Five Years After

10

I got sick following my misadventure in the Makati rain at midnight. I didn't get to follow through Plan A pagka Saturday and Sunday. Naisip ko ang hina naman ng resistensya ko sa ulan. Hindi pala kami pwede magkaroon ng eksanang nakakabagbag-damdamin sa ulan. Sayang.

I was getting agitated. What if I go directly to Plan C and show up at Tita Ella's room during her chemo? She had a few sessions left and nangangamba ako na baka her session will end before I get to that plan. It was the last option because it's a little rude to have the confrontation in front of a sick person na wala namang kinalaman sana sa problem namin. But that's a desperate measure and right now, I think I will skip Plan B if my last attempt of Plan A won't work.

"Babe, You look like shit. Buntis ka na naman ba?" bungad ni Jasmine nang magkasalubong kami sa ward.

"Oo."

"Di ka na virgin para mag immaculate conception." She smirked and the juniors, Juno and Francis snorted.

"Tawa kayo diyan. Bakit, virgin kayo?" I scowled.

"That, children, is what years of abstinence does to people. Let's get some cheap coffee." She gave instructions to the juniors and pulled me away. She bought coffee from the vending machine near the callroom and we hid in the pantry.

"Oy ano tong secret meeting na 'to?" Kaloy walked in on us.

"I'm planning a mutiny."

"Damn, babe,  you look like shit. Rough night? Pero sino?" pang-asar ni Kaloy. I scoffed at him.

"I know right?" tawa ni Jasmine. Isa pa tong babaeng 'to. I wanted to throw my scalding hot coffee at her.

"Babe, you were fine last Friday during Cutting Time. Diba hinatid ka ni Derek sa inyo?" tanong ni Kaloy wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yes, hinatid nya ako. Hanggang sa baba ng condo." I stressed the last sentence because I knew where he was going.

"Before that. Dinala ka ba niya sa langit?"

"Oo nga, you guys quickly 'packed'-up and left."

"Leche kayong dalawa. Tigilan nyo nga kaka-Derek diyan! Mag-pinsan kami okay?" I rolled my eyes at them. Shock was an understatement sa mga mukha nila and I felt triumphant na napatahimik ko silang dalawa nang sabay.

While the movement of Jasmine's lips and mouth was like that of a dying fish, I let the news settle so we can talk better. I finally told them about Derek and how we found out that we were first cousins. Hindi ko naman ibig itago ang impormasyon sa kanila, hindi lang kami nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mapag-usapan iyon.

"Shocking, babe. Buti nalang wala talagang nangyari sa inyo, otherwise ako mismo susulat sa MMK sa love story nyo." Kaloy said finally after a moment's thought.

At nine o'clock sharp on Thursday, Jasmine rang the bell to my unit. It was Emerald's birthday and nagyaya siyang mag Amaryllis. She graduated last year as our chief resident and she was doing her subspecialty training in Philippine Heart Center as a heart surgeon. Em always liked lounging and dancing and she used to drag me, Jasmine, and Kaloy along nung residents pa kami.