A Doctor's Heart

Prologue

He's drifting away...

Kagat-labing pinanood ko ang mabining pagtaas-baba ng mga balikat niya. This was the third night he sleeps facing away from me. Hindi ko na siya tinangkang hawakan. He would surely wake up and I'd be receiving a cold glare.

How long has it been? From the very beginning, I knew that this won't last. I was a temporary fix in his life. I was the one who forced this arrangement knowing perfectly well how he felt about me.

Pero umasa ako. I hoped that one day, I won't be playing a temporary role. Umasa akong magkakaroon ako ng puwang sa puso niya.

And I did everything for that hope.

I changed a lot... for him.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo mula sa kama. Hinayaan kong malaglag ang kumot na tanging bumabalot sa katawan ko at hindi alintana ang kahubdan, naglakad ako palapit sa salamin na nasa gilid ng kuwarto.

The moonlight that could be seen from the window served as my light so that I can see a glimpse of my own reflection.

Bitterness filled my chest. My fingers automatically touched the tips of my brown, slightly curled hair. I never liked my hair curled. My hands went down to my tiny waist and up again to cup my breasts. I used to have fats somewhere here...

Who are you?

I did not recognize the person in the mirror.

I already lost myself.

And now, I could feel it to my core.

I'm going to lose him, too.

I just knew that it will end me.

——

That morning, he woke up feeling strange. He tried to open his eyes but the sunlight hurt his eyes. He grunted and turn to his back. He tried calling out for her name but received no response.

He tried once again.

When he was answered with silence, he opened his eyes and was welcomed with nothing but the soft blows of the wind.

For a moment, his mind was blank until his gaze focused on that side of the bed.

That other side which was usually warm is empty...

...except for a stem of yellow rose.