My Future Husband Is A Doctor

One

One

Matagal nang nangyari ang paghuhulang iyon. Labing apat na taon na ang lumipas. I was eleven then, and now turning twenty-five.

I graduated with flying colors. Nakapasa ako sa board exam and now a teacher in a private senior high school.

Bago lang ako sa paaralang pinapasukan ko. In fact, I just started last week and I found my co-workers fun to be with. They were all so accommodating and welcoming so I really didn't find it hard to adjust to the new environment.

Ngayon, nasa isang mall ako kasama si Sir Andrew, kasamahan ko sa trabaho. Isa siya sa mga nakapalagayan ko agad ng loob. He's four years older than I am.

He's also a very good teacher. I had watched him teach. I watched him when I had time because, I admit, I had this crush on him the moment I laid eyes on him. He's very attractive, that's definitely the first thing I'd noticed. He's also very smart, something I always find so interesting in a man. Pero hindi ko siya crush romantically. No.

What I feel for him is anything but romantic, I thought to myself. I just admired the man for his dedication to teach. Besides, I always thought it's unprofessional to have a romantic feeling to a co-worker.

Also, I had always wanted to become a good teacher and I would be, if not yet am. Seeing someone whose dedication was the same as Sir Andrew's, it's hard not to feel admiration.

Magkasama kami ni Sir Andrew ngayon dahil may inutos sa amin ang school principal para sa  nalalapit na foundation day sa school. Pauwi na kami nang maisipan kong mag-grocery na rin.

"Sir Andrew, mauna ka nang umuwi, maggo-grocery pa kasi ako, eh," paalam ko kay Sir Andrew.

"Gusto mo samahan na kita?" he asked.

"Naku, wag na. Nakakahiya na sa'yo. Okay na ako. Salamat uli."

Parang ayaw niya pa sana akong iwan pero tumango na lang siya.

"Sige, mag-ingat ka," aniya, bago tumalikod at umalis.

I watched him walk away then I turned to the direction of the grocery.

Kahit kailan talaga maraming tao rito. May mga nakakasalubong ako na nagmamadali, may iba namang nagtetext, may iba namang grupo ng college students na nagtatawanan. Dinaanan ko lang sila at naglakad na papasok sa loob ng grocery nang bigla akong salubungin ng isang naka-uniporme na babae at lalaki.

"Hello, ma'am. We do quick and free check-ups here, ma'am," at binigyan ako ng isang flyer na may mga nakasulat tungkol sa how to keep your body healthy. Parang may promo sila na kung ano. Lumingon ulit ako sa kanila na naguguluhan. "Dito lang po tayo, ma'am," sabi nung babae.

Hindi ko alam pero parang napwersa akong sumunod sa kanila dahil iginiya nila ako sa isang tabi na may upuan malapit sa isang pharmacy. Hindi na sana ako papayag sa ano mang check-up na gagawin nila dahil sigurado naman akong normal at healthy ako.

Nang makita ko sa isang tabi ang isang lalaking nakaputi, nakasuot siya ng pang-doktor so I assumed he is one, napahinto ako.

Hindi siya nakatingin sa akin dahil busy niyang kinakausap ang isang babae na mukhang nurse.

At hindi lang siya isang simpleng lalaking doktor. Isa siyang napakagwapong lalaking doktor.

I was gaping at him for I-don't-know-how-many seconds. I was struck by his very handsome and very neat and clean appearance.

Ang gwapo niya. Ang gwapo, gwapo niya.

He slowly turned to me and his smile slowly appeared. May dimples siya. At mas lalo siyang gumwapo sa mga mata ko. Unti-unti siyang lumapit sa akin. Bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko.

May binigay siya sa aking isang papel. Kinuha ko naman sa kanya yun at di nagpahalatang natutulala ako sa kagwapuhan niya. Pero, shet, nakaka-conscious talaga ang kagwapuhan niya. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya ng sabihin niyang fill up-an ko yung binigay niya. He was about to give me a ballpen but changed his mind.

He opted to be the one writing my answers on the paper by asking me the questions written on it himself. I complied and answered to every question. I was so dazzled by him that all I managed to say was just 'Yes' and 'No' the whole time he was looking into my eyes and throwing questions at me.

"Do you have your breakfast every morning?" he asked.

"Um... yes?" I said though I wanted to say sometimes. I really couldn't think straight with his eyes on me. 

"Do you smoke?"

"NO! No... No." I said with my head shaking. I said that with disgust because I honestly hate those people who smoke in front of me.

He continued to ask me questions. When everything was finally answered, to my disappointment, he pointed me to the direction of the nurse to get my blood pressure. Sumunod ako sa itinuro niya kahit na gusto ko pang nasa harap ko siya. Nang matapos na ang nurse sa akin, itinuro niya ulit ako dun sa gwapong lalaking doktor.

Mabilis naman akong lumapit uli sa kanya at binigay ang binigay lang din sa akin ng nurse at ipakita ko raw sa kanya. He smiled at me again. At parang abnormal na naman ang puso ko. Promise, ang gwapo niya. Nakakatuliro.

Ako ata ang huling nagpa-check up dahil bigla niyang sinabi sa akin ang, "So you're last."

Nararamdaman ko na talagang may nagkakarerang mga kabayo sa puso ko. My flirty nature would have answered him, Yes, I'm the last woman you're gonna love.

But I didn't say it. Instead, I just said, "Yes?" I swear, para akong tanga dahil kahit sa simpleng 'Yes' di pa ako sigurado at may question mark pa sa dulo ng sagot ko.

Ngumiti lang ulit siya. Na parang alam na alam niya ang nararamdaman ko.

Shet. Grabe na talaga 'to. May mga sinabi siyang di ko maintindihan pero tinanguan ko lahat.

"Okay lang bang i-measure ko ang waistline mo?"

Tanong niya na nagpa-attentive sa akin. I didn't want to answer that way. I didn't want to appear flirty. I didn't want to, but I did by answering him, "Suuure."

That was the only time I hadn't answered him with a Yes or a No. And it was said like I'm so desperate to have his hands on me. Nakakahiya.

He looked amused. And I swore to myself. I knew I turned red.

His hands started to circle my waist with a tape measure.

Gosh, how I want to circle my arms around his neck, too. To hold him in place a little longer. At oo, ang landi ko lang. Ang landi kong teacher. But, to my disappointment again, he already removed his hands and the tape measure away from me.

"26," he said. "Normal lang. Wag mong paabutin ng 36," he teased.

Ang gago nito. Nagbiro pa siya.

Ngumiti lang ulit ako sa kanya. "Tapos na ba?" I asked.

"Yes, thank you for cooperating," he said while smiling.

"Welcome," sagot ko at kinuha na yung binigay niyang guide ko raw for a healthier lifestyle.

Umalis na ako agad sa lugar na yun. Nakalimutan ko na ngang maggo-grocery pa pala ako. My mind's filled with that handsome and neat and clean doctor.

Kahit nasa loob na ako ng taxi pauwi, siya pa rin ang nasa isip ko.

Then, I remembered that day. That creepy day with that creepy old lady way back in gradeschool.

I remembered that one fine detail that had been locked up inside my head.

The creepy old lady did say my future husband is a doctor.

I didn't believe her then.

I swear I didn't.

But now...

With that very handsome doctor in mind...

I DO WISH SHE'S RIGHT.