Underneath His White Coat ( Montero Series # 5)

Chapter Thirty Three

Salamat sa paghihintay!

Chapter Thirty Three

[Rafael's POV]

"Thanks for this," inabot ko ang envelope mula kay Kuya Elijah. He nodded and patted my shoulder.

"Let's go to the gazebo, they're waiting for us."

"Susunod na ako," sabi ko bago isinilid ang binigay niya sa bag.

I came down few minutes after, looking at the pavilion that's already been there since I was born, beside it was our pool. I looked back at a certain memory when we used to do the same, gathering in that area, when my sister used to rant that she hated me for being canny, naughty and disobedient yet I was the favorite too because I was the youngest. I was spoiled by everyone.

I used to think too that I was invincible that I could have everything, could do everything, that I have a hold with everything but life taught me the hard way. Na hindi mo hawak ang lahat kahit gaano ka pa ka determinado o kahit ginawa mo na ang lahat ng makakaya mo. Giving your best isn't even a guarantee.
This life is so unpredictable, in just a snap of finger everything could change. Now, you may have everything, experience great happiness but you don't know that maybe later it can be taken away from you.

We found out yesterday that Dad has prostate cancer. Mom was freaking out at first, crying at pagkatapos ay hindi na makausap. Dad was so calm about it but I had to be with mom to explain that dad will going to be alright. It was still at the earliest stage, and with the treatment now, dad should be fine.

Of all that I experienced in the past I learned that your family is still the best that you have kahit anumang mangyari. All things may go wrong, you may go wrong but they will still be there, tatanggapin at tatanggapin ka kahit ga'no kalaki ang naging pagkakamali mo.
And at the end, wala kang ibang tatakbuhan kundi ang pamilya mo lang. I was just too fortunate because despite everything, me turning against them they never turned their back against me. Now that dad and mom needed us, we're here like what they've always been with us from the start.

Growing up, I've always look up to Dad, how he treated and loved Mom unconditionally. How far I was from him. May mga naging kalokohan ako noon, it can't be help when you're younger. I had my fair share of girls but by the time I fell inlove I had my fair share of pain that brought me nothing but destruction. I didn't know how to handle it, I thought I was just doing my best for her, forgetting everyone even myself. That left me totally bruised and cut out deep painfully, but it didn't end there, what totally destroyed me was the torment that was left through my soul after it happened. It was so damnably hard to move on when you're haunted by a lot of demons.

I just didn't expect that after that past I will going to experience this--to be loved by an angel whom even a bit I doesn't deserved. That there is a love like this, when I used to think that love could bring you so much pain and destruction, it now brought me healing and peace. It's beyond me, how her presence or her simple touch or just the little things that she does has healed my wounded soul. How overwhelmingly calming it was.

What I feel for her is a love like home. You may have been gone away for a long time, wandered in the wilderness, or you maybe away from work but your mind never stops thinking about your return and when you did, you finally feel that incomparable joy and comfort.

My most desperate prayer to God every night is that I beg that He may not take Aria away from me. Hurt and pain maybe inevitable but I am willing to embrace it with her. I'd take it in a heartbeat. Nakakaramdam din ako ng takot pero nangingibabaw ang tiwala ko pagmamahal niya. I promised to cherish her more, give her the kind of love that is freeing, not the kind that my old invincible self had, thinking that I have full control of everything. I have learned from that love and I won't do to her that same mistake.