The Choices We Make

Chapter 15

DJ

The iPad mini that Yanna’s parents sent to be used so that Jaydee could see them clearly, was ringing to life. Although they had both imposed a no-gadget-until-three for their son, the exception was to use the gadget for facetime with the doting grandparents.

Good thing Jaydee’s time to catch the suns’ morning rays was up. He was awake for a conversation. DJ sat on the sofa, cradling his son in his one hand and propped the gadget on the table in front of him with his free hand. “Good evening, Tito, Tita,” he greeted.

“Hi, DJ! Hi Jaydee! How’s our little baby? Did he sleep well?”

“Yes, he did po.” Him and Yanna though? Close to no sleep at all. Jaydee was going through another growth spurt as they approached his third month. He had become clingy, practically didn’t want to be put down.

“Where’s Yanna?”

“She’s still asleep. It was a rough night.”

Yanna’s mom nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry, it will pass. What time is it over there?”

“A little past seven in the morning.”

“Is it still the weekend?” she asked, confused.

“It’s actually Monday, Tita.”

“Oh, you don’t have a job or working the night shift?”

DJ was under the impression that Yanna’s parents knew of their arrangements. For DJ to be a stay-at-home dad until Jaydee was old enough to be enrolled in a daycare center near the condo unit. And then he could decide whether he’d go for an online job or a corporate job. “I’m a full-time dad, Tita,” he declared with pride.

“Oh, thank God, someone really decided to stay home.” Yanna’s mom grabbed her husband’s arm and visibly relaxed. “I thought Yanna just said you’re a stay-at-home-dad just to shut us up. I just want to make sure.”

“I’m sorry?” It was his turn to be confused.

“Well, we weren’t really expecting Yanna to drop her job and become a housewife. She had gone up the corporate ladder and it’d be a waste to start from scratch. It’s the same reason why she refused to follow us here in the U.S.” Yanna’s mother wrinkled her nose at the statement, still bitter about their daughter’s choice. “So we thought you were going to hire a yaya for Jaydee while both of you are working.”

Yanna did plan on keeping Ate Myrna as a helper. But since DJ was equally-skilled in doing chores, they had agreed to let her go. They could use the money for something else. “We decided we didn’t need a helper since I can do most of the chores even when Yanna goes back to work.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Yanna’s mom clapped her hands in sheer glee. “We still believe it’s best for the child if either of the parents would be there twenty-four-seven. It’s good for their development.”

Her dad was nodding beside her. “And we realized it’s better for you to raise Jaydee the Filipino way. I don’t want my apo growing up like the kids here.”

DJ’s eyebrows hiked up to his hairline. He knew about the ongoing war between Yanna and her parents about her constant refusal to be petitioned as a migrant to the United States. This was a development. And he didn’t know how to react.

“Maybe the three of you could just visit here, from time to time, ‘no?”

Not wanting to think about the expenses and logistics for the trip, DJ simply nodded. “S-Sure, Tito.”

“Forgive my being frank, son. But do you have plans of marrying our daughter?”

He had been preparing himself for the question to come up ever since Yanna introduced him to them. Yet, the question still caught him off-guard. “I actually proposed to her before she knew she was pregnant,” he confessed. “But she wasn’t ready that time. I’m planning to ask again her when we’ve fully got the hang of having a baby.”

“Right, right. You might be setting yourself up for another rejection because of stress and lack of sleep if you ask her now,” the man chuckled. “She’s one tough woman, ‘no?”

“Yes, she is.” DJ still thought their son was lucky to be conceived and born by a strong woman.

“Just so you know, if you ask us for her hand now or anytime, you’ve got our vote. Okay, son?”

Son.

He beamed, tears welling his eyes at the word. “Thank you.”

“But I’m hoping and praying that the long table would be sooner or later. I want to still be alive and be able to walk Jaeyanna down the aisle,” her mother joked, elbowing her husband’s waist.

“I hope so, too,” he mused. But he wasn’t in a hurry.

DJ was going to enjoy every day he got with the two most important people in his life.

Yanna

They had agreed to hold Jaydee’s baptism on his third month in Tarlac. A few weeks before she returned to work. That was after they compared the expenses they would incur if they had it in Manila. The church reservation in Metro Manila alone was already enough to feed a whole barangay back in DJ’s province.

Which was actually what happened.

DJ kept his word of shouldering the expenses for the event. The small function room for a buffet lunch was spared from overflowing decorations, but the sheer number of his clan made it look like a grand event. 

And speaking of the Lorenzo clan. When DJ and Yanna introduced Jaydee, there were no questions asked, no doubts. Just like their precious Dion James, they did not judge Yanna. They welcomed her and Jaydee into the clan with open arms, they practically organized a Moms-Only Saturday night while they stayed in the compound.

“Girl,” Rhea gasped. “I thought this is an intimate event? It’s like a whole barangay is here!”

Yanna laughed. “No. It’s more of a meet-the-Lorenzos thing,” she said, matter-of-factly.

She had invited Rhea and her officemates whom she requested to be Jaydee’s godparents. And they all had the same reaction at the number of guests. DJ was busy introducing their son to his relatives who didn’t live in the compound while she entertained the guests from Manila.

“By the way, here. It arrived last week.” Rhea handed over a pouch to her.

“Perfect.” She loosened the tie and took a peak. There were two small canvas pouches inside. 

One held a Pandora style bracelet. The lone bead was of preserved breastmilk with flakes the color of her and DJ’s birthstones. It was a testimony that taking care of a child was a group effort. And she couldn’t have done it without DJ’s support.

In the other pouch was a ring. Customized to fit a male’s finger. But instead of an expensive stone, it had the same preserved breastmilk and other embellishments that matched the bracelet.

It was supposed to be her birthday present for him. But she didn’t expect it would take months for the supplier to create the masterpiece. Which worked for the best.

“The supplier had me inspect it so, pardon me for asking this stupid question. Are you going to wear it?”

“Not me. DJ will.”

“Oh. What’s the occasion?”

“Do you need an occasion to give someone a present?” she challenged.

“No, but knowing you. You don’t usually give gifts out of the blue. Come on, spill.”

She figured he might be taking his precious time to ask her again. But Yanna couldn’t wait anymore. Afterall, as far as role reversal was concerned, she was going to go all out for the person she loved most. “I’m going to ask him to marry me.”

The End