"Hi doc! Good morning! I greeted my professor. Nagdedesisyonan na raw kasi ang school kung saang company kami ilalagay.
We discussed for a while. I can't believe it, I'm almost living my dream.
Sinabi rin sa amin na i-email ang kukuha sa'ming hospital. 3 buwan na lang at ga graduate na 'ko.
My head begins on flashing some imaginations. Thinking what my future is. And what I will be.
"Uy," I greeted some few people I know. I bowed my head a little, sign of greeting. Then continued walking
Mayroon kaming kitaan nila Ysabelle ngayon. Sa may condo nila.
Ilang buwan na lang ay gagraduate nako. Though, naka graduate na ang iba sa amin. Natagalan kasi ako, since i'm in the medical field.
Bumaba ako sa kotseng sinasakyan ko. Yes, I have managed to buy a car. Naging social media influencer 'rin kasi ako. Some of my schoolmates na kilala offered me to be an artist. Para kahit papaano ay less ako sa gastusiin ni ate.
Nandito na'ko sa lobby ng makita na sina Ysabelle nagaantay. Kasama sila Daphne.
"Si Clar?" Tanong ko ng mapuna ang nawawalang bruhilda.
"Hindi ko alam 'don," sagot ni Azalea.
"Sabi niya lang inaantok pa raw siya," kibit balikat na ani Daphne.
"Marami siyang case na binabasa. Alam mo naman, mag ba bar na 'yon agad next year." epksplanasyon ni Ysabelle. Nag kwentuhan pa kami saglit bago umalis ng condo. Sa club na lang daw namin ipagtuloy ang usapan.
"Kamusta work?" I asked the two. Azalea and Daphne palang ang nakakapag work since maiiksi lang ang time ng course nila. Daphne is also in the medical field. She's talking general surgeon. Which is actually good.
"You wouldn't want to know," umiikot ang matang sabi ni Ysabelle. For the record, she is an architect. Who would have know? Akala ko noon ipupursue niya ang acting career niya.
"Okay lang, enjoy." Nag tatrabaho si Azalea sa isang sikat na restaurant in BGC. She even took classes abroad.
"Congrats!" Naiiyak na sabi ng Samahan at niyakap ako. Kakababa ko lang ng stage at sinalubong nila ako kaagad.
Sa gilid ng mata ko nakita ko sila Mama. Nangingiyak. Dali-dali akong lumapit sa kanila. Nagulat ng iniluwa si ate sa likod nila.
"Bunso!" Nag ngingiting sabi nito.
I didn't have time to spend more time with Samahan. They gave the day to my family to celebrate.
Yes, I know. Wala na dapat akong hinihintay. Iyong sasalubong sa akin ng may malaking ngiti sa labi at may hawak na itim na box.
After ng salo-salo. Nandito kami sa Valenzuela. Umuwi na sa bahay namin. Binisita ang luma kong kwarto at nakita ang mga gamit na nakababalik ng libo libong ala-ala.
Unti-unti kong kinuha ang isang kahon na may laman ng mga dati niyang regalo.
There I saw the glass bottle. It was instructed there na get something from there whenever you're sad.
I took one. Took a deep breath, before opening the note.
'If you feel so empty. I'm right here. I will not leave you. And I will accept all of you.'
I cried for the first time in 11 years. Who would have know that he still have an affect to me?
Wala nang ibang rason para itanggi. Sarili ko lang ang lolokohin ko kapag sinabi kong hindi niya na ako maapekktuhan.
I took a picture of it. Right beside my miniature town I built back in senior high school.
YourJavier: Distance is all you need. *photo attachement*
I cried silently again. Hindi ko talaga matanggap na pinag-awayan namin ang layo namin sa isa't-isa. Hindi ko maisip na he stoop very low to make that reason.
"Doc," some lady looking in her mid forties, coming straight to my office.
I offered her the seat.
Yes, I am now an official Psychiatrist. I passed the board a year after my graduation. Me and Samahan turned out to be really successful.
I read her record. She had problems with her husband. According to her, she doesn't feel loved anymore. I asked her a few questions. Making her tell me some stories. I advised her what to do and not to do. I also told her to comeback with a few sessions.
My lunch break came. Inaya ko si James kumain. He's working on a real estate company near the hospital.
"Ang yabang!" He said when he noticed me. He's wearing a casual attire. While I'm in my coat and pants. "May pa ganto!" sabi niya at hinila ng mahina ang laylayan ng coat ko.
"Well," mayabang kong sabi.
"Kamusta si Sapphire?" I said, pertaining to his daughter.
"Makulit, jusko. Alam mo ba, ilang beses nag maka awa sa'kin na papuntahin raw kita sa bahay." Inis na sabi nito. "Sinasabi ko lang na busy ka sa work,"
"KJ mo naman. Dadalaw ako minsan sa inyo," I said. We talked there for a while.
Azalea is busy building her restaurant.
Ysabelle is having a hard time getting out of the company she work in.
Daphne is with me. We are in the same hospital. Ang pinagkaiba nami ay siya, tambay sa ER.
Clara is now making her own name in the field of being a criminal lawyer.
Tulad ng dati... Wala pa rin akong balita kay Jagger. Hindi naman kami nag cocontact sa isa't-isa.
"You're still not over him." Biglang sambit ni James.
"No, I am not!" I said shaking my head.
"I'm not asking you. I'm stating the obvious." He said with serious eyes.
Inirapan ko na alng siya at nagpatuloy sa pagkain. Nang makita ang orasan ko. Nagpaalam na agad ako kay James na kailangan ko ng bumalik sa Hospital. He agreed, kailangan niya na rin daw bumalik.
Pumasok nako sa hospital lobby ng makita ang isang batang tumatakbo. Babae ito, maiksi ang buhok at singkit ang mga mata. Actually, she reminds me of someone I know.
Dirediretso ang lakad ko papuntang elevator. Nadatnan ko ang sekretarya ko na mukhang stressed.
"Doc, madami pong nag walk-in. Tanggapin ko po ba?" Nagaalangan tanong niya.
"Oo naman. Kita 'rin 'yan," kinindatan ko siya.
She blushed a little. Ano kayang magiging itsura nito pag nalaman niya na bading ako?
In this hospital, I kept my image clean. Walang nakakaalam na isa akong bisexual. Syempre, I need to be professional.
Alas otso na ng umalis ang kliyenta. Ang sakit na ng ulo ko. Sobrang daming tao ang nag pa schedule ngayon. Hindi biro ang sinabi ng secretary ko ng sabihin niya na marami ang nag walk-in.
Sa gitna ng st-stretching ko ng leeg ko bumukas ang pinto. Ipinakita nito ang lalaking ayaw ko ng makitang muli. I changed my expression into a cold one.
"Sorry, Doc. Nag out of the country po kasi iyong regular niyang Doctor. Need niya na po talaga ng session." I looked at the little girl he pointed. She's the one I saw on the lobby!
Nginitian ko ang bata. Itinuro ko ang upuann, senyales na pwede na silang maupo.
I grabbed the clipboard lying on my desk. There I saw her name.
Antonette Jane M. Stone
M-May anak na siya...