It Will Always Be You

Chapter 20

"Doc, may pasyente po kayo," rinig kong sabi ng nurse sa labas ng clinic ko.

I sighed before putting the clipboard I was holding on my desk. Amputek, tapos na ang clinic hours ko may humabol na naman. Uwing uwi na ako eh.

"Let them in," I said, half hearted.

Once the door of my clinic opened, pinasadahan ko ng daliri ko ang buhok bago inayos ang coat ko. A lady stepped inside together with a kid.

Nakaramdam ako ng kakaiba havnag tinitignan ko ang mag ina na pumasok. Pakiramdam ko, eh kilala ko sila.

Tinignan ko yung anak na maupo sa sofa dito sa clinic ko. She's very obedient to her mom. May benda pa siya sa kanang braso niya. Tahimik lang itong nakaupo, habang nag cecellphone.

Amputek, ganyan na ba ang mga bata ngayon? Cellphone na ang libangan?

Naalala ko dati, nag lalaro lang ako ng gagamba tapos nilalagay ko iyon sa lalagyan ng posporo. O di kaya, nag lalaro ako sa labas tapos uwi ko, gusgusin ako. Galit na galit nanay ko noon eh, gusto manaket.

When the lady looked at my side. My world stopped spinning. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaction ko.

Para akong napipe at hindi makapag salita. Now I know why am I feeling that why a while ago. I can't formulate a wotd or sentence, to say to her. For almost 9 years, ngayon ko nalang siya ulit nakita.

Lyric Chelsy Faller Makinano

Maraming nag bago sa kanya. Mula ulo hanggang paa. Pasimple kong tinignan ang kamay niya para hanapin kung may singsing siyang suot.

"Doctor Monteferrante?"

Nabalik ako sa realidad nang mag salita siya, "Y-yes?"

She smiled at me and handed me a brown envelope, "I would like to ask for a second opinion about my daughter's X-ray. Sabi kasi ng doctor niya noon, there's a fracture and need magpa surgery, so humanap ako ng second opinion. I saw an article that, you are one of the best radiologist we have here in the Philippines, so hinanap ko talaga ang clinic mo."

Tumikhim ako bago ko tinanggap iyon. I smiled when I heard her say one of the best radiologist we have in the Philippines. Kinuha ko ang X-ray sa loob at tinapat sa ilaw na nasa likuran ko.

"Based from this X-ray, I can't see any fractured bones, so no need  for a surgery," I said while looking at the X-ray.

I handed it back to her and she smiled at me before putting it inside the brown envelope.

"H-how are you?" I managed to say that kahit barado na ang lalamunan ko.

Her gaze went up to look at me, "I'm fine, you?"

I looked at her daughter who's looking at us now, bago ko binalik ang tingin sa kanya, "S-she's your daughter?"

Ngumiti siya sa akin bago pinalapit ang anak niya. I looked at her daughter who's now smiling at me.

"This is Syrah Lindleigh, my daughter."

My daughter

My daughter

My daughter

Ano?!

Tumikhim ako bago ko tinignan ang anak niya, "Hi," that's all I can say.