Faith, Hope and Love

Chapter 16

They are laying on their bed as Carlos back-hugged her, sniffing her natural scent, her hair and even planted soft kisses on her bare shoulder.
"What's inside your head?" He asked. Saglit na nilingon ni Katie ang asawa at muling tinuon ang mga mata sa kabilang bahagi ng kwarto.
"Naisip ko lang," she started, Carlos mum.
"Kung hindi ako na-operahan noon, nasundan pa kaya si Analyn?" Mahinang tanong nito. Napasinghap si Carlos at mas hinigpitan ang pagkaka-yakap nito sa asawa.
"Kung hindi ako pumayag na operahan ka noon, wala ka na ngayon dito sa tabi. Wala nang Nanay ang anak mo, wala na akong asawa. But to answer your question, maybe yes, maybe no. Yes dahil kaya naman natin silang buhayin, we both have all the means of raising them just like how we raised Analyn, kaya rin natin silang pag-aralin sa pribadong school just like Analyn." He replied, Katie moved a bit so that she can face him.
"Ano naman ang no?" She then asked that made him laugh a little, she arched her eyebrow.
"Maybe no because I was too busy?" He then paused and heaved a deep breath. Katie just caressed his cheek, his jawline, his nose bridge.
"You know, simula 'nong iniwan sakin ni Papa ang ospital, mas domoble ang naging responsiblidad ko. Sayo, sa anak natin, sa trabaho ko at sa ospital. –"
"But you handled it very well, Tatay. Hindi ka naman nagkulang sa amin ng anak mo, naging mabuting asawa at ama ka naman. And I am so proud of you." She interjects and gave him a soft kiss on his lips. Carlos smiled.
"I know you do, Nanay. Pero para sakin hindi pa. Naalala mo 'nong 18th birthday ng anak mo?" She shooked her head, no. Carlos scoffs.
"Muntik na akong hindi umabot sa party ni Analyn." He told her. Katie sighed.
"I'm sorry, hindi ko maalala." She whispered.
"It's okay. You don't have to. Okay?" He replied, he then kissed her forehead that lingered for minutes.
"Matulog na tayo." She uttered that made him nods.
"We should. Good night, Sweetheart." He sweetly said.
"I love you." She replied, and then they kissed good night before they drift into their slumbers.

Mas naunang nagising si Katie kinabukasn, she went to their bathroom and washed her face, let her husband get some sleep as she went downstairs to their kitchen to prepare their breakfast. Pagkatapos na magluto ay bumalik sya sa kwarto nilang mag-asawa at nadatnang naka-ayos na si Carlos.
"Good morning, Sweetheart." He said. Katie smiles and went closer to him.
"Morning. Come here, let me fix your tie." She said as she gently grabbed his necktie and fixed it. Carlos smiled ear to ear as he looked at her closely.
"Baka matunaw naman ako nyan." She joked that made him chuckles. He then wrapped his arms around her, took a quick kiss on her lips. Katie whined.
"Eh! Ang aga-aga naman!" She uttered.
"Ang aga-aga mo rin naman akong iniwan dito." He replied.
"There. Tapos na!" She says as she tap his broad chest.
"It doesn't matter kung maaga kitang iniwan dito, mahimbing pa ang tulog mo at alam ko naman na minsan ka nalang nakaka-tulog ng ganon ka himbing. Isa pa, nasa baba lang naman ako. Now, mauna ka nang bumama don, handa na ang agahan at baka maunahan ka pa ng anak mo. Maliligo at mag-aayos lang ako para sabay-sabay na tayong pumasok. Nakakahiya naman sayo kung late akong pumasok eh kakasimula ko palang." She told him and jest the latter. Carlos smirked.
"Fine, ang haba na ng sinabi mo." He replied.

Days and weeks had passed, everything's fine. Napagsasabay pa rin ni Katie ang pagiging asawa't ina at ang trabaho. May mga pagkakataon na hindi nagtatama ang mga oras nila dahil na rin sa propisyon ng asawa't anak, magka-iba sa kanya.
She's walking when she saw her daughter talking to its patient, she stopped and watched Analyn meters away from her. She smiles the way how Analyn talk and explains. Kitang-kita kung gaano kamahal ng anak ang trabaho at ang compassion nito sa mga pasyente. She already witnessed how toxic those patients na akala mo ay binabayaran pati ang pang-iinsulto at pambabastos ng mga ito sa mga doctor at nurses nila. And she witnessed how Analyn handled those people and choose to understand their frustrations and their emotions. That made her even more proud because she, they've raised their child very well.

Looking back, there is something inside her na may kulang. Para bang may isang parte ng buhay nya ang kulang. She's happy and blessed having Carlos and Analyn but there's this feeling that she doesn't know. She married Carlos more than a decades now, at lahat naman ng mga gusto at pangarap nya nakuha nya. Maybe sometimes in our life, may mga gusto tayong makuha ngunit malabong makuha. May mga bagay na gusto nating maintindihan ngunit hindi natin malaman kung paano. Hindi natin alam kung saan mag-uumpisa.