Chapter 17

36: Avah's Biological Mother

When he woke up in the morning and Davien was not there, he just thought that there might be a lot of patients last night so he didn't go home at all. He also prayed for the improvement of Alexa's condition. Avah finished having breakfast but Davien was still not there.

Since Sunday Avah thought of visiting church. He hasn't been able to visit there for a long time because Davien doesn't want him to go out of the house. She was not wearing her new clothes that Davien had bought. She preferred to wear her old skirt that was open, up to her knees in length. It"s wood color and its loose top. He also wore flat shoes.

He just passed by the convent. Davien probably won't be angry. He will disappear for a while. Avah let her hair fall back to normal. He tried to call Davien using his cellphone but it just rang. No one answered so he just sent a message that he was going to church.

Davien takes vitals of Alexa with the nurse when she wakes up. They're monitoring if Alexa's breathing is better and more stable. A small smile escaped Alexa's lips. Davien was still wearing the same, apart from the laboratory gown. Alexa then feels that she is still important in Davien's life.

"Thank you so much, Davien. You saved my life," Alexa said in a weakened tone.

"Don't thank me, Miss Torres." Davien's line seemed like he was just talking to a normal client. "I don't save your life for free. I earn money because I'm saving people's lives. Please just pay all your hospital expenses when you're done." Davien turned to the nurse. He first signed Alexa's medical record before saying, "she's doing good. Take care of the rest."

"Yes, Doc." The nurse then left Davien.

When he entered his office, he immediately took his cellphone. It was in his pocket last night and he kept it in his drawer. Davien saw six missed calls from Avah. A smile formed in his lips. Now everything about them will change. Because they already know they both really feel for each other. Davien tried to call Avah but she's unattended.

Because there was a weak signal in the Convent Davien could not contact the wife who was now talking to Mother Superior Segunda.

"It's been a long time since you last visited, Sister Avah. You seem to be happy with your wife. I'm very happy with the abundance of the course of your life." mantra of the nun.

"Thank you, Mother Segunda. Please be patient with my infrequent visits." Ani Avah.

"That's all right, Sister. I know your world doesn't revolve around the church anymore. That's right! I'll give you something. I would have given it to you on your wedding day but I forgot my clothes. I'm really getting older. " Mother Segunda laughed. "Wait a minute, Sister. I'll take that first." The old man left. She walked to her bedroom and picked up an antique necklace.

It is heart -shaped with an engraved name. The old man returned to the garden, under the tree where he had left Avah. Mother Segunda took the child's hand and placed there a small bag made of clothes.

Avah opened it and saw a necklace. Jacintha, that"s the name engraved on the necklace.

"Jacintha, Mother?" Avah asked with a smile.

"I've kept that necklace for a long time, Sister. I would have intended to give it away when you were a full -fledged nun, but God is so good at making the story of our lives."

"Why are you giving me your necklace, Mother? It seems important to you to keep it for many years." Avah's eye asks.

"That's not for me, Sister." The nun smiled. "That's your mother," Avah suddenly fell silent when she heard that the necklace came from her mother. "When I was a young woman and a sister, a beautiful young lady approached me. She had a sharp nose, a beautiful body, she looked rich. She was carrying a baby, it was you Avah. The young lady was crying when she approached me.

At that time, unmarried girls were rejected by their parents. He brought you to me, Avah. Your real mother is afraid of her parents. Because when you were still in the womb, they threatened to take you away, to adopt you. So your mother made a way for you to stay away forever. He used to visit you at church. Until I became a full -fledged nun. The church sent me to another convent to serve. There was no one else to take care of you then so the servant who used to guide me sent you. That"s where our communication was cut off. I'm afraid you hate me, Sister Avah. But you need to know the truth. Your real mother loves you very much. "

As Avah listened to Mother Segunda's revelations, her tears continued to flow.

"Is Jacintha my real mother's name, Mother?" Avah asked. He also does not know his mother's name or surname because he has the surname of Mother Segunda Rodeo.

"Yes, Sister. I remember her name Jacintha. I don't even remember her last name."

The two just kept talking. About nine o'clock Avah left the convent. He just left when Davien arrived there. He had read Avah's message. He did not go home, he took a bath in the hospital and when he was able to change his clothes, he followed his wife.

"Sister, Davien is just leaving. I didn't ask where she was going." Mother Segunda said to her son's wife.

"Is that so, Mother? All right, thank you." Davien insisted on not speaking English not because the nun did not understand, but because it was the native language of the church people.

Avah went to the nearest public park in the area. Many families are there to take a walk. Others will correlate; couples, boyfriends, there are also friends. As he walked, he looked at his mother's necklace. All his life, he believed that his own mother did not like him. That, by the way, only protects him.

Jacintha is a well-known and award winning actress in the Philippine Showbiz. She is very seasoned and has been in the industry for a long time but because she is old, she only receives motherly roles. But when he was young he always had the lead role. If it wasn't for the fact that she was an actress when she was a young woman, maybe she is with her child now.

She has an image that must be preserved on her glory days. So he hid the child who was later separated from him.

Now she is in shooting for a soap opera that includes. She is a poor mother of the actress and now they are in the park near Quiapo Churh. The scene is they take her young daughter for a walk in the park from the church. He would see the mother of the child's girlfriend there and belittle them.

As the actors stoned the line Avah passed by just staring at the necklace. Avah bumped into Jacintha who had turned her back and continued to act. The mother turned to Avah apologizing. Avah picked up the necklace that had fallen because of their collision.

"CUT !!!" the director shouted as he stood up on the chair. "Hey! Miss! Yes you are! Can't you see? We're shooting oh! Look around you!"

Avah look around. And he did notice that a lot of people were around, a lot of cameras were also focused on them.

"Hija, are you alright?" Jacintha asked Avah.

Avah pocketed the necklace and looked straight at the old woman. "Yes, it's okay. I'm sorry."

When Jacintha looks at Avah, her heart beats fast. The leap of blood made the mother cry.

"Direct, look at the woman's visual. The camera loved her!" The director of photography said about Avah's appearance on camera.

Jacitha's eyes were nailed at Avah as she walked away. When Avah finally got away from the set, someone pulled her hand. When she turned around, she didn't expect to see her husband there.

"D-Davien!" He stuttered his promise.

37: First Date

When Davien returned to his car he turned on the GPS radar installed on his Lamborghini Veneno. How did he get the car? He rented a driver thru online to take the car to the hospital from Olivia's house where he left it. Since Avah's phone's GPS is connected, Davien can see how many meters away from her husband.

He ended up in a public park and he quickly saw the wife walking alone. Even with his back turned he knew it was Avah. Her clothes are familiar. But his question is why is she wearing those clothes again? She has a dozen beautiful clothes but she prefers the old and unattractive ones. There is only one thing to say. Avah isn't someone who is materialistic.

Davien grabbed Avah's hand, because of the sudden contact, Avah turn around.

"D-Davien!" Avah was surprised to see the husband in the same place.

"I thought you said you were in the convent?" Davien asked. They stopped on their tracks. Even though Davien knew that Avah would just leave when he arrived at the convent, he still wanted to hear the reason from his wife's mouth.

"Yes, I'm just leaving. You? You didn't come home last night ah, are there many patients?" Avah asked smiling.

Shall Davien tell me he take care of Alexa whole night?

Take care ?! What the fuck am I saying? I will never care for that woman ever again. It's just a doctor's obligation. Yeah. Davien remind himself on the back of her mind.

"Yes, mejo many were confined last night so I have to stay and lend some hand. Did you wait for me?" Davien decided to lie. "Did you sleep early last night? Gael dropped you home?"

"Yes. I went to bed early, Gael took me home too." Avah lied to. He didn't want to know that he was still awake last night because Davien might just feel guilty. She is so tired of working all night that she will upset her husband. "How's Alexa? I hope she's okay." The two began to walk slowly in the park.

"Can we please not talk about her or work or anything today? Let's just enjoy this sunny day. We haven't had a proper date as far as I can remember." Davien says. He picked her hands up and they walked holding hands.

As they hold hands people look at them. More especially, the girls look at Davien as they judge Avah. Kesyo ang manang naman ng kasama ni kuya, ang gwapo naman ni kano yung kasama no comment, sana ako na lang si ate, napaka old fashion naman nung babae. Those are the litany of women who can"t accept that Avah is beautiful even if she"s just wearing that dress.

Davien looks like a professional lawyer while Avah looks like a maid. But who cares? Because for Davien, no beauty can surpass Avah's.

Davien can hear the whispers of the people who say things about his wife. To shut them up and to show how much he loves Avah, he carried it. She pinned Avah's skirt between her arm and her thigh. Avah was shocked when her husband did that.

"A-what the heck, Davien! You're kidding me. People are watching!" Avah lightly slapped her husband's chest. Davien just laughed at her reaction.

"No. I want to walk this way. I want people to know how much I'm into you. I love you." Davien leaned his face towards Avah forcing his own face away. "Try to avoid my kiss and you'll fall. Stay still."

"Davien take me down! It's embarrassing!"

"I love you." Davien repeated.

"Davien, one! Take me down."

"I told you that I love you. Aren't you saying anything?" Davien's insistence.

"Davien take me down, please."

"I thought I heard you said you loved me last night? I want to hear it again." Davien continued walking while the wife did.

They have been looking at each other for years which Avah deliberately misses.

"I love you, Davien. I love you so much. Take me down, please."

With a mischievous smile, Davien put Avah back on her feet.

"I love you so much too." Davien said then he stolen one quick kiss from Avah. For the nth time today, Avah's eyes shot open.

Davien took Avah inside a clothing store. Davien bought a couple red shirts. What is stamped here is I love my wife so much and I love my husband very much. It also has a split heart and cute bride and groom stickers. The two changed clothes and walked around the park holding hands.

Avah took Davien to the tutorial vendor. At first Davien first questioned the hygiene of the food. Instead of getting angry, the old vendor smiled at them.

"You taste first. It's delicious." The vendor said to Davien because he thought he didn't understand Tagalog. He tried isaw-isaw, blood, lard and quack-quack. Davien didn't expect to be able to consume too much of it. And he was surprised because the amount he ate was only P200. Cheap for him because he has a lot of money in the bank, but for the average person it is expensive.

After they ate they played some game machines. Davien bought P200 worth of tokens and all of that ended in nothing because they did not find any dolls inside the fraudulent machine.

"Fine! I will buy on my own!" Davien shouted at the machine when he was irritated by its deception.

When they rested on the wooden bench in the mini forest of the park, Avah grabbed the mother's necklace again. Davien squeezed next to Avah and looked at the antique necklace.

"What's that?" Davien asked.

With a smile on her lips, Avah said "my real mother's necklace."

"Jacintha? Like the veteran actress Ms. Jancitha Castillo?" Davien read the name on the necklace and compared it to the only one known by the same name. "I thought she abandoned you? Why do you seem so happy to remember her?"

"Because she's still my mother, Davien. Even though I didn't know her, I know she loves me as her child." Said Avah in her sweetest voice. "Are you Papa Nicholas? He's looking for you, Davien. He's still your father."

"Let's not talk about him, Avah." Davien avoids parental conversation.

"Davien, there is no parent who doesn't love their child. You have to forgive dad. Imagine you don't exist if it weren't for him. And if you didn't, I wouldn't be this happy. I can't be with you, I won't be the mother of your child. . Everything that happens has a reason. And think if the pope hadn't done that, we wouldn't have known each other. And if I hadn't met you, I probably wouldn't know how to love. "

Davien looks at Avah. She really possess a quality of a nun. Good to talk and reassure.

"I love you, Avah. Promise me that we will never break apart. You are all I need." He caressed her cheeks.

"I love you too, Davien. I promise we won't break up." She smiled at him and this time, Avah initiated the kiss.

38: Jacintha's Necklace

For three weeks, the couple's life went smoothly. Every weekends, Davien and Avah are busy decorating the room of their unborn baby. Divina has already bought hundreds of unisex clothes, nipples, toys, cribs and other baby items.

They were a happy couple now. There's a time when before going to sleep, Davien rubs Avah's big belly. She's four months pregnant now. Dr. Talaveda said in the second trimester of pregnancy-months 4, 5, and 6-the baby's fingers and toes are well-defined. The eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails, and hair are formed, and teeth and bones are becoming denser. Their baby can even suck his or her thumb, yawn, stretch, and make faces. Davien was even more excited by that statement by his mother Rosana.

Their first date was still followed. Once every night Davien brings out Avah. He takes it to beautiful places, they eat outside, walk holding hands. Every morning because Davien is at work so at night he recovers to take care of his wife and child. Davien doesn't seem to know how to get tired because he is able to be a doctor, Avah's husband and father of their future child at the same time.

Davien has also decided to forgive his father. That"s because of Avah. She made Davien realized how important parents are. And if he wants to be a good father to his future child, isn't it only right that he be a good child first?

Sunday morning when suddenly a delivery arrived at their house. This is a classic piano that Davien arranged in the living room of the house. He bought it for his wife. When she gets bored, she can play. Besides, listening to classic music can make the development of their baby better, that's what Rosana said to the child.

Today, Monday afternoon, Avah adjusted herself. She wore a maternity dress and flat shoes. She tied her long black hair high. Davien sends her to a place called Home of Love. Avah asked why Davien replied that they would attend a private parenting session. As instructed by Avah, she took the two tickets that were stored in their drawer, Davien bought them just last Saturday.

On the other hand, Davien was ready to leave the hospital when the patient arrived just in time. They are victims of the fire. In the number of casualties there was a shortage of doctors in the Emergency Department. The sudden happenings prevent Davien from leaving and meeting his wife.

Davien ran to the Emergency Room and quickly changed clothes. He attended on the patients and at the speed of events, he no longer remembered to notify Avah that he could not come. He stayed in the operating room and save lives.

Avah waited on the place. He was outside the building and waiting on the bench. She's been sitting there for like two hours and she's been looking around for a while. Her eyes searched for Davien. Even the passing cars are waiting for him. He was depressed to wait. Even her call was not answered by her husband. As soon as she sat down, Avah stood up and repeated.

Across the road, there was Noah. His car broke down and he fixed it now in the workshop just near where he was.

"What time will you fixed my car?" Noah asks.

"Give us two hours, sir. We will attend on it immediately." Promise of the workers there.

"Alright. Two hours then." Noah said then he left the studio. He came out of the establishment when he saw Avah pacing back and forth as his neck stretched out on the road.

He already accepts the fact that Avah can never be his, but it's probably not bad if he wants her to be a close friend isn't it? Noah was once disgusted with destiny. Why does he still need to meet Avah? More specifically, liked her when he shouldn't be.

Noah crossed the road. He walked through the running vehicle and was not hit or hurt when he reached the other side of the road. The road is not a highway so it is not prone to accidents. He walks towards her and says, "Avah, why are you here?"

When someone called him he quickly turned around. He was slightly disappointed because it was not Davien the man but his brother Noah.

"Noah! You, why are you here?" Avah asked.

"My car broke. They're fixing it." Noah taught the studio. "You, why are you here? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting for Davien. We'd be going there oh," Avah also pointed to the opposite building. "Parenting Session, but I'm going home. It looks like Davien won't be coming anymore," Avah managed to smile even though she was a little sad.

"Wait. How about I go with you?" Noah suggested.

Avah was stunned by what he said.

"N-no, me! You'll still be bothered." Avah made a throaty laugh.

"No, it's okay. You're friends, right?" Noah said in slang tagalog. "Besides, you are carrying my brother's child. He or she will be my nephew or niece. I wanna do something good for Davien and your child."

"S-okay." With Avah's consent, they both used the tickets to enter the building.

"What's your name sir, ma'am?" Asked the old woman receiving tickets at the entrance of the building.

"Noah Sebastian, please."

"You ma'am?"

"Avah please. Avah R. Sebastian."

The old woman wrote Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian in their name tags and says, "welcome to the Home of Love Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian," he handed the name tag of the two assuming they were married. How come they have the same last name.

In the 3rd batch, Avah was with them and it was just beginning.

"Okay, parents. Good afternoon to all of you. To all the wives, please be on the left and the husbands on the right. We will practice first our simple arrangement of seats for the next activity is fine the trend. "

They both know that they are not married but they just follow the speaker's orders. The activities that followed were both awkward for Avah and Noah. There was a moment when the speaker ordered the husbands to place the right hand on the wives "baby bump and talk to the baby. It was said its one way of showing love for the baby. Davien would have done non. But he did not do that because at that time, he was in a room in front of a dying patient and was saving his life.

"The heartbeat of the patient is slowing down! Prepare the defibrillator !!" Davien cried out when the patient's heartbeat suddenly dropped. "Set the defibrillator in 160 Joules. Charge!" Davien points the defibrillator at the patient's chest and tries to save it. "Raise the charge into 200 Joules! Charge!" after the second attempt the patient's heartbeat returned to normal.

"Doc, the patient's heartbeat is strong again." Said a nurse while looking at the heart monitor.

"Back to the operation." command of Davien.

The session lasted two hours and we finished fixing Noah's car so the two of us went to a famous restaurant first. Before eating, Avah went to the bathroom to dehydrate her body. He took off his shoulder bag and placed it on the stand inside the cubicle. Wondering why the husband didn't come, he lost the bag in his mind. She flushed the toilet then left.

Jacintha was on the same restaurant with her manager. They talk about the good run of his career in show business. Her manager excuses herself to go to the toilet. And there he entered the cubicle where Avah entered. When Jacintha's manager returned to the table, she was already carrying Avah's bag.

"What's that? Whose bag is that?" The actress asked.

"I don't know. Just saw it in the rest room,"

"Look for an I.D. Maybe the owner is still here."

Jacintha's manager swallowed the inside of the bag until she could find Avah's mother's necklace. To satisfy her curiosity about what she is touching, the woman released the necklace. She examined the jewelry and says, "your name was written on it."

Jacintha raised her head and frowned. "What do you mean?" Anito.

"Your name, isn't this your name? You look like the owner of this bag idol."

The actress' eyes widened when she saw the proprietary necklace she gave to her son a long time ago.

"My daughter ... my daughter is here!" Jacintha untied the necklace and stared at it intently. "This is mine! I gave it to my daughter Manager Vicky!" Jacintha ejaculated tearfully.