R E D ! [Under Revisions/Editings]

"A Surprise!"

Of course I guess you have already predicted that I also topped the 2006 Medical Licensure Boards. And yes, you were right, I topped it with a score 95.6 percent.

My name was on every newspaper, TV News Programs, and almost every radio broadcasts. Our University even made me a tarpaulin and put it on the main gate of the campus.
There's alot of reporters who interviewed me and all they asked was just the same question. It was like this: "How was the feeling?", just in a different variation.

I mean...
What on earth was that question?! Of course I was happy! Everyone will be happy of course if they're number 1, right? Its not even worth it to answer a question like that.

But the day I knew that I was on the top of all my fellow examinees, the first thing I did was to visit the grave of my mama and papa.

I was crying like a baby in front of the marble tablet where their names were graven...

Tears flowed like river..
All the anguish..
All the pain..
All the agony..
All the sorrow..
It all burst out with mixed joy and sadness..
Joy, in a sense, I have stood and fought a good fight in the midst of many circumstances, but also sad, in a sense that mama and papa didn't saw how I fought and stood like a real man... INSPIRED..

ALL BECAUSE I HAVE CARVED MY PROMISES ON THEIR GRAVE...

I also visited the grave of Dr. Arañego, now, with my dearest Marie.
At first I thought that Marie will cry again in front of her father's grave, but I was in awe that SHE DIDN'T.

I watched her stood there with me, with a huge smile of victory in her face, knowing that her father had never been mistaken to be THE CUPID for the both of us.. AND EVEN CHOSE ME FOR HER.

Marie looked at me, hold my hands, while we stood side by side, standing in front of Dr. Arañego's grave, then she uttered, "Dad chose you for me because he believe that you were the best..", she looked at me and smiled.

I embraced Marie gently, and I heard her heartbeat pounded. Then I whispered to her ear, "In years I have worked hard to be the best.. Because I believe, you are better than the best..", and I gently kissed her forehead.

I saw her faced turned red.

"Now you're blushing..", I teased her, and we both chuckled.

"No I am not!!", she's in denial.

"Yes you are..!", I kissed
her again, now in the cheek and ran so fast, in those vast sod of green grass, beside of an acacia tree, just few steps away from her father's grave. "Come and chase me Teacher Marie!"

We laughed so hard and she said, "I'm gonna get you, Doctor Red!", then she ran and chased me..

When I saw her coming, I pulled from my pocket the part of the newspaper where my name was printed as the Medical Licensure Boards Topnotcher.. It was crumpled like a shape of a ball.

She grabbed me tight and embraced me.. "I got you Doctor!", then she laughed while catching her breath.

"But you already got me, since the day your father showed me your graduation photo." I smiled huge right after.

"You are a CORNY Doctor!".. Then, she laughed.

"You'll get used to it, don't worry Ma'am.", then we both laughed together.

We were so happy..
We were smiling together..
We would never forget that day..

Suddenly, I looked at her and gave her the crumpled newspaper that I pulled from my wallet.

"I already saw it.. What's with this?", she asked with so much vivid confusion her face.

I gaze at her eye to eye, and uttered in reply, "Open it..."

She opened it..
She was shocked..
There's no word coming from her lips..

I knelt my left knee on the ground and held her hand..

"In front of your father's grave and with his blessing, could I put that RING on your finger, and marry you? Marie, please say I do.."

I saw tears fell from her eyes...
"You are one heck of a guy! Of course, I DO!", she was crying when she said that.

I stood up. Give her a warm embrace..

And gently.. I laid my lips..

On hers.. 😚

(To be continued)