Lacuna • Book 2 of Change [Ricci Rivero]

twenty-one

As soon as we got home, sa pagaakala kong makakapagpahinga na ako ay pinapunta pa ako ni Dad sa hospital to offer my services so that hindi naman daw ako nakatengga sa Pilipinas habang inaayos namin ang ospital na ipapatayo. He wanted to arrange the papers immediately since ayaw nya ng nagsasayang oras. Hindi rin nakligtas si Donny dahil wala naman siya choice kundi samahan ako.

And guess what, wala ding kawala sina Elliana at Ricci sa tatay ko sa buong pagaakala nito na magkakaibigan na kaming apat ulit and we have fixed the rift between us already.

And so all of us went to the hospital. I immediately gave my letter to the chairman of the board and immediately got accepted. Apparently, Dad was already in talks with the chairman para mabigyan ako ng sarili kong room as my clinic at seperate na makapag bigay ng services ko sa mga magiging pasyente ko.

I made my way to the clinic na sinasabi ng Chairman and a kind nurse was happy to lead us. Donny was walking beside me habang naiwanan sa likod si Ricci and Elliana, muttering something to each other habang sumusunod sa akin.

We got there and it was to my surprise na yung pangalan na nakakabit sa pintuan ng clinic ko ay kakaiba. I couldn't move for a second dahil iniabot narin sa akin ang white coat ko na handa narin kaagad talaga. I looked at the name na naka embroider sa tela and it was the same. Sinilip ko din yung pangalan na nakapaton sa ibabaw ng table ko.

Dr. Alexandra U. Gumabao- Rivero, RPT, MD, FACC, FACCP

Napahawak ako kay Donny and sighed madly. Planado ba 'to?

"Hindi ako yan." galit ngunit kalmado kong sabi sa nurse at ibinalik ang coat at tinuro ang pangalan kong nasa pintuan at sa table ko. "I'm not yet married. Hindi ako Rivero." sabi ko and rolled my eyes intensely sa sobrang inis. This is pure sabotage! "Ricci, anong alam mo dito?" biglang baling ko kay Ricci na natahimik sa isamg tabi lang and refused to make eye contact. "Ako nanaman sisisihin mo? Ask Tito. Wala akong alam diyan." he smirked and chuckled at nasandal sa tabi ng pintuan. Sasabog na ako sa inis but then Donny calmed me down and rubbed my back. "Maybe Tito forgot. Baka matagal nang nakaalot sayo tong room na 'to. Uhm, nurse? Would it be okay if we'd change her name here? Tama yung degrees niya and her first name but she's not yet married---"

I cut Donny off and spoke for myself so that we could set this straight. "Remove the Rivero sa pangalan ko. I don't and will never have that last name attached to mine." sabi ko habang nagpapalipat lipat ng tingin kay Elliana at Ricci na hindi makimik kahit isang salita. Inabot sakin ng nurse ang chart at pumasok kaming lahat sa loob ng clinic ko at naupo. I scanned the charts na binigay sakin and since I didn't want to waste time as well, "Schedule 3 surgeries for me tomorrow as soon as possible. Schedule as early as you can. I can do 9 am to 9 pm. Lets do Angioplasty, Open heart tsak bypass."

"Pwede mo rin bang gawin sayo yung open heart surgery?" Ricci butts in out of nowhere, curiously.

I smiled at him sarcastically. "Gusto mo operahan din kita? Walang anesthesia para maganda." I said and ignored his reaction.

"Dr. Gumabao, we have an appointment sa firm tomorrow. Apparently, nauna ako sa schedule mo kaya nurse, please move the surgeries that she schedu--"

"Do not freaking meddle with my scheduled surgeries because I don't give a damn about you building me a hospital." sigaw ko slightly, buti nalang sarado ang pintuan. "Simula palang Ricci, alam mong hindi kita pinilit na tanggapin ang trabaho na inalok ng tatay ko. I never forced you to build me a hospital pero sabi mo, gusto mong gawin para sakin kaya hinayaan ko. Hinayaan na kitang pumasok at mangialam sa buhay ko, wag mo nang guluhin ang trabaho ko. Dito nalang ako sumasaya simula nung mawala ka. Wag mong piliting simulan ulit ang tinapos mo ng matagal na. Sumuko na ako. Hindi na kita mahal, is that enough reason for you to leave me alone now? Sirang sira ka na sakin. Hindi ko alam kung paano mo ibabalik ang tiwala ko sayo kasi you cheated on me and until now it fucking hurts and until now, I can't bring myself to trust a man again at pumasok sa relasyon because you ruined me and you ruined my faith in people who could and want to love me! Do me and favor and leave my life, if possible I want the agreement to be terminated as soon as possible. Engineer Rivero, wih all due respect, tigilan mo na 'ko." I ended na ibagsak ang charts sa ibabaw ng table ko. It ledt Ricci stunned and speechless— ganito nanaman, wala nanamang bago eh. Kinuha ko ang calling card ko at ibigay sa nurse saka nagwalkout na kasunod si Donny na tinatawagan na si Kuya a para siyang sumundo nalang samin at makauwi na.

Uuwi kami ng amin and we don't need Elliana and Ricci. We learned to to not need them anymore ever since they didn't choose to be with us. We survived without them kaya they don't have the right to act like they think we need them after all this time. We are not anyone's property. I'm never getting married— as much as I want to, I hate the person I want to marry right now— kung sa kung sino lang din naman ay wag nalang. Did I even make sense?