Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 35
When Maya finished washing the plates, she found Karlos gently cradling the twins to sleep with a slow, rhythmic motion. He carried one in each arm as if they weighed nothing, his hands steady and his shoulders relaxed. Maya was impressed; she knew she couldn't do that without feeling her arms ache within minutes.
The twins were now bigger, and carrying both at once was something she could hardly manage. Their little legs kicked, their heads bobbed with every movement, making it even harder to keep them balanced. But for Karlos, holding two babies at the same time seemed effortless.
"They're getting sleepy, so I'm gently cradling them to sleep... Are there other terms for cradling? Does the term 'lulling' work?" Karlos asked after an epiphany, glancing at the twins' slowly closing eyes.
"Gently swaying and nursing could work," Maya replied, playing along with his sudden thought.
"You can't carry them for long. I'll prepare their bed."
She set the bedding for the kids and carefully tucked them in, making sure the blanket covered their little toes. Karlos lightly stretched his shoulders, faint pops of relief sounding in the quiet room. He went to the cabinet and presented the money and the receipt like a fisherman showing off his proudest catch. He also grabbed the bankbook that recorded their deposits.
"I earned 3,700 pesos today."
"That's great, it's better than yesterday." Maya was genuinely impressed as she studied the receipt and counted the money twice.
The usual earnings of a fisherman were between 1,000 to 2,000 pesos a day, if luck and weather were on their side. There were even times when they failed to meet their quota and came home with barely enough fish to sell. So for Maya, earning 3,000 pesos in a single trip was impressive.
She confirmed the amount and did some quick calculations in a separate notebook.
"The money we have on hand is currently 16,000 pesos, while the bank account has 385,000 pesos... Wow."
Maya decided to double-check her computation, but the result was the same. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"That's a lot. I know I've been earning a good amount, but I didn't expect to make over 300,000 in just two months."
Last year, Karlos had worked hard to prepare for the twins' birth. When he realized Maya was carrying twins, he knew it was too risky to give birth at home or even in the small clinic in town, where medical equipment was limited.
He convinced Maya to go to the best hospital in the neighboring city so she could give birth safely and without the fear of unexpected complications. That decision cost them a large sum and wiped out their savings, but Karlos never regretted it.
He knew their town couldn't provide the best care for Maya and the babies, and going to a better hospital was worth it, even if it meant starting from zero again.
Now, Karlos and Maya were building their finances back up. But unlike last time, they noticed that money was coming in faster than the year before.
It had taken Karlos seven months to save the same amount of 350,000 pesos last year, and that was with countless days at sea.
This time was different.
"It's probably because you're fishing every day. Last year, the rainy season lasted three months before you could safely sail again," Maya said, and Karlos nodded in agreement.
Last year's circumstances had been difficult. He was still learning how to fish and had to fight for his territory because some fishermen didn't respect him. Fortunately, this year had gone smoothly. There hadn't been a single rainy day in the past two months, and the sea had been unusually calm.
But now that August had arrived, Karlos knew the rainy season, and with it, the threat of typhoons and dangerous waves was drawing near. This was usually the month when storms hit their region.
"This is amazing. Should we celebrate? Maybe buy a television? I know you're getting bored in the house," Karlos teased with a smile.
Maya chuckled and hugged him, snuggling against his chest like she always did when she felt playful.
"We can celebrate that later. For now, let's celebrate on our own. The kids are sleeping~"
Her tone left no room for misunderstanding. To make it short, they spent some intimate time together in their small room, having a population-growth-meeting. A young and healthy couple couldn't help but give in when love and opportunity aligned. They were simply in love, and neither saw a reason to resist.
The next day, Karlos was awakened by the sound of rain. Around 3 a.m., the steady sprinkle drummed on their nipa hut, insistent but soothing. He started to sit up, but Maya held his shoulder, her grip sleepy yet firm.
"It's raining tonight. You don't have to go and sail. You know how dangerous it is to fish when it's raining."
Her hand stayed on his shoulder, as if afraid he might ignore her.
Karlos was a little surprised. He ran his fingers through her hair, feeling its softness even in the dim light. She still hadn't opened her eyes, probably too sleepy and comfortable to move.
"I know. I'm not going to sail today. I just wanted to check if there's any leak in the roof."
The kubo was mostly made of organic material, and so was the roof, woven nipa palm leaves that rustled faintly with every gust of wind.
"It's alright, just check it tomorrow. I'm getting cold, hug me."
"How about the kids? They might get cold."
"Then put them between us so they can share our warmth," she murmured without opening her eyes.
"See? I still have to stand up," he teased.
Maya's crimson eyes opened, glinting faintly in the dark.
"I'm sleepy, no time for jokes. Just bring the kids to our mosquito net."
"You know you're really gorgeous."
"Karlos~"
"Alright, I'll get them."
He carefully placed the twins between them, making sure their heads were cushioned and that they wouldn't wake up. The pitter-patter of rain continued, creating a cozy rhythm that lulled the family back to sleep.
As the temperature dropped, the twins clung to the nearest adult for warmth, like little kittens seeking body heat.
When Karlos woke again, he found both children sleeping soundly on his chest and stomach, their breaths warm and steady.
Outside, the rain still hadn't stopped. In fact, it had grown heavier, the sound of water dripping from the roof edges now louder and more frequent.
Looking around, he realized Maya wasn't in bed. The only sounds were the rain and the static of the radio's news report.
Karlos gently set the twins down before heading outside.
There, he saw Maya cooking despite the rain splashing around her knees and feet. The tarpaulin overhead wasn't enough to shield her, and droplets still misted her shoulders and legs.
His heart ached at the sight.
"You're already up. Just wait a few minutes, I'll get the food ready," she said with a smile, even though her red hair was damp from the rain and her body shivered slightly from the chill.
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