A/N:
Sometimes I still wonder why my stories have readers. Thank you, everyone.
***
She was for the lack of a better adjective, beautiful. And most importantly a Med student. Yes, that was the most crucial part.
My ex-girlfriend for all her hard work and saintly patience will never compete with the one my mother is introducing to me right now in this fancy, suit and tie type of restaurant. Without even trying, this beautiful girl already won my mother's heart and perhaps my whole clan's approval should she be introduced to them. Simply because she is an aspiring doctor. My ex-girlfriend who studies Literature by day and is writing stories at night has always been frowned upon.
In our family, there is one unwritten rule that we've been following for generations. If your child is a girl she has to be a doctor. If a boy, an engineer. That extends even to the person we are marrying. I have one cousin who is an accountant and everyone considered her a rebel. One married a theater actress and she was always the topic of hushed conversations. Our clan considered both of them the black sheep in the family and at every reunion, without fail, they will only be allowed to eat their food using a set of customized black dining sets. Black plates, spoons with black embellishments, and other black-colored tablewares. And they always have a 'special' table that is always covered in a black table cloth.
There are only four people in this elite BLACK TABLE.
Two are our blood relatives (the accountant and the one who married a theater actress) and the two others are their spouses. The discrimination couldn't be any more advertised in our family reunions.
Call it petty but the older ones in our family do know how to keep grudges seriously.
So forget about love. Don't care about the personality. Never even mention compatibility.
Just med student. Future doctor. Medical profession.
Those are the only acceptable keywords. Other than those, my relatives won't even bother even if someone is kind, patient, and agreeable.
But even after knowing all the consequences, I'm still willing to reserve a seat in the BLACK TABLE. Unfortunately, we didn't last. My former girlfriend didn't know about this 'family tradition' but seeing how she can't stand even just my mother, I realized that we're probably not really meant to be together. I can't imagine how horrific it will be for her if she knew worst things are waiting.
So perhaps this is for the best?
"Mark," my mother called me and broke the spell.
"Yes, ma?"
"I said how about you take her to our next family reunion? It'll be held in the family resort, I believe Mary will love it." My mother smiled openly but pinched me under the table.
It's apparent I wasn't paying them any attention. Did she say the girl's name was Mary? Well, that was news to me. I didn't know she has a name. My bad.
"Sure, ma," I answered in the affirmative but is already thinking about how I can make my companion cancel. I didn't want to bring and introduce someone to my family unless I genuinely like her.
My mother liked my answer and proceed to continue the conversation with Mary. They were talking about dresses and thankfully, my input is not needed.
*
After we had our lunch, I decided to head to a grocery store before going back to my place. I didn't eat much at the restaurant. The ambiance was off and I was afraid I might get indigestion.
Getting the ingredients for a hotpot I'm planning to make, I kept thinking about when will the kind Phi call me up to give me my jacket. It's been a day and a half since then and I'm pretty sure it's already done by now. Is he too busy to pick it up, I wonder.
Then from out of nowhere, I saw a cauliflower rolling over. It stopped just right before my feet.
Who dropped this? I check the aisle next to the one I'm on and saw no one. Hm. I still have a lot of veggies so I decided to just bring it back to the vegetable section of the grocery.
Walking about I passed by the aisle where the chocolates were. I know I shouldn't linger but I can't help it. Galaxy, tootsie roll, KitKat . . . and the kind Phi? Wait, so this is where he goes to get his groceries as well? I was about to approach him and say hello when someone beat me to it.
"I'm sorry." She began to say.
Phi stared at her.
"I was wrong. I'm sorry." She continued with much difficulty.
"Do I know you?" came Phi's reply.
Wait. I'm lost. So he doesn't know her?
The girl only looked at him while opening and closing her mouth several times. It seems like she has a lot to say but didn't know which one to say first.
"Is this how you'll play it?" She asked after apparently struggling to keep her cool.
Phi looked calm and unmoved.
The accusation in her voice is telling me something is off. The previous apologies she said aren't the type you give a random stranger after bumping at him and spilling his groceries.
"I'm sorry, I've been diagnosed with selective amnesia. I lost some of my memories. I can't even remember my birthday. Are you perhaps a friend of mine?" Phi explained.
Wait. Something is not adding up.
The girl looked at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. She also didn't buy the explanation right away.
"Is this a joke? Are you kidding me?"
"I wish I were."
"We spent years together, how could you just forget all that?"
I saw a change in Phi's expression as he clench his fist and I knew I needed to help him.
"Phi, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be resting. The doctor said you shouldn't overexert yourself, remember?"
I entered the scene like a mother hen fussing over my Phi and quickly drag him out of the place.
This is why I'm better off studying Engineering. Acting, just wasn't my thing.
***
A/N:
Two more to go.
