Chapter 110 - Ba’t ako ang tinitignan n’yo?
The two left, leaving Eric, Louie and myself in the examination room.
“Ano na nga ba ang nangyari d’yan sa Dan na `yan?” Eric asked his brother-in-law.
“Ayun, nakakulong na, pero may special treatment ang gago dahil high profile prisoner ito na anak ng senador. Kailangan pa munang manalo tayo sa kaso bago pa s’ya maisasama sa ibang mga bilanggo sa bilibid.”
“Bakit? `Di pa ba sapat ang mga nakuha n’yong ebidensya sa kan’ya?”
“Sapat na, may videos pa kung saan huling-huli s’ya sa akto, pati ang mga nahuling mga customers n’ya na mga pulitiko at militar, walang lusot. Pero alam mo naman kung gaano katagal ang mga kaso rito sa pinas, lalo na’t mabigat ang kalaban namin,” he added, “Buti na nga lang at mukhang gusto na s’yang i-drop ng sarili n’yang tatay na marami pa’ng ibang alpha heirs na nakaantabay.”
“About Jaydie,” I butted in, “I noticed he doesn’t seem to be bothered by Nathan’s touch, even though he’s already been marked and is even traumatized?”
“Hindi mo ba napansin nanginginig s’ya?” Eric frowned at me.
”Yes, but he seems to be very close to Nathan.”
“Nagkaroon rin kasi sila ni Nathan ng relasyon noon, bago pa naging sila ni Reubert.”
“Ano?” Eric reacted once again. “So, isa pala `yun sa mga bata ni Nathan? At mukhang malakas ang tama sa kan’ya, ha?”
”Oo, in fact, medyo complicated ang relasyon nila, pero maayos nanaman sila ngayon, and lately, s’ya ang naging takbuhan ni Nathan tuwing depressed s’ya...”
”Don’t tell me, ginagawa s’yang parausan ni Nat-Nat?!” Eric asked vulgarly.
“Of course not!” Louie answered back, “They are just comforting each other. Alam mo naman, `di ba?” he lowered his voice, “Nathan can’t get it up anymore, unless he’s with Reubert.”
“Actually, hindi ko `yun alam!” said Eric who’s eyes began to bulge. “Akala ko nagbibiro lang sila noon!”
“Ha?” Louie looked flustered, “Then don’t tell him I told you!”
The door to the examination room opened then, making Louie jump.
“Eto na ang samples.” said Nathan.
“That was fast,” I said, remembering the last time we asked him for semen samples.
“Actually, urine sample lang and akin,” he mumbled, placing the two bottles in the table, one of which remained empty.
I handed the urine to Eric who took it aside for the pregnancy test.
“E-eto po ang akin...” Jaydie placed his next to Nathan’s.
“Do you mind if I give you a physical examination?” I asked him.
He looked at Nathan who nodded at him, then went closer to me.
I asked him to sit on the examination table and took his vitals, then I released some more calming pheromones and gently checked the mark on his nape.
He wimpered when I touched him, but no longer panicked.
It was a dark mark, showing a regular bond, a bit crooked, with one of the incisors misssing.
“Can you tell me now how you feel?” I asked him.
“N-nervous...” he replied in a soft childish voice.
“Don’t be, we are here to help you after all,” I told him. “How far are you in your pregnancy?”
“F-four weeks na po...”
“That means you have already been having pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and tenderness around your breast,” he nodded. “Do you mind if I check?”
He nodded once more. I gently touched his chest, noting how plump it felt.
“How long have you been having these symptoms?”
“Since last week.”
“Tama lang, since mas mabilis ang development ng mga omega,” said Nathan who was observing us. “Six months lang ang pagbubuntis ng mga omega, `di ba?” he asked, “Hindi sila masyadong naghihirap, tulad ng mga babae.”
“Correct.” Which he would know first hand. Soon.
“Kita mo, Jaydie, konting tiis lang `yan, if you decide to keep the baby.” he added, to which his friend flinched.
“Are you planning to get an abortion?” I asked him. “I can refer you to a good doctor.”
“Dr. Abdel, he’s still deciding.” said Louie who looked quite troubled.
“I want to get rid of it.” Jaydie said, “Pero... kasalanan daw `yun kay God, sabi ng parents ko.”
“Which god?” I asked.
“The Christian one.” supplied Nathan.
“Well, it is really a matter of preference. If the god you venerate does not agree with you, then look for someone else,” I told him. “Personally, I do not believe in a higher being that would judge me in the end of my days. I simply look to them as a good model of an upright person.”
“Ayos pala ang paniniwala n’yo, doc, ha?” said Nathan who gave an amuzed laugh.
“Abortion is allowed in Hinduism, you know, if the mother’s life is at risk.” I suggested.
“But the mother in this case, is not at risk.” Louie argued.
“That may be true, for this man is strong enough to go through a healthy omega pregnancy, but would the life he is currently living not be at stake, if he is forced to bare a child which is a fruit of violence? Would that not cause him to also die in a way?”
The room fell silent. I kept my gaze on Louie who refused to break it.
“Pero, kung ipapaabort ko ito... siguradong `di ako mapapatawad ng parents ko...” Jaydie said, breaking the silence.
“There are a lot of institutions that could help omegas who are in that particular situation.” I told him.
“Tama si doc,” said Nathan, “kaya nga nasa `yo talaga ang choice. Eighter you keep it or not, pwede mo rin naman ipaampon ang bata kung maisipan mo s’yang buhayin.”
“What ever the choice is, the important thing for now is to keep your pair withdrawal sympthoms at bay.”
“Paano nga ba `yun, doc?” Nathan asked.
“There are medicines commercially available which I could prescribe to you.” I took a pen and my prescription pad.
“Eh, doc, `yung nireseta mo sa `kin? `Di ba sabi n’yo mas maganda `yun?” asked Nathan.
“It is actually a newly developed suppressant by your uncle which is not yet available to the public...”
“Baka pwede n’yo rin s’yang bigyan?” Nathan piped in, “Kita n’yo po, oh, gumana s’ya sa `kin.”
I looked at Eric at the other end of the room. He looked frustrated. He was pulling at his hair again.
“Prof. Antonio.” I called to him, “Would that be okay with you?”
Eric looked at us. There was a deep frown in his face, as he lifted the thin stick of the precnancy kit.
I could clearly see the two red lines across the small window in the middle.
“Oh!” I couldn’t help but yelp.
“Mamaya na natin pag-usapan `yan.” said Eric. “Sa MRI muna tayo.”
“Teka, are those pregnancy kits?” Louie asked, frowning at Eric. “Hindi ka ba naniniwala na buntis si Jaydie?”
“Hindi si Jaydie.” he answered flatly.
“Eh, sinong...”
Louie looked at Nathan after realizing that Eric was staring at him. So did Jaydie.
“Ano? Ba’t ako ang tinitignan n’yo?” he laughed nervously.
“Like I said...” I took one of the sticks from Eric and handed it to him, “There had been some physical changes, in your body.”