Love Transplant [Under PaperInk Publishing House] (✔️)

Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

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***

THAT was the last time I saw Gael before they left the country.

After Lester's funeral, everything became more difficult for me. It was hard pulling myself back to my usual routines after I lost my boyfriend. My connection with his family was cut, too. Even with Blissle, I only got to meet with her once since the funeral. Tito Felipe found out about her closeness with my brother, so he wanted to keep her away from him... and from me.

I don't know why he hates me so much. I did everything I could to make him accept me, or like me somehow. May mga tao lang talaga sigurong kahit anong kabaitan ang ipakita mo, hindi ka pa rin magawang magustuhan. We can't please everyone. We can't force someone to like us and we don't have to force them to return the favor. The best way to deal with that is to accept that fact.

FOR the first five months after Lester's death, I busied myself with work. Marami kaming naging kliyente kaya kahit papaano ay unti-unti ko na ring naaaliw ang sarili at nakakalimutan ang lahat. But it was not that easy. Sa tuwing umuuwi ako ay bumabalik lang lahat ng sakit at pangungulila.

Grief gets to you like a flood, drowning you without a warning. It carries a powerful current that wrecks you off and pulls you down to the depth of sorrow over and over again. It is a never-ending yearn for the stolen moments, laughter, touches, and everything in between.

And I lived a life like that after his death.

People say that the cure of grief is time; that it will heal all wounds in a matter of sunrises and sunsets. But I don't think it literally works that way. Time only numbs the pain, but it never heals. We only heal the moment we accept the situation and live with it.

"HAPPY Birthday, Vienna!"

I almost dropped my iced coffee and phone when I entered the office with all the poppers and confetti. Ang sabi ni Jayce ay may urgent meeting kaya hindi ko na natapos ang kape na binili ko. Lahat ng mga kaibigan ko rito sa trabaho ay nagsiksikan sa office ko habang may hawak-hawak na balloons. Even Ma'am Hilary and the rest of our heads were also present for the surprise.

Hindi ako agad nakapagsalita dahil sa gulat. Isa-isang lumapit sa akin ang ilang lalaki kong ka-trabaho at inabutan ako ng bulaklak.

"Thank you..." nahihiya kong sabi sa kanila.

Panghuling lumapit si Elias na isang bouquet naman ang bitbit at inabot sa akin.

"Happy birthday," nakangiti niyang bati. Ngumiti rin ako pabalik bago nilingon sina Jayce na may hawak namang cake.

"Nakakahiya, Jayce. Dinamay mo pa sina ma'am. Baka busy sila," bulong ko nang makalapit siya sa akin.

"They insisted, Vien. Huling birthday mo na rin daw kasi rito sa kompanya bago ka aalis sa trabaho kaya pumayag sila," she answered.

"By December pa naman mag e-expire ang kontrata ko, ah." I said to remind them.