Leave Before You Love Me

🌷🌷🌷

"IKAW?!" Halos magkasabay na nagsalita sina Theo at Tricia.

"Magkakilala kayo?" nagtatakang tanong ni Lolo Magno habang palipat-lipat ang tingin sa kanilang dalawa.

"Oh, shoot!" Natampal ni Theo ang sariling noo.

"It didn't sink in to me, you were called by that nurse pala by your name last time," he said.

"What do you mean, apo?"

"W-wala po, 'Lo. Tara na po, akin na po 'yung mga results ninyo," putol ni Tricia.

"At kelan mo pa naging lolo ang lolo ko?" mahinang sabi ni Theo na hindi naman nakaligtas sa pandinig ng matanda.

"I insisted that," sabi ng lolo niya.

"So, she was the one you are always mentioning to me? Nice to finally meet you, Doc Tricia," nabaling ang atensyon nito kay Tricia and he offered a handshake.

Nag-aalangang kinuha ni Tricia ang kamay ni Theo.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Soliven," pormal na bati nito.

"At last nagkakilala din kayo. Theo, why don't you..."

"Ah, Lolo, let's finish your check up first, okay lang po ba?" putol ni Tricia sa sasabihin ni Lolo Magno. Alam na niya ang gustong mangyari ng matanda.

"Okay, Doc ganda," he smiled. He handed over the papers.

Tricia looked at the results of the tests na pinagawa niya.

"Lo, slightly elevated po ang triglycerides ninyo, bawas po muna sa fatty foods and red meat ha?"

"Oh, sunud-sunod kasi ang kain namin sa labas nitong apo ko, masarap kasing kumain ng steak," natatawang sabi ni Lolo Magno.

"Naku, better po, iwas muna sa ganyan. Eat fiber-rich foods para ma flush out po siya sa katawan ninyo," payo ni Tricia while browsing to the other results ni Lolo Magno.

"You also have low hemoglobin, Lo. Madalas po ba kayong nagpupuyat these days?"

"Naku, oo, lalo na kapag may pinapanuod kami sa Netflix nitong apo ko. Hindi tinitigilan kapag hindi natatapos ang series, eh."

Tiningnan ni Tricia si Theo.

"What?!" Maang na tanong ni Theo nang makita niya ang matalim na titig ni Tricia sa kanya.

"You're not taking good care of your grandfather, Sir. Baka ikaw pa magpahamak sa kanya sa huli," Tricia said. She kept her composure, kahit gigil na gigil na siya kay Theo.

"Nah, it's okay, Doc ganda, nag-ienjoy naman ako, paminsan-minsan lang naman."

Tiningnan ni Theo ai Tricia and gave her a smirk. Tricia just rolled her eyes at ibinalik ang atensyon kay Lolo Magno.

"Hindi ko muna po itataas ang dosage ng gamot ninyo, but make sure na iinumin nyo po ito as per what I've prescribed you, okay? Let's see each other in two weeks po? I need your repeat laboratories by then," Tricia said while scribbling another lab request on her prescription pad.

May mga sinabi pa si Tricia kay Lolo Magno pero hindi na iyon masyadong napansin ni Theo, he looked at Tricia, and he noticed that she indeed is pretty. No wonder his Lolo liked her this much.

Mabilis naman niyang inilayo ang tingin nang mapansin niyang nahuli na siya ni Tricia na nakatitig sa kanya.

"Is there anything you want to ask, Mr. Soliven?"

"Ahm, no, nothing. Lolo, shall we go?"

"Sige, apo. Tutal ay tapos na naman kami ni Doc ganda. Are you sure you don't want to join us for lunch?"

"Hindi na po, I still have so much work to do pa, hindi rin po ako pwedeng lumabas basta-basta," she politely declined.

"Maybe, some other time, right apo?"

"H-ha? A, e, opo, Lolo, sure," alanganing sagot ni Theo.

"We will go ahead Doc ganda. Thank you for today, see you soon," nakangiting nagpaalam ang matanda kay Tricia.

"Sure, po. Don't forget our schedule po, ingat kayo," paalam din ni Tricia habang sinabayan ang maglolo palabas ng room na iyon.

"Bye, Doctor," Theo said at diretsong naglakad palabas ng hospital na akay akay si Lolo Magno.

Tumango lang si Tricia.

Nang mawala sa paningin niya ang matanda at si Theo ay bumalik naman si Tricia sa ER.

"Doc, sino 'yung kasama ni Sir Magno? 'Yun na ba 'yung apo niya?" tanong sa kanya ni Mara, isa sa mga senior nurse nila.

"Yeah, the infamous Theo Soliven," Tricia said.

"Pogi pala talaga niya, no? At ang hot!" Mara shrieked, which made Tricia fake a laugh.

"Pogi? Hot? Mayabang and arogante would be best to describe him," Tricia unknowingly said.

"Paano mo naman nasabi, Doc? Mukhang mabait naman," Mara curiously ask.

"Basta!" Tricia said as she tried to focus sa pasyenteng nasa harap niya.

With his physique and moreno look, Theo was good-looking indeed. But he is not Tricia's cup of tea, a first impression that made a mark on Tricia's memory.

"Ate, I'm home!" Jill suddenly blurted nang makapasok siya sa condo nila. She just came from Singapore dahil pinadala siya duon ng pinagtatrabahuhan niyang kumpanya.

"Oh, My, Jillian! Why are you here?" Tricia said as she gave her younger sister a hug. She was from duty at halos kakagising lang din niya when Jill came.

"Well, ako nagulat din, I thought babalik na ako sa New York but may need pa pala akong gawin dito sa Pilipinas. So, here I am," Jill said.

"Mabuti naman, I hope magtagal ka naman dito, I missed you, Sis!" She said at inakbayan ang bunso.

"Hmmm, I smell something, may favor ka ano?" Jill asked.

"Wala, eto naman. I just missed you. Nakakalungkot kasing mag-isa dito sa bahay. Sina Ate Aiks at Mama laging wala."

Aika, the eldest is a faculty of Ateneo while their mom, Atty. Leni is a lawyer and the chairman of the Angat Pinas, an NGO she founded not so long ago.

"How are you my dear doctor sis?" Jill asked.

"Well, eto , still coping up with my residency. Nakakapagod pero worth it naman."

"Loosen up, baka naman masyado mo nang pinipressure ang sarili mo sa work, Ate. You need to rest din once in a while," Jill said which made Tricia raised her eyebrow.

"At kelan ka pa natutong manermon, Jillian?" She said which made the both laugh.

"On a serious note, thank you, Sis. Hindi ko naman pinapabayaan ang sarili ko. By the way, what really brings you here back home?"

"Well, our company made potential partnerships sa isang malaking kumpanya dito sa Pilipinas. I was tasked to made a sort of a background check sa kanila, before we could seal the deal. I'm just waiting for the call from my..."

Hindi na natapos ni Jill ang sasabihin nang biglang tumunog ang kanyang cell phone.

"Wait, Sis, I need to answer this," she accepted the call.

"Hello? Yes, I'm already here. Okay, just send me the details. Thanks, bye." She then hung up.

"That was fast," Jill said.

"Why, is that from your company?" Tricia curiously asked.

"Yup, they said I'll be having a meeting with the company I told you about, bukas agad."

"Whoa! Ganun ka-eager ang company ninyo? Teka, anong company ba 'yan?"

"Magnus Soliven Diversified. They said I'll be meeting its future owner and CEO, Theo Patrick Soliven."

🌷

Hello readers, medyo may paglie low muna tayo ng very very light, weekly muna ako mag update. May important lang pong hanash. 'Wag po sana kayong bibitiw! Padayon!