A Second Chance

Part 26 - Carmela

Remember Mela from the previous chapter? Let's get to know her better in this chapter. This is her point of view.  Some of you may sympathize or mainis sa kanya but let's give her a chance. I guess she deserves to have her own moment in my book.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

She woke up with Richard in her mind. He has been out of reached since last night. The last time she talked to him was yesterday afternoon but he sounded distant and in a hurry, that made her worried. She tried in the evening pero cannot be reached na. Hanggang sa nakatulugan na nya ang pag ddial.

Ayaw ba nya akong makausap?

What happened the night before was her choice. And she wouldn't take it back. She remained in her bed, thinking.

He barged into her house drunk the other night. At the sight of him, alam na nya ang problema, its his dead girlfriend again. Palagi namang ganon ang sitwasyon. He would only be in that state because of 'her'. At sya ang takbuhan nito. He would call her and talk or they would dine out and talk when he's having bouts of depression or anxiety attack or if he's had a bad dream. But he never went to her house, much more sa dis-oras ng gabi. May nangyari sa reunion kung bakit sya nagkaganon and she regretted that she wasn't able to come that night due to an emergency. She wasn't able to protect him from whatever that has caused it. She would do anything for him. Anything!

She has been in love with him since he walked in her clinic over a year ago. She could still recall him disheveled and with bloodshot eyes (the type na gumising, nagpalit ng damit, nagsapatos at umalis na. Ni hindi man lang yata nagsepilyo at nagsuklay ng buhok pero still looks dashing) when he went to  her clinic. From the looks of him napilitan lang itong pumunta sa kanya and he made it clear na pinagbigyan lang nya ang dad nya kaya sya naroon. He was the grumpiest and grouchiest male person she had ever met but a hell of the sexiest and handsomest male species to walk on earth. What can she do, her heart decided to love him from the moment she laid eyes on him.

And she would do whatever it takes to win his heart. Besides, the only competitor to his heart is already dead. He can't do anything about it anymore at sa ayaw at sa gusto nya, he will fall in love with her. She will let him fall in love with her. She forced herself into his life, inched by inched. From being his doctor to eventually being a friend to being his closest friend (besides Sam and Jerald). He doesn't have any 'girl' friend except her and she plans to be his only 'girl' friend. Kaya binabakuran nya ito. Pero naiinip na sya, hindi na sya bumabata at malapit na syang mawala sa kalendaryo (she is four years older than him). So she changed her approach. She now ask his opinion on anything. Basta kukunin nya ang opinion ni Richard sa mga bagay bagay and let him decide for her. His reply would always be 'ikaw ang bahala', 'basta masaya ka, ok na rin sakin'. She's fine with that. Masaya na sya don.

Mas madalas, she would text or call him, he would always reply to her texts or answer her calls naman. She's fine with that. Masaya na sya don.

She would ask for his company in every event she would attend. People thought they are a couple. He would just smile, neither confirming nor denying their status. She's fine with that. Masaya na sya don.

Patience. Marami sya nyan when it comes to him. She's giving him time to adjust to their situation. Richard will come out of his shell, eventually. In due time. It's just a matter of confirmation from him that they really are officially together. And she would be the happiest woman alive.

She can't wait to talk to him about what happened the night before. She has not seen him for months since he was in Batanes on a business trip and she missed him so much. But she made sure they have constant communication just like a couple should.