Nasa tapat na sila ng pinto ng pasyente kasama ang kaibigan niyang si Alice at akmang kakatok na ng mula sa likod ay may tumawag kay Alice.

"Doc Alice!" The male voice called out pertaining to her friend.

Ewan ba niya pero that certain moment she felt something strange upon hearing that voice, hindi siya maaring magkamali sa naririnig and she last heard that voice 12 years ago. Bigla siyang kinabahan at nagsimulang mag-init ang tenga.

"Oh Hi! Mr. Verganza." Bati ni Alice sa nasa likod nila na lalong nagpalakas ng kabog ng dibdib niya.

Sam immediately looked back to the man she didn't expect to see ever again pero nasa mismong harap na niya ngayon her heart is pounding so loud and she doesn't know what to do, nakatitig lang siya sa lalaki.

It was Vince and he was standing in front of her right now.

On the other hand Vince looks surprised too at na-estatwa din sa kinatatayuan pagkakita sa kanya maybe he recognize her also.

12 years have passed and yet it was still the same man he once fell in love with and once who gave her that damn heart break that almost killed her physically. May nabago naman dito and he already looked mature and mas naging manly na ito ngayun he was still the old Vince na malakas ang appeal lalo pag ngumingiti.

The same man who broke her heart 12 years ago. Sa isip ni Sam while staring at him.

Vince was still in shocked and he couldn't believe what's his eyes is seeing right now totoo ba ito? Samantha was in front of him?

Nasa harap niya ngayon ang babaeng iniwan niya 12 years ago and good lord she looks different now, mas gumanda ito ngayon at mukhang mas naging matapang na itong tignan at mas palaban sa buhay she was absolutely gorgeous with her outfit.

She was wearing a tight fitted jeans and a pink blouse na pinatungan ng blazer na puti na usual na ginagamit ng mga doctor she wore a high heeled close shoes na mas lalong nag emphasize sa striking aura nito.

Sam was a simple beauty eversince, dati hindi ito palaayos but he likes her simply the way she is.

Now she already know how to put make up and it's good on her.

He misses her so badly but he knew na galit ito sa kanya dahil sa pang iiwan niya dito noon.

Ipinilig ni Sam ang ulo, hindi siya dapat ma-distract dahil sa presence ni Vince, tapos na siya dito at isa siyang professional so trabaho lang kaya sila nagkatagpo ulit.

"Oh by the way Vince this is my friend Samantha Vargas, she is the cardiologist I've been telling you--- siya yung magiging private doctor ni Avery your daughter."

Pakilala at paliwanag ni Alice kay Vince.

Daughter daw?, Patanong niya sa isip, She haven't barely read the patient medical record kaya she wasn't aware na ito pala ang tatay ni Avery.

At sa dinami dami ng magiging pasyente ay ito pa talaga ang napunta sa kanya, iba din talaga maglaro ang tadhana kung minsan. She thought.

"Really?---Ahmm, Hello Sam!." Ganting bati nito sabay ngiti,
Vince still looks shocked  but automatically blink his eyes at inilahad ang palad to shake her hand.

Nag aatubili pa si Sam na makipag kamay dito but Alice was looking at her tsaka inginuso nito ang palad ni Vince na nakikipag kamay sa kanya.

It was an awkward situation though pero tinanggap niya ang pakikipagkamay nito.

"Hi it's nice to meet you Mr. Verganza."She said pretending not to know him.

Ayaw niyang magtanong si Alice at ma-ungkat pa ang nakaraan nila ng lalaki.

Nai-kwento na naman niya dito ang tungkol sa nangyari sa kanya before that she was broken hearted but she never told her who was the man behind it. Kaya ang alam ng kaibigan hindi niya kilala si Vince.

"So let's go in.?" Para makilala mo na si Avery. Alice broke the silence.

"Yeah come in." Sagot naman ni Vince at tsaka sila pumasok na.

Nang makapasok sila sa loob ng kwarto ay tulog pa ang bata.

It was her first time to see Avery up close, at parang may biglang humaplos sa kanya na awa para dito.

The child looks innocent and she had an angelic face at payapa itong natutulog na para bang walang malubhang sakit.

Her condition was actually fatal bawal itong pasamain ang loob dahil may tendency na hindi nito kakayanin kaya naman ang pag-aalaga dito ay dapat nakatutok at extra care.

Hindi na siya pwedeng mag back out pa kasi naka oo na siya kay Alice. At ayaw niyang mag isip ito na wala siyang word of honor.
Well it was a job for her kaya naman she had to be a professional.

"She's beautiful." She uttered while staring at the child.
"She is." Segunda naman ni Alice.

"I think we'll just have to talk outside." Vince said para hindi din maistorbo ang bata.

Lumabas sila at doon nag usap sa corridor and they talk about the set up while Vince and his daughter was here in the Philippines. Pansamantala lang naman daw itong titigil dito sa Pinas dahil may business daw itong aasikasikasuhin  at ayaw naman daw magpaiwan ng anak nito sa London kaya isinama na lamang niya ang bata and since bawal ngang pasamain ang loob nito kaya dinala na lang niya  dito together with him.

Avery was too special for Vince dahil the way he talks about the child seems to be very tender and full of love for his daugther. She heard from him that Avery's mom died while giving birth to her kaya naman hindi nito nakilala ang ina.

After they talk about all the necessary things to do and to fix habang nasa bansa ang mag-ama, nagpaalam na sila dito but Vince stops them.

"Ahmm Doc Alice I want a private talk to Doc. Samantha----
I will discuss to her some concern about Avery." Saad nito kay Alice asking her permission.

Nabigla siya sa sinabi nito kaya napabaling ang tingin niya sa binata at pinukol ito ng nagtatanong na mga mata 'bakit nito gustong sila lang ang mag usap?. Tanong niya sa isip.

"Oh sure Vince." Alice answered smiling at him tsaka niya binalingan si Sam.

"So pano Sam iiwan muna kita kay Vince. Okay? Just give me a ring if you needed something." Tugon naman ni Alice at tsaka ito umalis na leaving the two of them alone.

"So what terms you want to discuss sir?" Tanong niya kay Vince sa pormal na tono at ni hindi na nagpaligoy ligoy pa.

"Sam I didn't expect to see you again here---" He started

"I didn't know that you would be her private doctor and I don't want us to feel awkward to each other--- so I hope the past wouldn't affect us now?."
Saad nito na parang ipinapaliwanag na dapat huwag niya nang balikan ang nakaraan at umakto siya na parang walang nangyaring hindi maganda sa kanila in the past.

At talagang literal na ang kapal ng mukha nitong magsabi ng ganun sa kanya', Himutok ng isip ni Sam. She gave him a cold glare.

"Me too Vince, I didn't expect na magiging pasyente ko ang anak mo at kung alam ko lang I wouldn't accept it." Dire diretso at matapang niyang sagot dito.

At ito pa ang may ganang magsasabi ng ganun samantalang ito nga ang nang iwan noon.

"Don't get me wrong Sam.
I-Im sorry for the things I've caused you before. I want us to be okay while you are handling my daughter as a patient." He told her.

"Don't worry Mr. Verganza Im a professional and I will only do my job---
Nothing personal involve. And besides past is past right?"
Sarcastic niyang tugon dito na ngitian pa ito bitterly.

"Okay then that was fine with me. Thanks." Sagot naman nito sa kanya, may bahagyang lungkot siyang naaninag sa mga mata nito.

"So, kung wala ka nang sasabihin Mr. Verganza, I'd better go now." Pagpapaalam niya dito she couldn't stand it anymore naiilang siyang kaharap ito and she doesn't know why.

Pagtalikod niya dun bumalong ang luha sa mga mata niya hindi nya alam kung bakit naapektuhan pa rin siya ng ganun after all these years.

Ganito pala ang feeling pag nakita mo ulit ang dating nanakit sa damdamin mo. Naisip niya tuloy na bakit pa ba sila pinagtagpo kung kelan okay na siya.

Now the pain is coming back again and she couldn't contain her emotions towards the past.

*Next*