Well, your father was my dentist and I was his patient; that is how we met. As you know, he's five years older than mom. The clinic was where we first met.
You see, daddy has renovated the clinic a year ago, just before we got married. He could have moved into a larger place but he choose not to give up the narrow clinic your lolo had started. You will understand soon how remarkable and important is the clinic to the family and both of mom and dad.
As what I am saying... Daddy was working at your lolo Hernan's clinic that time. Your ninang Ellie was his assistant.
This was my dental case; all four wisdom teetg of mine were impacted. I can still remember how dad joked me about it, "Funny isn't it? your wisdom teeth have their own world. They popped out of nowhere turning your world with pain upside down."
Well, he only removed one of them. Since the other three were still over the bone that time. The operation was a tough one, my mouth was open for about an hour straight.
Dad was chatty, at the top of my mind whenever he ask random things about me with suction, dental drill, and dental mirror inside my mouth, seriously doc? How am I supose to talk?
I was on my fourth year college that time, just finished my 3rd year short term class, and it was semestrial break. I didn't know that my wisdom tooth removal would bring me love forever. It was fate that my former dental clinic had been closed for good, hence, I was forced to find another one.
Five days before 2nd sem, nanay and I attended your tita Adel's 18th birthday. Though Mom and tita Adel are cousins, but we are not really that close. It turned out that I've been the kill joy of the whole gang for I chose not to join the drinking session where everyone else were in. Well partly mom's fault. You'll know how I hate the smell of liquor. Anyway, the party of hers was not a fairytale one, it was BBQ & Beer party.
It was only 3:30 in the afternoon and the sun will set soon. Perfect time to enjoy solitude.
So, after eating, I decided to walk around taking my soda with me, while nanay Ayo's busy talking with her cousins. I got tired and spotted a bench next to the pool and definitely far away where the drinking sessions were. The first one was occupied by your tita Jemma's clothes and towel so I took the other one.
Tita Adel's old family house was not that big but they used to have a mini pool and a cottage bar.
Well, do you know that hard drinkers are also good smokers? Mom really hates the smell of cigarette. Its not good for my health, dealing with asthma was never been easy for me. That is why I kept my distance away from the smokers.
"Ate Elaine would you like to swim?" Your tita Jemma asked me. She was enjoying the water together with tito Paul and few of their friends.
The pool was for 16 years old and below who were strickly prohibited from any liquor or beer.
"I'm good Jemma. Take your time, I'll be watching you guys from here." I answered.
"Okay." And in a split of seconds she went back splashing water just like the others.
Most visitors were family members. Some were family friends and some school friends of your tita Adel. And to my suprice, your dad was there. Mom really don't know and really don't mind until he approached me.
He was wearing a maroon Abercrombie polo shirt matched with faded jeans and a pair of white shoes.
"Aren't you going to drink?" He asked.
I showed him my canned soda; my non -verbal response of telling him that I was drinking. Really, mom doesn't know how to talk to daddy, she was feeling awkward, dad just recognized her being one of his patients a week ago. Honestly I didn't know it was your dad, it was my first time seeing his face since everyone on the clinic wears disposable face masks.
He was laughing and cheered his canned soda to mine, "Silly."
"I can't drink either. I'm driving." He added.
"Ahh.. "
We both smiled then he sat beside me. We sat for long like strangers beside each other. Partly yes, we were still kinda strangers that time. No one dared to break the silence. Yet, mom felt how her heart trembled faster than usual.
Mom learned that Lolo Hernan was tita Adel's ninong and daddy was driving for lolo that day.
Your tita Adel went to us, handed some BBQs and asked us if we want to join their game; 1 minute challenge. It was a game where representatives from each groups has to complete whatever challenge they could draw out from the box. The challange includes finishing a bottle of beer; hence, mom and dad both declined.
We only watched as they play across the pool, and while everyone's having a good time, dad and mom too, - as we started talking about random things under sun.
"Really? You did that?" Disbelief was written all over his face. I told him how I stormed out of the classroom when mam Ranges, my teacher in Purposive Communication, shamed me infront of the class.
I nod slowly. To my surprice dad was an alumni to my school. Mrs. Ranges was also his teacher when he was still studying.
"How could you do that?" he was amussed with me. Well, who wouldn't right, baby? You should not do that to your teachers, okay? What I did was not good.
"Well, I know I was not at my best that time, it was not also right for instructors to shame their students, right?" I defended myself.
Mam Ranges was a strict instructor who used to teacher Language subjects at University of Baguio.
He agreed with me.
"What happened next?" He asked me and sipped the last drop of his soda.
"I was summoned at Student's Affair Office." I answered remembering how things went on 2 months ago.
Daddy owww-ed and shook his head, "Pretty bad."
I said nothing. I smiled. I was indeed pretty bad. I almost lost her subject after reporting that Mam Ranges has the habit of shaming her students infront of the class most of the time, by which she was also recieved a call slip by our department head in the office.
"Anyway, does your gums still hurt?" He asked me. I remembered, it was just a week passed since I had my wisdom tooth removal. Geez, I was not able to eat after that, can't even talk.
"Not anymore." I answered.
He was about to speak when I added, " But still, I'm being mindful eating." I showed him my bbq which I haven't finnished eating yet, I was eating sooo slooww. "I don't wanna ruin my appetite. I can still feel pang of pain with pressure on it."
"That's good to hear." He smiled. "Also don't forget not to eat any food with fish sauce in it. They're not good for healing wound."
"I'd keep that in mind Doc."
"Den. You can call me Den."
For a second, I was stoned. Did my dentist just told me to call me with his first name? After blinking 1, 2, 3, I pulled myself back.
"Okay." I took a deep breath and finished my sentence. "Kuya Den."
Your dad asked me to quit the kuya thing.. Insisting that without it, he's 5 or more less younger than his real age. I said I wouldn't, I won't call my dentist with his first name alone. That would be totally, absolutely awkward and absurd.
Anyway, Mom and Dad found their common ground.
We talked more about UB, the cold weather of Baguio, and how magnificent can city lights be at night when thick clouds are out.
Our conversation was completely surreal. And each seconds passed by; the people, the noise, as well as the smell of chlorine from the pool in front of us, vanished thinly in air.
I cannot remember how long we laugh together, but one thing was clear to me; each stories we shared worth a thousand words.