Miguel and Hanna had been married for three years before they received the good news. Ever since Miguel found out that his wife was pregnant, he had taken care of her every step of the way. Hanna was six months pregnant and her belly was growing bigger every day. But recently, she had been acting strange: she was lying on the bed in her rented room in Quezon City, and barely came out. No matter how hard Miguel tried to persuade her, she would just smile and say that she was so tired.
At first, Miguel thought that his wife was just having morning sickness or feeling heavy because of the pregnancy, but he increasingly found it strange. At mealtimes, she would just eat quickly and then fall asleep. Even when she had to go to the bathroom, she would stop herself. Miguel was worried and repeatedly urged her:
– You can’t keep lying like this, it will affect the baby.
But Hanna just shook her head slightly, her eyes red. Miguel was even more worried about the way she was holding the thin blanket.
One night, Miguel came home late after his shift. He opened the door and saw his wife still in the same position: lying on her side, the blanket covering her from her chest to her feet. The strange environment made Miguel’s heart beat faster. He approached her, sat down next to her, and called out softly:
– Hanna… Are you hiding something from me?
Hanna was silent, her shoulders shaking slightly. At that moment, Miguel suddenly felt an invisible fear. He reached out his hand to touch the edge of the blanket.
– I’m sorry… but I have to know.
With that, Miguel shivered as he lifted the blanket.
The scene before his eyes left him speechless. Hanna’s legs were swollen, her skin pale and covered in bruises. Her feet were cracked and red, so even a slight touch would make her moan in pain. Miguel was shocked, unable to believe that this was true.
– Oh my god… Why didn’t you tell me? – Miguel stopped, tears streaming down his face.
Hanna turned away, sobbing:
– I don’t want you to worry… I’m afraid you might be tired, you might be sad. So I hid it…
In recent months, Hanna had experienced complications of leg swelling during her pregnancy. Her legs were hurting even more, so she couldn’t walk. But because she felt sorry for her husband’s hard work, she gritted her teeth and endured, hiding all the pain under the blanket.
Miguel hugged his wife, his heart full of pity. He felt that he was so heartless while he only knew how to work and didn’t notice the changes in his wife.
The next morning, Miguel called Grab to take Hanna to PGH (Philippine General Hospital) in Manila. Hearing the doctor’s explanation that this was a warning sign of preeclampsia – a dangerous complication that can affect both mother and fetus – Miguel’s heart sank. If it hadn’t been discovered in time, the consequences would have been unpredictable.
In the hospital room, as the doctor injected anti-inflammatory drugs and closely monitored her blood pressure, Hanna held her husband’s hand tightly, tears streaming down her face. Miguel whispered:
From now on, don’t hide anything from me. No matter what happens, we have to get through this together.
Hanna nodded, feeling dizzy. At that moment, Miguel realized: true love is not just sweet words, but also facing pain and fear together.
In the following days, Miguel took a long vacation to take care of his wife. He learned to cook, massaged Hanna’s feet every night, and helped his wife walk slowly around the hospital grounds. Many who witnessed the scene were touched and praised him.
Three months later, Hanna gave birth to a healthy baby girl at the Obstetrics Department of PGH Manila. When he heard the baby’s cry in the delivery room, Miguel burst into tears like a child. He held his wife’s hand, kissed her forehead, and whispered:
–Thank you… Be strong for this family.And in his heart, the image of that night – when he shivered as he lifted the blanket and saw his wife’s swollen feet – would forever be a milestone. It was the moment he understood more deeply than ever: love is sharing, it’s not allowing the person you love to suffer silently alone.