Hook, Line & Sinker

Chapter 42

Chapter 42: "You gave me wings and made me fly. You touched my hand, I could touch the sky. I lost my faith, you gave it back to me."- Because you love me by Celine Dion.

"Ganda, tingnan mo itong pasalubong sa akin ni Shin!" ani ate Lottie pagkababa ko. Nasa sala silang lahat habang ibinibigay ni Shin ang mga pasalubong niya para sa lahat. He gave ate Lottie a pair of Nike shoes. "Mas gaganda ako dito, diba?"

"Oo naman, ate!" I said with the thumbs up. 

"Salamat talaga, Shin!"

"Anytime, ate." He turned to me and reached for my hand. Iginiya niya ako paupo sa tabi niya.

Yumakap ako sa isang braso niya. The other helpers were given clothes and chocolates. Kapag umuuwi siya ay lagi siyang may dalang pasalubong para sa lahat. Kumuha ako ng chocolate na nasa table at binuksan sabay kagat. Iniumang ko iyon kay Shin. Sinulyapan niya iyon at kumagat din. 

"What is your pasalubong for Tam?" Mama She asked.

Nakangiting ipinakita ko sa kanila ang white gold necklace na naka-engrave ang pangalan namin sa eternity pendant. It's so simple but beautiful. Aside from this, he also bought clothes, shoes, and my favorite perfume. 

We slept in the afternoon. Kinagabihan ay sa bahay ni Pops kami nag-dinner. Dinala din namin ang mga pasalubong ni Shin para sa kanya. Medyo nagtagal pa kami dahil nagkwentuhan pa silang dalawa. 

Ang akala ko ay uuwi na kami kaya napatingin ako sa kanya ng ibang direksiyon ang dinaanan niya. He said he wanted to walk around in Intramuros. Ipinagkibit-balikat ko na lang iyon.

"Maganda rin pala dito kapag gabi," sabi ko.

Magkahawak-kamay kaming naglalakad. Namangha ako sa kanya dahil ang dami niyang alam tungkol sa history. Medyo nahiya pa ako dahil madalas ko lang tulugan ang history class namin dati.

"By the way, this weekend I'll be joining a medical mission. Two days."

"Medical mission?"

He nodded. "I promised Dr. Davis, my professor, that I'll be joining one of his medical missions when I have time."

"Kaya ka ba umuwi dahil sa medical mission?"

He shook his head then looked straight into my eye. Napayuko ako. "Sorry. N-nahihiya ako sa'yo." Hindi siya kumibo. "Ang lakas ng loob ko na sabihing gusto kong maging nurse pero ang hirap. Ginagawa ko naman ang best ko pero bakit ganon? Pakiramdam ko laging kulang."

I swallowed hard as I felt a lump in my throat. "H-hindi ko alam kung gusto ko pa ba na ituloy ito."

"If you think being a nurse isn't worth all the difficulties you're going through, then just give up. It's useless holding on to something you're not sure of anymore."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. He gently pulled me in his arms as my eyes flooded with tears. 

"Honey, let's go," he said as he picked up our bags. 

Sumunod na ako sa kanya pababa. Kinuha ni Manong Ben ang mga dala namin at isinakay na sa likod ng sasakyan. Ihahatid niya kami sa meeting place. Last night, while I was helping Shin pack his stuff, he asked me if I wanted to come with him. Kaagad naman akong pumayag dahil gusto ko siyang makasama. 

"Dr. Illustre." A man probably in his fifties shook hands with my husband. "Thank you for joining our team."

"Glad to be part of it, Dr. Davis." Inilagay ni Shin ang kamay sa likod ko. "This is my wife, Tamara."