Healer

Kabanata 8

Why

When morning shines, my friends are now in my kitchen. Making our breakfast, I can smell something fishy between D and Juliet. Hindi nagkikibuan ang dalawa simula nang sabay silang lumabas sa guestroom at naabutan nila kaming nagtatawanang apat sa kitchen sink. Naka-upo naman si Mergrace sa high chair habang kausap ni Fat at si El naman ay ako ang pinupuntirya.

"For your hangover." Binigyan ni Fat si D nang advil.

"Thanks. My head is still throbbing bad. I really hate hangovers." D said, tiningnan lang siya ni Juliet at uminom ito nang kape mula sa kaniyang mug.

"So, back to work tomorrow?" I asked them.
They all nodded.

"I think so, still on leave?" El ask.

"Nah, I need distraction. Almost a month of running away is just not that bad." sagot ko kay El at tuluyan na'kong nakaupo sa tabi ni Mer. Napahikab naman si Fatima, nangingiti-ngiti akong hinarap ni Mergrace.
"She has no idea what she did last night." Mer whisper as she chuckle and I join her.

"Anong pinag-uusapan n'yong dalawa d'yan?" El interrupt. Mabilis kaming umiling ni Mergrace sa naging tanong niya. But deep inside ourselves, halos sumakit na ang aming tiyan sa kakapigil para lang huwag matawa sa harapan niya.

She really dance last night, talk to my vases, she confess that she still likes Kuya Redias and she twerk infront of us while singing her favorite song. Twerk it like miley and minutes later we found her sleeping in the floor, snoring. Napailing ako nang maalala ko iyon. Si Fatima at Elyana ang nagluto, habang kami naman nila D, Juliet and Mergrace prepare everything in our table. After that, inilapag na nila Fat at El ang niluto nilang sinangag, fried eggs and lemon juice.

"I really don't want to work tomorrow but damn, I have so many appointments. This is frustrating, ayoko nang maging doktor." As if we all believe him. Alam namin kung gaano ka mahal ni Diore Contreras ang pagiging doktor. Talagang nakakapagod magtrabaho, walang madaling trabaho sa mundo unless kung drug pusher ka.

"You could take a leave, you know?" I chortled.

He pout. "I can't just take a leave, baka ano pang isipin ni Director Menaid. Alam mo namang gusto ko nang umangat sa ospital. At malay mo, I can go overseas." I roll my eyes.

"You have a lot of money, you can travel the world freely." Sabat naman ni Mergrace.

"What should I do?"

"Easy. Quit your job as doctor and marry Juliet!" Nakipag-apiran naman si Fatima at Elyana. I heard Jul sigh beside me. Seriously, I don't want to think that they happend last night but I can't help it.

"She doesn't want to marry me, hindi pa nga ako nakapag-propose sa kaniya." D said and he find Juliet eyes fix to him but Juliet just look at the ground. Nasa backyard kami, I have a simple long round wooden chair beside my pool. There's a small table, kung saan doon nakalagay ang dessert namin. We just finished our breakfast together.

"What can you say about this, Juliet Huqerisa? Matagal na kayong mag-on ni Diore and you both can settle down. You have your jobs now, so what's the matter?" Si Fatima.

Umiling si Juliet. "Hindi ganoon kadali, Ate Fat. Diore is really hard to reach, you know? His mom doesn't want me for him and I can't just let him go. Not just like this." Agad kaming nabalot nang katahimikan. Kahit noong nasa Med school palang ang dalawa ay talagang mapili na ang nanay nitong ni D pagdating sa babae. Kahit naman may kunting yaman itong si Juls, eh, hindi niya pa rin mapapantayan ang estado nang buhay ni Diore. Maliban sa Gobernador ang ama nito, may mataas rin pinag-aralan at trabaho ang kaniyang ina sa abroad. While Juliet's parent is just ordinary, Mang Julio is just a Police officer on their town, her mother is a high school teacher but yet, they manage to pay Juliet's medical school bills without hesitation.