Lea is now a doctor. After the 7 years of residency and 2 years of specializing the Neuro. She is now a doctor. A neurosurgeon to be exact.
She always chose to be at the Hospital, she always chose to stay and sleep at the on call room. She has been doing that for years.
Being a doctor is one of the hardest job in the country. You have no day-offs, no timeouts, no pausing. You may don't want to have children because you prioritize your patients than yourself or your own issues in life.
You have to sacrifice a lot of things when you really want to be a doctor.
"Lei, wala ka bang balak umuwi? Or dito ka naman matutulog sa Ospital?" Dawn asked.
Yes, she is the shrink of everyone in the hospital.
"I'm not sure yet, I still have one more patient lined up."
"Lei, huwag gawing bahay ang trabaho, ha." Paalala ng kaibigan niya sa kanya.
"Hanggang ngayon pala, hindi ka pa rin nagbabago." Sabi ng isang tao sa gilid, and they were both shocked. They heard a familiar voice. A voice that they haven't been heard for a very long period of time.
"Ohhhh...kay, then. Alis na muna ako, I think, you need two to be alone." Dawn giggles, boto talaga siya kay Aga simula no'n pa. Kahit gan'to ang nangyari sa kanila, Dawn is still hoping that they'll have their second chance to be together.
"S-so... uhm.... w-what brought you here?" Tanong ni Lea, as if na hindi awkward ang sitwasyon.
"My head aches everyday. I don't know, I'm not sure. But, I felt something different." Pagpapaliwanag naman ni Aga.
"Have you been feeling nausea? Aside from sakit ng ulo? Or nabagok ba ang ulo mo or what so ever kaya ka kinakabahan?" Straight na tanong ni Lea sa kanya.
"No, actually. Basta, I just have the urge lang to go here. I don't know." Maikling sagot ni Aga.
"Okay, we'll run some tests. Pero, uunahin natin ang Head CT and we'll figure out kung bakit laging sumasakit ulo mo. Kasi baka sa High blood or any other cause. But to make sure, I'll run a head CT and MRI if it's necessary." Tumango naman si Aga sa mga sinabe. Aalis na sana si Lea, pero nagulat ito nu'ng biglang hawakan ni Aga sa kamay si Lea.
Napatahimik naman si Lea, at tinitigan lang ang kamay ni Aga na nakahawak sa kanyang kamay.
"Yes, Aga?" Lakas loob na nagsalita si Lea.
"I-I'm sorry." Naiyak si Aga habang inaalala niya ang mga nagawa niya kay Lea. Lalong-lalo na ang iwan n'ya si Lea sa ere.
Naalala naman ni Lea kung gaano siya nasaktan sa pag-iwan sa kanya ni Lea. Palagi niyang naiisip ang posibilidad na ito. Ngunit, tila ba'y hindi niya pa rin mapagtanto kung ano ba dapat ang magiging reaksyon n'ya, or kung ano sasabihin n'ya.
"Napagod lang ako no'n. Naiintindihan ko naman na pasyente ang priority mo, Lei. Pero, sa sobrang pagiging maintindihin ko, hindi ko na nakikita na lumalaban ka para sa'kin. Tama nga sila, hindi ko alam kung paano kita iha-handle. Naiintindihan ko lang, pero nakalimutan kong lumaban. Lea, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for walking away to the responsibilities that I walked away from. But believe me, believe me when I say minahal kita. Because, I do. I really do, Lea." Sabi naman ni Aga, habang nakatingin lang sa kanya si Lea. Nang matapos siyang magsalita, nakita niya lang si Lea na nakangiti.
Naiyak si Lea, because finally. This is what she needed. The closure, the ending. The ending to be able to start all over.
"Alam mo, I have been thought of this a long time. What if bumalik 'yung taong minahal ko ng sobra. What will I do? And, you know what? I was mad. I was really mad at you for leaving me hanging. Without letters, messages, pasabe na iiwan mo na pala ako sa ere. It was hard, it was really haaaaaaaard." She emphasizes.
And, she continued, "Ang hirap magsimula ng wala ka, ang hirap magsimula knowing that I have lots of questions to ask na walang ibang makakasagot kung hindi ikaw lang. Pero, how will you answer those questions if you're not there? It's been 4 years, it's been 4 years of wondering. And, ngayon pa lang ako nagsisimulang bumawi sa sarili ko. And, I thought, siguro nga, sa sobrang komportable kong nandiyan ka lang. Sa sobrang kampante kong 'di mo ako iiwan, napabayaan siguro kita. Hindi kita binigyan ng importansya na deserve mo. Hindi ko napapansin na kailangan mo rin pala ako in the process." Ngumiti siya, at pinunasan ang luha.
"Kaya, wala na 'yun, Ags. Tapos na 'yun, as I was looking back, I realized na may mga pagkukulang rin ako sa'yo, alam kong hindi sapat na rason 'yun para iwan mo ako. Pero, tao lang tayo. We may doing horrible things most of the time, all the time. But it doesn't really and always mean that we're horrible people. Magkakaiba tayo, siguro kapag kinausap mo ako, hindi mo mahahanap ang sarili mo, kasi maaayos natin ang relasyon natin na sobrang napapagod panghawakan in the process. May mga kasalanan rin ako sa'yo, we both have mistakes kaya tayo napunta sa gan'tong sitwasyon." Hinalikan niya sa cheeks si Aga, "I loved you. And, I loved you enough to forgive you. Yes, namimiss kita.Pero, probably, this is what we both need to finally start all over again and continue to live our lives. Thank you for giving me an ending." Ngumiti ito for the last time atsaka umalis na.
Inasikaso niya ang kailangan ni Aga, and it turns out na there's nothing wrong with him. I guess, God made this a way for them to have a closure.
She went back to Aga and talked to him and tell him na wala siyang sakit, she offered na magpa-check up sa mata and checked his BP kasi that could be some factors kung ba't sumasakit ang ulo niya.
As she watching Aga walking away for the last time, she finally have this smile. God gave them an ending, God gave them a closure, and God gave them a chance to start all over.
She just whispered in the air, "Happy valentines, Lea Carmen." With a tears coming from her eyes.
Because she finally found her happiness, and could live her life without any questions.
Many people celebrate special occasions with their loved once. Mapa-New Year man 'yan, mapa-Christmas, birthdays, or even Valentines. But, we often don't realize na may mga ibang nag-ce-celebrate ng gan'tong klaseng okasyon kasi do'n na lang ulit nila nakuha ang happiness or ang ending na deserve nila. Life is not just for people who were in love. Celebrations is not just about the people that you have.
Often times, people do celebrate such things as Valentines because they finally love themselves enough to let go, they love themselves enough to forgive, and they love themselves enough to be strong to get strength to finally start all over again without any doubts and questions about their unfinished business in the past.
