COMPLETED (UNDER REVISION)
They say everybody needs a second chance. No matter how mean you are.
Though for some people, they find that second chance a little late.
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The black sheep of the Montez family. That's what they called Ale...
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It's been a week since my appointment with that drama queen, and she's not coming back. Is she serious about not taking the treatment? She must be really crazy then. Kung bakit ba naman kasi sa'kin pa siya pinasa ni lolo, hindi na lang niya nilipat sa ibang doktor. Hindi ba siya nakulitan sa babaeng 'yun? Bakit ipinasa pa niya sa'kin 'yung sakit sa ulo niya? It feels like I'm on a death watch of a crazy woman.
"Doc Salvatore, your presentation earlier was great. Keep it up." Bati sa'kin ng co-doctor ko, but I don't remember his name. He's the same age as me, 'yun lang ang naaalala ko. It hasn't been long since I started here. The only reason I worked as a doctor again ay dahil gusto ni lolo na palitan ko siya, so mga ilang buwan bago siya namatay, ipinasok niya ko dito, immediately as a fellow.
Papasok na ko sa office ko nang nag-vibrate ang cellphone ko sa bulsa ng hospital gown ko. Kinuha ko 'to at nakita kung sino ang tumatawag. Here's another mad man. Sinagot ko ang tawag niya kasabay ng pagpasok ko sa opisina ko. "Bakit?" Tanong ko agad. For all I know, he'll say something stupid again.
"Are you free?" Tanong niya.
I look at the time at 4:30 na. "Yeah." Sagot ko sa kaniya.
"Let's hangout, I'll pick you up." Sabi niya.
"Freak. Can you stop saying things like that? You sound like a boyfriend, it's creepy." Reklamo ko sa kaniya. People easily misunderstand us dahil sa paraan ng pagsasalita niya. And I know he's like that because he's frustrated. "Don't you dare pick me up. May sarili akong kotse, i-text mo na lang sa'kin 'yung lugar." I hung up on him.
Do I look like a ranting machine? Why does people always rant in front of me? I took this job to heal people, not to listen to their sob stories.
Inayos ko lahat ng gamit ko at umalis papunta sa itinext niyang lugar.
Kung iniisip niyo na sa bar ko siya pupuntahan at mag-iinom siya d'on hanggang sa malasing, then you're all wrong.
Pumarada ako sa harap ng isang coffee shop.
Apparently, coffee calms him down, kaya ito ang puntahan niya kapag frustrated.
Pumasok ako sa loob at nahanap siya sa tabi ng floor to ceiling na bintana at humihigop na ng espresso habang kalmadong nakatanaw sa labas. I rolled my eyes, what a drama king.
"So, why did you call me here again, Amzi?" I ask him. Magsasalita na sana siya pero pinigilan ko siya. "Wait, before you start, at least treat me something." I said. If I'm going to listen for 2 hours of his rant, he should at least keep me full.
He sighed in disbelief. "I can't believe you." Sabi niya habang umiiling tapos ay sumenyas sa isang waiter at in-order-an ako ng kape at dessert.
"Okay, so what's wrong today?" I ask in monotone nang dumating na ang order ko.
"I met my sister today." Kibit-balikat niyang sagot sabay higop sa kape niya.
"Amandine? Nag-away kayo?" Taka kong tanong. For all I know, he doesn't get upset with his little sister, but he's not too attached to her either. He doesn't talk about her that much so I guessed they were not that close, but I guess I'm wrong, maybe he's just not that comfortable to talk about her with others.
"Not her." Oh, so I'm wrong again. "The other one, bago si Amandine." Dagdag niya.
"Wait, you have another sister?" Medyo gulat kong tanong. Simula noong nagkakilala kami, 5 years ago, ngayon niya lang sinabi sa'kin na may isa pa pala siyang kapatid.
"Hindi ko ba nasabi sa'yo?" Inosente niyang tanong. "I guess because she's not that worth mentioning." Bulong niya pero hindi 'yun nakalagpas sa tainga ko. Ang hilig niyang bumulong ng malakas, it kinda annoys me sometimes.
"So, what about her?" Pagtuloy ko sa topic namin. Bilisan mo na't magreklamo ka na nang makauwi na ko.
"It's just that, I'm very disappointed with her." Panimula niya. "She's such a brat! Ewan ko kung ano bang meron sa utak ng batang 'yun." Nagsimula akong kumain ng cake na in-order niya habang nakikinig lang sa kaniya. It's better not to say anything while he's talking para mabilis matapos ang paghihimutok niya. I'll just nod and nod and just say some supporting words so he gets satisfied. "6 years, 6 years simula nang pinalayas siya sa bahay," pagdidiin niya. Wow, he kicked her sister out. I wonder what she did? "Inaasahan namin na magsisilbing leksyon 'yun sa kaniya, para naman matauhan siya na sumosobra na siya, but no! She never came back and even tried to apologize! Nagmagaling siya at namuhay mag-isa. And now, after 6 years, she's still the same. Dahil lang sa nagkapera na siya sa sarili niya lang akala niya kung sino na siya." It still amazes me how he rants like a middle-aged woman. "She even told me not to act like a brother."
"Wow, grabe naman 'yang kapatid mo." I said in monotone. It was the perfect time for a supporting sentence.
He scoffed. "Sinabi mo pa." Sabi ni Amzi.
Napailing ako sa isip ko. I can probably imagine why his sister acted like that, considering the way how he delivers his words. He's clearly at fault on some point. Besides, why the heck did he even visit her in the first place? But for him to get upset like this, his sister might really be a troublesome person.
"Kukunin ko talaga sa kaniya 'yang kumpanya niya na 'yan para madala, eh." Banta niya habang nanlilisik na nakatanaw sa labas ng bintana.
"Teka, teka, do you really have to go that far?" Awat ko sa kaniya. I know that when he makes a threat, it's going to be real. I'll feel bad for his sister. "If you're taking everything she has today, and you have no plans to take her back, then where would she go?" Pangongonsensya ko sa kaniya.
"Then she'll have to beg for forgiveness." Sagot niya.
"That's only for your case. Pa'no naman 'yung mga kapatid tsaka magulang mo? What if they still refuse her apology? What will she do then?" Natahimik na siya sa tanong ko. Nag-iisip siya. "Just let her be. Bumalik man siya o hindi, wala namang mawawala sa'yo." Payo ko sa kaniya.
Kunot noong humigop siya ng kape. He looks like he's still in-denial but I know he's thinking twice about his decision. I don't know their entire story, but I don't want him to make some inhumane choices.
"Ano bang pangalan ng kapatid mo? Gusto mo, i-black list ko na lang sa ospital para sa'yo." I try to humor him para hindi naman niya maramdamang kinakampihan ko ang kapatid niya.
Humigop ako ng kape ko habang hinihintay ang sagot niya.
"Aleeza. Aleeza Montez." Hindi ko napigilang maibuga ang kape sa bunganga ko. "What the? 'Nagawa mo?" Amzi exclaimed.
"Sorry, sorry." Sabi ko na lang at agad na pinunasan ang lamesa gamit ang mga tissue sa lamesa. May dumating din na waiter at pinunasan ng mas maayos ang lamesa namin. "Thank you." Sabi ko sa waiter.
"Anyare sa'yo?" Tanong pa ni Amzi.
"Ah, wala, wala." Sagot ko lang at muling binalikan ang sinabi niya kaninang pangalan ng kapatid niya, and that's when it hit me, ah, that makes sense. The drama queen.
