Chapter 71

Elyana's Point of View Two weeks after I found out I was pregnant, I started feeling some pregnancy symptoms. It was shocking but normal, according to Dr. Chelsea, because the precious angel inside my womb was only a few weeks old. She said it might go away eventually, but I was uncomfortable with what I was feeling every day, making me go back and forth to her clinic whenever there was something because I was afraid of what was going on. A slight pain alarmed me. Everyone in the house felt the same way, making the mansion like a war zone every time I mentioned I was in pain. The doctor was laughing at me, but she claimed to understand me perfectly. After all, it was my first baby, so I was being overprotective of him or her. Aside from the morning sickness and unexpected pains, I recently noticed countless things around. Even with food, I became picky, disliking the smell of garlic and onions, which suddenly seemed to have a strong smell. My senses of smell, taste, and hearing all became more sensitive. I was constantly looking for food. I would ask the cook to prepare something, but I wouldn't even eat it. I often looked for sour fruits and one day I was craving some pickles. I went shopping because I hadn't found a bottle in our pantry. The servants looked at me with wide eyes when they saw the largest bottles of pickles inside the car when I asked them to help me carry the things I bought. I asked one of them to bring one of the bottles into the kitchen so I could munch on what was inside. I pulled up a chair with a smile and immediately opened it. The servants were looking at me suspiciously. When I removed the lid, the smell of the delicious sourness of the pickles went out and I seemed to be salivating as I looked at it. I swallowed and asked for a fork and bowl. Daldalita, who took the fork and bowl, frowned as she put those in front of me. "Want some?" I offered, but she immediately shook her head with disgust in her eyes. The days continued that way. They started to give me odd glances each passing day, but none of them dared to ask questions, not until I caught them talking about me in the kitchen. "Miss Elyana seems pregnant," I heard the cook comment. "It's impossible she's pregnant. She doesn't even have a boyfriend. She doesn't go on a date and she's mostly at home. So it's impossible she's pregnant," the other servant shared her thoughts. "I have a strong feeling she's pregnant because of the food she has been craving. I was like that too when I was pregnant," I overheard another servant. I got teased to tell them what was really up to me that day. I went out from where I was hiding and they acted as if they were busy when they saw me walk in. "I have an announcement to make," I said and all of them slowly turned their heads toward me. "Come closer," I asked all of them. I ordered Daldalita to call the others who were outside cleaning the garden. When everyone was already there, I started. "So, I heard all of you are getting suspicious of me lately and I want to give clarifications to all of those," I paused. Everyone was looking intently at me, waiting for what I was about to say. I waited for a few seconds to add suspense to the moment. When it seemed they couldn't wait any longer, I announced the news. "I'm expecting a child." "W-what does that mean, Miss Elyana?" Daldalita asked innocently. Most of them didn't instantly get what I meant by the way I told them I was pregnant so I decided to make it simpler. "I'm pregnant." "OH-EM-GEE!" "WHAT?!" They had different reactions. A few of them yelled in such a shrill manner that anyone who heard it would surely hurt their ears. "Did you and your ex-husband get back together?" Daldalita excitedly asked. "Nope," I answered. "Who... is the... father po?" She slowly spoke, like she wasn't sure about asking that question. Daldalita even added a po at the end to make it polite. I was expecting that question, but just like planned, I wouldn't let anyone in the mansion know about my baby's biological father. "To be honest, the father's identity is a secret. I got pregnant through artificial insemination and that procedure didn't require any contact with any man," I explained. One by one, the servants nodded, but Daldalita was truly eager to know who the father was. "It's different when you have all the means," a servant who I knew was a single mom commented. I turned my head toward her and saw her bow her head to avoid my glance. I understood her sentiment. I knew it wasn't easy for her when her boyfriend back then didn't help her throughout her pregnancy and until that time, he wasn't taking responsibility. The atmosphere had changed at that time so I made them go back to their work. I decided to leave them as well. From that day on, my focus was only on my pregnancy. I forgot about other things and I forgot about my missing best friend. It had been a month since I last saw him, but on the day I went to my checkup, we had an unexpected encounter. I had a driver that day and we were about to go back to the mansion. He took a different route to avoid the traffic and I saw a church. I told him to stop and he parked. I didn't understand why, but I suddenly felt like entering the church. I had never been the type of person who often went to church or prayed, but I believe there's God up high, and due to the reason that my parents grew up with different beliefs because they both have different religions. Dad was an Islamist and Mom was a Roman Catholic. Dad didn't force my mother to convert to a different religion; I grew up in a household with respect for all religions. They were not strict and they wanted me to choose what could make me comfortable. As I sat inside the car looking at the human-sized statue of an angel on the side of the church, I felt a strange force encouraging me to get out of the car. "Wait for me here," I told my driver before getting out of the car. There were vendors selling flowers and candles outside the church. I walked past them and walked to the front door of the small church, where I had never been before. The moment I stepped inside, I heard a familiar voice echoing inside all four corners of that church. I looked around immediately to find where it was coming from and my eyes stopped when I saw two nuns and the person who owned the voice I heard Felicity was there, talking to the nuns. He wasn't facing my direction, but I knew him so well that even his behind would instantly tell me it was him standing in front of me. I was thrilled to find him there. I got scared for no reason and thought of leaving, but the moment I was about to step backward, Felicity turned his head and I saw him freeze. If I could simply snap my fingers and disappear, I would have done so without thinking twice. I expected his smile to fade when he saw me, but to my surprise, it widened even more, and he immediately waved his hand to greet me. My heart felt like it was melting, and tears formed in the corners of my eyes. I was perplexed by the emotions that were stirring within me, especially when he motioned with his hand for me to wait for him.