The meet-up was at seven but Shay and I got to the venue before eight.

It wasn't because of traffic.

She got to the condo late because of an argument with her mother.

Even without saying anything, the clenched jaw and her tense shoulders told me a lot.

While she would normally greet me with a smile and a kiss, she walked in the door without even saying hello.

"What's wrong?" I asked, gently closing the door behind me.

"Nothing." She answered, her voice hard.

Shay sat on the couch, leaned back and closed her eyes.

I took the spot beside her and rest my hand on her thighs.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." I said softly.

She raised her head and the look on her face was familiar.

It was the upset look she wears after a disagreement with her mother.

"What happened now?"

"She confronted me about you."

"Ah." I remarked.

"Mama asked why everytime I go out, I'm always with you." She took a deep breath.
"What did you say?"

"What am I supposed to say, Julia? That I love spending time with my girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Maybe if you do that, then she'll finally stop asking you about me." I answered, upset at her outburst.

Shay shook her head repeatedly.

"You know they won't like it."

"Do they like it when you lie?"

She ran her hand over her hair.

"It's not that easy."

I sighed, remembering what I told her months ago.

#

I haven't met her family because she doesn't know how to tell them about us.

She used to have a boyfriend but they broke up after three years of dating.

He was working as a seaman and met someone overseas.

"That's why I don't like long distance relationships." She confided when we started hanging out with each other at the hospital cafeteria.

That was also the reason why we've only started dating almost a year ago.

I knew after a few months of spending time with her that I was attracted to her.

But I knew she was straight because when we talk about relationships, she mentioned her ex-boyfriend.

I dated a couple of straight girls before and told myself not to do it again, if I can help it.

It wasn't because they weren't great people.

The truth was, they were.

It's just that when they talk of their future, they speak of being married and having kids with their husbands.

When that happens, I stop going out with them.

No matter how much I like them, I don't want to waste our time on something that was going nowhere.

When I met Shay, I wasn't planning on being with someone.

But the more we got to know each other, the more I felt the pull of attraction.

She's funny, smart and no-nonsense.

Her feistiness reminded me of a certain someone I've met a long time ago.

I shouldn't compare but it was hard not to.

If one of the doctors gave her a hard time about the diagnostic images, she doesn't just shut up and take it.

She tells the doctor what's on her mind.

This attitude is what made her popular at the hospital.

Shay told me that I wasn't the first person to give her coffee or food.

"If I'm right, I fight." She told me before.

#

When I realized my attraction, I put a distance between us.

She noticed how I don't spend lunch or coffee time with her anymore.

I told her I was busy, which was true.

If I'm not doing surgery, I am at the office checking reports.

But like what I said, she was smart.

She invited me to lunch and when I said no, she cornered me at the hospital parking lot on my way home one early morning.

"Are you stalking me now?" I asked when I saw her sitting on a bench, the streetlamp casting a silver glow to the surrounding.

"You've been avoiding me."

"I wasn't." I lied.

"Just been busy."

"I hate that answer." She stood up and watched as I opened the passenger door and put my briefcase away.

"What's wrong?" Shay placed a hand on my arm.

"Nothing's wrong." I closed the door.

"Julia," I told her to call me by that name when we're together.

It took a while for her to get used to it.

"You haven't been texting me as much. Not that I expect you to because I know you really are busy but you used to find the time."

"There's not enough time lately." I replied.

Shay lowered her eyes, offended her by my curt answers.

"I'm not stupid. I know when someone is intentionally avoiding me."

I leaned on the car door.

We both had a long night.

I was supposed to be off at six in the evening when I was called to the ER.

There was a collision between a passenger jeepney and a van.

Nine people were injured in the accident with three of them needing surgery for injuries in the head and the chest.

I didn't finish until after midnight.

Shay had to work overtime to help the other MRI technician with the films we needed.

"I like you." I told her.

"Well, I like you too."

I smiled then shook my head.

"Not in the way you think."

She looked at me, puzzled.

"Oh." She dragged the words as if she was only coming to a realization at that moment.

"I don't want any complications so I stayed away."

"That does sound complicated doesn't it?" She smiled and I felt my exhaustion slipping away.

Her smile just captivates me.

It's warm and genuine, just like her.

"Can we at least be friends?"

"I don't want to be your friend." I answered.

"I like you so much to be just a friend."

Her shoulders sank.

"It's weird when other people are honest towards you." She said.

"You should know."
She nodded.

"What are we going to do now?" She looked up, her eyes filling with disappointment.

"We go home, take our rest and go back to work again later." I answered.

"That sounds fair." She agreed.

"I guess I'll see you then, Julia."

I nodded.

Shay walked away.

I watched when she got into her car then waved as I went into mine.

#

     Three weeks after that conversation, I found her again on the same bench one night, the light from the lamp post bright and glaring.

There were no urgent surgeries this time or any vehicular collisions.

It was my regular shift and I assume it was hers.

"Is this going to be a thing between us?" I asked before I opened the door to put away my briefcase.

She stood up, a serious look on her face.

"I want to talk to you."
"You couldn't ask me when we're inside the hospital instead of here with the mosquitoes?" I joked.

She didn't smile.

"I've been thinking a lot."

"About what?"
Shay took a deep breath.

"I can handle complications."

I frowned.

"I like you too, Julia."

"That's why when you started avoiding me, I wondered if I did something wrong." She paused. "Also, I miss you."

The memories of what happened between my straight exes and I came back to me.

A part of me screamed to tell me not to fall for it again.

Think of their parents who may not accept the relationship.

Think of their friends who will question why you spend so much time with each other.

Think about work and how it's not acceptable to be with a co-worker.

Think about how you have to help her navigate being with a woman.

Just think, Julia!

Don't be stupid.

Shay stepped closer and took my hand.

I stood there, motionless, even as she linked our fingers.

"Will you give me a chance?"
I looked in her light brown eyes.

It was so earnest.

I looked away and saw that it was just the two of us.

"Are you sure about this?"

She nodded.

I could hear the voice in my head screaming loud and clear.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked.

"We go home, take our rest, go back to work again later and start over?" She replied.

I laughed.

"I have a better idea."
Shay gave me a questioning look.

"Why don't you come home with me? I'll make you coffee." I offered.

"Sounds good to me."

I unlocked the car and went around to open the door for her.

When we got in, Shay leaned forward to kiss me on the lips.

#

     Love is so much sweeter during the early stages.

Everything is alive, colorful, filled with possibilities.

It felt like nothing could go wrong.

When it's just the two of us, we were in heaven.

But as we began to talk about the future, the veil of illusion lifted like a cloud of dust.

She's very close to her family.

Her younger brother and sister looked up to her.

Being the eldest, she was expected to take care of them.

So far, she's been doing a good job.

After graduating, she was hired to work at Santos Gen.

A few years later, she was the head MRI and CT technologist.

Her job provides cushion in a lot of ways but Shay wanted more.

Since her parents retired, her income was the main resource.

She mentioned that she tried to apply overseas.

So far, she hasn't been lucky.

When she reached 24, her mother started bugging her about marriage.

At the time, she and her ex just met.

When they started dating, her mother was ecstatic.

The topic would come up often and she said she believed they would end up together.

"I think my mother was more devastated when we broke up."

When the guy and the new girl didn't work out, he contacted Shay but she refused to meet with him.

Her mother was upset at what she did.

"He cheated on me and she was expecting that I will take him back as if nothing happened."

Now that she's almost thirty, the constant reminder to get married got even more intense.

"You have to decide, Shay. Are you happy with us being this way?"

"It's easy for you to say because your family accepts you for who you are."

"But it didn't happen just like that. I have to come out to them and claim who I am."

She stood up but I held her by the wrist.

"When will you be ready?"

"I don't know."

#

The drive to the meet-up was a quiet one.

Lost in her thoughts, Shay was looking out the window the whole time.

I focused on the road but I wondered at what's going to happen to us.

I told her I would wait when the time comes that she's ready to talk to her family about our relationship.

But sometimes, I feel restricted by the rules she had set for the two of us.

We don't hold hands when we're out in public.

She doesn't have pictures of the two of us together and it's the same for me.

There were a few of her colleagues who knew about us although we try not to be around each other too much when we're at the hospital.

We don't work at the same department.

I don't go to the Diagnostic Imaging if I don't have to.

When we go out, she's always looking over her shoulder afraid someone might recognize us.

I gave her a key to my condo so she can slip in and out if she wanted to.

She doesn't go there without sending me a text to let me know.

#

     I parked my car beside a white Range Rover, it's shiny exterior glistening under the glow of the street lamp.

Shay got out without waiting for me to open the door.

Walking ahead of me, she entered the restaurant.

When she's upset, I feel like I'm the enemy and not her family.

She doesn't talk, leaving me to walk around eggshells.

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I am almost a decade older, that I've been in this situation far longer than she was.

I have to be more understanding.

I want to but I can only do so much.

I'm human too.

But when I agreed to be in this relationship, I knew what I was getting into.

It happened to me with Arizona when we were in high school and had to keep the relationship secret so we wouldn't be kicked out of St. Michael's.

I entered the venue and it was packed.

Laughter and the loud conversation from the guests echoed in the hallway.

Soft, romantic guitar music played in the background.

There was a huge painting of a matador standing in front of a bull, swinging the muleta while the bull charged towards him.

A bearded man wearing a crisp white shirt with a red bowtie stood behind the bar talking to a man and a woman.

Behind him were rows of expensive bottles of liquor.

I followed Shay as the female host led her to the corner booth were Rose and the Warriors were seated.

When I reached the table, I came eye-to-eye with a person I didn't expect to see.

A/N: Vote/Comment/Share and have a good day :)