"Your bellybutton popped," Alejandro smirked, running his finger over my protruding navel.


I looked down at my stomach, "Oh my gosh, when did that happen?"


"I don't know, but it's cute on you."


He reached over to my lips and kissed me.


"We should really start thinking about a birth plan," He said.


A what?


"A what?" I asked.


"A birth plan, what you're planning on doing after you go into labor, the method, any medications, those things."


"Um, what's the plan where they just rip the baby out of me?"


"That's a C-section."


"I’m not sure what I want right now. Right now, I like the idea of that. Do you know how much it will hurt to push a baby out down there? I don't know yet, but I'm not sure if I want to know."


He kissed my forehead, "Whatever you choose, just know that I'm going to be with you the whole time."


I nodded, "And if I choose not to have a C-section, you better not complain when I break your hand. If I go through all of that pain, you're going to have to suffer, too."


"Anything you'd like, mi amor."


I curled up closer to Alejandro, "Do you know that I pag-ibig you?"


"Do you know that I pag-ibig you?"


We both smirked and leaned closer to each other's lips to embrace in a kiss.


After we finished, I poked an index finger in his chest, "If I do choose whatever the other option is—“


"Vaginal, but proceed."


"As I was saying: If I do choose to do it vaginal, you'd better remember that when I'm screaming how much I hate you for putting me into this situation."


He laughed, "Of course, of course."


“If I hear one complaint—“


He cut me off sa pamamagitan ng halik me.


“I wasn’t finished!” I complained.


“I know, but I won’t have time to complain because I’ll be too busy making sure that I’m giving you the support that you need.”


“You’d better be. I have to have achy legs, swollen feet, and all of these other things going on, you’d better be doing something.”


Abruptly, Marisol started with the kicking again. I grabbed Alejandro’s hand and placed it where she was kicking.


“I can’t wait until she’s here,” He said.


“That’s good because you’re going to be the one changing diapers.”


“I had a feeling you were going to say something like that.”


“And, you’re going to be the one getting up in the middle of the night to take care of her. I have to carry her for nine months so that’s your punishment for doing this to me.”


“You have to bond with her sometime.”


“Just not in the middle of the night I won’t.”


“I pag-ibig you so much,” He kissed me yet again.


“I pag-ibig you more,” I joked.


“No, I pag-ibig you more.”


“I pag-ibig you the most.”


“I pag-ibig you the mostest.”


“That’s not even a word.”


“I don’t care right now.”


“I still pag-ibig you more.”


“I pag-ibig you more.”


“Just shut up already. I’ve heard enough of you two, especially Al,” I heard Jose’s voice as he walked in. He still hadn’t left yet and was still staying in the same room.


Alejandro smirked at me and whispered, “Do you know what this means?”


I nodded, smiling back at him.


“Oh, Alejandro, let’s just do it…right now,” I sinabi loudly.


"I agree, mi amor."


We started making out, loudly and obnoxiously, moving down to one another's necks every so often. I started unbuttoning his shirt.


"Oh Alejandro, let's just get to it right now."


"Fine," Jose groaned, "I'm getting out," He rushed out of the room.


"Finally, now go lock the door," I nudged Alejandro until he got up to close and lock the door. He hurried back to the kama and curled back up with me, "Now, where were we?"


"No," I said, "We're not doing it. I don't feel like it. I just want to cuddle if you don't mind."


He smiled, "If that's what you want, we just have to do it at least once madami before she's born though because you won't be able to do it for about six weeks after she's born and I'll be Nawawala without it."


"You'll be fine, Casanova."


"As long as I have you."


I rolled my eyes at him.


"Well," He smiled, "It's true."


"It had better be true; I am carrying your child, you know."


"And I've never been happier," He kissed me.


"You're still not getting any."


"I figured."


"At least you know."


We just laid there for what seemed like forever—I wish it could have been forever. We just talked until the late hours of the night.


"I pag-ibig you so much," I said, curling up even closer to Alejandro.


"I pag-ibig you, too," He replied, getting closer to me, if that was possible.


I ran a hand through his hair, "I know it sounds so stupid, but I want to stay with you forever."


"Only if we do it, right now," He laughed.


I laughed and smacked his arm, "Stop thinking about sex!"


"Not until you satisfy my needs."


"You won't need to be satisfied if I kill you before this is over."


"You won't want to kill me because you pag-ibig me."


I pretended to think for a minuto or two, "I'm not so sure about that."


"I know you do," He reached over to halik me for what seemed like the millionth time that night.


"I know I do, too, but I think I pag-ibig Marisol more,” I smiled.


He started talking to my stomach, “Stop stealing your mommy away from me. Your daddy needs attention, too.”


“You’re daddy’s just being whiny,” I joined in, rubbing my stomach where she had started kicking.


“Your mommy’s just being neglectful to your daddy.”


“Don’t listen to him, Marisol, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”


“I do so!”


“Well, she definitely knows that her mommy’s right.”


“I bet,” He said.


“Yep, I can tell. It’s like psychic connections that I have because she’s inside me; believe me, it’s a real thing,” I nodded and smiled like I was serious, “And she’s also telling me that she wants pickles and ice cream.”


I got off of the bed. I made my way towards the door.


“Pickles and ice cream?” He asked, cringing his nose, following me into the hall.


“What? I’m pregnant and I’m craving things. It’s your fault.”


sa pamamagitan ng now, I was already starting down the stairs with Alejandro nearly walking on the heels of my feet.


“Why are you following me? You have a weak stomach and this is going to be disgusting to watch.”


“I just want to spend time with you.”


I rolled my eyes.


We were at the bottom of the stairs now.


Without notice, there were two sets of little feet barreling their way down the stairs, one in a kulay-rosas nightgown and slippers and the other in blue footie pajamas. They grasped onto Alejandro’s legs.


“Where did you two come from?” He laughed.


Carlos and his family were staying until after New Year’s, so the twins were still causing “havoc” around the place.


“Up there,” Adrian answered simply. He pointed towards the tuktok of the stairs.


I couldn’t help but to smile at the sight.


“I’ve noticed,” Alejandro replied, lifting the two into his arms, “How about we go get some cookies and gatas for a midnight snack?”


The twins cheered happily.


“You just have to make your brush your teeth afterwards or Uncle Alejandro might get in trouble and we don’t want that do we?”


“Nuh-uh,” Clementine shook her head vigorously; her brother joined in soon, following her example.


“Well, let’s go,” He carried them into the kusina and I followed.


While he went to get them cookies and milk, I set off to get pickles and ice cream.


Once our snacks were retrieved, we sat down at the table.


“Why is Auntie Heather’s belly big?” Adrian asked, looking up Alejandro.


Alejandro had insisted that the twins call me “Auntie Heather.” I would technically be their aunt sa pamamagitan ng marriage anyway after we got married.


“There’s a baby in there,” Alejandro replied.


“Why did she eat a baby?” Clementine asked innocently.


I exchanged glances with Alejandro before started cracking up laughing.