The Bridge

Meet again.

Julie's POV

I got up as soon as the alarm went off. 

reminder: appointment with Ms. Macalungsod 9:00am

Crap. It's saturday. I almost forgot my meeting with my psychiatrist. Umalis na ako sa pagkahiga at pumunta agad sa banyo.

Matapos kong maligo at magbihis ay pumunta ako sa dining room. Pagbaba ko agad ng  hagdanan bumati ang maids sa akin.

"Good morning miss" They all said in unison. 

As the years go by, mas lalong lumago at mas lalong dumami ang business ni tita which triples the rarity of her coming home. Sometimes, once in every two years. She has a couple of businesses here in the Philippines so that's why kailangan niya ding umuwi to check on it. 

Her way of caring for me is giving me bunch of money every month which I never even spend much. 

Just like I've said before, I don't talk much. I just ate a few then tumayo na. 

"Manong, papahatid po sa center. Corazon Hospital." I called the driver. 

"Yes ma'am" Sabi nito.

Nauna ako sakanya pumasok sa sasakyan. Malayo ang bahay namin sa city. It's not an hour drive but about 20 minutes or so. The school is near our house kaya usually nilalakad ko lang ito. I rarely even go to the city. Only kapag naggrogrocery or any important appointments. Tsaka lang ako pumupunta.

After 20 minutes, nakarating na kami sa hospital. Pagbaba ko ay tinanong ako ni Manong

"Ma'am maghihintay po ba ako or tatawag ka nalang po sakin?" I shooked my head

"Magtataxi nalang po ako manong" Sabi ko dito

"Pero ma'am sabi ni ma'am-" pinutol ko ang sasabihin sana nito

"Then don't tell her. I'll be okay on my own" I said tapos nagsimula na akong maglakad. Dr. Macalungsod's clinic is around the area.

Nung pumasok na ako sa clinic nito agad akong binati ng kanyang ngiti. She's still young. Just add a few years older than me and she's quite the charmer and single.

"Hi good morning Julie. How are you?" She asked.

It's been a month since I last visited here, I've been secretly seeing her for a year now. Secret kasi kapag nalaman ito ni tita, tiyak na ipapabalik niya ako sa ward and she will hire more people around me and I can't stand having dozens of eyes watching me 24/7.

I was inside a ward for 24 hours nung nalaman ni tita na nahampas ko yung kaklase ko at bigla bigla nalang daw akong nasigaw. When she learned about that. She hired more people para bantayan ako pagkaalis ko sa ward. Nung nagdalaga na ako ay, minsan nakokontrol ko na ito kaya naman pinakausapan siya ni nanny Ling na alisin yung ibang taong umaaligid saakin kasi hindi ito nakakatulong. 

"I'm doing fine I guess" I shrugged.

"Where are those bruises coming from?" She asks

"Napagtripan nanaman ako ng mga kaklase" I answered. She gave me a sympathy smile

"But nothing to worry about." Dagdag ko para hindi na humaba pa ang usapang ito.

"Kung iyan ang gusto mo." She said

"So let's proceed on these questions." she started questioning me about my behavior this month. She monitors me like this and I have pills to take para sa illness ko.