Please be mine. (BOOK I)

Chapter 3

It was already dark when I woke up. I looked at the clock on my bedside table and it says 9:10 pm. I slept for 10 full hours, no wonder I felt refreshed. I went to the bathroom and washed my face.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko sa desk at tinignan ang mga bagong notifications.

3 missed call from Mom.

I hesitated for a minute before calling back.

It rang a few seconds before someone answered.

"Hello." A woman's voice sounded on the other side of the phone.

"Mom." I responded.

"O Xian, tumawag ako sa'yo kanina."

"Opo. Nakita ko kaya nag-call back ako. Did something happen Mom?"

"Well, nothing big son. Nakausap ko kasi kanina si Tita Gina mo. Do you remember her?"

I scanned my memory trying to remember who Tita Gina is.

"Hmm, friend mo po?"

She laughed. "Yes. Twice mo pa lang siyang nakita, it's a good thing you remembered her."

"Bakit po?" I grabbed my laptop and walked to my bed. I leaned on the headboard while waiting for my laptop to open.

"You see, nung pumunta ako ng mall, nakita ko siya kasama yung daughter niya. It's been years since I last saw that child. And she had grown up to be a very wonderful young lady."

I was silent for a few seconds. I have a foreboding guess as to what my Mom is trying to get to. This conversation seems to be going in a very dangerous direction.

She paused for a while, but after not receiving any response from me, she continued talking.

"Anna is the same age as you, isn't it wonderful?" She added excitedly. I'm guessing Anna is the name of the daughter of Tita Gina. I rolled my eyes. I knew it, she's trying to hook me up again.

She's been doing that 3 years after I started working. If not for their assumption that I was dating Mariel before, I wouldn't have experienced a stress-free life of 2 years.

Etong reto-reto na to, nag-umpisa lang naman ulit one and a half year ago. After finding out that they've mistakenly assumed that Mariel was my girlfriend.

"Mom, I've no time for woman right now." I replied.

I looked a my laptop and checked my email. There are no new important messages only spams. Nilipat ko ang laptop ko sa kama saka tumayo. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at nagtungo sa sala.

"No time?! Ilang taon na kami naghihintay ng daddy mo sa apo namin, ang tanda na namin Xian oh!" I was silent. Whenever the conversation ends up with this topic, I cannot say anything.

I am a menopausal baby. My parents had a hard time conceiving me, and Mom almost lost her life for trying to give birth to me.

"Mom... Alam mo naman ang nature of work ko." Sinubukan kong lambingin ito.

"Yes I know, for I was a nurse myself half of my life. But, how could you not have time for a woman and try to make a family?! Does that make any sense Xian? Kung laging dahil sa trabaho na yan, e di sana lahat na ng nurse sa mundo ay single!"

Yes Mom, it doesn't make any sense. Kasi hindi ko nakikita ang sarili kong may kasamang babae in the future.

Sinunod ko lahat ng mga gusto ng mga ito simula ng maramdaman ko kung ano ba talaga ako. Dahil pakiramdam ko I was a failure. I failed to live up to their expectations. In my own way, I hope this would lessen the guilt I was feeling.