Latch

Chapter 20: Having No Choice Is A Choice

Latch
Chapter 20: Having No Choice Is A Choice

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Third Person's Point of View

"Hey Krys, okay ka lang?" - tanong ni Liberty sa kanyang kaibigan ng makita niya itong malungkot habang nilalaro si Euphemia. Yes, Krystique is smiling but it did not reach her eyes.

"I'm fine" - tanging sagot ng dalaga at hindi man lang niya binalingan si Liberty ng kahit isang segundong tingin. Simula ng malaman niya ang katotoohanan na si Miguel ang lalaki noong gabing iyon, ay naintindihan nadin niya kung bakit galit na galit si Liberty na lumabas sa opisina ng lalaki. Kung bakit gustong gusto ng kaibigan na sagutin niya na ang lalaki.

And that's because she and her friends knew already. She is mad at them for not telling her the truth, para siyang tanga na humihingi sakanila ng tulong, aakto na parang tutulong pero yun pala lalo lang siyang ilalayo sa katotoohanan.

And even though it's been a week since that happened, and she knows she already calmed down from the issue, hindi niya padin magawang tingnan o kausapin man lang ng maayos si Liberty. It's also been a week since she resigned from being a doctor at the Santillan's Hospital, hindi naman sa pagiging unprofessional pero gaya nga ng sabi ni Miguel sakanya sa koste

They better not meet or talk anymore.

Hindi niya mapigilan ang paglabas ng isang mapait na ngiti sa kanyang labi. She really did not expect that he will be the one saying those things. Akala niya talaga susuyuin man lang siya nito. And ever since then pinokus nalang niya ang buong atensyon niya sa pag-alaga kay Euphemia at sa pagpapasaya dito, na hindi niya gaanong nagawa dahil busy siya sa hospital at sa iba pang bagay na dapat pala hindi niya na pinagka-busyhan.

"Are you still not comfortable with me being here? If that's the case, then I should get going. Malapit na akong manganak kaya dapat ko nadin sigurong limitahan ang pagpunta ko kung saan saan. Anyways, sana sa araw na manganak ako andoon ka" - malungkot na sa saad ni Liberty at nagsimula na siyang maglakad papunta sa pintuan. She opened the door, but before she leaves ay muli siyang lumingon kay Krystique.

"I am really sorry for keeping those to you. I hope you'll realize that, if we did not keep those things from you, will you see Miguel Santillan as who you saw him? I bet you will see him as simply as the father of your daughter and nothing more" - Liberty said kasabay nito ay ang pag-alis niya at ang mahinang pagsara ng pinto. With those words, Krystique then automatically hugged her daughter and she started crying again.

It's been a week and she shouldn't be in pain anymore since it is not her fault why they ended up this way. She should be angry and not hurt. But even now her heart is still bleeding. It is so painful that she just want to forget everything that had happened to her in this past months

"Let's go back to Germany, my Euphy" - she said out of the blue and just as if on cue ay nagsimula nading umiyak ang anak niya. It was like her daughter does not want that idea, but she have no choice since if they will stay in this place she knows she will not be able to heal completely.

"I'm sorry Euphemia but we really need to go back" - saad ni Krystique sakanyang isipan habang pinapatahan niya ang kanyang anak.

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10 months later

Krystique's Point of View

Sampung buwan na ang nakalipas. I can't believe how time flies so fast. It's been 10 months since I left Philippines again and I still can't forget what happened during my month there.

Parang kahapon lang nangyari ang lahat. Umalis na ang sakit ng ginawang pagsisinungaling saakin ng mga tinuring kong kaibigan, ni Miguel pero andito padin yung sakit na gawa ng muling pagtaboy saakin ng mga magulang ko. Why?

It's because before we left, I decided to pay them a visit with Euphemia, but guess what? They dragged me out of the house, tinawag nila akong disgrasyada, walang respeto, marami pang iba, pero hindi ko yun pinansin. But when they started cursing my daughter too, ay doon na ako nagalit.

Okay lang na ako yung pagsalitan nila ng mga masasakitbna salita pero ang pinakamasakit at nakakagalit ay pati ang anak ko na walang kaalam-alam pinagsasalitaan nila ng masama. Masakit na hindi talaga kayang tanggapin ng magulang mo ang sarili nilang apo.

Napailing nalang ako at tska ko binalik ang aking atensyon sa mga records na aking binabasa.

*knock*knock*

"Come on in" - I said not removing my eyes from the ones that I am reading at narinig ko nalang ang pagbukas ng pinto ng opisina ko

"Doctor De Garcia, the director wants to have a word with you" - a familiar voice suddenly said dahilan para mapa-anggat ako ng tingin kasabay ng pagkunot ng noo ko. The director? What does he need from me? This is the first time he asked my assistant nurse to call for me to meet him.

The director of this hospital where I am working does not usually call employees to his office since he is usually out and taking care of the other branches in the United States. Hina-hayaan nalang niya ang mga  heads ng kada team ang mag-asikaso since this hospital is well established already.

"Okay" - I just said at tinabi ko na ang binabasa kong mga records. I grab my coat that is hanging behind me at pinutos ko din ang nakalugay kong buhok. At dumiretso na ako palabas at sumunod naman saakin ang assistant nurse ko.

A few more minutes ay nakarating na kami sa director's office at agad akong kumatok ng tatlong beses.

"Come in" - rinig kong saad ng isang malalim na boses sa loob at agad ko ng binuksan ang pinto.

"Director, It's me Doctor De Garcia" - I said as I entered the door and there I saw a man that is almost at his fifties sitting on a swivel chair while looking at his laptop.

"Take a sit Miss De Garcia" - he said at agad kong sinunod ang sinabi niya. Umupo ako sa isa sa dalawang upuan na nakahanda sa harap ng kanyang lamesa. I even crossed my legs para mawala ang kabang nararamdaman ko.

Of course who wouldn't be nervous when the director suddenly asked you to come to his or her office?! Now I am getting thoughts that maybe my performance is not good enough and I am not fit to be in here.

"I will go straight to the point since I believe that you still have things to do." - he started and then he handed me an envelope.  Agad kong binuksan ang envelope at halos malaglag ang panga ko sa akong nakita at ayoko mang aminin pero muling dumaloy ang lungkot sa aking sistema.

"I would like you to attend a week medical conference at the Philippines. The event is hosted by the newest director of the Santillan General Hospital, Miguel Santillan. I chose you since I checked that you are a citizen of the country and you once worked there right?" - the director said with a smile on his face and right now I don't know if I'll say yes or say no.

I don't think I can go back to that country again, especially to the hospital again. I am still trying to move on and I think going back there now will make all the months I stayed away from anything that can track me, or make it possible for them to contact me.

"I am counting on you on this one Doctor De Garcia" - he said again with a wide smile dahilan para mapatango nalang ako.

Guess I have no choice again this time.

©️IMPERATRICEC
AUGUST 2020