborn grandkids, niece and nephew, and your cousins”.
Caleigh ran to him and clung to his neck. “I told you, I will be an aunt soon!” she innocently said. JL caressed his little sister’s back. “Stand up and let us talk properly” Lt. Col. Peredo commanded and so he did. “Now that it is proved that you really own the babies, why not tie the knot?” JL’s dad asked but it made them confused.
“What do you mean?” JL asked back. “You two should be wedded as soon as possible before the kids will be born” his mother answered. JL’s eyes widened, “You mean, you are already allowing Naomi to enter the family?” he asked again. His parents slowly nodded as a response. There he felt happy inside; although he never thought about being married with her because of the issues she left in Australia, he is still in euphoria because of the relief brought by acceptance.
“I want you two to get married next month” his mother requested. JL was about to complain when Naomi answered for him. She held JL’s hand and said, “We will go according to your plan”. JL sat back while feeling the pressure made by his family’s sudden wedding planning. They are planning to get them wedded in a civil way where the ceremony will be held privately.
Lt. Col. Peredo reminded, “I will keep you under guard until the babies are born. Make sure you keep yourselves secured also”. The two nodded; they will be wedded a month from now without asking themselves if they still love each other. As soon as they left the hotel where they shared lunch, they went straight to the mall to fetch other baby needs.
Naomi caressed a pink baby dress hanged on the shop’s rack. JL approached her with baby bottles in his hand. He asked, “You want it?”. Naomi shook her head, “No, it is still too big for a newborn to wear” she answered and started picking out girly stuffs for a newborn. JL looked around to find blankets and baby boy needs.
Their shopping cart is full and so are their hearts. They barely converse but their minds convey only one idea. He loaded up his car’s trunk with few newborn babies needs and drove back home. He opened the meal box he ordered and placed it in front of Naomi. “How did you feel today?” he asked while opening his food. Naomi shrugged, “Mixed emotions, I guess”.
It feels awkward for them to talk casually again after the roller coaster experience they shared. “What do you think of the sudden wedding plan? Do you think this one is the most appropriate to do while Luke is perseverant of searching for you?” he asked again.
She answered, “I told you, I gambled everything just to make my kids live without any stress. That means, Luke is also gambled on the line”. He nodded and took a bite of his meal; “You don’t need to stress out of the wedding; I will get it under control” he said and it made Naomi carefree. Even if JL seldomly talk about things, she can still feel his concern.
Nighttime came and so their usual setup began to take an effect again. “Sleep in the bed and I will sleep in the living room’s couch” he said while carrying a pillow. She sat down on the bed and asked, “Aren’t you going to sleep with me now that we are about to get married?”. He poked her forehead lightly and answered, “That is the reason why you are pregnant right now”.
She lightly chuckled and replied, “And that also shows that you are fragile of lust”. JL scoffed and talked back, “You wish”. He exited the bedroom and laid to the sofa; he smirked before closing his eyes. Naomi hugged the body pillow and squealed lightly in joy.
They both can’t sleep after the revelation. JL glanced at the clock; it is two in the morning and his work will be three hours from that hour. He stood up and opened their refrigerator. He fetched a glass of water and quickly consumed it when he heard the sudden tick of Naomi’s room’s doorknob. He faked sleeping in the couch and waited for Naomi to come out.
He heard her footsteps going to the bathroom. After a while, he can feel her going near him. He felt a warm quilt covering his body; Naomi covered JL with a thick quilt to warm him up for the cold night. She removed the tiny strands of hair covering his eyes.
He felt her soft warm hand in his face; she gently caressed his cheek like she always used to do. “I still love you, love” she whispered. JL’s heart started beating like crazy upon hearing Naomi’s words and what triggered him the most is the endearment in the end. Naomi stood up but JL held her hand; they looked at each other’s eyes as if they are internally communicating.
He pulled her gently until he can feel Naomi on his top. He tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned closer to her face. Without noticing, his heart commanded him to place a kiss on Naomi’s lip. It lasted for a while until both of them are already gasping for air. He cupped Naomi’s cheek with his palm, “That is, I love you too” he said.
All this time he has been in denial of his feelings. From the moment he is excited of preparing breakfast for her to the dark night sky that makes him want to feel the cuddle of warmth from her. At first, he wants to avenge her for leaving him clueless and making him feel like a fool for a while. Now that she is the one who returned, he took it as a chance to regain the flame once destroyed by Luke because of greed.
Naomi’s eyes dropped tears but her face conveys smiles. She tightly hugged JL; she longed for that hug and kiss. “I have never felt this kind of acceptance ever since” she said with tears of joy. JL hugged her back, “I apologize; my pride made me cold”.
That was the time they knew that they really never moved on. Despite the years of separation making them complete strangers, one glance cured it all as if no years passed between them. JL never made Naomi feel that she is unsafe. He hid the details of Luke searching for her everywhere in the city. JL’s aim today is to get wedded with Naomi before Luke appears on the frame of their lives.
He carried her to the bedroom when he felt Naomi soundly sleeping in his lap. He made her lay on the bed and placed a blanket to cover her body. He placed a kiss on her forehead and went back to the living room.
He was about to sleep when Fonsi’s contact appeared in his phone’s lock screen. He answered the call and studied the report of Fonsi. “He publicly announced his plans for the next three days. Prevent Naomi from using anything that records her name and status. As for you, Luke is observing your family’s house in the subdivision”.
“I got it. Keep me updated” he replied and immediately dropped the call. The bubble where Luke is travelling to gets closer and closer to them. He safely hid Naomi but it is time for him to limit himself also now that he thinks that maybe Luke is targeting him. He whispered, “I will hide you, but I will not deny you, love”.