Chapter 63

Ariana woke up from sleep. Opening her eyes, she found her husband was not beside her. Glancing at the clock above the nightstand, it was three in the morning. So, where is Samuel?

For a moment, Ariana straightened up. Sitting on the bed while waiting for the husband. Thinking maybe he was in the bathroom.

However, five minutes passed just like that. Samuel never showed up. Out of curiosity, he chose to inched down from the bed. Walk slowly. Checking all corners of the room from the toilet, walk in closet to ensure Samuel's whereabouts.

Because she couldn't find her husband either, Ariana decided to leave the room. As soon as he opened the bedroom door, the smell of food caught his senses.

Following her instincts, Ariana stepped slowly. Down one by one the stairs to then bring his feet to turn in the dining room. And... it was there that her nether caught the figure of the man she had been looking for.

There is Samuel who looks like she just put a plate of food on the table. The man prepared to sit down to then eat what he had cooked.

"Dear ... "

Ariana reprimanded. From the doorway of the dining room, she stared straight at her husband who was sitting.

Seeing his wife's arrival, Samuel immediately got up. Walked over, then led Ariana to immediately sit in the chair right next to him.

"What are you doing hanging out in the kitchen at this time of night?" surprised Ariana. He who was already sitting just kept throwing a questioning look at his husband.

Samuel smiled. Grabbing Ariana's wrist, the man then kissed her while answering his wife's question.

"I don't know why I suddenly woke up and really wanted fried rice. At first, I decided to go back to sleep with the hope that tomorrow morning I'd ask for something to make for you. Eh, I even had a dream."

"That much?"

Samuel nodded. "I swear to anything, honey. I don't know why, in my imagination, eating hot fried rice combined with half-boiled eggs is really delicious. As a result, as soon as I woke up again I decided to just make it right away."

"And that's why you left me alone in the room?"

Samuel smiled. Cupping Ariana's face, the man kissed her lips softly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I left you alone in your room. It's impossible to wake you up in the middle of the night. You'll be sleep deprived and restless."

Samuel then pulled a dinner plate containing the fried rice she had cooked. Spoon it, then offer the food to his wife.

"You want? Let me feed it. We eat together. Incidentally, I cook a lot, really."

Ariana nodded. He never refused every time Samuel offered him food. Moreover, cooked directly by the man himself. As a result, at three o'clock in the morning, both of them ate fried rice while talking. So enjoy every moment that takes place.

"I suspect you have cravings, Ken," said Ariana while chewing the rice in her mouth. In fact, in this second trimester, she herself rarely feels cravings of all kinds. It's just that his body often feels tired and tired quickly.

Hearing Ariana's words, Samuel turned her head. The man even chuckled.

"Do I really have cravings? Guys can have cravings, right?"

"Yes," Ariana nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, it's called couvade syndrome or sympathetic pregnancy. So, the husband can feel some of the symptoms of pregnancy that his wife is experiencing. Whether it's nausea, dizziness, fluctuating emotions, even the desire to eat unusual food."

"Ouch," Samuel snorted. "Why am I so scared, huh?"

Ariana's brow furrowed.

"Scared? Afraid of what else?"

"I'm afraid of weird cravings like you're pregnant with Kalvin."

"Yeah, that's okay. So you know for yourself if you want something and it doesn't get it, how does it feel."

Ariana laughed slyly. Instead of feeling sorry, he looks happy. As if grateful for what was happening to her husband.

After eating the fried rice she made, at four o'clock in the morning Samuel invited Ariana to return to her room. Carrying his wife's body from the kitchen to the room, then laying down slowly and carefully.

"Now, you sleep quickly. Let me massage his back and legs as usual," the man offered.

During pregnancy, Samuel was like that. He mostly massages Ariana's hands, feet, or back. Once he made sure his wife was comfortable or had fallen asleep, then he would catch up to sleep.

Knowing that this second pregnancy was more difficult and risky because of the twins, Samuel focused all her attention on Ariana. So guarding, protecting, and even asking his wife to stop working for a while so she doesn't get tired or even unwanted things happen. Also, Ariana, who understood her husband's concerns, complied and did not dispute the decision in the slightest.

"Aren't you going to sleep? You'll be late, Ken," Ariana scolded. She was afraid that her husband would fall asleep when he went to work.

"It's okay. I'll wait for you to sleep first as usual."

"Let's just sleep together. I don't want a massage. I want a tight hug."

Samuel smiled. Gladly the man followed to lie down. Embracing Ariana's body and hugging her tightly while occasionally kissing her forehead and also gently stroking her back until finally they both drifted off to sleep.

"Samuel...." Ariana called in the morning trying to wake her husband who was still sound asleep. As she had expected, her husband must be sleepy because he slept late this morning.

"Papa Kalvin, come on wake up," Ariana called once again. While looking at her husband's face, Ariana stroked the slant-eyed man's cheek gently. Because he never woke up, he was forced to kiss until finally Samuel woke up.

"Morning, honey," Samuel mumbled still with her eyes closed. Blinking a few times, the man pulled Ariana back into his arms. Kiss the cheek, then the neck. Then after lingering buried his head in the crook of Ariana's neck.

"Hurry up and take a shower. It's already seven o'clock, Ken."

"Let's go," Samuel squeaked. "I still want to hug and love you," whispered the man while continuing to kiss Ariana's cheek.

"But you'll be late, baby."

"Yeah, it's okay. I'm the boss."

"How could that be?" Ariana snapped. As far as she could remember, her husband had never been late for work, especially for trivial matters. "You'll be an example for employees if you like to go around. Besides, there's a meeting today, right?"

Samuel nodded. He didn't forget his agenda today. There were indeed two meetings he had to attend this afternoon.

"The meeting is at 10 o'clock, Ariana. It's only seven. There's still three hours for me to hug, kiss, or eat you. Besides, Kalvin is also staying at Mama's house. So, I don't have to bother taking him to school."

Samuel tightened her hug again. The more intense the kiss on the cheek and also on Ariana's lips. I don't know why this morning the man looks even more spoiled. Normally, Samuel never got this far.

"Ariana..." called the man then. "It's your birthday soon, right?"

In Samuel's arms, Ariana nodded.

"Yes. It's my birthday in three months. What's wrong?"

"What present do you want?" asked Samuel without the slightest preamble. Instead of guessing wrongly, Samuel thought it was better to ask his wife directly.

"Too long, Ken."

"Yeah, that's fine. Who knows, as a present you want to ask to build a giant aquarium at home, so you can see for yourself what the sleeping fish looks like."

Ariana just laughed. It's been a long time, her husband still remembers the incident when she was pregnant with Kalvin.

"When asked what do you want? I have many wishes."

"Yes, just mention it. Who knows I can grant or give what you ask for."

she smiled. Her husband was really smart to take heart. As long as she is Samuel's wife, almost all of her wishes, as long as they make sense, must be a man's berry.

"Don't bother. This year the gift is already special. It was given directly by God. You want to get twins in the near future. Just consider it the best and most expensive gift I will get."

Samuel chuckled. Even though he was prepared to remember anything his wife might ask him to do.

"But that's from God. I also want to give you a gift."

"You don't have to. Just be loyal and continue to be a good husband and daddy, that's more than enough. As for goods, I don't need to ask. You have a lot of money, I can buy it myself anytime without waiting for my birthday."

"Are you sure you don't want any gifts at all?" asked Samuel to make sure. And Ariana answered with a nod.

"Sure, at least I'll ask to be celebrated at the orphanage, that's fine, right?"

Samuel nodded and smiled. Ariana's request was too easy for him to grant.

"Relax, if that's an easy matter. I'll organize a lively event there so you and the orphans feel happy."

Ariana smiled broadly. What did he say. It's not difficult to ask something to her husband. Because Samuel was kind, she gave the man a hug and a kiss. Leaving her husband spoiled for a moment. Before finally getting up and getting ready to go to work.

***

"Samuel, what are you doing, anyway?"

Randa looked worried seeing Samuel's unusual condition. Ever since he was in the meeting room, his cousin had shown an unusual behavior. In fact, his face was even paler than usual.

Worried that something might happen, after the meeting, Randa immediately took Samuel to the room where she served hot tea. He hopes his cousin's condition is much better than before.

"I don't know, Ran. My head just got really dizzy all of a sudden."

"That's you sweating cold like that. You're sick, Ken," said Randa. He even helped wipe the sweat pouring down Samuel's forehead and jaw.

"How about you just go home?" Randa's suggestion then. Instead of unwanted things happening, he thought it would be better for Samuel to just rest for a while until her condition got better as before.

However, instead of agreeing, Samuel shook her head. The man refused what Randa suggested.

"I can't, Ran. We still have one more meeting. And this is more important."

"I can handle it myself, Ken. What's wrong with you. Later it will get worse and become dangerous. Besides, you are also strange, why are you suddenly like this."

Samuel took a deep breath. He took off his coat for a moment, then leaned his shoulder against the back of the chair. Trying hard to find a comfortable position to sit.

"I don't know why either."

For a few moments the narrow-eyed man was silent. Rubbing his forehead, then he soon straightened up, surprised. "Or could this be me craving again?" asked Samuel suddenly.

Randa's brow immediately furrowed. He just found out and even heard that men can experience cravings like pregnant women in general. Had also thought, is it possible Samuel spoke carelessly.

"Ah, how can guys have cravings. You're just weird."

"Really," Samuel debated asking to be believed what she said. “Just so you know, this morning I even wanted to eat village fried rice.

Randy chuckled. It was so funny to hear the story Samuel told.

"But, when do guys have cravings? I'm new with you too."

"I just found out, Ran. It was Ariana who gave the information this morning. She said that guys can really feel sympathetic pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, cravings to eat something, and so on."

"It turns out to be really complicated. Who is pregnant, who is craving it. Don't let your husband give birth tomorrow too."

"If that's not possible."

"Okay. If you're feeling better, we'll immediately get ready to go to the meeting room for the next meeting," Randa remembered. I'm afraid it's too late because the time is very tight. "But, if you're still dizzy like now, my advice is that you better go home and just rest."

Samuel shook her head. Grabbing the cup filled with hot tea that Randa made earlier, he sipped the drink until it was gone. Taking repeated breaths while making sure his condition was more comfortable, he then stood up. Get ready to leave the room.

"I'm fine. I'm feeling better. Now, we can return to the meeting room and execute the next job."

Randa liked seeing Samuel's spirit today. Seeing that his cousin's condition was much better, he also got up. The two then walked casually into the meeting room.

When they got there, they waited for a while. Until finally the long-awaited clients and business partners came and began to enter the meeting room. Walk around, greeting one by one the people in the room.

"Welcome, Mr. Andreas. Please be seated. We are very pleased with the arrival of Lotus officials at the Palma building today."

The young man named Andreas smiled. Received hands from Samuel and Randa, then shook hands with both of them alternately.

"Thank you for the welcome. I really hope today's business meeting can produce the results we all hope for."

Samuel is happy to welcome her guests. Until one moment, when shaking hands with clients, Samuel was silent. There was one figure that suddenly caught his attention. The figure of a woman who is very familiar in his eyes. Especially when he heard her speak.

"Good afternoon Mr. Samuel. Nice to see you again."

Samuel froze for a moment. It wasn't long before he welcomed the woman's hand, then answered softly.

"Welcome. Nice to see you too, Miss Agatha."