"I missed you, Maurice. I missed seeing you around at the mansion with Yuri."
Ibinaba ko sa platito ang tasa ng kape pagkatapos humigop. Today, Mrs. Suarez asked us to meet. Ang daming tumatakbo sa isip ko. How would I tell her that I'm still seeing her son? That we are on something right now?
"I kinda missed the peace I feel from working for one person, Mrs. Suarez. Hospital duties are as hectic as they used to be."
"That's why I admire all of you in the medical field." She took a sip of the coffee. "Animo'y araw-araw kayong sumasabak sa giyera sa trabaho niyo."
"Tama po kayo." War it is.
"Have you given it a thought?"
Nahinto ako sa paghigop ng kape. Ito na . . .
"What are your plans now, hija? Now that you've been exposed to the hospital again. Ready ka na ba to take the exams? Are you taking care of your papers to leave na? Tutuloy ka ba sa pag-alis?"
Sa dami ng tanong niya, wala pa akong maibibigay ni isang sagot.
"Honestly, there's something I want to ask, Mrs. Suarez."
She crossed her legs, anticipating. "Go ahead."
"May expiration date ba ang pangako niyong pagtulong sa akin?" I'm comfortable with the help Mrs. Suarez is offering because it comes along with her promised fee.
Gamit ang pamaypay ay tinakpan ni Mrs. Suarez ang labi niya. Natawa siya. "What do you mean expiration date? You're silly, huh. You did a lot for my son. I'll give back whenever your hands are empty to hold them. No expiration, Maurice." Natawa siya nang mas malakas pagkatapos.
"If that's the case then . . . I want you to put it on hold."
Her brow curved. "Why? Shouldn't you desire to leave as soon as possible? That's what you wanted. What's making you stay here?"
I don't want to admit it but I know the answer. "I'm not yet ready."
"And what makes you unready? Tell me, is there any problem? Maybe I can help you too with that."
I shook my head. If there's a problem, only I can help myself.
"For now, I want to stay here. I don't know when will I be ready to leave, or if I will still want to, but I will take my time, Ms. Maritta."
Pagkatapos kong kitain si Mrs. Suarez kaninang umaga, si Ms. Maritta naman ang kaharap ko ngayon. I said the same thing to both of them.
"Maurice, I can give you everything you'd want. You don't have to suffer here anymore." She held my hand. "You've gone through enough. Please let me make it easier for you."
What is it, Mauve? Is it your pride that allows all the big opportunities to pass or is it 'that' something else that's making you stupid right now?
"It won't be easy to adjust. It hasn't sunk into me yet that my mother has a sister. She offered me to live with her in Italy. One yes and my life will be completely different." It's like reading the prologue and then skipping to the epilogue. I need more time—chapters maybe. That's a good excuse for now.
"I appreciate that you had the intention to fulfill your promises to Mom and that you came back here to take her. T-Tiya, Mom would be happy to see you. The least that I can do is to bring you to her grave."
"I said I wouldn't go there until I convinced you to go with me. So that I have something to make it up with her," she said.
"You already made up with her the moment you came back here, the moment you considered helping me."
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...
