Wild Series #1: 69

40

[What time will you go home, baby?] Lei asked over the phone.

"I'm in my pre-duty today, baby. 8 am 10 am akong nasa hospital."

[Oh, you won't have the energy na to go sonewhere after your hospital duty...]

"Why you asked?"

[Nothing.]

"Hey, tell me. Aano ba tayo?"

[Ano kasi... Dad's inviting us to his birthday celebration bukas ng gabi. He will having a birthday dinner in Alabang.]

"Then let's go. We can attend naman."

[You sure? Pagod ka na masyado. You have test tomorrow right?]

"Hey, it's okay! Hindi naman ako sobrang pagod at puyat. I still manage to sleep sa hospital kapag walang patient. We can go sa Alabang ng lunch or after lunch. I can just go there with my notes para makapag-aral ako before the celebration."

[But—]

"Pick me up after my duty? Deretso na tayo sa Alabang. I can borrow Kiara's clothes naman."

[Fine. Rest, please. Take care of yourself and our babies.]

"Yes po."

Months had past after his sudden proposal to me. We're engage and planning to get married next year. Alam kong maraming ganap next year dahil manganganak ako, PGI namin at iyon, kasal namin. I can't wait to marry him...

After my duty, Leivi picked me dahil wala naman silang classes today 'cause it's Sunday. Sadyang may half day duty lang ako sa hospital kaya may pasok ako. He drove na kaagad papunta sa Alabang pagkasundo niya sa akin.

"Hi, Ate!" si Kira ang sumalubong sa amin ni Leivi. "Everyone's busy and I am not belong to them."

I chuckled. "Come on... Let's help them."

Pumasok na kami ng tuluyan sa loob ng bahay. They kissed me sa cheek ko at bahagyang kinakausap ang tiyan ko, kinukumusta ang pamangkin nila.

"How was your duty, anak?" Tita asked me.

"It's tiring po but I manage to sleep and rest naman po sa quarters namin."

"Huwag kang sasagad sa puyat at stress, anak. Ingatan mo iyang dinadala mo."

"Opo, Mom."

Totoo nga ang sinabi ni Kira. Everyone's busy. May mga nagliligpit ng bahay, nag-aasikaso ng hapag, naghihiwa ng mga sangkap at katulong ni Tita sa pagluluto. I tried to help but they all want me to just rest or study for the exam.

"Ang gand ang singsing mo, Ate, no." pagkausap sa akin ni Kira. "Flex na flex sa socials ninyo pareho. I'm thinking nga when will I have a man like Kuya na will ask for my hand. I'm so excited, you know!"

Napabuntong hininga ako. "Don't rush things, Kira. You'll get here and take it easy. Life is not good always."

"I'm lucky nga because I have suitor e." aniya pa. "Ate Kaixa rushing also, but she ended up being sad because life is cruel. She wants to have a man for her life na but now, she just enjoy being herself."

"That nice to know." kumento ko. "You don't need a man to be loved and feel that you're valued. You can't enter a relationship and let others love you kung ikaw, hindi mo mahal ang sarili. How can you love your partner if you can't even love yourself? So I am telling you, before you love other people, learn to love yourself first. Maybe Kaixa stopped rushing things because she realized she have to love herself first before she love others. There's a possibility that you ended up crying just because you love others and you forgot to love yourself. Hindi pwedeng pagmamahal lang doon sa tao ang mayroon ka, kailangan na mahal mo rin ang sarili mo at magtitira ka sa sarili mo ng love kahit may mahal ka ng ibang tao. It's always you first than others, Kira."