He said my words have saved him for the past years. But that night, it was his words that saved me.
I often feel like I haven't done much in the past. That like a boat with missing paddles, I let the waves take me as they surge. I met people that I also lost after. I made memories that were later forgotten. That's how I wanted it: absent in the past, unknown in the present.
But the idea of leaving something intangible to someone? I would be lying if I said it doesn't fulfill me. It makes me feel that my existence in the past wasn't void of meaning at all.
"How's work, Mauve?" Sumimsim ng kape si Mrs. Suarez.
"It's okay, Ma'am."
"You didn't sound like you meant it, hija." Mahinhin siyang tumawa.
I wanted to say it was torture because of how Yuri teased me on the first few days, but he still treated me well—better than I expected.
"Is Yuri making it hard for you?" Ibinaba niya ang tasa sa lamesa pagkatapos makalahati ang kape.
After what happened that night, I felt so exposed to Yuri. I felt so seen that none of my dark auras would make him believe that I was not vulnerable. But he didn't make it hard for me. Sa tingin ko nga, naawa siya kaya bumait noong mga sumunod na linggo.
"No, ma'am."
She took another sip of coffee. "But compared to your hospital duty, is taking care of Yuri harder?"
"Hospital duty is the hardest, Mrs. Suarez. Nothing can even compete." Kung workload lang din naman ang pag-uusapan, nagsasabi ako ng totoo.
"So receiving an 'it's okay' from you is a good thing." She chuckled.
I nodded. "If you ask me how was the past months of hospital duties, I could've answered 'It was hell'."
Lumakas ang tawa ni Mrs. Suarez. "If that's the case, then I'm relieved. I was worried Yuri was giving you a hard time."
He does and yet, he doesn't.
"You know, Maurice. I'm really happy that Yuri came across you again."
Tinanguan ko lang ang sinabi niya dahil alam kong may kasunod pa iyon.
"Seeing him happy because of you is a slice of cake to me—black forest to be exact because it's my favorite." She chuckled. "Seeing him in pain, however, pains me twice. Hindi ko yata mapatatawad ang taong mananakit sa anak ko. I might forget what mercy is."
My lips parted at the loss of words. "That's . . . a nature of a mother, Mrs. Suarez. I understand that you're worried about your son. But I think you shouldn't let him become too dependent. He needs some autonomy too. You know, because he's a grownup man.
She nodded with puckered lips. "That's true, Maurice. Ang totoo niyan, he knows how to take care of himself. But his health—no matter how independent he is—scares me." Malungkot siyang ngumiti.
"I understand, Mrs. Suarez."
"Anyway, have you gotten a boyfriend yet? Or do you have the same perspective in life you had years ago?" She shifted the topic.
Heaven knows how I hate love life talks. Perfect timing ang pag-alarm ng cellphone ko.
'Check Yuri'. Nakalimutan ko pa lang i-off tuwing Sunday ang alarm na 'yon. Who cares? It saved me.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Suarez. I'll just take this call."
"Go ahead, Maurice."
Iniwan ko si Mrs. Suarez sa garden nila. I went to the pool area not to fake a call but to really call Erich. This is my first time calling someone first. She should be honored.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Heaven's Wildcard
Romance[SLOW EDIT] For most people, hell is just a concept or a place where the evils fall into after death. But for the registered nurse, Maurice Severina de Morga, it is her reality, her life. Her first cry was on her mother's death, died on a hospital b...
