One night, doc took me out to dinner. Kala ko usual date namin, yung hang out lang tapos watch lang ng movies and stuff like that. Kaya lang this time, where going out on an actual date. As in sa labas.We haven’t done for quite some time now kaya medyo nagulat ako. Unlike before, he asked me to dress formally, you know, like to wear a gown or something. Ako naman, just said yes and dressed up. He just told me to meet him sa lobby ng isang hotel. When I got there, he was already waiting dun sa lobby. “Kanina ka pa?! Sorry if I took too long.” Sabi ko sa kanya after I greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. “Not really, you’re just in time.” Sabi niya. Tapos we walked, kala ko dun kami kakain sa restaurant dun sa hotel pero dumiretso kami sa elevator. “Saan tau papunta?!” sabi ko na medyo nagpapanic na kasi nga naman bakit kami dumiretso sa elevator instead dun sa resto. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you. Just relax okay.” Sabi niya, obviously noticing na medyo nagpanic ako. With what he said, hindi na nga ako masyado nagpanic. When we got into the elevator, he pushed the very top button. I just looked at him curiously. Ano kaya meron?! Bakit kaya?! Ewan ko. When we got to top floor, eh di nag open yung door nung elevator tapos I just followed him.Tapos pagliko namin sa may corner, I was surprised with what I saw. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. On the rooftop, as in rooftop talaga nung hotel, there were rose petals parang pathway leading dun sa table sa may gitna na sobrang perfect yung table sitting. Tapos a waiter was standing sa tabi ng table holding the menu, tapos may band na tumutugtog nung mga sobrang mellow and romantic tunes. The ambience was so romantic. I can’t even say the right words to describe it. I was just in awe. “Wow!” was the only word I managed to say. Speechless talaga ako sobra. “You like it?!” sabi niya then he escorted me to one of the seats dun sa table. I was on the verge of tears nun. Kasi biro mo ba naman, diba?! Yung ganung effort, everything around you, was all done to please you. Everything around you was all done just for you. Ka flatter kaya yun. Tapos nun, we started dinner, after awhile bumalik na rin ako sa sarili ko kaya nakapagusap na kami ng matino, holding each other’s hands almost all the time. It was so sweet nga eh. Grabe!!
Tapos, when dessert was served, biglang nag iba ung atmospehere. Parang ewan ko. Tapos the band was playing a more mellow tune. Pamatay! Tapos si doc, he started to get nervous or something na whatever. Ewan ko ba. “What’s wrong?! May sasabihin ka ba?!” ask ko siya “Uhmm wala, okay lang ako.” Sabi niya. So hindi ko na pinansin. Tapos biglang, “Hindi, I have something to say pala.” Sabi niya, then tumayo siya and also pulled up to my feet gently. Eto naman ako, sumunod kaya tumayo na rin ko, na naguguluhan. Kasi ewan. For a while we danced muna with the music. It was a very lovely night. Unforgettable. Then bigla, nag mellow yung music and then nag stop siya sa pagsasayaw, eh di nagulat ako, kala ko napagod na siya or something. Tapos bigla niya hinawakan yung kamay ko. Ako naman, clueless pa rin kung ano nangyayari pero bigla bumilis yung tibok ng puso ko. I can’t explain why. Basta ganun. He cleared his throat then yun. He started talking, “Hon, we’ve been together for quite some time. With you, I experienced how to be happy and young again.You brought happiness back into my life. I never thought I could love someone more than my life but then you came along. We had our good and most recently, our bad times, but we still made it through.” Sabi niya and he just stared deeply into my eyes. I think I know where this is going but still, it’s so surreal. “You know I’m not really good with words but, all I can say is that. I know that we barely talk about this but I think now would be the right time to do this.” He continued. Tapos he reached for his pocket then may nilabas syang little blue box. When he opened it, there was a beautiful diamond ring inside. When I saw the ring, that’s when it all became all clear to me what was happening.Tapos he kneeled down and held my hand, and that’s when he popped the big question. “Will you marry me?!” I was overwhelmed with what he said. I was speechless. Hindi ako nakapagsalita agad.There was something in my throat na nakabara or something. I just stood there looking at him looking at me waiting for my answer. After a while di pa rin ako makapagsalita then naiyak na lang ako. Tapos nag worry yata siya kasi bigla siya tumayo. He wiped my tears and just hugged me. Ako naman, para paring statwa, I just stood there. “I know it’s sudden and we never really talked about it but I just thought that now is the right time.But if you’re not yet ready, we could always have a long engagement until you are.” Sabi niya while hugging me. When he let go, I just wiped my tears and sat down. Parang ayaw kasi i-digest ng system ko yung proposal niya. Nabigla ako sobra. Then inisip ko na kung ano isasagot ko sa kanya. I thought about all the things that we’ve been through. Yung mga things na nangyari samin. Are we really ready for this?! Then, bigla ko naisip si Pare.Then I knew, why there was hesitation in me to say yes. It was all because of Pare. Nakapag move on na nga ako but I was moving on slowly para if ever he changed his mind, mahabol niya pa ko. But it seems like wala na talaga. Tsaka naisip ko rin na he has his own life right now, with Twinx and the baby and everything, hindi niya na maiisip na habulin ako. I don’t want to grow old alone and doc has always been there for me and mahal ko rin naman siya eh, yun nga lang mas minahal ko si Pare but my love for him could grow pa naman. With that in mind, I have made my decision. “Doc,” sabi ko sa kanya, and I looked into his eyes. Kinakabahan siya sa isasagot ko. Then I smiled and he felt relieved. “You mean?!” ask niya sakin. I just nodded. Tapos he kneeled down in front of me katulad kanina and asked me once more. “Will you marry me?” “I’d love to.” I answered, then he slipped the ring onto my finger and stood up and hugged me. With all that, this is definitely one of the greatest moments of my life. The very first one without Pare. After that ang saya ko sobra kahit there’s a part of me na sobrang lungkot. But it was okay. I don’t know how I’d tell Pare, pero later ko lang siguro poproblemahin un. Right now, I have to think about our wedding. We have decided not to have a long engagement. I wanted to get this wedding over with before I could change my mind.
Kaya after that very memorable night, we decided to tell our parents and inform everybody about our plan. We immediately talked about the plans about the wedding. Everyone knew about the wedding. Everyone except Pare. I still don’t know how I’d be able to tell him about it. Parang di ko kaya eh. Ewan ko. Bahala na. Sa hospital alam na ng lahat about the wedding. Everywhere I turn, people are congratulating me about it and wishing me luck. Lalo na yung mga administrators sa hospital. Gusto daw nila, lahat sila ninong or ninang. Lahat approve sa wedding. It’s so overwhelming. We’ve been very busy after that. With all the work in the hospital and the wedding. My gosh! Ka stress sobra! One night, doc came over sa house. We were talking about yung mga involved sa wedding. Kung sino yung best man, maid of honor, bridesmaid, the entourage and stuff like that. “So, Eric would be one of the groomsmen,” he said and continued on naming names of people. I just nodded and disagreed about some people whom I never really liked and suggested some who I liked. When we got to the part of the maid in honor and the best man, we had a very long list of who it would be. “Why don’t we just ask Jessica to be the maid of honor?!” he suggested. In case you’re wondering, si Jessica yung long long longtime friend namin way back from med school. She was also responsible for the two people you are hearing about right now. Yup, she was the one who hooked us up. “Sure, why not. She’d love that.” Sabi ko. I just see her now pag dating sa wedding. “Oh the fruits of my labor.” Sasabihin niya. She is such a match maker. “What about the best man?!” sabi ko. “Huh?! Akala ko ba si Pare na yun.” Sabi ni doc. Wow! That took me by surprise. Masyado ako ng worry kung paano ko sasabihin sa kanya that I have forgotten to include him sa ceremony. “Really?!” sabi ko, di rin ako makapaniwala eh. “Yah, I thought you’d like that. Alam ko naman na it would be incomplete for you kung wala si Pare eh.” Oh, how sweet of doc. Grabe, tlaga. He’s so sweet. Kaya nga hindi siya mahirap mahalin eh. The whole night, inisip ko kung paano ko sasabihin kay pare. Ewan. Parang mas nadalian pa kong sabihin sa parents ko at sa buong mundo na ikakasal na ko kesa sabihin yun kay Pare.Bahala na talaga.
