A Little Push And I'd Fall

Push 11

“The more you talk about that person to others, the more you fall in love with that person” a voice from the door murmured.

“Excuse me?” napatingin sa pintuan si Saab mula sa kanyang iPad.

“Isabelle, Isabelle, Isabelle. Isabelle is so childish. Isabelle is too clumsy. Isabelle makes me worry. Isabelle here, Isabelle there,” he finished with a grin.

“Dr. Dela Llana, if you may allow me, hayaan mo akong resetahan ka ng gamot,” she said boringly. “You seem to be sick,”

“Ano bang ginawa mo kay Doc Aragon, Dr. Her – “ he cut himself, “Dr. Aragon?” pagpatuloy nito. “Wow, that sounds complicated. I guess it would be better if I’d call you Mrs. Aragon instead,”

“Shhhh!” she ran from her table, dropped the iPad she was holding running to Yuan’s mouth. “People here don’t know Yuan. Nababaliw ka na ba?” she informed as she covers his mouth with his palm.

Dahan-dahang inalis ni Yuan ang kamay ni Saab na nakatakip sa bibig nito, “Isip bata talaga oh, ang baho ng kamay mo Saab,” he complained. “Magtatanong lang sana ako kung bakit di oras ng gabi eh kumatok sa bahay si Thirj na nagyaya mag clubbing. What is it again this time?”

Napayuko si Saab. “Kasi,”

“Kasi?” paghikayat ni Yuan.

“Kasi I got drunk,”

“And?”

“And…and,” she started fidgeting

“C’mmon Saab tell me,”

“And I got playful,”

“Uh-huh,”

“And I teased him,”

“Go ahead,”

“And I guess I pushed him to his limit, so I ran away,”

“And you left him hanging,” hea said as conclusion, “you are playfully innocent seductress Saab. Sumasakit ang ulo ko sa inyo. How can you go separate ways kung di nyo man lang kayang alalayan ang isa’t-isa just to make things easy for your kid,”

“Sorry na, Yuan. I was just upset. Di na mauulit,”

“Ang alin Saab?”

“Ang malasing,” she bowed her head and fiddle her fingers again.

“And why are you upset?”

“I saw him with her,”

“With whom?”

“With HER,” she faced him with knotted eyebrows, “he told me that he wants to meet me so we can make things work for Reese then I end up seeing them together. That girl-who-shall-not-be-named,”

“Oh, HER. Ba’t ba kasi kayo bumalik ng Pilipinas?”

“Gusto naming ipakilala si Reese sa mga magulang namin,”

“Nu ba yan? Di naman nila alam na kasal kayo in the first place,”

“They already knew,”

“Seriously?”

“Yung parents ni Thirj lang,”

“So paano kung malaman ng mga magulang mo?”

“I’ll move out of our house,”

“Paano si Reese?”

“I’m bringing her with me tulad ng pinangako ko sa mga magulang ni Thirj,”

“You’ve met them?”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Saab. She was not supposed to tell anyone lalong-lalo na sina Thirj at Yuan. Nanahimik na lamang siya.

“Saab, anong napag-usapan nyo?”

“Wala, they just said hello,”

“Saab be honest,”

“Kuya Yuan! Ayo ko na!” she cried as she hugged him tight. Humagulgol si Saab. “Nakakatakot yung mom and dad ni Thirdie,”

“Yan kasi, ginawa mong laro. Akala mo kasi magba-bahay-bahayan lang kayo ni Rafael pag nagpa kasal kayo,”

“Eh Kuya naman kasi, we have our reasons. And you knew it,”

“It was one selfish reason Saab. Dapat nang ayusing ang dapat ayusin. Sino pa ba ang magtatama ng pagkakamali n’yo?”

‘Doc Hernandez, some Keith Montes is asking for you on the phone,’ sabi ng secretary nito mula sa telepono.

“Montes?” Yuan gave her a questioning look. “Am I missing something here Saab?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” she said almost pleading. She pressed the button, “Put him on the line Meg. Thank you,” controlling her voice as she speaks. Yuan pressed speaker. “Hey Y-,” Saab was cut with his hush. He wants to hear them.

“Hey Doctor!”

“Keith, what’s up? How did you get my office number?”

“Aw, gusto lang kitang makausap. You’re not answering your phone. And about your office number, I googled it,”

“Okay. So how can I help you?”

“You okay now?”  his voice seems worried. “Palagi ka pa naman tinatamaan ng hangover,”

“Don’t worry about me, I’m good,”

“Oh, that’s good…by the way Max, I’m sending you some almonds,” he informed, “just eat 10-12 of those, the equivalent of two aspirins for a migraine headache. Bye!” and the line were cut.

Yuan gave her a questioning look. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” napalunok si Saab. She can sense that he’s not okay with how Montes talks to her.

May kumakatok sa pinto, “Doc delivery po, Keith daw po pangalan ng nagpapabigay,”

Yuan looked at her, “Are you having an affair?”

“No Yuan! “ depensa niya sa sarili. “You know I keep my vows,”

“You better do. Dahil tinutulungan na kitang maayos ang relasyon nyo ni Rafael”

“Yuan, I intend to do what is right…for Reese,”

“I know you Saab, bibitawan mo ang mga bagay na sa tingin mo ay di para sa iyo,”

“I need time to think things over, ayo kong magpadala lamang sa emosyon,”

 “Good. You better do this right, Isabelle,” saka lumabas si Yuan ng office.