Love Lingers: Down the Line

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Couples and Dates

"Sure! You can call my Tita Mochi Chandria," Haley agreed for her.

She saw how his eyes lit up before turning his attention back to her niece.

"Talaga?" he asked.

"Yup!" Haley smiled. "I want those back na," she said, taking the tongue depressors from his hand.

"Okay! Favorite doctor mo pa rin ako?"

She nodded. "Yes!"

"Bati na tayo?" he asked again.

Her eyes squinted. "Hmm . . ." Haley ran an index finger along her chin. "You have to promise first!"

"Okay, what is it?"

Her niece pointed at her. "No calling her Mochi!"

"Sure, I promise I'm not going to call her Mochi."

"No! You have to raise your hand and say 'promise . . .'"

Ginaya naman siya no'ng doktor. "Promise."

"I won't call her Mochi," Haley added.

"Yes, I promise."

"You have to repeat after me. Again!"

Yuchi was trying to wrap her mind with what was happening when she heard a soft chuckle coming from him.

"Okay, sorry."

"Promise . . ." Haley lead.

"Promise," and he followed.

"I'm not going to call her Mochi."

A smile lingered on his lips when he said, "I'm not going to call her Mochi."

"Very good!" Haley beamed.

Yuchi blinked. Her niece was fixing her hair when she returned to her seat beside the table, and he stood straight with eyes fixed on her now.

"Nice to meet you ulit," he said.

But she remained silent, still assessing and quite stricken with surprise. 

I really thought I was wrong na baka magkamukha lang sila n'ong stranger sa parking lot, but it turns out they were the same people and he did recognized me, right? He just called me Miss Migraine, she thought.

"My name's there," sabi niya.

"Huh?"

He pointed at the prescription in her hand. "My name, it's there."

Her eyes drew to where he was pointing. 

"My contact number and license are also there."

"Okay . . ."

"Ngayon alam mo na."

"Not really. It's all covered by your hand."

"Hindi kasi 'yan."

A slight creasing appeared on her forehead. "Then what is?"

His eyes gleamed. "Now you know that I'm qualified to prescribe medicines. Sana ininom mo 'yong ibuprofen noon, Miss Chandria."

"Oh . . ." Miss Chandria.

"I did. Thanks."

***

Yuchi rolled to her stomach. Kanina niya pa tinititigan 'yong reseta ng gamot kay Haley. They went to the pharmacy earlier bago sila sunduin ni Chace. Hindi rin sila nagtagal sa labas pagkatapos ng checkup ni Haley.