CHAPTER 04

“Good morning Miss Blythe, Miss Elisha.” Bati sa amin ng secretary ni Geordane nang makarating kami dito sa ospital.

“Good morning Jaz,” I greeted back.

Pansin ko lang na mas busy ang mga tao ngayon dahil na rin sa napabalitang poison incident sa isang public school dito lang sa Makati at isang vehicular accident dahil sa Road Rage sa kahabaan ng EDSA.

Nai-kuwento ni Jaztyn sa amin na agad silang inalerto ni Geordane at nagbaba ng memo na kunin lahat ng batang pasyente at agad na dalhin sa ER para mabigyan ng karampatang lunas sa pagkalason at ma-examine din ang kinain nila na naging sanhi para sumama ang kanilang tiyan.

While praying for the kid’s speedy recovery, I am happy to know that Bryce ordered the Board that all the children brought from the poison incident will be treated for free in his hospital.

Jaztyn guided us from the reception until we reached the floor where Geordane’s office is located.

“Andiyan na ba si Geordane?” I asked.

“Nasa Emergency Room pa po dahil siya yung nag-asikaso sa mga batang dinala dito dahil sa pagkalason,” sagot ni Jaztyn.

“Matatagalan ba siya?” si Elisha.

Umiling naman ang sekretarya. “Hindi naman siguro Ma’am,”

Tumango na lang ako at napagdesisyunan namin ni Elisha na hintayin na lang si Geordane sa kanyang opisina.

Pagkarating ay pinagbuksan lang kami ni Jaztyn ng pinto para makapasok.. Si Elisha ay agad na naupo sa isa sa mga upuan sa harap ng lamesa ni Geordane. Hindi ko rin maiwasang hindi mapangiti nang madako ang aking tingin sa isang adjustable slotted shelves kung saan nakahilera ang mga plaques, trophies and certificates niya.

Her solo portrait in the center shows her donning the Medicus Civitas white coat. There was a gold name plate on her desk that displayed her name, her medical title, and her position here at the hospital.

As a friend, I'm proud to see her succeed in life. She genuinely is the embodiment of hard work and dedication, therefore she deserves everything that has come her way. She never squandered the chance to complete her education and establish herself as a respected female doctor in the town.

“Good morning! I’m sorry, inasikaso ko pa yung mga batang pasyente,” Geordane greeted us from the doorway.

“It’s okay. Kamusta na sila?” I asked.

“Most of them are out of danger, yung iba ay pinaasikaso ko na kay Doc Martinez.”

“That’s good to hear. Kawawa yung mga bata eh,”

Geordane also couldn't hide the tiredness on her face. Out of the three of us, she is the one we know almost never takes a break from work.

I saw her pumped an enough amount of hand sanitizer and adjusted the aircon. Parang yung lamig nito ay nanuot sa kalamnan ko na tila bumuhay sa kabang kanina ko pa kinukubli.

“Thank God naagapan namin sila, some of them ay naunang dinala sa ibang hospital pero ni-refer din dito sa MC dahil sa kakulangan nila ng doctor at medical equipment,” Geordane told us as she sit down on her seat.

That is the downfall of this country: a lack of medical professionals and a quality medical facility capable of assisting various patients in the most comfortable and cost-effective hospitals. I am glad that Bryce and Geordane choose to be doctors here, both through their profession and the renowned hospital founded by my brother.

“Finally, we’re complete.” Geordane exclaimed.

In line with our respective work and profession, we spend the majority of our time and attention on paperwork, seminars, and business travels both domestically and internationally. We only have time to chat on social media.

“Yeah! Masyado na tayong busy eh. Itong si E kagagaling lang ng Singapore.” sagot ko naman.

“Well, ganyan talaga ang buhay. Hustle hard! I can’t be a lazy Disney Princess coz’ this country is the new America when it comes to the cost of living!” sagot naman ni Elisha na siyang kinatawa namin.

Wala pang matinong tulog to. Kaninang umaga lang ay dinaan na lang sa vitamins at madaliang exercise sa gym ang pagbabalik ng energy niya. Tumawag pa nga yung PA niya na mayroon siyang modeling stint na nadagdag bago matapos ang buwan na ito.

“Kaya nga eh.” Geordane made a sigh and compose herself. “So, what brings you both here?”

Pareho kaming nag-angat ng tingin ni Elisha at saktong nagtama ang aming mga mata. Walang gustong may magsalita sa amin. Mas lalo na ako dahil ako ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit kami nagpunta kay Geordane ngayon.

At the moment, the sound from the air conditioner is the noise vibrating inside the room. Elisha was staring at me, as if she expected me to tell Geordane why we had come.

Geordane, was glancing at the two of us, and I could see she was puzzled about our sudden silence.

I bite my lower lip. I can’t.

Hindi ko kayang sabihin sa kanya dahil inuunahan na naman ako ng takot. Akala ko kanina ay kaya ko na pero ngayong nandito na ako ay parang naurong yung dila ko. Grabe yung kabog ng dibdib ko at nagsisimula na rin akong pamawisan.

“Is there something wrong─”

Elisha stood up and fished out something inside her purse. We were struck by what she did, but when she laid the one she was holding on the table, she simply raised an eyebrow and grinned.

“Here!”

Damn! It was my pregnancy test kit!

Buong akala ko nga ay naitapon ko na ang test kit noong nakaraan dahil hindi ko mahagilap sa buong unit ko.

Kita ko kung paano nag-iba ang ekspresiyon ng mukha ni Geordane habang unti-unting kinuha ang test kit at binasa ang resulta na nakatatak na doon.

Si Elisha ay prenteng nakaupo sa harapang upan at pasimpleng naghihintay ng reaksiyon ng kaibigan naming doctor.

"It's not April Fool's Day today. I'm sure of that,"

Geordane looks at us with her hinky eyes. The centralized aircon from her office isn't enough for the beads of sweat formulating in my forehead.

"You have your calendar right next to you, so malamang hindi," Elisha replied with her usual mean jokes.

I saw Geordane trying to sink everything in her head. Hindi niya alam kung kanino siya titingin sa aming dalawa ni Elisha. Hindi din naman niya alam kasi kung kanino yung PT na hawak niya.

“Is it yours?” Geordane asked our friend in front of me.

Doon na natawa si Elisha. “Mukha lang akong malandi at may katawang pang p****k pero hindi ako tatanga-tanga pagdating sa kepay ko! The last time I check, iisang budhi pa rin kami ni Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Parang nahiya naman ako sa joke na binitawan niya. Alam kong taklesa ang bunganga ni Elisha pero hindi ko inaasahan na magagawa niyang sabihin iyon kahit pa alam niyang maaaring masaktan ako.

Oras na rin siguro para harapin ko ang lahat ng takot ko. Nandito na rin naman ako at may tiwala ako sa kaibigan ko. Hindi din naman niya ako matutulungan ng lubusan kung hindi ako aamin.

With a heavy heart, I faced Geordane and smiled bitterly.

“I am pregnant.” Pag-amin ko.

Her facial expression switched gradually as she turned to face me. She searches for the countenance of someone who is kidding in my face, but I disappointed her by allowing my tears to fall. I will never make a joke about right now.

Kumurap kurap pa siya para pigilan ang mumunting luha na gusto na rin sanang umalpas mula sa kanyang mga mata. Ramdam ko yung simpatya ni Geordane at alam kong labis din siyang nagulat sa rebelasyon ko.

I just nodded to confirm what I had spilled a minute ago.

Mariing napapikit si Geordane dahil ngayon ay tila natatanggap na ng utak niya at ng kalooban niya na buntis ako. Humugot pa ito ng malalim na buntong-hininga bago tumayo. She went to a cabinet beside and got something.

"Paanong… I m-mean kailan to—"

 "Unser italienisches Patenkind ist auf dem Weg zu uns!" {Our Italian godchild is coming our way!} putol ni Elisha.

Mas lalo lang naguluhan si Geordane sa sinabi ni Elisha kaya mariin akong napapikit. I tried to reprimand Elisha for her vulgarity but she just smirked. Talagang ang taas ng energy niya para mang-asar ngayon.

"Remember when we invited you to go with us in Italy last month for the Art Expo? Well, there it happened that Blythe got—"

"Elisha! Stop it!"

I couldn’t help but to raise my voice at her. Nagsisimula na akong mainis sa kanya dahil na rin sa mga foul words na lumabas sa bibig nito. I warned her by just staring at her blankly. Nilingon ko lang si Geordane at humingi ng pasensiya.

“I am sorry but I believe it is better not to talk about how I got pregnant or who was involved to what happened to me in Italy. Please…” I said firmly.

Hindi pa rin kasi ako komportable na ikuwento sa kanila ang totoong nangyari. Iyon na ata ang parte ng buhay ko na ayaw ko nang malaman nila. Alang-alang na rin sa privacy ko at sa dignidad ko.

Kung meron man akong itatago sa dalawang ito ay iyon ang tungkol kung sino ang ama ng dinadala ko. Pilit akong ngumiti sa kanila para ipakita na ayos lang ako kahit pa ang totoo ay para akong nauupos na kandila.

"Besides, I went here for the checkup, not for some interrogation," I also clarified.

Doon na natauhan ang dalawa at nagsiiwasan ng tingin. Elisha acted her hand to zip her mouth and fished out her phone. Hinarap naman ako ni Geordane na may seryosong mukha.

"Alam na ba ni Bryce 'to?" She suddenly asked.

Bigla naman akong natigilan. Parang nanikip ang dibdib ko nang maalala si Kuya. Isang lingo na rin pala noong huling nagka-usap kami at hanggang ngayon ay nasa Amerika pa rin siya.

Umiling ako. "Hindi pa… at hindi mo muna puwedeng sabihin sa kanya ang tungkol dito, Dane!"

I sound scary by my last words but I mean it. Nakipagsukatan ako ng tingin sa kanya hanggang sa siya na mismo ang unang sumuko. I know she's not friends with Bryce anymore but I just want to be so sure. Kami ang magkaibigan ni Geordane at hindi malabong siya ang usisain ni Kuya kapag nakatunog iyon.

"You have my words, Blythe." she promised.

Ngumiti lang ako sa kanyang sagot. Napanatag na kahit paano ang loob ko sa sinabi niya. I know Geordane will keep her words.

She diverted the topic by asking me what I felt these past few days and when my last menstruation was. Nagbigay na rin ito ng mga dapat at hindi ko dapat na kainin for the first trimester since ito 'yong pinaka-crucial na buwan sa pagbubuntis.

Geordane also suggested na siya na lang ang pupunta sa akin during my checkup's para hindi maghinala ang mga empleyado dito at maging si Bryce.

"Be more careful now, medyo risky kasi dahil three weeks ka pa lang na buntis, though you can still work but in moderation. Don't stress yourself din dahil pwede maka-apekto ito sa baby mo."

Inilahad nito ang isang reseta ng mga vitamins at isang yellow na papel kung saan nakasulat ang mga pagkaing dapat kong kainin everyday.

"Thanks, Geordane. I owe you this one," pasasalamat ko.

My lifestyle will totally change. Isang malaking challenge ito para sa akin knowing I love having some extreme sports. Pero, okay lang as long as magiging okay kaming pareho ng baby ko.

"You're welcome. Basta 'pag may naramdaman kang masakit sa tiyan o kahit ano pa man, especially when you're having morning sickness. Don't hesitate to call me." paalala pa niya which I responded with my head nodding to her.

After this, I'll go to the supermarket to buy my food supply and the vitamins she listed. Medyo gumaan na rin ang pakiramdam ko lalo na at nasabi ko na kay Geordane ang tungkol sa pagbubuntis ko.

In the middle of our usual conversation, unexpected news flashed on the flat-screen TV, which shocked us.

Geordane accidentally dropped the coffee cup she was holding.