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Chapter Thirty-four

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I thought to myself that if Aaron will really love another and doesn't love me anymore...I told myself that it's all right. Isa pa nagmahal na rin naman siya noon ng iba bukod sa akin. He loved Sophie. I wonder how he felt when Sophie got married to his brother. Mukhang masaya naman sina Jarvis at Sophie sa isa't isa and already planning to have a child as to what I've heard from Tita Eris.

Matagal na rin iyong naging relasyon nila noon ni Aaron at agad din naghiwalay noong umuwi sila rito sa bansa. But still I wonder if Aaron still think about Sophie... Dahil hindi naman siguro talaga sila naghiwalay noon if it's not because he got me pregnant. Kung wala lang si Bella siguro matagal na rin kaming hindi nag-usap ni Aaron.

Or not anymore... Maybe Aaron doesn't think about Sophie anymore. Because he already has someone else now. Iyong babae na kasama niya sa mall noong isang araw lang.

If I'll be honest it surely still hurts. It hurt me to think of these thoughts. Masakit isipin na hindi ka na mahal ng mahal mo. Because to be honest I still love Aaron. Bukod sa siya ang daddy ni Bella, I still really love him. He's my first and only love. And I wonder if like him I could also love another person other than him...

"Mommy, are you all right?"

Napukaw ako ng maliit at malambing na boses ni Bella. I immediately turned to my daughter. I gave her a reassuring smile. Tinanggal ko na rin ang seatbelts niya dahil nandito na kami sa school niya at hinatid ko siya. I was quiet a while ago while driving her to school. And she noticed my silence. 'I'm sorry, sweetheart...' I brought my hand up to her face and gently touched her cheek with my palm. "Of course, sweetheart. Mommy's all right. I'm sorry, I was just thinking of my work later at the hospital. Don't worry about me. Mommy's just fine. Come on now." Pagkatapos ay giniya ko na siya palabas ng sasakyan para mahatid ko pa siya sa classroom niya.

Bella's becoming observant...or maybe kids are just really sensitive with things around them... I sighed. I held my daughter's hand as I walked her to her classroom.

Sandali ko pang nakausap ang teacher niya bago ko siya iniwan na muna doon para makapag-aral siya. Ang bilis ng panahon. Next school year she will be already in grade school. Nakakatuwa na nakakalungkot din because the day will come that she won't be my little daughter anymore...

"Take care at work, Mommy!" Bilin pa niya sa akin.

I smiled to my daughter. "You, too. Tell teacher if something happens to you here. So that teacher can immediately call Mommy and I can come here to you. Be a good girl and study well." mga bilin ko rin sa kaniya.

"Um-hum!" She gave me her pretty smile.

I smiled more. Bella can truly make me happy.

I realized that I shouldn't continue to hurt myself more because of my hurtful thoughts about Aaron. We have Bella now. I have my daughter who can make me happy, too. And she should be enough for me to continue my life and be happy.

"Mommy will go now. I still have work at the hospital. See you later."

"See you later, Mommy!"

Pagkatapos ay bumalik na siya sa loob ng classroom nila. I watched her until she's already seated in front of her desk. Pagkatapos ay tuluyan na akong umalis at iniwan muna siya sa school.

I went back to my car and drove myself to the hospital. Pagdating ko doon ay busy na agad. Kapag hindi rin ako masyadong abala ay naghahanap pa rin ako ng ibang gagawin. I check the Emergency, I check our medicine stock at the pharmacy, at kung ano-ano pa. Tinitingnan ko rin sa office dito ni dad how our hospital was doing. I see through the Dela Cuesta Medical's records from time to time. Hindi pa naman retired si dad and he's not old yet. But when he does retire sa akin na rin mapapasa ang trabaho niya so it's good that I check on his work too as early as I started my duties here at our hospital.

Lance will probably become a doctor like us, too. Kaya makakatulong ko rin ang kapatid ko dito sa hospital namin. So we'll be fine.

"Tristeen,"

Bumaling ako kay mommy. "Mom," I noticed that she just came from the OR. May surgery nga pala siya ngayon sa isang patient niya. Both my parents were surgeons.

"Done, Mom?" I smiled.

She nodded. "Yes, hija. And thank God it was successful." She sighed an exhausted sigh. "I'll be taking my rest now. How about you? May ginagawa ka pa? Kumain ka na ba?"

Umiling ako. "Hindi pa po, Mom."

"Anong oras na? Kung wala ka nang ginagawa, sumunod ka sa akin sa taas sa office ng Dad mo. Doon na lang din tayo kakain at magpapahatid na lang ako ng pagkain doon."

Tumango ako kay Mommy.

"Mom, kung...hindi po kayo nagpakasal ni Daddy... And you only have me, will you be okay?"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Mommy. Before she answered. "Yes, hija. I think I'll be just fine. I have you." She smiled to me.

Napangiti rin ako sa naging sagot ni mommy.

"But I did not regret marrying your Dad either. Nakikita mo naman kung paano sa atin ang Daddy mo. And I love him."

Unti-unti akong ngumiti at tumango sa sinabi ni Mommy.

Ngumiti rin si mommy at nagpatuloy kami sa pagkain. Until dad came to his office too where mom and I were. Pareho kami ni mommy na sinalubong si daddy ng ngiti. Daddy smiled too seeing us both there.

Kakabalik ko lang sa clinic ko at hindi pa man ako nakakapasok doon sa labas pa lang ay sinalubong na ako ng assistant ko. "Doc,"

"Yes?"

Pero may nakita na akong isang tao na lumabas sa clinic ko. Sinalubong ako nito ng ngiti. Bahagya namang umawang ang labi ko. "Noah..."

"Sorry to bother your assistant, Doc." he said.

"Ayos lang, po. Wala pa namang patient si doc." My assistant smiled to him. Bago ito nagpaalam na bumalik sa loob ng clinic ko at iniwan kaming dalawa ni Noah doon sa tahimik na pasilyo ng ospital.

"What are you doing here...?"

"I just came back from the States." he smiled.

He looked...gentler now...

Napangiti na lang din ako. Nag-aral nga pala siya sa ibang bansa para sa family business nila. And he stayed there for I think two years, too. "Nakabalik ka na pala."

He nodded.