CHAPTER 34

AMETHYST'S POV

I was busy here in our store when someone called me.

"Amethyst! Honey!" I immediately looked up when I heard that familiar voice.

"Mom! Uncle Arnaldo! Crystal!" I said cheerfully and I walked to greet them.


"Siiiis!" Crystal also said, the three of us immediately hugged when I finally got close to them. I then get uncle Arnaldo's hand and put the back of his palm on my forehead. This is what we Filipino's do to give respect to older than us that he haven't see for a long time. This is what we called, "Mano." I also did this to mama before we hugged.



"Let's go in right away, mom. It's hot here, you see," I said to them and we walked towards the tent to take shelter.

"Let me help you, aunty," Ging-ging presented and then took some of mom's bringing.

"Where's Allen, ma?" I asked while arranging the chairs.

"They went out with his friends." I just nodded at mom's answer.

"How are you here?" mom asked after we sat down and caressed my big belly because I am now pregnant for seven months and two weeks.


"I'm just doing fine here, ma. How about you guys?" I also asked mom.

"We're just also fine and also we miss you," mom answered.

"Aww, I miss you all too!" I smiled.

"Where is your grandmother?" mom asked just asked after a few moments.

"Oh, she's inside." We were about to get up but grandma came out for mom.

But mom, uncle and Crystal immediately stood up and then they do the 'mano' at grandma. Crystal even kissed the cheek of Mama Lele.

"How come you only thought of getting here today?" grandma asked them after they finished.

"Because, we are all busy, mom. Then Crystal's vacation is just now. We've just decided to finish their school year first," mama answered.

"Oh yeah, is that so? Oh okay fine, I'll cook first and leave you guys alone," Mama Lele said.

"We brought something you can cook, mom," mama said while pointing to what they have brought.

"Is that so? All right, Ging-ging help me to cook and prepare," grandma said and she looked at Ging-ging.

"Okay, mama Lele." Ging-ging bowed and passed in front of grandma to pick up the things that mom had brought.

"Alright, we will leave you guys here for now," Mama Lele said after Ging-ging took what mom had brought.

"Okay, mom. Thank you!" Mama smiled and Mama Lele and Ging-ging went inside.

They came to me again and mama immediately touched my stomach and feeling it as she's rubbing it.

"Does my granddaughter have already a name?" mom immediately asked.

I already told them that my baby will be a girl according to the ultrasound.

"Yes, ma," I answered with a smile.

"What will be her name, sister?" Crystal asked.

"I want her to have 'Jewel' in her name," I replied when I looked at her.

"Ahh, so, she only has one name? Just add 'Jade', sister. What do you think? Is Jewel Jade okay?" I raised my left eyebrow while smiling as a sign of agreement.

"I think that sounds good!" I said while nodding.

"Wow, huh? Your names are all based on precious stones, huh?" We laughed at what mama said.

"You don't want to add more? Sapphire, Amber or Ruby? Silver or Gold is also possible," mom added, making us laugh even more.

"By the way, I have something for my granddaughter," mom said while reaching for a quite large plastic bag with the SM label on it.

"It's not obviousl that you are so very excited, mom, huh?" I asked with a laugh while she's showing me the new born baby items they brought in girl's colors.
I can see blue, yellow, pink, red and violet in the things they bought.
There are new bird diaper, alcohol, baby dress, socks, baby mitten, baby oil, cotton and baby bath soap that mom all brought.
To be honest, I don't know the name of the other things she brought.

"Of course! Because, finally, thank God! I will now have a grandchild," mom said and you can really tell that she is so very excited.

"Don't you want Crystal to follow your grandchild? The more the merrier," I asked jokingly.

"Just let her try and I'll make her bald," mom answered with big eyes.

"Mom! Why would I do that?!" I laughed at Crystal's scolding to mom.

"Study first, huh!" mom's reminder

"Of course, yes! Love life is not my priority yet!" Crystal even rolled her eyeballs.
I just shook my head because of this.

Mom just told me and explained to me about all the things they brought, what they were for and how to use them.

I'm lucky because they support me. Yet, I'm also already at the right age now, isn't?

"Crystal will be with you here," mom said after she returned the baby's things in the plastic bag.

"That is so nice!" I said while looking at Crystal.

"See you soon, baby Jewel," Crystal said while caressing my stomach.

She even flinched and smiled when she felt my baby stomp.

"Well, she seems to like her aunt, huh?" I said because I could also feel the child is moving inside me.

"What? Why the aunt only? What about her beautiful grandmother?" mom asked and also put her hand on my stomach.

Mom laughed with excitement when she also felt my baby kicking.

But it's a good thing that Alexander is not here now because he said he will going to pick up his son.
Although we were just friends, I knew how mom throws questions.


--------


I've been sent to the hospital because my stomach hurts so much. I thought I would give birth next week but my baby looks excited to come out.

I'm in labor now and I'm in a lot of pain. Anytime my water can burst out and then I will give birth.

Since I am a first time mom, my labor took a bit longer and it took ten hours before I gave birth.

Labor is actually more painful than giving a childbirth.

But my joy was different when I heard my child crying.
I was so happy when I saw my daughter.
I was in tears as I hugged her.
Her voice is also very sweet to my ears. I was just jubilant.

I immediately asked Crystal to took a photo of her and a photo of us.

The child's name was requested and I named her Jewel Jade D. Martinez.
I just followed her last name with my last name because that's just fine they said here.

I don't care about her father. What important to me, is that the child is healthy and normal. A beautiful angel.

She has been taken from me so that they can take her to the nursery room first.


WE WERE NOW outside the nursery room while I was in a wheelchair and I never got tired of looking at my daughter.

Crystal and Ging-gingg is with me now while mom takes care of our papers.

Mom also met Alex and we said we were just really close friends.

We have also seen Alex's son and he is just like his father, he is cute and funny. Alex also helped us with things and buying foods while we were here at the hospital.


"Ayyy! Ahhh!" I just turned to the source of the noise and soon there was a commotion.

A guard immediately approached us and kicked us out of the place.

After a while we heard some gunshots which caused more chaos.

"Wait! Take me back! My baby! My baby! Maybe something will happen to her! My baby!" I begged Crystal but they continued to run away from the trouble.

"Sister, it's dangerous! Maybe something else might happen to you!" I just cried as I looked back.

"Take me back! Take me back!" I hit the wheelchair hard and fast because I saw the boys entered the nursery room!

I just started crying even more after we got into a safe place.

"Maybe something might happen to my baby!" I couldn't stop myself from crying because of the nervousness.

After a while, the commotion outside subsided.

We went out again to find out what was going on and what happened earlier.

"Please go back to your wards or to your room. We will inform you immediately about what happened," a nurse announced loudly, so there was nothing we could do but leave first and wait for an update from theirs.


While I was in the room I was just stunned. Thinking and praying that there's nothing bad happened to my baby.

After a while, a nurse entered our room.

"Are you Ms. Amethyst Martinez?" My heart beats become fast at her question.

"Y-yes, it's me. Why? What happened?" I immediately asked as I can feel my body shaking.

"I'm really sorry. Everyone was shocked earlier. Ten babies were kidnapped and your daughter, baby Jewel Jade Martinez, was included." I just cried so hard at what she said.

"Do what is necessary! P-please b-bring back my daughter," I said with difficulty because of my crying.

"Yes. We will do everything we can to get the children back. We will let you know as soon as there is a lead or an update." The nurse nodded and quickly left the room.

Crystal immediately approached me and rubbed my back.

"M-my daughter." I just kept crying and I felt Crystal's hug. Even though she's trying to calm me down, I can also see that she was also crying.

------


IT'S BEEN five days and until now there is still no lead on what happened.

Three days ago I already came home.
I can barely eat because of what happened at the hospital.
I didn't know that it will the last moment between my baby and me, I wish that what I was thinking is wrong.

I always hold my baby's photo every moment.
I can't stop crying every time I miss my daughter.

I hope I will still see her again and be with her again. I hope that, that was really not the first and last moment of my daughter and I.

Because there was no lead or solution, the hospital was closed due to complaints from families whose children were also kidnapped.

There is something inside of me that says nothing bad happened to my daughter, but that doesn't matter because I wasn't with her.

I want to do everything to see my daughter but I don't know how and where to start.
I won't approach Aivan, because he might just get angry with me or worse, he will be the only one who will look for my daughter and won't let me know once he finds her.

My family never left me and also Alex always visits here at Mama Lele's house, they all sympathize with me.

We are doing everything to find my daughter and I hope we find her very soon.
I don't know how to start over or if I can really even start over again.




/W.W/