Somebody Waiting

Anim-una

A/N: If you've gone this far, thank you. :)

Twitter: @batkayoganyan

//

Richard

'Hello Raine, sorry I'm late...something important came up. Yeah, I think I already saw you. Yellow shirt, ripped jeans?' I said on the phone while catching my breath after my racing stint from Q.C to Mandaluyong.

From afar she really stood out of the crowd. There she was holding her phone while her other hand is busy in swirling the straw of her frappe. My lips can't help but to smile at the sight of her.

Gulatin ko kaya?

I speedily found my way around to surprise her from behind.

'1....2... ' I mentally counted.

'...3!

'Peek a boo!' Bulyaw ko at natulak bahagya ang likuran nya.

'AY KABAYONG INIHAW!' Sigaw nya at nabuga ang iniinom na kape.

Patay. Nasobrahan ata. Umabot yung buga nya sa kabilang table.

Sinalubong ako at sinundan ng matatalim nyang tingin habang dahan-dahan akong umupo sa tapat  at pinunasan ang bibig at mukha nya.

Patay talaga, nakatitig lang sakin.Last day ko na ata.

Alam ko na. Sana gumana to.

Dinuro ko ang sarili sabay sabing,

'Ikaw, late ka na nga nanggugulat pa. Op. Op. Wag ka na magpaliwanag.'

Nakita kong nanlambot ang mukha nya sa ginawa ko at unti-unting ngumiti ang mga labi nya.

'SHATAP.' Buskol ni Raine tapos ay kinuha ang tissue paper na hawak ko at tinuloy ang pagpunas.

'Dala mo?' Tanong nya sakin na magiliw.

I smirked and tap my bag.

'But of course mah lady.'

//

2 a.m last night...

'What??!' Peter asks his friend who's talking on the other line.

'Man, I badly need your help. Please.' Richard pleaded while laying on his bed, tired after the wedding fiasco he went from this day.

'Teka nga, be truthful to me. You said that you already found the girl of the mango tree.' He said questioningly on the motive of his friend.

'Now you're telling me tutulungan mo sya to win the heart of that bumbay?'

Huminto si Peter sa pagsasalita at padabog na umupo sa couch ng bahay nya.

'Tanga ka o tanga? Pili ka!' Singhal nito.

Nilayo ni Richard ang tenga nya mula sa telepono dahil sa sigaw ng kaibigan.

'You know what man you should calm your wits down.' He said then pressed again the phone on his ear.

'What did I told you about this before? Di ba sabi ko I want her happy?'

'Even if it means not being with you?'

He sigh.

'Yes. Even if it means being with someone else...'

//

8 a.m earlier the day...

'Yes Peter I'm on my way paki ready na yung operation room. 10 mins. Yes I'm parking.' Richard said habang nagmamadaling bumaba sa sasakyan patungo sa elevator that will lead him to the 11th floor where the operation room is located.

'Dr. Reyes, you're here.' Liza the head nurse call when the elevator opened and a serious Richard came out of it.

'Yes Liz, I'm sorry. How is it?' He said while donning his white gown. Both of them heading to the sanitary area to finish wearing the appropriate suit.

'One mild attack last night but his blood pressure didn't normalize since then. We really need to perform the bypass operation now.'

'What's the percentage of surviving?'

They stopped on their tracks.

'It's safe to say 50/50.' Liza said then noded to the doctor.

After 5 hours of intensive operation...

'Thank you for delivering well Dr. Reyes!' A man from the back said and tapped Richard's shoulder.

'Thank God.' He answered, turned around and embraced his friend.

Peter.

'Should we get going then?'

Richard noded and said his goodbyes to his team. Liza came forward running from somewhere hoping to say her goodbye personally.

'Rj uuwi ka na agad?' Tanong nito.

'Huy nasa ospital pa tayo Ms. Gonzales. Where did that 'Rj' came from?' Sabat ni Peter.

Kinurot ni Liza ng palihim ito at ngumiti.

'Sira ka talaga Pedro, gustong-gusto mong pinapa-highblood tong si Liza.' Sambit ni Richard at nagtawanan silang tatlo.

'San ka ba pupunta? Ang tagal mo nang nawala tapos etong kababalik mo lang lagi ka namang undertime.'

'I have a mission lang Liz, may kailangan akong ma-accomplish eh.'

'Care to share?' She asked with questioning look.

'Sekretong malufet!' Sabat ulit ni Peter na naging dahilan ng pagkurot ulit ng kaibigan.

//

1:30 p.m earlier that day...

'Pare, you sure about this?' Tanong ulit ni Peter habang nasa sasakyan sila papunta sa isang mall.

'Yes. I'm decided' Richard sigh.

'Fair warning. Your hands are skillful in saving people's heart. I'm not sure after you two succeed on this plan if you could also fix yours from this impending heart break.'

'I'm gonna worry about that when we get there, for now bilisan mo dahil matrapik mamaya magkikita pa kami!'

//

'Dala mo?' Tanong nya sakin na parang excited.

I smirked and tap my bag.

'But of course mah lady.'

Richard started to open his bag at dahan-dahang itinaas ang mga kamay whose holding two pieces of paper.

He wiggle his brows up and down while smirking.

'Tickets ma'am? I got these for you.'