Tall, Dark and Dead

Long Line of Surgeons

CHAPTER TEN

N a t a l i a

Her name is Calista.

Who is she? How did she die? I mean, she's probably old, or even dead. "She could really be dead for all I know," I mumbled, convincing myself. "Ugh, why am I so hooked up with this bullshit?"

"What bullshit?" My dad stepped in. I apologized for my cursing. "Are you having trouble with something? School, maybe? Tanner? Did he do something bad to you?"

Dad knows about him, and he always tells me that if my mom were alive, he surely won't act like an asshole. Well, the strongest muscle is the tongue after all. Mom won't need to lay a hand on Tanner for her to hurt that egoistic excuse of a man. Yeah, my parents are cool like that. "He's a douche, dad. I know I did something wrong. I cheated on him with Clarence and now, he does something sweet like flirting in front of me with someone else."

"Then, why don't you just break up with the guy, hun?"

"I don't know." Pagtayo ko, nahulog bigla ang sketch pad ko. I was doing calligraphy of Leona's name. Puno na sketchpad, pangalan lang niya ang laman. "Maybe this is just my way of saying sorry."

"Pero, anak, hindi na maganda ang naidudulot nyan sa'yo. Hindi na 'yan matatawag na pagmamahal, kundi panghihinayang at awa na lang." My dad has always been the good guy, he's the most responsible parent I know. He works as a curator in a historical museum, my mother's family built it ages ago. "O hindi kaya, mahal mo pa din siya? You could transfer schools if you want to. Let me know."

"No, no. I like it there."

"Are you sure?" My family is also a shareholder of the school I'm attending. Practically, those students' tuition paid for the house I'm living in. That's why one of the buildings is named after our family. Funny, 'cause that building is where Alek spends most of her time. The faculty room is situated there. She's literally inside of well, um, me. Ah, shit. "I think it's about time you stop this. I don't want you being ridiculed in school."

"I'll be fine, dad."

"Sige, sige." Minsan kasama ko si dad nagbabantay tuwing weekend, baka nga sumama ako ngayon sa kanya dahil wala rin naman akong lakad sa araw na ito. "Oh, I see that you're a lot more interested now in History." He was probably referring to the stack of History books on my side table. "When did that happen, sweety? You hate History when you were young, telling us that it's boring."

"Well, yeah, I hate it but all of you are so hooked up with the dates, historical figures, and stuff like that, that I have learned to embrace it." Buong buhay nila ni mommy, tanging ang paghahanap lang ng mga lumang gamit ang kinahiligan nila. Minana pa daw nila ito sa lolo ko, at marami daw siyang habilin sa mga ito. Ayon sa aking ama, ang pinakamahalaga daw doon ay ang pangalagaan ang museo. "So, yeah, I like History. I'm more fond of visiting Antique Shops than wasting my time at the mall."

"Mhmm..."

"At isa pa, ayoko lang ulit mabagsak, dad."

Napatingin ako sa tatay ko, napapangiti kasi siya sa binabasa niya. "Look, we got this one sa museum, have you noticed this? Ito yung nakapwesto malapit sa opisina ko." Umiling ako. "'Kay, how 'bout this one?" Ba't parang napakarami naman yatang nakalakip sa librong ito na siyang mahahanap sa museo namin? Most of them are doctor's tools and stuff. Well, I came from a long line of surgeons, that's why some of them belong to my great, great grandparents. "Wait, what is that?" He asked, pointing at the sketch pad. "That one."