Instead of accepting the handshake, Tanaga’s eyebrows rose up. His forehead creased, hands in his pocket while looking at Ashley coldly.
His reaction caused Ashley to withdraw her hand and put it under her blanket. She couldn’t look straight at him because of the embarrassment she was feeling. She didn’t know what to think nor what to do because of Tanaga’s action right now.
He knew what he did and thought of what he would do next. Now he saw that Ashley’s face became pale and she couldn’t look straight at him.
Tanaga suddenly thought that his behavior earlier was wrong. He didn’t know he would insult Ashley by not accepting her hand. Moments had passed, and no one was still talking, only sensing each other.
Tanaga didn’t know why he suddenly sat at Ashley’s bedside and held his wife’s cheeks using his hands. He faced her, looking straight into her eyes.
Ashley was shocked at what Tanaga did but also looked at his eyes. Her heart was beating like a bullet train.
The stares of Ashley drowned Tanaga, and he unconsciously moved his face slowly to Ashley’s and kissed her.
While Tanaga was kissing her, he was still looking at Ashley’s eyes like he was finding something.
When Tanaga let go of the kiss and moved back, his head felt as though it were scorched. Ashley was obviously disappointed, causing the atmosphere in the room to change.
"Now that we are clear, could you please leave now so that I can rest." Then Ashley breathed heavily and turned her face opposite to his.
Tanaga was about to give a reply when he noticed Ashley turning her back to him. He just decided to leave, as he also needed to calm down and think about why Ashley’s reaction after the kiss was like that.
Tanaga had no choice but to leave Ashley alone. He slowly walked out, disappointed as he was hoping to spend a little more time with her. Yet because Ashley already told him to leave, his damaged pride acted first and forced him to leave.
Ashley, who was leaning on the wall while listening to his fading footsteps, felt the heaviness in Tanaga’s strides. She almost called him back, but...
She just decided to let him be. She shut her mouth as tears fell from her precious eyes.
"Strengthen yourself. This was just a challenge. You can surpass this. You can’t do this if you don’t try," Ashley talked to herself.
She closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. She was hoping that she could dream of Tanaga, who loves her. Even if it was just a dream...
===
The days had quickly passed, and it was time for Ashley and her twins to go home. A nurse arrived holding two sheets of paper that Ashley needed to fill out before they could be discharged.
The papers were the twins’ birth certificate registration forms. Ashley started writing the information needed. First was her information as the mother. The next one was the information about the father.
Fortunately, Grandma Hanada was there – if not, she wouldn’t know what to put down for Tanaga’s information. She only knew his name and not much of his details.
In order for her parents to not discover her knowing not much about Tanaga, she simply walked to Grandma Hanada. "Grandma, can you help me do this part?" Ashley whispered as she pointed to the father’s information section.
"Hmm, give me that, and I’ll fill it up," Grandma Hanada whispered back before she took out her glasses. When Grandma Hanada finished filling up, she gave it back to Ashley.
Ashley then had reached the information for the baby, asking what the names of the kids would be. She hesitated because she thought of Tanaga, who was going back to Japan.
She suddenly felt her heart clench because Tanaga didn’t even wait for them to leave the hospital before going back to Japan. She felt like he couldn’t stand being near her.
Ashley wiped the tear that wanted to escape from her eye because of her thoughts. She was more hurt right now than the time Tanaga was thought to be dead and the time he acted cold to her.
Yet even though that happened, she needed to strengthen herself for her children and family. With that thought in mind, Ashley smiled beautifully before speaking. "Hey! All of you, I need your help," Ashley said to her family, who were busy looking at the twins. When everyone heard her, they all looked at Ashley, waiting for her to continue speaking. "I need a name for the twins. What do you think I should name them?" Ashley asked, smiling. She was excited to hear what everyone would say.
"Kai and Mito! So, if we call them simultaneously, it’s KaiMito! Hahaha!" Mrs. Gusman joked, causing everyone to laugh.
Mr. Gusman: "Hanaga and Hataka."
Arnold: "Hakata and Kahata"
Arnel: "Hanata and Hakone"
Inday: "Hatashi, Hatashe or Hashiku."
Harumi: "Why not Tanaka and Tanashi?"
"Hakatu and Hakati, Hakuri and Hakuru, Haruko or Haruki. Hahaha, I have many names in my pocket," Tiny uttered shyly.
It was Grandma Hanada’s turn to speak. "For me, I remember that Tanaga said to me what he wanted to be the name of the baby. If it’s a boy, it will be ’James Hakata.’ But because they are twins, I wish the other one would be Hakata, and the other one is up to you, Ashley – is that fine?" she sincerely said.
Everyone in the room nodded and waited for Ashley to decide what she would name the other baby. She thought carefully about what the name of her son would be...
"Hmm, the other day I was reading about the names of babies and their meanings. I have some choices in them. Listen to them and tell me if you think they have a good meaning:
Hiroko – Generous child
Hisako – Long-lived a child
Katsu – Victorious
Haruku – Haru (spring) and Ku (sky)
Hataka – Supremacy / Heaven
+++
What name do you all think she’s giving the other twin?