Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 77
They recalled a few months ago when earning 5,000 pesos per day was already something big...
"Let's not delude ourselves. The biggest reason we are earning a lot of money is because of the salmon season." Maya lay on the bed, her red hair spread across the pillow while the twins rested beside her, their small hands clutching her shirt.
"I guess next month we have to lower our expectations," Karlos replied, sitting near the edge of the bed.
"There are a lot of fishermen who earn millions every salmon season and buy bigger boats... Do you think we should have bought a bigger bangka instead of building a house?" While Arabella was busy pulling down Maya's dress because she wanted milk, Maya asked.
"Building a proper house is a must. We were going to build a house no matter what. I think it's worth it. The prices of construction materials will go up in a few years. There might even be a time when building a single-story house can cost 5 million pesos."
"5 million pesos!?" Maya couldn't believe that. "That's expensive!"
"Inflation is real, and it's a devil."
"..." Maya was speechless.
It seemed like investing early in building a house was indeed the right choice.
"Are we still going to sell the pearls?" Karlos asked.
"... Let's appraise them first. If they're expensive, then let's sell them. Pearls don't appreciate just because they're old, they're different from antiques. The key factors always focus on appearance and rarity. If the pearl has a perfect shape, great appearance, big size, and rarity, then it could be sold at a high price, women loves them." Maya patted Arabella's back.
"... I want to say something inappropriate, but anyway, we'll go this Sunday then." Karlos thought of a funny meme but bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. The last sentence that Maya said implied something.
'I almost said "That's what she said," and I know Maya will not like it.' Karlos thought.
Maya glared at her husband, her piercing stare as sharp as a knife, but Karlos only looked away, pretending to check the ceiling.
"We'll go this Sunday. We also have another reason why we're going to Evitac City."
Maya had been urging Karlos to buy a cellphone for almost a year, but her husband was adamant about not spending money on himself. He rarely asked for money, and if he asked for money, it was about buying alcohol.
"We have to buy a cellphone, Karlos." She gave him that affectionate but serious stare.
"I know, I know. But not expensive. We already talked about it last time." Karlos scratched his cheek, knowing he couldn't win this conversation easily.
Maya understood the importance of having a cellphone, especially a satellite cellphone. The thought of Karlos being at sea without any way to reach her haunted her. Karlos could use satellite cellphones to contact her in case an emergency happened while he was working at sea. However, the price of a satellite cellphone was expensive, the cheapest one cost 50,000 pesos. Karlos winced at the thought, feeling like that amount could feed the whole family for months.
"My boat rarely crosses 20 kilometers from the shore. I think buying simple phones such as Mokia and Erickson is already good. We don't have to buy anything more expensive than that. We'll buy satellite cellphones once we own a bigger boat that can travel farther from the shore. How about that? Remember, you agreed last time."
"It's because you're too good." She scoffed, hiding her blush.
Karlos had to convince his wife of that proposition after some naked cuddling. Maya felt like a simple cellphone was inadequate compared to satellite cellphone, but she didn't have a choice but to agree while getting, ahem, "deeply" loved.
"Ordinary cellphones can receive signals even 20 kilometers away from the shore. Besides, there's a tower cell close to the town. I don't think we need satellite cellphones yet."
Karlos's logic made sense, though Maya still sighed. She knew he would rather patch a hole in his shirt than buy himself something new.
Karlos was the only one who would buy a phone. If something happened, he could contact Mrs. Wanda, and the caretaker would inform Maya. That way, Maya wouldn't worry too much.
"Alright, eat your breakfast. There's fish on the table." Her gaze softened as she brushed Iñigo's hair gently.
"I think this is called lunch."
"Lunch will arrive two hours later."
Maya decided to close her eyes for a few minutes, resting slightly as the twins cuddled closer.
However, right when she was going to take a nap, Arabella cried out loudly. The cry was like a siren. Maya tiredly opened her eyes and stared at her adorable but noisy daughter.
"What is it this time, sweetie?" she whispered, her voice still drowsy.
"Miwk! Miwk! No! Miwk!" Arabella spoke between her sobs, her face red and eyes glassy with tears.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Waahh—!"
Iñigo followed suit and also cried. The twins' cries harmonized into an almost musical chaos that echoed through the room.
"No mowe miwk!"
"Huh?"
Maya looked at her breasts and pinched them.
"Uh, so I can't produce milk. Well, it's been almost a year, and you little guys are already eating solid food. You rarely drink breast milk anymore, no wonder I stopped lactating." She softly smiled, gently patting the twins' backs as she pacified them.
"WHAT!?" Karlos was stunned and dropped his utensils, the spoon clattered against the floor.
"Why do you look surprised? Do you expect me to lactate forever?" She frowned, raising an eyebrow at him.
"No, I mean, yeah?" He wasn't sure how to answer, scratching his head nervously.
"Yeah my ass! Perhaps the reason I lost all of my milk is that you drink it almost every night. Kids, blame your father, he's the reason why all of my milk is gone. He drank them all!"
Both Arabella and Iñigo looked at Karlos with hatred. Their tiny brows furrowed adorably, lips pouting like angry ducklings.
"That's not how it works, right?" Karlos muttered defensively, his guilty look betraying him. He was indeed guilty of drinking Maya's milk.
"Papa bad! Bad!" Arabella cried out in tears, and Karlos felt bad. He quickly sat beside them and offered his breakfast plate as peace.
He had no choice but to make peace by feeding the twins his breakfast. The sight of the twins happily munching on fish made Maya chuckle softly. They couldn't eat a lot, but they surely enjoyed the delicious dish, leaving Karlos with rice and vegetables with a few bits of meat.
"... I can't believe your milk is gone." Karlos weakly muttered in defeat, looking like a kid who lost his favorite toy.
"You still can't get over that fact? You're really that sad?"
"I mean, it's delicious," he said shamelessly, earning a glare that could kill.
"Karlos... You're a mess, you're kinky. I'm probably the only woman who can match your freak." Maya sighed, but her lips curved into a helpless smile. Despite her disappointed tone, she was happy.
"That means you're also kinky, just like me."
"Hmph!" She scoffed, her cheeks slightly red.
"Just eat your breakfast."
"Alright, my lovely, gorgeous, beautiful, big-titty, fat-ass, amazing wife." He grinned teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.
"I am not fat!"
"I didn't say it like that."
After that small bickering, laughter filled the room. The family spent time in the room and waited for lunch.