Let's Play Doctor!

Game 19 - Do you think I would let you fall

Game 19 - Do you think I would let you fall

"You really have great sons Tita." pag-puri ko kay Tita Lara habang parehas kaming nakatingin sa tatlo niyang anak na sina Caleb, Caden at Cole. They were with their father cooking the barbeque. Ang carefree nilang tignan at talagang halatang masaya sila na magkakasama sila. 

Nginitian ako ni Tita Lara. "I'm lucky to have them as my sons." sagot niya sa akin.

"At swerte rin sila Tita dahil kayo rin yung magulang nila. Look at them isang COO ng bangko, architect at engineer at dahil niyan sa pagpapalaki niyo." 

She smiled sweetly at me. "Naku Emma, binobola mo pa ako alam mo naman na botong boto na ako sayo." she chuckled. "But I don't want to take credit for what they achieved. Hindi rin naman kami ng daddy nila ang nagpa-aral sa kanila." she said. "Mga scholar sila at well I'm proud but I can't take the credit." 

Tumango tango ako. The three brothers sure are something. Scholar and they achieved great things lalo na si Caleb, isang COO na agad ngayon ng West United Bank, one of the biggest bank in the world. And to be the COO for the Philippine branch is something. And there is Caden na isang architect, halatang may talent to dahil sa bahay ngayon nila. Lastly si Cole, chemical engineer that's something. 

"But you, you're a doctor right?" 

I nodded and smiled. "Opo Tita. Nuero." 

"Your parents must be proud. Sa Ibarra ka nagwo-work diba?" she asked me. "That's really great, you're working with one of the state of the art hospital in our country." she told me. "Pang mga mayaman." she muttered. 

Dumiresto ako ng upo at kinuha yung baso ng juice at uminom. "Hindi naman po. Ibarra is not just for the rich." I defended. 

Nagpaypay ulit siya "Naku Emma, don't try to deny it. Ibarra was built for the rich families during the Spanish occupation. Alam ko naman na tumutulong parin kayo sa mga mahihirap pero the main branch will always be for the rich." 

I nodded. She was quite correct in a sense rin naman. Pero hindi naman mga snob ang mga workers sa Ibarra Memorial. Hindi rin naman kami nagpapalayas ng mga pasyente basta basta. Pero dahil nga sa mga middle class at lower class na sinasabi na pangmamayaman lang ito, hindi na rin sila dun nagpupunta. 

"You're the granddaughter aren't you?" she asked me. Tumingin ako sa kanya at ngumiti. "I went to school with Sera nung nasa Italy pa ako." kwento niya. Dun ko naalala yung sinabi ni Caleb dati na tiga Italy yung mom niya. But mom was also in Italy? "She stayed for one semester."

"Magkaibigan kayo ni mom?"

"We were." she said solemly. "Yung mommy mo, ibang iba na siya dati pa. Carefree, fearless and spoiled." she said. "We became friends, she brought me out of my shell and I was really happy to be her friend. Alam mo yun, dati kasi pag kaibigan ka ni Sera Ibarra parang lahat kaya mo na rin gawin. She oozed confidence at kaming mga kasama niya nabubuhusan ng confidence na sobra sa kanya. Sa Venice sila nagkakilala ni Seb and your father was instantly got smitten. But you know your mom." pagkukwento niya. 

I nodded. "Mom ignored dad?" 

"She did. Ayaw ni Sera sa dad mo nun. Sabi niya sa akin boring daw yung mga businessman which your father was already that time. Umalis na din si Seb nun at bumalik na sa Amerika but I knew he really wanted Sera."