Maybe

Chapter 41

"Rachel, will you please stay here with me?"

     She pursed her lips for moment as her eyes filled with tears. It hits her. It's all or nothing, now or never.

     "Alam mo, kahit na maling akala yung dahilan ng pagpunta namin ng New York, it was tough. At the same time.. masakit. Kasi ang iniisip ko nuon, hindi mo manlang tinry na pigilan kami. Pero alam mo? After all these years without the knowing the truth or not, I was fine.. but I just couldn't get myself to.. well.. not love you.

     He wiped her tears but she stopped him. "Rach.."

"Don't. I don't want to cry more than I already am."

     He chuckled. He knows how she hates crying in front of others. "Ngayon ka pa talaga mahihiya umiyak, ha?" He sighed, "You don't have to be so brave all the time, Love."

"I know that, Richard. That's why I gave you another chance. Before that night, I realized that I was just trying to be brave and stop myself from loving you. But when I told you yes, I honestly was thinking that I might regret it later on."

He was facing the floor. Rachel reached for his hand, "But you know what, I have not regretted a single second of it."

He looked at her and she smiled.

     She sighed, "So.. I guess I have some unpacking to do."

     She stood up and held his shoulder before heading inside the house. Before she could set foot inside, he called her, "Rach?"

     She turned around and saw him coming near her. He gave her a hug and she hugged him back, crying.

     He chuckled, "Oh, akala ko ba no crying?"

     "I hate you so much right now," Rachel said.

"I'm sure you do, Rach." He smiled as he held her close.
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In the evening, Rachel was sitting in her room alone when someone knocked on the door. "Ma?"

"Yes, Anak?"

Louise looked suspicious, "Ma, I need to talk to you about something."

"Shut the door and come here."

Louise did what she asked and sat next to her on the bed. "Ma, there's something I didn't tell you."

Rachel wrinkled her forehead, "What is it?"

Louise sighed, "Three years ago, when I was just fresh out of high school, you told me that you wanted me to take Business Management, right?"

"Yes. So what does that have to do with ---"

"I didn't take it, Mama. I didn't take Business." Louise looked down.

Rachel was shocked, "After three years, you're just now telling me this? Out of all the people that you didn't tell, ako pa?"

"I'm so sorry, Mama." Louise was near tears.

Rachel shook her head. She was furious but also very disappointed, "I can't believe that you hid that from me. Anak, naman.."

"Mama.."

"Pero I guess you chose not to tell me talaga, 'no?" She chuckled, "Well, I can't do anything about that."

"Mama, hindi naman sa ganun."

"Thanks for telling me. At least you still did, 'di ba?"

     "Ma.." But Rachel just walked out of the room.
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     Evening came and Richard was home. He was making his way down the stairs when he saw Louise.

     "Is she upset?"

     "Parang hindi mo naman kilala si Mama mo when it comes to stuff like this, " Richard said, "Bakit kasi ngayon mo lang sinabi. Mag-fofour years ka nang nagPre-Med tapos hindi mo sinabi sakanya."

     "Kasi baka magalit siya na hindi ko sinunod yung sinabi niyang kunin ko."

     "Anak, yung Mama mo pa? I'm sure she'll support you in whatever career you want. You just have to tell her. Your I think Mama is just upset kasi hindi mo sinabi sakanya, not that you didn't take Business. Does she know you're planning to take medicine instead?"

     Louise shook her head.

     "You should probably tell her that, Anak."
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Later on in the evening, she knocked on her parents' bedroom, knowing that Rachel was inside.

"Pasok."

She saw Rachel sitting at the desk with her glasses on. Probably work. "Mama?"

"You need anything?"

"I want to talk to you, Ma."

"For?"

"Mama, I can't just go back to the States na ganito tayo. I know I need to fix this and I will."

"Okay na," Rachel said without looking.

"I know you're not."

"Okay ako."

Louise sighed. "Fine. I know you don't want to talk to me because I hid this for a long time--"

"Yeah, like 3 years."

"---but I just want you to know that I'm happy. Believe it or not, I tried taking Business but I just didn't see myself in that profession ten years from now. I switched to Medicine. It's what I've been wanting to take, Ma. I see myself in scrubs and a white coat with an M.D. but not in an office working. I probably won't like the on-call schedule but that's what I want to do. I'm taking Medicine not because my family are all doctors but because I want to. Now if I disappointed you because most of my pinsans are taking business and are planning to take over our family's company, then I'm so sorry. And I'm also sorry because I didn't tell you earlier but I will not say sorry for choosing the career that I wanted," Louise walked out the room.

Rachel was shocked.

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Hi Guys!! I'm baaackk! After a million years! Sorry I'm just so busy because of school and volleyball. But expect more updates once holiday break starts. I've been writing drafts! Love you guys! 😘

~ E