She's My Sleeping Pill

Cayenne, with her big belly, opted to continue her study via Zoom Meetings. She would only go to the university for major exams. Stefan didn’t want to continue putting her life at risk and it was also Cheska’s advice to stop her from going to the university, but Cayenne refused to stop since she was about to graduate.

Inside the study room, Stefan was busy dealing with his businesses while at another table, Cayenne studied. From time to time, she would stand up and walk around while holding the laptop – probably from feeling sore as she sat for a long period.

Tomorrow would be Valentine’s Day and Stefan already planned what he would do for a surprise. He wanted to make something special for her and he learned it secretly whenever he goes to his office. He asked everyone to keep it a secret from her and they sure did.

He just needed to wait until tomorrow.

“Hon,” Cayenne called out while pressing her hand on her back to support her waist. “Shall we get a wheelchair? My waist hurts a lot now that my stomach is getting bigger.”

“Sure! Let me ask Dr. Albert where we could get one. Can you hold on a little longer?”

“Yeah. I think I can.”

“Give me a sec.”

.....

Stefan called the doctor who was staying at the cabin and asked where to get a wheelchair. Dr. Albert advised Stefan to get it from Senyu Medical Hospital since it was the biggest hospital close to City B and they knew someone from the hospital as well. It will be easy to get one.

After his call with the doctor, he called Cheska and told her the same concern, and thankfully, the woman was at the hospital when she answered his call. It didn’t take a long time for her to process everything and billed it to him. “Thanks, a lot.”

Stefan ended the call and walked to where Cayenne sat. He took a peek at her laptop and found that her next professor wasn’t around yet. Taking this chance, he squatted on the floor and pressed his face on her bulging tummy. “Hey, kiddos! Stop giving your mom a hard time.” Then, he felt a sudden kick. “Did you feel that?! They’re not even born yet and they’re going against me already!”

“You are so dramatic,” Cayenne commented as she pinched his nose. “It’s natural for babies to kick inside their mom’s womb.”

“No. They kicked right after I reprimanded them. It’s not a coincidence.”

“You are overthinking. You have to be thankful that they have grown. At least, you are not having morning sickness anymore.”

“Fine. Fine.” Stefan rubbed her belly and printed three kisses on it. “You should come out soon. My darling is feeling tired from carrying you already.”

“Jeez! I don’t know what to do with you.”

Stefan just chuckled and kissed her forehead before going back to work as her professor showed up in the camera view. Cayenne continued to study while keeping a calm expression even though she was feeling a numbing pain in her back.

Half an hour later, the wheelchair arrived and Cayenne used it immediately since she moved around a lot. Instead of walking here and there, whenever she needed something, she only needs to maneuver the wheelchair to get whatever she needed.

Stefan preferred her to call for his help but since he was working, she didn’t want to inconvenience him for small little things. Thus, she would rather use the wheelchair than depend on him all the time.

In the afternoon, Cayenne felt like her body was being pulled apart. The pain was more intense and she was sweating coldly. She knew it wasn’t her due date for labor so she didn’t mind the pain. She thought it was just because of the weight she was carrying all day.

“Hon, have you ever thought of their names?” Stefan asked out of the blue when he remembered that they never talked about their children’s names. “I have thought of something very unique.”

“What is it?”

“Let me write it down,” he excitedly said while pulling out a sheet of paper and a pen from his desk drawer. “It’s something that no one ever thought of.” As soon as he finished writing, he gave it to his wife and looked at her with so much anticipation.

“How could you name them like these?!”

“Why not? Xtratos Pierre, Missus Pierre, and Trofos Pierre. Aren’t they cool?”

“Cool your face. Who names their children like this? Your children will hate you for the rest of their lives.”

“Hmph! I only need you in my life.”

“How could you say that?!”

Seeing that she was really not happy with his idea, Stefan grinned and stole a kiss on her lips. “Alright. I was just kidding. So, what will be their names?”

“Hm. I have some ideas but I am not sure. I’ll think about it when the time comes.”

“I’ll think of more unique names as well.”

“You don’t have to. You might think of something about the layers of the Earth. After all, you just gave me the unique names of the layers of the atmosphere.”

“I was just joking.”

With Stefan’s distraction, Cayenne has forgotten the pain in her waist but when he stopped chatting with her because her class resumed, she could feel the terrifying pain even more.

She was about to call Stefan’s attention when the pain subsided until it was gone. She even thought that she was just imagining things and that the pain was never there to begin with.

Wondering what she should do if it happens again, Cayenne picked up her phone and messaged Cheska about the pain she felt. She didn’t want to be negligent about it anymore and cause something terrible at the cost of her children. She would rather die than let something bad happen to them.

From his desk, Stefan wasn’t able to see clearly that Cayenne was looking pale but he felt that something was wrong with her. She was even quieter when she usually participates whenever her professor would ask questions.

“Hon, shall we go to the hospital?” Stefan asked. “Are you feeling any discomfort?”

“Honestly, I’ve been in pain since earlier but I didn’t – ”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Stefan closed his laptop instantly and walked towards her. “Cheska said that for pregnant women carrying triplets, you might give birth before your due date.”

“Did she?”

“How could you forget it? We’re leaving at once.”

“I have – ”

“Stop struggling.” Stefan refuted as he pushed the wheelchair out of the study room. If she should be honest, she wanted to say that she has really forgotten this fact about birthing triplets before the due date. She still thought that she was having normal pregnancy like any other woman out there.

With Stefan standing behind her as they waited for the elevator to come up, Cayenne’s tears fell because she felt so stupid and ignorant.

“I’m sorry.” She mumbled while caressing her tummy.”