Chapter 19

42: Miscarriage

It seemed out of place when Avah came out of the house. He was holding the annulment paper of his wife. He couldn't wait for Davien to arrive. She couldn't wait to hear her husband's reason. The reason why he had to keep secret about their divorce.

Avah carried only her wallet and the envelope to the hospital. She was wearing mejo still wet because of sweat and her tears. Everyone in the jeep was staring at him because he was crying. There was an old man who sat next to him and asked if it was okay.

Despite being hurt, Avah was still able to smile at the old man and say he was fine.

Avah got out of the jeep. To get to the hospital he had to cross the highway and walk a little more. She is still crying. She is not on her own because of the pain she is feeling. Avah crossed the highway, right there in the pedestrian lane.

It happened so fast that Avah just heard a very loud horn and the sound of a tire that suddenly braked. And the next ones he can no longer remember. All he knows is that people are confusing him and he can't really see anything well. Those around him were shouting but he could no longer hear them.

* * *

Davien is in the main lobby of the hospital. His phone was in his ear. He calls his wife but no one answers. He has been calling it that before. The document that he's been waiting for arrived at hospital. So he wonders what document came to their house.

He was pacing back and forth when the ambulance arrived in front of the lobby. She put her cellphone in the pocket of the laboratory gown. He has a patient again. He could no longer talk to his wife for long.

The emergency team get the hospital bed ready. They rolled it to greet the oncoming patient. They put the woman on the hospital bed from the stretcher that was inside the ambulance. Davien ran towards the emergency door and almost dropped his eyes in shock when he saw that the admitted patient was the wife. There are flowing blood in her thighs.

"Avah? Avah !! What happened ?! Why is she like ... like this ?! Avah! Avah wake up! Wake up, baby. Please!" Davien forgot he was a doctor. He almost lost everything he knew about treatment when he saw Avah in such a situation. This time he wasn't the Doctor Sebastian everybody admires, he is merely a husband to Avah who is now bloody admitted to the hospital.

"Move aside, Dr. Sebastian!" Another doctor attended Avah because their best doctor seemed to have lost his temper. An elderly woman replaced Davien. "Get the operating room ready!" Then the male nurses helped push the hospital bed into the operating room.

Consciously, Davien ran quickly, following the path of those who had accompanied Avah.

"Let me in! Let me in! She is my wife. Let me in !!" Davien disappears in front of the closed operating room. Three male nurses prevent Davien from entering. The doctor who operated on Avah told him not to let Davien in. If Davien had been there the operation would definitely not have gone well.

"Doc, calm down! Dr. Martinez is doing everything to save ma'am!" Reminder of one to the nurse. They knew Davien's wife was inside the operating room.

"Get off me! Get your fucking hands off me!" Davien lost his control to the situation. He's always been professional. But he could not be a professional at that time. "Let me pass please. My wife and my child are at risk ... I want to save them. Please get off me. I will save my family." Davien cried his whole heart out. He almost begged them. But he can't really go inside, even if he says he has access because he's a doctor.

Due to the speed of news about Ms.'s son. Jacintha and wife of Dr. Sebastian who was rushed to the hospital, Divina quickly found out. This is what is being talked about throughout the hospital. She heard that Avah was in the operating room so she ran it.

Divina saw her son. Si Davien. Missing, screaming and most calming of today are five male nurses.

"Davien ... Davien calm down!" Divina cried as she hugged the child.

"Ma! My wife ... my child. They are inside, ma! I want to save them. I want to save them. They are at risk ... I want to fucking save my family, ma!" Davien burst out. She cried so hard. It was the first time his mother had seen him like that.

Divina started crying too. He felt sorry for Davien and was very worried about his mother.

"Davien, they'll be alright. Hush now. They'll be alright." Divina whispered on his ear as he bit his lower lip to stop the loud sobs. Even if he wanted to cry out loud, he couldn't. Divina is strengthening for the child.

"D-Doc, this is what ma'am was using when she crashed. The police are already holding the driver who crashed." A nurse reported.

Davien took Avah's envelope and wallet that were already stained with blood. When he look what's inside the envelope, his heart skipped a beat. It was the annulment paper! He already burned it! So why is that there? Then he remembered the most current suspicious event in the hospital. He can only think of one thing. The nurse he saw came out of his office.

Davien ran to the office where the CCTV cameras footage was visible.

"Davien! Where are you going ?!" Divina shouted.

Davien reviewed the CCTV footage installed in the hall just outside his office. He saw Alexa there as if listening to the conversation and then it hit him! That was the day and time Gael and I talked about the annulment paper. He also saw Alexa enter the hospital the next day from a CCTV angle. Until it came out of the bathroom in nurse attire.

"I'm going to kill you!" He said greeted teeth then he left the office. He exited the hospital and quickly drove to Alexa's apartment.

Davien gripped the steering wheel too tightly. Almost all the nerves in his hand will come out because he's gripping on the steering wheel so hard due to his anger.

When he reached her apartment, he ran to the elevator. His hands were into fist. When the elevator stopped on the floor where Alexa was staying, she knocked on its door.

"Open the door! Open the goddamn door, Alexa!" Davien shouted.

When Alexa opened her up, the first thing Davien did was strangle her in the neck. Davien never been violent to a woman, but Alexa drives him to his limit. At those times he could afford to kill Alexa.

"Did you send the annulment papers to Avah? Answer me!" Davien shouted at the woman. He crushed her against the wall while chocking her.

"H-hin-di a-ako m-maka-h-hinga ..." Alexa said in a broken voice as she tried to remove Davien's hand from her neck. She's starting to turn into pale red, tears are also coming out of her eyes.

"I told you the last time. I will kill you, Alexa!" Davien shouted at the woman.

"Hey! Let her go!"

If no resident passed by and Davien was not pushed away Alexa would die at his hands.

Alexa started crying. She seemed to be out of breath if the man who helped her was a second late. She saw the flaming anger in Davien's eyes. It looks like he was determined to kill her earlier.

Alexa's breathing was steady and fast. He fills the lungs with air. Her cries were also loud, she was also trembling with extreme fear.

Later, Davien's cellphone rang. Its from his mom. Davien answered that.

Divina cries next to Avah's mother Jacintha. Divina called her when Davien left the hospital. Divina was able to say in pieces, "s-she had a miscarriage ... w-the baby is gone, Davien ..."

As if Davien transformed into a dangerous beast, he threw the cellphone at Alexa's side. His phone shattered. A glass from its screen made a long cut in Alexa's cheeks that bled quickly. Davien was consumed with anger so he destroyed everything he could find in Alexa's house and when he got tired, he sat on the floor and cried the pain he felt as a father who lost a child.

43: Broken Promises

It was noon when Avah opened her eyes.

She was dazzled by the light and comfort of the white room. Her mother was on her side. It was still crying yesterday. Avah's family is all saddened by the loss of her child. And they didn"t know how to let him know.

What happened to Avah quickly spread to the public. The driver of the vehicle that collided with Avah is in jail. He was charged with reckless driving for violating the speed limit and traffic light.

Divina, Daniela and Jacintha watch over him. Noah and Nicholas dropped by this morning.

Davien was settling Avah's hospital papers. He is always an idiot. She can't believe you're going to lose the child so fast. He also did not know how to deal with his wife. Now that Avah knows that Davien planned to break up, the guilty is swallowing her brain even more. But it hurts no more to know that your child is gone. That he was not given the opportunity to even touch the child.

Davien also thought that Alexa would file a complaint against him for hurting her. For obstructing the Republic Act 9262 also known as Philippine Commission on Women that stated the Anti-Violence against women and children. But Alexa really loves Davien so she can't complain about it. This will only make him even angrier, and when davien gets angry with him the more he will lose his sprouted hope.

"Mom ... where am I?" Avah is still weak. He received a bruise for throwing himself on the road.

Jacintha was almost thrown back from their seat when Avah regained consciousness. The three of them quickly approached him. They all have tears in their eyes. Avah couldn't understand why they were crying.

"Ate ... you're awake," Daniela cried. They all have red eyes and noses. Because of the introduction of them, Avah felt very nervous.

Avah caressed her stomach. Her heartbeat got stronger because of the nervousness, because she didn't feel any bulge there. Jacintha have to cover her mouth to prevent her threatening loud sobs. He could not see that the child's condition was like that. Their tears flowed even more as they watched Avah as if looking for her formerly big belly.

Avah also started to cry. But she tried to convince herself that the child in her womb was fine. But Avah feels like she's just fooling herself.

"A-ang ... a-ang a-anak ko, n-nay? A-it's okay s-sya, isn't it?" Although Avah was smiling, there was a trace of sadness in her eyes.

Davien was about to enter the room but he stopped when he heard his wife ask where their son was. Her tears fell automatically. Just as he listened to Avah's sad voice, all the pain was coming back.

"Why aren't you talking? My son is fine, isn't he? Am I right?" That was the beginning of Avah's very loud crying. He already knew the answer. He would just look at and listen to their grievances Divina, he already knew the answer to the question. Avah's crying was so loud. He was like a child, like a baby when he was in great pain.

Avah's mother hugged her. Jacintha whispers to her son that she is there. That he would survive that tragedy. Daniela and Divina do the same. Davien wanted to get in. He wants to sympathize with his wife for the loss of their child but why can't he move his own foot? He did not know. He doesn't know if Avah will accept him. He wanted to hug Avah tightly. He wanted to cry as hard as his wife. She wanted to cry with resentment over the loss of their child. But he was unable to get close to his wife.

Nothing hurts more than Davien's condition. He is watching his own wife suffer when Avah doesn't deserve even a bit of it. He watches it alone. She was crying and suffering alone. If only Davien could have taken all the pain.

He listened to Avah's every sigh and accompanied her to tears. When Avah got tired of crying, she fell asleep. Even when he fell asleep, his little sobs did not stop there. Davien just entered the wife's room when she was unconscious.

Jacintha didn't know how to feel about Davien. Should she be mad at him? Or now? Shall Jacintha pity Davien? He did not know.

Davien watched Avah breathe. He watched it sleep. He just held Avah's hand.

When Avah woke up, their family went out first to give the couple privacy. She couldn't look straight on his eyes. Avah also withdrew her hand from Davien.

"Come out first. Please." Avah whispered. The tears that dripped from his eyes were granular. But he tried to stabilize his feelings.

"I'm so sorry, Avah. I'm really sorry ..." Davien said softly.

Avah was just quiet. He weighs the steps he will take and the next decisions. After a while he said, "Let's split up,"

Avah bite her lips. He tries not to cry too hard but every time he restrains himself it seems like he wants to cry even more.

"A-Avah ... why are you saying that? I-I can't ..." Davien stammered.

"Leave me first. I want to be alone." Avah just stared out the window. In the blue sky where the child is now.

"Avah ..."

"Get out! Leave me alone!" She scream and then she look straight into Davien's eyes. Avah's eyes were full of anger and sadness.

"O-okay ... call me if you need—"

"I need to be alone, Davien. That's what I need."

"Okay, a-alright." Davien agreed and left Avah's room.

He can't blame Avah for acting like that. Because of all that happened, Avah was the most hurt and affected. Every time Davien goes home he feels that the house is worthless if Avah is not there. The once happy ambiance of their home became dull and empty.

Davien did not know how a week had passed. They buried the unborn baby and Avah named it Angelo. Her little angel. Their little angel.

Avah's cold treatment to Davien scares him. She felt that her most feared moment was coming. If she is ignored, Avah wants Davien to come out or come closer to her. But every time the husband leaves, he cries. Repented and only hurt more.

When Avah was discharged from the hospital, she decided to go to her mother first while Davien did not know that she would be released. Because Avah requested not to let her husband know that. Shortly after Avah was released from the hospital, she first visited her son's grave. She caresses the beautiful name of the child engraved on the tombstone and cries with all her heart.

Davien on the other hand, he always stare at his son's room. She is holding her brand new nipples, clothes, the crib, the toys she and her husband bought for baby Angelo. One night he was there sleeping in the child's room. He stared at Angelo's only photo every night. The ultrasound picture of her little angel. Sometimes he is holding the wedding album of his wife. Then her tears would always suddenly fall.

When Avah arrives at the mother's house, she doesn't expect the annulment paper to be in Jacintha's care. Jacintha saw it just sitting on the chair so she took it thinking it was an important document. Avah picked up that which was now on the mother's desk.

When Avah was alone she stared at the papers. As the tears flowed he picked up a ballpen that had just been placed on the bedside table. He signed the annulment paper and cried all night.

The next morning he sent the paper to the old house. Davien will take care of it.

"Mom? Can you take me somewhere else? It's just the two of us. Far far away ..." Avah said while a few tears were dripping from her eyes.

Davien is just drinking. Lots of scattered bottles of wine in the house. He feel so sad and wasted. Her life seemed meaningless. Even more so when he received the annulment paper with his wife's signature.

One morning he just woke up that Avah was no longer in the country. His life became meaningless on that day onward.

"I love you too, Davien. I promise we won't break up."

Davien always remembers Avah's promise. Promise until the passage of time is held by Davien.

44: After 2 Years

"Good morning, Dr. Sebastian." The female nurses greeted Davien as soon as he entered the hospital.

"Good morning." Davien replied to them as he continue walking heading to his office.

Two years ... two years have passed since Avah left. So much happened in those two years, and almost everything was not good. Davien tried to search for his wife. But it's really hard to find someone who doesn't want to search. Davien became a drinker for the first month when his wife left him. His profession was in danger. Davien locked himself in the house. Every day drunk, sometimes visiting the child. When he regained consciousness, he returned to work and was still admitted to the hospital. Will his doctor still let him go? Since then, he has tried to find Avah but nothing. He also visits Mother Segunda every month, speculating that his wife may have already visited. Mother Segunda always gives him a word of encouragement and the old nun believes that there is still a future waiting for the two of them.

And even during those two years, his love for the woman did not fade. He will always love Avah until his last breath. And when they meet again, Davien will correct everything he did wrong two years ago.

In two years Avah has changed so much. When they first arrived in Nevada, USA all she did was cry. Jacintha established her own property in Nevada so when Avah asked to stay away, she took it there.

Although Jacintha wants Avah to go back to her husband, she can't do anything because she is already hurt. Should the child be the only one who understands and forgives? Avah is always an idiot. he asks the Lord.

Why is my child still there?

Is this really what you want?

Is this really destined for me?

But even so, Avah did not lose her faith in God. Until one day, he woke up wanting to change himself. She asked for Jacintha's help. And Jacintha taught the child how to get up again. Not as Avah who is always crying, weak and defeated. But a version of her who can stand against bully, who can showcase her own beauty confidently. An Avah that she herself never expected to exist. She become someone else. A woman who wear high heels, elegant dresses, wore make-up, attend parties, style her hair, talk English and work as a magazine model.

Jacintha's superstar status made a huge stepping stone for Avah's beautiful career in the Nevada modeling industry to flourish. Avah is not the type of model who shows off the body. Although he has changed a lot, he has remained conservative. Avah models mostly jewelry, makeup, cosmetics and sophisticated styles of dress. Since the couple disappeared in the Philippines, they have not heard from each other again. They left their life in the Philippines and start anew. They shut media from the country because Avah doesn't want Davien to know where he is.

Until the day came when Avah had to return to the Philippines. The death anniversary of her baby Angelo is approaching. She can forget all the pain caused by her ex -husband but she can't forget that she once became a mother.

"What if you meet Davien in the Philippines? Are you ready to see him again?" Jacintha asked Avah. The mother and daughter were side by side on the first class airplane they boarded back to the Philippines.

"Do I have to get myself ready, mom?" Avah asked in her slight Nevada accent. "If we're to bump each other again, I'll take that as God's will." Avah smiled. The red matte lipstick pasted on her lips look so elegant and classy.

She wanted to act cool. But deep within her, she's shaking in nervousness and fear. Fear of facing her former husband. Because if she did, she might just fall here again and again. Even two years later, Avah's ex -husband is still in her heart.

"Hi, ma'am. Good morning, do you want anything ma'am?" A flight attendant approached.

"Yes, please. Do you have any Italian dishes here?" Avah asked the beautiful lady nicely.

"Yes, ma'am. We have Margherita Pizza and Focaccia Bread."

When Avah heard the last dish, she thought back to the time Davien suddenly came to her house. She was eating Focaccia Bread as her dinner, then Davien knocked on her door, she called the food junk as well as her apartment. The dish brought a lot of painful memories to Avah but in the end she preferred the bread.

Why ... why do I have to love you all these years? I wonder if you are happy with Alexa now. No matter what you r life have become, I will still be happy for you, Davien. And I will always be grateful that I experience to be a mother even for just a short period of time ... Avah's brain whispered while staring at the blue and white clouds. She feel so close to her baby boy.

* * *

"Come on, are you leaving?" Gael opened up to her friend when she saw him coming out of the hospital.

"I'll take a leave today. I will visit my son." Davien said with sadness in his voice.

"Oh shoot. Of course!" Gael rubbed his forehead because he just forgot how sensitive this day was for Davien. "I'm sorry, bro."

"It's okay." Davien replied with a lonely smile. "Catch you later, Gael."

Davien exited the hospital and then he drove his Maybach to the cemetery where baby Angelo is buried. On his way he bought a large basket of flowers.

Almost all types of flowers are present in the basket. Alstroemeria, azaleas, gypsophilia also known as baby's breath, daffodil, daisy, roses, tulips and many more which costs P2,000 included the basket.

Davien also has a customized note tied to the basket holder. He drove his car inside the cemetery and parked it in the parking lot.

Davien also laminated the ultrasound picture of baby Angelo and produced several copies. He even enlarged the picture, placed it in a large picture frame and hung it in the living room of his house. He loved his son so much that he didn't even see him.

Davien put down the flower he was carrying and laid out a picnic mat. She also brought baby Angelo's nipple with milk on it, baby biscuits and fruits. He sat down next to the child and talked to him.

"It's been two years, baby Angelo ..." Davien lit up the candle. "You could have been one and a half years old now if you hadn't left us mommy." Then his tears dropped. Every time he think of how happy he felt when he could have had a happy family, Davien couldn't help but to get emotional all over. "I miss you, and mommy too. I miss you both." He caressed the engraved name of his son. Very nice name.

Rest in peace

Angelo R. Sebastian

In loving memories of Mommy and Daddy

Davien also caressed the ‘Mommy" engraved on the child"s tombstone. He has been alone for two years. He never felt this alone in his entire life. Even if he and his father and half brother agreed, it was still not enough to fill his longing for his mother and father.

Davien spent two hours in his son"s side and he left around 9:25 A.M.

Just minutes later Avah's car entered the cemetery. She can drive herself to places now. Because the glass of their vehicles was both high tilted, they did not realize that they had met.

And Avah was looking at the field of grave because she was worried about where the child was lying so she didn't notice her ex -husband's car.

Avah parked her car where Davien parked his. She found her son's grave in just a minute and she was surprise to see stuffs there. Obviously someone visited. There were meals served, picnic mats laid out and a flower basket.

Avah put her basket of flowers beside the first one. He saw the note and read it. As soon as she read the words imprinted on the small note, tears started streaming down her face.

The note says:

I miss you, baby Angelo. I love you so much. I love you and mommy forever and ever.

Your Daddy Davien

Avah knew that she would cry when she visited the child. But the pain he feels now is still strange. She could have met Davien if she had come earlier ...

"I love you too ... I've always been loving you ..." Avah cried while reading Davien's letter over and over.

To be continued...