The (not so) Sweet Serendipity

34.1

2 January

RICHARD

Happy birthday to me. Well not really. Kasi naman, today alis ni Meng. Bakit di siya nagtetext ni wala man lang maayos na paalam. Akala ko ba okay kami. Ever since the reunion hindi pa kami nagkikita ulit, hindi pa rin kami nakakapag usap ng maayos. Last usap namin was when we greeted each other happy new year. Yun lang. Parang ang distant niya. I don't understand.

4:27am. My phone rang. Ako naman si asa na si Menggay. Alam ko mga ganitong time flight niya eh, or baka mga 4am? Naka alis na siguro yun. Taga hospital yung tumatawag.

"Doc, okay lang ba pasok kayo today? Sorry po, alam ko birthday niyo pero last minute nag cancel si Doc Castro, eh kayo po nirecommend eh."

I thought about it. Well I guess blessing in disguise na rin 'to. "Hindi, okay lang, anong oras ba?"

"12pm – 12am po shift niya. Sorry po talaga kung short notice."

Shit yung dinner, lagot ako kila mommy. Pero maiintindihan naman siguro nila. For the common good, right? Mag early lunch na lang ako with them. I guess I'll have to rest muna for the 12-hour shift.

"Sure. Okay lang. I will be there."

MAINE

Hinatid ako nila mommy at daddy sa airport.

"Hay anak. Mamimiss ka namin. I hate this part everytime. Sanay nako everyday ka na nasa bahay lang."

"Ma naman. Sorry talaga kailangan ko bumalik agad. Work eh."

"Okay lang yun anak. Basta mag-iingat ka ah. Rest rin, baka naman magkasakit ka nanaman niyan. At huwag mo kalimutan igreet pala si Richard, magtatampo yun. Wala ka na nga sa party niya later eh."

"Opo. Hug niyo na lang rin siya for me later. Pasabi next time na lang rin gift ko."

"Hay kayong mga bata kayo. Sige na check in ka na. Love you anak."

"Love you guys too."

I gave them a final hug before I went in the airport, my flight was at 5:30. I saw na rin si Kenneth sa loob. I had several meetings today, one at lunch and another one in the late afternoon. Long day today. I got so busy, I didn't mean to ignore Richard pero these meetings talaga, I had to prepare.

"Alam mo, pwede ka pa naman mag stay one more day dito. Balita ko may birthday party ka pa dapat puntahan eh."

"Kenneth ano ka ba. Ang dami ko kailangan gawin today. Parang di mo naman alam yun."

"I'm just saying, the clients will be here for a while para sa project na 'to. Wala naman ata mawawala if you miss today's meetings and just come for the ones tomorrow?"

"Kenneth, ano na lang iisipin ng mga yun? Biggest clients 'to ng firm. I can't afford to screw this up."

"You won't screw up."

"Tama na nga. Tulungan mo na lang ako dito."

Before the flight I tried to call Richard to greet him. Kasi naman Menggay, konteng effort sana na kausapin o makipagkita man lang. Masyadong nagbabad sa work eh. Birthday ng tao, hindi mo mapag bigyan.

No answer. Syempre, malamang tulog pa yun. Anong oras pa lang o. Buti rin hindi ko siya nagising, so I didn't try again. Instead I left him a birthday message. Babawi talaga ako sayo pag tapos na 'tong project na 'to Chard.

RICHARD

10:50am. Oh, may missed call galing kay Meng, shit! Bakit di ako nagising? May text rin. Napasmile naman ako konte pero I wish nakausap ko siya or sana nakita man lang before she left. I wanted to call back pero nagmamadali na rin ako at sasabihin ko pa kay mommy, work ako later. Nag land na rin for sure si Meng, busy na rin yun.

"Ma, sorry talaga. Hindi naman ako makapag no."

"Hay nako iho, kung kailan birthday mo pa talaga. Anong oras daw?"

"Ngayon po hanggang midnight. Try ko na lang po makauwi ng maaga."

"Wala na bang pwedeng iba?"

"Ma kung meron naman, hindi naman nila ako tatawagan po. Baka may emergency lang talaga."

"So pano yan, tuloy ba natin yung dinner? Or gusto mo bukas na lang?"

"Tuloy niyo na po ma. Kasi nakakahiya naman sa mga bisita."

"Wala ka naman, eh ikaw yung may birthday, ano yun? Maaga pa naman, sabihin na lang namin bukas na lang tayo."

"Sige po. Kayo po bahala. Sorry po talaga ha." I gave her a big hug.

"Huwag ka nga mag sorry anak, ikaw naman 'tong may birthday."

"Kayo na po bahala ma ha, malalate nako eh." Then I kissed her before leaving.

I rushed out to my car and to the hospital for my 12 hour shift. I guess this will be a good distraction rin for me, to get my mind off things, to somehow not think of Meng and how she is doing. This is also a good way of giving forward too on my birthday.

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I think this will be such a fun chapter, since I kind of had fun writing it. Can't wait to share with you all. Just let me arrange my thoughts. Thanks for reading!