DBS#3: Mending the Scars

IKA-TATLUMPU'T PITO

After my Monday hospital duty, I decided to visit Uncle Julio to ask about Top's progress. I want to personally talk to him. Gusto kong malaman kung pumupunta pa ba ito sa hospital para magpa-check up o kung maayos ba ang records nito these past few weeks.

"Kumusta po si Top? How's his progress?"

"He's doing well, hijo. So far, walang blast phase but still, it might happen. He said he's taking his medicines seriously, though there's some side effects that we're trying to lessen."

"That's good to know," I let out a good sigh.

"Are you busy today, uncle?"

Ayoko pa kasi sanang umuwi. Pakiramdam ko, kung mag-isa lang ako sa bahay ay maiisipan kong puntahan o tawagan na naman si Top. Hindi ko pa alam sa ngayon kung anong mukha ang ihaharap ko matapos kong mag confess kahapon. What I said was indeed true. But the worst part is that we know we can't be together.

"Wala naman. I'll be just here in my office checking patients' records. Why?" he looked at me while fixing his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Can I stay here a little bit longer? Kung hindi po nakakaabala. I'm just bored, and I don't want to go home yet. Ang alam nila Dad ay mamaya pa ang tapos ng duty ko."

Sa bahay kasi ulit ako maghahapunan kaya hindi na muna ako uuwi ng condo. May bantay naman kay Pancake kaya wala akong iisipin.

"Sure, hijo. We can talk anytime about your clinical. How's it?"

"Tiring. Makes me want to shift my course," I said half-jokingly.

Uncle laughed heartily at my remark. "That's why Jaiden chose the teaching field. Hindi worth it kung mahihirapan ka sa bagay na hindi mo naman talaga gusto in the first place."

"How's Jaiden, by the way? We haven't seen each other for awhile."

"She's fine, Hijo. You know my daughter, she's very studious. Minsan nga ay binibiro ko nang mag boyfriend para naman hindi puro aral," he chuckled.

"Good thing she's focused on the program she took. Ayaw niya po bang mag doktor kagaya niyo?"

"She's not a kid anymore. She can decide on whatever she wants in her life. Kaya hindi ko na pinilit pa na sumunod sa yapak namin. Gusto kong matuto siyang tumayo at mag desisyon sa sarili niya."

Jaiden is Tito Julio's daughter, who's in the education field. She's an only child, and she gets whatever she pleases, but she doesn't have a rotten attitude like other spoiled daughters I know. She's fierce and bold. She wants to do anything in her way.

"Too bad I haven't been to our recent gatherings, sana ay nagkita kami."

Jaiden and I are almost the same age. We grew up together, and I must say, among my cousins, she's my favorite simply because she's not a feminine type of girl. Mas lalaki pang kumilos sa akin ang isang iyon!

"Oh, hijo, she's not attending gatherings either. Masyado na raw maraming tao roon para mapansin pa ang absence niya."

So, what I heard from Mom was true-that she's not attending our family gatherings either. But they said not because she's busy but because she's ashamed of being the outcast of the family. Nag-iisa raw na walang interes maging doktor o kahit ano man na may kinalaman sa medisina. I admire how brave she is, though, for choosing the path she wants for herself. And I also admire Uncle Julio for letting her pursue the things she wants in her life despite being questioned about why he let her. She's not really an outcast for me. She just has supportive parents and the freedom to be who she wants to be.

I nodded, trying to divert the topic from how Jaiden was allowed to choose a different program when my father said we weren't. I get it, pinayagan siya ng Dad niya at ako ay hindi, but does Grandpa agree? Dahil babae siya?

"Uncle, does Grandpa agree with Jaiden's chosen field? I mean, he wants all of us to be in the medical field..."

"I admit, he's not speaking to me about Jaiden after he knew that my daughter would take a different path. But I'm the father of my child, so I will be the one to decide whether I'll allow them to interfere in my daughter's life or not," he explained.

Oh, to be Uncle Julio's child. How I wish ganito rin si Dad sa amin ni Gianna. Jaiden is very lucky.

"I don't want to be in this field either," pag-amin ko. He looked at me, shocked. "Pero ayaw ni Dad na mag engineering ako. Gusto niya pa noong una na medical technology dapat, buti na lang at pumayag na ng nursing. He said, Grandpa will be mad, and we don't want that."

I don't want to be as stressful as Gianna when she's still studying medical technology in her college years, so I ended up taking nursing instead, thinking it would be easy, but it's not.

"Hijo, pasensya na sa Daddy mo. He's just too passionate to follow Papa's orders for some reasons. Kaya siguro mas pinili niyang mag desisyon para sa inyo. But thinking about it, I know Papa won't be mad if you choose engineering. Ang gusto niya, mag-aral kayo nang mag-aral para sa kinabukasan niyo. He's just afraid that his grandchildren will end up being a burden to their future family. He molded us when we're still young, and now he's molding you and your cousins to become people with high credibility and a stable life. Para kahit mawala ang yaman ng pamilya natin, kaya niyo pa rin tumayo sa sarili niyong mga paa," he explained, but nothing made sense to me. "Ayaw lang din niya kayong matulad sa bunso niyang anak."

Natigilan ako. Uncle's last sentence echoed in my mind, and confusion descended like a heavy fog. What did he mean by that? Matulad sa bunsong anak ni Grandpa? What does he mean, my Dad?

"My D-Dad? What do you mean, Uncle?"

Anong ibig niyang sabihin? Bunso si Daddy sa kanilang magkakapatid kaya siguradong-

"Yes, hijo. Your Dad was..." he suddenly stopped and thought something. "I mean, not really y-your Dad. Actually, may sumunod pa sa kaniya."

"M-May bunso pa kayong k-kapatid na sumunod kay Dad?" pag-uulit ko.

Seryoso ba siya? I'm already this old, and yet I didn't know that? All this time, I thought Dad was the youngest. Sino ang isa pa at bakit hindi ko pa siya nakikita?

"Yes, hijo. Siguro ay hindi sa iyo b-binanggit pa ng Daddy mo dahil masyadong mahabang istorya. Basta ang masasabi ko lang, pinalayas si William ni Papa. H-Hanggang doon lang."

W-William? Strange. I didn't know his name either.

"I'm confused. Why haven't they talked about him since then?"

All of a sudden, Uncle started to look uneasy. It's like he's avoiding the topic. Too bad, he stared at it, and now I'm curious. "Mama is getting older. They don't want her to think about William again and get sick. Besides, Papa is still mad at him for being a rebel. William was just... a d-disgrace to our family."

"Do all of my cousins know-"

"Henry, don't tell anyone about this. Our family is keeping this a secret. Think William is dead. He left our family a long time ago."