Only If

chapter 34 (confessions)

ARIS's POV

We are engrossed in sharing events in our lives, it made me comfortable that I unload my thoughts...

I can't believe what I've heard from Ivan... Great revelations.

"We only have one wish ... Love our friend, she is a dear sister to us," Bruce

"We feel her pains as we rejoice in her victory," Charles

"The four of us, we have been in hardest times together. And now, when the three of us were already in abundance we look for Ellie when we heard the murmurs that she is living in misery... She is maltreated... That forces her to stowaway," Miko

"We contacted Doc Ivan when we knew Ellie was with him in Bali. We told him that we could take care of Ellie until she wanted to be with us," Bruce

"In Bali?"

"Yes, she works there as a nurse in the resort infirmary of Dr. Mondragon,"

"What?"

"They helped Ella get out of the Philippines. Atty Alyza Mondragon helped her escape without a trace," Ivan

"In Mondragon's resort?"

"Yes. She was a nurse there, and the Mondragons fostered her. Atty Alyza is a battered women's advocate. She was a battered woman too before, to her ex-husband Hendricks Sarmiento,"

"We cannot afford to know she is in misery while we are enjoying the best things in life... We were partners when the four of us bear stomach pains because of frequent skipping meals, not by choice but by harsh circumstances where we have nothing to buy a cup of rice," Miko

We remember those times when Ellie shared with us the foods you supplied her Doc Aris," Charles

"We remember how many times we slept outside police stations because we didn't catch the last trip back home," Mico

"How we weep when Ella won't open her eyes anymore in fever... Fortunately, her neighbor in the apartment lent us money, and we brought her to the provincial hospital, she had dengue,"

"Where I am that time?"

"You got angry because Ella was not able to get back to her apartment that night. You suspected her of doing dirty things. For one week you never visit her. She was sick but still, she attended our classes, until that Friday night when she collapsed,"

"So fool of me,"

"We remember how she performs well - singing or dancing on stage to win, we are after the cash prize so that we have pennies to buy our school requirements," Bruce

"How fast we run when dogs chase is when we do caroling. Hahaha. But that doesn't matter, our concern is how much we earn from our Christmas caroling. We have so many clinical requirements to buy"

"And most of all, how she took chances to give us answers during our exams and how she got sleepless nights doing our thesis that made us pass our subjects," Miko

"And made us graduate as nurses... Which made us now able to eat as many as we can in a day," Charles

"Ellie was a fighter... But sometimes, Ellie being human has her limits too," Miko

"I am sorry I was blinded by wrong belief," I said

"But, not all our days were sad... There are days we rejoice... When Ellie becomes the Miss Nursing... becomes the campus queen... becomes the Queen of the City, becomes the Queen of the Province... When she graduated Summa Cum Laude and Class Valedictorian. We remember when she made us special mention in her valedictory address and let us stand to introduce to the crowd her best friends who shared with her in her failures and triumphs, and in sickness and in health during graduation day. That gesture of hers gave us the feeling of more than a Magna Cum Laude," Bruce

"Yeah... To quote --- ' Ladies and gentlemen, please acknowledge my friends, the 3kings, please do me a favor, please stand up for the whole crowd in this auditorium to know you... They are my friends who were with me on my journey even when the roads were full of thorns pricking our bare feet ...the three people who shared with me in everything, in joys and sorrows, in sickness and in health, in triumphs and failures... even in one pack of instant noodles. My partners in crimes - doing carolings not for fun but for livelihood, A penny counts a lot for us, anyway we sing them the sweetest Christmas song they would ever hear...  Joining the dance and singing contest aiming for the cash prize, at least we can buy a kilo of rice and one small can of sardines. My Trainor for all pageants I am qualified to enter... And most of all,  they are my inspiration, they believe in me...that despite our hard plights, I can be where I stand this very moment, your class valedictorian. If you appreciate them like how I appreciate, loud applause for them please," Mico re-enacting.

"But hear me, this is the best part  -- ladies and gentlemen, and to all lovers out there... At the back of the bitter part of my life, there is a sweet portion too... love is just around the corner... Your class valedictorian is not loveless nor heartless, I don't only read clinical books, I also read love letters, sweet and sour text messages, and card dedications that make my heart beat more than it used to be. I have my inspiration as well, which made me hold on and not surrender to the cruel challenges confronting me, my sweetheart. I am sorry, I cannot ask you to do me a favor to stand up to be recognized, It is not because I am ashamed to let the whole campus know who you are, but this is not the right time. Sorry, let this thing be secret between us for now. Let me say how grateful I am that you came into my life... I see him over there, he is just around the corner... He hears me, thank you, Mr. ADF,"  Mico said laughing after delivering that portion of Ellie's valedictory address.

"That's obviously for you Doc Aris," Bruce

"I know... I was even surprised that time Ellie said something about me, and mentioned my initials which made the whole crowd scream and giggle... But Mommy beside me trembled in anger."

"How we endure pains when we fall, almost break our limbs during our practice for acrobatics style dance... And how loud we yell when we won every contest we joined," Charles

"That was our life... Very hard life," Bruce

"Before we are happy to share in our instant noodles for lunch. One egg in many malunggay leaves and a lot of water to make a pitcher full of soup for dinner, hahaha," Miko

"And how happy we are when we have roasted rice as coffee and viand at breakfast. Meaning we were able to buy five peso worth of sugar," Bruce

"When you bring Ellie food Doc Ivan, she was so happy... Not because she can eat yummy foods, but because she has something to bring for us to share... That's the only time we can taste beef steak, pork steak, chicken cordon Bleu, kare-kare, menudo, cakes, and chocolates. We can taste spaghetti, lasagna, baked macaroni and pizza. Without those you bring for Ellie that she shares with us, that food will remain alien to our taste buds, we don't know when we can have the chance to eat those kinds," Charles

"But now, we are all happy... We are successful in our way, and Ellie is more successful than us which makes us happier. Imagine, our friend is the wife of the great governor and  brilliant doctor Ariston del Fierro?" Miko

After that confession was the time I knew who Ellie was and who Ellie was. I feel so proud of my wife, and so ashamed of myself.
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