Mirror Mirror

Chapter 18: Harley Comeback

With that, Martina walked away, her children in tow, leaving Alex standing in the middle of the store, holding onto her old phone—the one thing that still connected her to the woman she had never truly let go of.

Martina had come a long way. Years of studying, sleepless nights, and the determination to follow in her grandmother's footsteps had finally paid off. Now an OBGYN, she took pride in carrying on the legacy of caring for women and children, just as Dra. Lam had done for decades. Her grandmother's teachings and values were ingrained in her, and Martina couldn't be prouder.

As Martina arrived home with her twins, Mikee gently parked the car in front of Martina's townhouse. Mikee, ever the supportive parent, flashed her a warm smile as she helped the twins out. Martina's admirer, Jeric, stood outside, waiting. His tall, muscular build was unmistakable, and his chinky eyes sparkled with the kind of charm only he could pull off. He greeted them with a hopeful smile.

Martin, glanced up and muttered under his breath, "Nandito nanaman tong asungot."

Martina stifled a laugh as she heard Martin's small voice. She gently patted his shoulder, guiding him and his sibling inside. Jeric caught Martina's eye and offered her a small bouquet of flowers, his expression earnest.

"Good evening, Doc," he said, a playful smile spreading across his face, "I thought I'd drop by with a little something for you."

Meanwhile, back at her old condo, Alex walked in and sighed, the events at the store still fresh in her mind. She found Nick lounging on the couch, scrolling through her phone. Nick was an old friend from Stanford, one of the few people who really knew Alex well. Having recently moved back to the Philippines, she had spent a lot of time reconnecting with Alex.

"So," Nick began, not looking up, "how did it go? Napagawa mo?"

Alex plopped down beside her, exhaling deeply. "Hindi. I bumped into Martina. She was there... with her kids."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Kids? Ilang taon? Baka anak niyo yan ha? Nagpafireworks ka sa loob 'di ba?"

Alex nodded, feeling a pang she couldn't quite explain. "Yeah. Two little ones. Maybe 4 to 6 years old? Not sure. Naisip ko rin pero sasabihin naman niya sa 'kin yun kung ako man."

Nick gave her a sympathetic look, nudging her shoulder. "Alex, maybe it's time to move on. You've been holding onto this for too long. Have you considered... I don't know, dating? Kahit dating app try mo. Start lang para di mo na siya isipin."

Alex managed a small smile, shaking her head. "You know I don't do dating apps, Nick."

"Suit yourself," Nick replied with a shrug, "but maybe it's time to let someone new in. Ilang taon ka nang malungkot kulang kasi sa kanto–"

"Sira ka!"

Nick and Alex shared a quiet laugh as they clinked their beer bottles together. The night was filled with conversations that ranged from nostalgic memories to lighthearted jokes. For a moment, Alex felt herself unwind, the tension from bumping into Martina earlier loosening with every sip.

"Seriously, Alex," Nick said, setting her bottle down, "you've been through a lot. Pero alam mo ba kung magaling na si Martina? Sabagay may pamilya na nga."

Alex gave her friend a small nod, contemplating. "Medyo pigil din magkwento si da— boss Mikee pagdating kay Martina eh. Maybe you're right, Nick," she admitted, a hint of uncertainty lingering in her voice. "Try ko na nga magdate."

They spent the rest of the evening reminiscing until the bottles were empty, and the weight on Alex's shoulders felt a little lighter.

Time Skip

Alex woke up groggy from the previous night's drinks, blinking against the morning light. She stretched out and lazily reached for her phone, hoping it might magically work again. She pressed the power button and was surprised when the screen flickered to life.

"Come on... just work," she muttered, relieved when it finally turned on. However, as the phone booted up, the screen began to glitch, shifting erratically through various apps and photos. Before she could stop it, the gallery opened, and random images were selected and sent to her most recent contact: Martina.

Her eyes widened in horror as she frantically tried to stop the messages from going through, but the phone seemed to have a life of its own. By the time she disconnected it from the WiFi, five photos had already been sent.

"Great," Alex sighed, tossing her phone onto the table in frustration. "Lord, why?! Nakakahiya!!!"

Meanwhile, at Martina's townhouse...

The sunlight peeked through the curtains, stirring Martina awake. She lay there for a moment, watching her children as they slept peacefully beside her, their small faces soft with innocence. Smiling to herself, she reached for her phone on the nightstand to check her messages.

As she unlocked her screen, she noticed five notifications—all from Alex.

Confused, Martina opened the messages, scrolling through the seemingly random images Alex had sent. But one picture caught her attention, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"Harley..." Martina murmured, feeling a wave of nostalgia and longing flood over her.

"Ang baboy naman. Kakakita lang namin ulit magsisend agad siya. Hay, pero miss ko na," Martina whispered.

She stared at the picture for a few more moments before gently placing her phone down. Just then, Martin stirred beside her, rubbing his eyes.

"Mommy, who's Harley?" he asked.

Martina panicked and said, "Ah, eh... Pet ko dati."

Martin nodded sleepily, not pressing further.

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A/N: very short update! Bawi ako next chapter. Para lang may mapost na 'ko.