Chapter 04

My eyes widened when I heard the name that came out of Iñigo's treacherous mouth! My body was telling me na lumingon to confirm kung totoo ba na nandito si Chester or Iñigo was just being a pest as usual! But my mind was telling me to chill! Kasi so what naman if nandito nga si Chester?! Hindi naman weird na magkasama kami ni Iñigo! Hindi rin naman weird na nandito siya kasi hindi naman siya personan non grata sa lugar na 'to?

'Okay, Gracey. Your points are all valid, so just calm down,' I told myself. 'Sakalin mo na lang si Iñigo if ever na ilaglag ka niya sa soon-to-be brother in law niya.'

Huminga ako nang malalim.

"Bakit?"

Oh, my gosh. Nandito nga si Chester. I didn't know if I'd be pissed kay Iñigo sa ginawa niya or be actually pleased na nandito nga si Chester. Ang hirap niya kayang hanapin sa ospital! If hindi ko lang siya kilala, I'd wonder kung totoo ba na sa St. Matthew's din siya. He's like a ghost!

"Punta ka raw sa apartment sabi ni Cha," sabi ni Iñigo.

"Talaga?" nagtataka na tanong ni Chester. To be honest naman, napaka-walang kwenta ng sinabi ni Iñigo na reason. Anyone who knows his 'housemate' would find it weird dahil hindi naman si Cha iyong tipo ng nag-aaya ng party sa bahay niya.

Iñigo just shrugged. Gosh. "Nga pala, thank you ulit sa pagpunta kay Gracey," sabi ni Iñigo. "Magpasalamat ka nga, Gracey."

Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata bago ako humarap kay Chester and nagsmile. "Tha—" I stopped because I remembered him telling me na ten times na raw ako nagthank you sa kanya. Baka isipin niya sobrang shortterm memory ako if magpasalamat na naman ako ngayon. "Can I buy you a coffee?" I asked instead kasi iyong ibibigay ko na coffee sa kanya nun ay naibigay ko sa iba.

Tumingin siya sa akin tapos tumingin kay Iñigo tapos ay tumingin muli sa akin. The smile on my face was still there. Baka isipin niya sketchy ako! Si Iñigo kasi, e! Kainis! Palibasa masaya na siya sa love life niya! Paano naman iyong mga kagaya ko na searching pa rin?

"No need," sabi ni Chester sa akin. Tumingin ulit siya kay Iñigo. "Anong oras ako pupunta?"

Iñigo shrugged. "Tanungin ko muna si Cha. Text kita."

Tumango si Chester bago dumiretso sa counter. Nang makaalis siya, tumingin ako kay Iñigo at pinanlakihan siya ng mga mata.

"What was that!" sabi ko sa kanya. Kung nasa tabi ko lang siya, pipingutin ko tenga nito kagaya ng ginagawa ko dati nung bata pa kami!

"Wala," sabi ni Iñigo na naka-ngisi. "Sure ka ba na crush mo lang? Grabe kahit nung high school tayo 'di ka naman ganyan magreact sa 'kin."

I made a disgusted face. "Ew," I replied.

Tawa lang siya nang tawa sa akin. It's still so bizarre to think na naging kami ni Iñigo before! Mas bagay kasi sa amin maging best friends kaysa kung anuman. Thank God talaga na dumating si Cha sa buhay niya kung hindi, mafoforce ako magpakasal sa kanya kapag nasa 40s na kami and both single pa rin.

"Takot ka naman masyado. 'Di naman kita ilalaglag kay Chester."

"So you mean to say na invited talaga siya ni Cha sa apartment niyo?" I asked.

Iñigo shrugged. Baliw talaga. Then nagtataka siya bakit madalas naka-tingin lang sa kanya si Cha. She's probably speechless sa lahat ng antics ng housemate niya!

"Close ba kayo?" I asked para may silbi naman iyong pagkikita namin.

He shrugged again. Nagtry siya uminom sa coffee niya pero natigilan siya kasi lumabas sa ilong niya kanina. Deserved. Ibinaba niya iyong cup. "Sakto lang."

"Well, can you tell me anything useful?"

"Di ba same kayo na sa St. Matthew's?" he asked.

I nodded. "Pero hindi ko siya nakikita madalas..."

"Nandun lang 'yun for sure," he replied. Tumingin siya sa akin tapos tumingin sa counter pero wala na roon si Chester. He's really like a ghost na mabilis mawala! "Di daw umuuwi halos 'yun sabi ni Cha kaya nandun lang 'yon."

"Why?" I asked, feeling bad for him all of a sudden kasi ako kapag pagod na ako sa duty, iyong pag-uwi sa bahay and paghiga sa kama ko iyong isa sa mga nilu-look forward ko talaga. Plus home cooked meals! Siguro kahit may asawa na ako madalas nasa bahay pa rin ako para maki-kain. O baka isama ko si Manang sa kung saan man ako tumira.

But Iñigo didn't give me a direct answer anymore... And hindi na rin ako nakapagtanong because he remembered the reason why kami nagkita and it was his turn to 'interrogate' me about what happened that one night.

* * *

The next few days were tiring but fulfilling as always—ito 'yung mga tipo ng araw na sobrang busy ako to the point na parang naka-autopilot na iyong katawan ko sa gagawin. Like I'd go to the hospital for my duty and then go home to rest. Tapos ganoon ulit. It's undeniably tiring, but this was the life that I wanted and I'd choose it again kahit gaano pa ako ka-pagod.

"Kasama ka ba?" Trixie asked. Naka-sandal ako sa pader habang umiinom ng kape. I still had a few more hours on my shift. I needed to stay awake. "Bulacan?" she asked.

"Ano'ng meron sa Bulacan?" I asked back. Pupunta ba ako sa Bulacan? Ha? Kailan?

"Medical mission? Tomorrow na 'yon? Nagsign-up ka, 'di ba?"

My eyes widened. "Oh, my gosh! Oo nga!" I said. Sobrang busy na ata ako na nalimutan ko 'yon. Hindi ko ba nalagay sa planner ko? It's so unlike me na makalimot sa ganito!

"Sana may magvolunteer pa," she said, groaning a little.

"Bakit?"

"Nagbackout si Tan," she replied. "Naghahanap sila ng papalit. Kapag hindi feel ko ako iaalay," she added. "I mean, okay lang naman but not this week."

Trixie was telling me about what an inconvenience it would be kapag siya iyong pinasama sa Bulacan nang mapatingin ako sa gilid ko. My eyes widened a little nang makita ko si Chester na naka-tayo doon sa may bandang nurses station. Kanina pa kaya siya roon? After a week, nakita ko rin siya! Saan kaya siya nagtatago dito sa hospital? It's so hard to find him! Tapos mawawala pa ako for two weeks. But it's not it's gonna be any different kasi kahit nandito naman ako hindi ko rin naman siya nakikita lagi.

"Have to go," Trixie said. "Fingers crossed na may ibang magvolunteer!" she added before she hurriedly went to wherever she was needed.

Sobrang lakas ata ng boses ni Trixie dahil napatingin sa direction namin si Chester. I smiled a little and then waved at him. Okay lang naman na magwave ako... right? I mean, I wouldn't consider us as 'friends' but we're certainly not strangers anymore. So... acquaintance, perhaps?

"Hi," I said as I walked towards him. Tama naman iyong sinabi ni Iñigo na with other guys, makapal iyong mukha ko. Hindi ko alam bakit hiyang-hiya ako kay Chester for some reason. Maybe I should treat him like any other guy para hindi ganito na sobrang weird ko around him! Baka layuan niya ako.

"Hi, Grace," he replied. Napa-tingin ako sa binabasa niya. Chart pala 'yon ng isa sa mga patients, so I averted my gaze.

"Gracey," I said. "Or Graciella. No one really calls me Grace," I told him. Napa-tingin siya sa akin. Man, those eyes! I now understood kung bakit weird ako around him kasi eyes niya palang meron na akong ganitong reaction! Hindi naman ako first time makakita ng singkit na mata pero for some reason, his eyes were making my heart beat so fast inside my chest.

He shrugged. "Okay, Gracey."

"Or Grace," I said, shrugging, too. "If you're more comfortable with calling me Grace, that's fine, too."

Gosh... sobrang obvious ko na yata.

"Or Gracey," sabi ko. "Seriously, kung saan ka masaya."

Kumunot iyong noo niya. "Okay," he said. "Monday and Tuesday, Gracey. Wednesday and Thursday, Grace. Friday and Saturday, Graciella," he said and then looked at the pocket on my coat. "Dr. Arevalo kapag Sunday."

My lips parted. I blinked.

"Wait... is this you trying na magjoke?" I asked because I was confused for a second!

His face reddened. Oh, my gosh! Ito iyong joke niya? Hala baka nahiya siya sa akin. Should I laugh?! But then that would be weirder!

He cleared his throat. "Hindi, ah. Paano naging joke 'yon?" he said na parang nahiya na, but ang puti niya kaya kaya kita na namumula iyong dulo ng mga tenga niya. So adorable!

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing. Tumingin siya sa akin. Umiling ako to signal na hindi naman ako tumatawa. Hindi ko naman siya pinagtatawanan!

"Not doing anything!" I said and I even raised my hand to be more convincing. "Besides, I don't see the need sa maraming nicknames. Hindi naman kita nakikita madalas dito..." I added, hoping that he'd get the hint na hinahanap ko siya and aware ako na hindi ko siya madalas makita.

The people around me are right—at times, I am shameless.

"Peds ka, 'di ba?" he asked.

I nodded. "How'd you know?"

"Narinig ko lang."

"Kanino?"

"Kila Cha."

I nodded. Pinagchichismisan pala ako nung dalawa na 'yon. "Saan ka?" I asked, to keep the conversation going kasi nga minsan ko lang siya makita so I needed to make the most out of it. Sa mga patients ko, please kalma lang kayo kasi nagwowork for a love life si Dr. Gracey!

"Internal med," he replied.

"That's nice," I said. "By the way..." I added. "Interested ka ba sa medical mission? I heard mayroong vacant slot kasi may isang nagka-conflict sa time."

Hindi naman totally self-serving iyong alok ko sa kanya. Internal med siya, so for sure maraming matatanda ang may kailangan sa kanya. It's like hitting two birds with one stone!

"Kailan?" he asked.

"Tomorrow," I replied.

"Agad?"

I nodded. "Yeah... May nagbackout kasi, so sayang naman 'yung slot," sabi ko.

Inilagay niya iyong pen niya sa may bulsa ng coat niya. Kanina pa kasi siya medyo naka-bent habang may sinusulat sa sticky note. Nung tumayo siya, confirmed na na hanggang balikat niya lang ako.

"May duty ako bukas," he said.

I nodded. "Oh, okay..." sabi ko.

"Next time," sabi niya.

"Yeah, next time," I replied because it's not like pwede ko siyang kaladkarin papunta sa Bulacan. I just asked but I knew naman na medyo malabo kasi bukas na nga pala 'yon. "Bye for now," sabi ko kasi duty calls once again. At least I was able to talk to him kahit sandali!

* * *

The next day, tulog lang ako habang byahe papunta sa Bulacan. After duty kasi, umuwi lang ako to grab some things tapos bumalik ulit ako sa hospital kasi nandun iyong mini bus na sasakyan. Pwede naman na magdrive daw, but I was in no position to drive kaya sumabay na lang ako doon.

It was quite a travel kasi after nung sa bus, lumipat pa kami ng sasakyan kasi kailangan tumawid sa ilog. Medyo malayo kasi iyong lugar kaya yearly meron talagang medical mission sa place na 'to. I always look forward to doing this kind of trip, but I sincerely hope na magkaroon sila ng maayos na health care kasi once a year lang naman iyong medical mission namin and iyong health care, it should be an all year round thing.

Maybe I should consider applying to be a doctor to the barrio...

"Pahinga muna kayo ngayon," sabi ni Dr. Alvarez. "Bukas ng 7AM call time natin."

I nodded as I made my way to my assigned sleeping place. Balak ko lang matulog today talaga kahit na narinig ko iyong ibang kasama ko na gusto nilang mag-explore kasi ang ganda dito—very probinsya feels with all the greens and no pollution from the cars.

They tried to wake me up for lunch and dinner but I answered with my eyes closed. I'd always choose sleep over eating lalo na kapag ganito na pwede akong matulog talaga without thinking that I'm avoiding any work or responsibility. I like sleep the most when it's guiltfree!

At around 11PM, nagising na ako. I got out and saw na tulog na pala halos lahat ng kasama ko. But my stomach was making it known na kailangan kong kumain. I headed straight to the kitchen para kumuha ng food. Pagpasok ko, nakita ko na may naka-tayo sa may harap ng naka-bukas na ref.

I wasn't sure if I was imagining things or what or maybe I was sleep walking...

"Chester?" I asked habang kinukusot ko iyong mga mata ko because the back of the person really looked like it was his. And nang lumingon iyong lalaki, it really was Chester. He was holding a bottle of water habang naka-tingin sa akin na naka-kunot ang noo. Kumunot din ang noo ko.

"This is a dream. I am sleep walking," I murmured to myself bago ako naglakad palabas because he's clearly in Manila and not here in Bulacan. Pero bago pa ako makalabas, I turned around once again at humarap sa kanya. "Why is it easier to see you in my dreams than in real life?" I asked bago ako tumalikod at naglakad pabalik sa room ko. I should be sleeping in my bed.

**
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