Infinity

5

The next day, we went to the doctor’s office. Finilene held my hand the entire time, her fingers laced tightly with mine. Hindi niya ako iniwan kahit isang segundo, kahit pa ilang beses kong sinabing okay lang ako. She knew better. She always did.

We waited in the small room, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling the air. Every second felt like an eternity as I stared at the white walls, my heart pounding in my chest. I could feel Finilene’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. What if something was really wrong? What if the life we dreamed of was about to fall apart?

Finally, the doctor came in, flipping through a clipboard. He looked at me and smiled—an expression that instantly made the tension in my chest loosen, kahit papaano.

“Well, James, good news,” he said, looking directly at me. “There’s nothing serious to worry about.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Talaga, doc?”

He nodded, leaning back in his chair. “You’ve been under a lot of stress, and it’s taking a toll on your body. The dizziness, the trouble breathing—it’s most likely anxiety-related. Nothing physically wrong with your heart or lungs. With some rest, exercise, and relaxation, you should be fine.”

I felt like a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was as if the world started moving again after being stuck in a pause. “So… wala talaga?”

“Wala,” he confirmed. “I’d recommend you take it easy for a while. And if you ever feel overwhelmed, talking to someone—whether it’s a professional or someone close to you—will help a lot. Just take care of yourself.”

Beside me, Finilene let out a long breath, one she had clearly been holding in. She looked at me, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of relief and emotion. “Thank God,” she whispered.

I turned to her, finally meeting her gaze. I smiled, trying to reassure her. “Told you, kaya ko ‘to. Wala ‘to.”

She smiled back, but this time, it was softer, filled with a tenderness that made my heart ache in the best way. “Alam kong kaya mo. Pero gusto ko lang na sigurado.”

The ride home felt lighter. We talked about everything, as usual, pero this time, it wasn’t laced with fear. I could see how much Finilene had been holding back her worry, how much she had carried the weight of my silence. And now, seeing her relax, hearing her laugh again—it made me realize how much she meant to me.

“Akala ko...” she began, her voice trailing off as she stared out the window. “Akala ko mawawala ka rin sa’kin.”

I reached over, taking her hand in mine. “Hindi ako mawawala, Fin. Kahit ano’ng mangyari, nandito ako. Hindi kita iiwan.”

She looked at me, her eyes brimming with unsaid words. “Promise?”

“Promise,” I whispered.

The rest of the evening passed quietly, both of us wrapped in the comfort of knowing that, for now, we were okay. We were still together. And for the first time in weeks, I could breathe freely. Finilene was my anchor, and no matter how chaotic things got, I knew we’d always find our way back to each other.

That night, as we lay in bed, I turned to her, pulling her close. “Thank you,” I said, my voice barely a whisper in the dark.

She snuggled against me, her head resting on my chest. “For what?”

“For being here,” I replied. “For being you.”

She smiled against my skin. “Always.”

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I drifted off to sleep without the weight of worry on my shoulders, knowing that whatever came next, we’d face it together.