How Would You Feel

15

"Ano, okay na?" Tanong ni Iris kay Tres.

He's here early sa shelter to visit Kobe and to talk to Iris.

"Hindi nga eh. Nag-away pa kami ni doc." Kamot-ulong sagot ni Tres. "Kung ikaw na lang kaya sumama sakin mag-foster kay Kobe?"

"Ay, wag mo akong binibiro ng ganyan, Tres. Baka pumayag agad ako." Pabiro ding sabi ni Iris.

"Hahaha. Hassle kasi eh. I need to finish this whole thing in one month kasi pupunta ako ng Cebu for work." Tres said.

"Kaya naman yan ng one month. One day nga kaya eh. Basta mapapayag mo si doc." Iris said.

"Eh hindi nga. Lalong hindi na ngayon." Tres said and sighed.

"Kaya yan! Show her how much you want the kid. Siguro naman, kahit papaano eh may puso yun si doc. Cardiologist naman yun eh." Iris said and wiggled her eyebrows to him.

"Sira ulo!" Tres said and shook his head.

"Hahaha. Sige na, ikaw na bahala diyan sa anak mo, ah. Ayusin mo na yung papers mo, uy!" Iris said.

"Help meee!" Tres said habang naglalakad paalis si Iris.

"Sorry, I can't! Ikaw at si doc lang talaga yan!" Iris said.

Tres sighed, "Hay naku, champ. What will we do, now? Wala na talaga tayong chance kay mommy doc mo." He said.

Inilabas na lang muna niya si Kobe para paarawan muna. They went to the garden and sat in a bench there.

"Sayo na?"

Napatingin si Tres nung may nagsalita sa tabi niya.

"Hindi pa nga po eh. Medyo matagal pa." Tres answered.

The woman smiled at him, "It takes time pero don't give up. Don't even consider it as an option." She said. "Kids here need a home and not just a shelter. They need families who will take care of them. Parents who will look after them. Your efforts will all be worth it once you get that cute little boy."

"Yeah, I know. I won't give up on this kid. I already love him so much for me to let him go just like that." He said. He put Kobe on his stroller to introduce himself to the woman. "I'm Tres Valdez." He said and offered her a handshake.

"Who doesn't know the best engineer in the metro?" Sabi nung babae kaya napakunot ang noo ni Tres. "Architect Jasmine San Juan, call me Jas. We've worked for a project, I think a couple of years ago." She said and took Tres' hand and  shook it.

"Shit, sorry. Nakalimutan ko na. Medyo matagal na rin kasi eh." Nahihiyang sabi ni Tres.

"It's fine. Matagal na rin naman talaga yun. I'm sure, you've worked with a lot of other architects since that time." Jas said.

"Medyo, medyo." Tres said and held his nape. "Ah, bakit ka andito? Mag a-adopt ka rin?"

"May na-adopt na ako, actually." Jasmine said.

"Oh, that's great!" Tres said. "Eh, bat parang di ka masaya?"

"'Cause I lost her." Jas sadly said. "I adopted a cute little girl here knowing that she's sick of leukemia. We've only been together for six months pero na-endo na." She chuckled. "She died after fighting for her life for 5 years."

"U-uh, I'm sorry." Tres said.

"It's okay. 8 months na rin naman since she was gone. Medyo nakaka-adjust na rin." Jasmine said.

Since hindi rin naman alam ni Tres kung anong sasabihin niya kay Jas, he just soothe her back kasi she started crying.

"Sorry." Jas said as she wiped her tears. "I just really miss her."