Exchange of Hearts

EOH-10

"Happy Birthday, son!" bati agad sa kanya ng ama as soon as he answered the call.

"Thanks Dad!"

"How's the birthday boy?"

"Doing fine, Dad!"

"And how's the heart?"

"Are you asking about my "heart" or are you really asking about my heart?"

"Both. But first tell me about that one in your chest."

"It's still doing fine."

"Aching no more, I hope."

"None and yet it does."

"Are we talking now about the "heart" part?"

Tuluyan na siyang bumangon sa pagkakahiga at lumakad papalabas ng verandah. He inhaled deeply, trying to collect all the fresh air his lungs could get. He didn't feel much the cold the 6am weather was giving him.

He is in his newly purchased home. Not yet fully owned though, 50% pa lang ang nababayaran niya kay tita Aida. The family sold to him this vacation house in Tagaytay. She suggested the place to him, he liked it instantly and the fresh air it would give him. Accordingly, it was not used at all, and the family didn't have any more intention of using it kaya ibinenta ito. He was looking for a place outside Manila, yet with convenience to travel everyday going to and from his work, kaya nang ini-suggest sa kanya ang lugar, umoo agad siya.

"Son, you're still there?" narinig niyang tanong ng ama.

"Sorry, dad, ano nga po ulit yun?"

"We were talking about your heart, anak. You said it was not aching anymore yet it still does. What do you mean by that?"

"Ah, it's nothing dad. but I'm okay, really."

"Is it about Sarah? How is she, by the way?"

"She's okay, I guess. Still mourning for her fiance."

"Yun ba ang ibig mong sabihin ng pagsakit ng puso mo?"

"Dad..."

"Don't take it against her, son. Maybe she just love this guy so much. Kung ako nga, ilang decades nang patay ang mommy mo, yet, from time time, I still misses her so much."

"Iba naman ang case nyo, dad."

"It's the same, son. Ganun talaga kapag mahal na mahal mo ang nawala sa 'yo. All you can do is be supportive of her situation. In due time, she'll totally get over him. And that will be your role, help her get over him and his death."

"I don't know Dad. I can't help but feel jealous everytime she talks about him. Of course I have no reason to be jealous about, in the first place, I have no right to feel that. It's just that, won't you feel bad at all if you're being compared to another person, much more with a dead one? And this dead guy sounded so perfect for her! How can I compete with that?!"

"There should be no competition there, Gerald. If you want to win her heart, you should not do things, thinking that what you do is far better than her dead fiance. You got what I mean son? Do what you have to do so she can love you back, but do it because you are you, not some guy doing it because he has to win a race against someone, a dead person that is."

"Pero paano kung ang pamantayan niya ay ang namatay niyang boyfriend?"

"Then make her see that there other good things in you na sa'yo lang makikita."

"I don't know dad, I really don't know what to do."

"You're soundling like you're already giving up."