Imee and Irene are just talking in the kitchen while they're waiting for the brownies to give it to Vida. She's doing her homework on her room because she just started schooling.
" How's Vida pala Ate? " tanong ni Irene habang nakapangalumbaba
" She's doing good. Napaka-bibong bata, parang ako daw nung araw. " Imee said
" Nakakatuwa nga eh, ang talino pa at ang bai— " hindi na natapos ni Irene ang sinasabi niya ng marinig nilang bumukas ang pintuan ng kwarto ni Vida
They also heard her sniffing.
" Momma? " she cried out
" Yes darling? We're here in the kitchen! " Imee shouted and they heard her ran
" Why are you crying Princess? " Irene asked and Vida wanted to be carried kaya kinarga ni Imee
" M-momma, my name is too long. I'm t-tired and my hand hurts. " the little girl sobbed and Imee and Irene silently laugh at what Vida just said.
" Aww. I'm sorry sweeheart. Just rest and I will help you later, okay? " Imee said and her daughter just nodded and hide her face to Imee's chest
" Ayan kasi Ate eh, kinabog mo kasi yung pagpapangalan ni Mommy sa atin. Pati tuloy ang Princess Bunny ko nahihirapan. " Irene said at hinagod ang likod ni Vida
" Wow ha. You're one of us kaya who named my daughter. Kaya just shut up Irene and wait for the brownies. " Imee replies
" Sungit neto, wag sana magmana sayo yang pamangkin ko. Ipapatakwil talaga kita kay Imelda. " banat ulit ni Irene
" Ako pa tinakot mo, baka kamo ikaw ang ipabalik ko sa kung saang haponesa ka napulot. " Imee
" Momma? Tati? Are you fighting? " Little Vida asked
" No, My Love. We're just making asar each other because we're sisters. That's what we do since we were kids. " Imee chuckled and her daughter just nodded
" Momma, why is my name so long? It can't even fit on my paper and my classmates are struggling to pick what will they call me. " Vida said
" Your Lola, Tati Irene and Me really thought about your name because you are very special to us. " Imee said
" Because you're our one and only princess. " Irene added
" Lola Imelda said that because you're our only baby girl, we should name you Maria too like me and your Tati and Tata. I named you Vida Therese because you are my Life and I knew that I'm having you on late summer. " Imee said and kissed her daughter's cheeks
" The Brownies is done! " Irene shouted that made Vida smiled at last
***************
VIDA
I'm with Mommy, Tati Irene and Papa Bong here in San Diego International Airport. Tati and Papa decided to come with us since they're not busy for the next weeks at para na din daw may kasama si Mommy kapag papasok ako at si Tata Aimee.
We we're just waiting for Axiel since he was the one who will fetch us. Nasa Office pa daw kasi si Tata kaya hindi niya kami masusundo.
" Nasaan na ba yang manliligaw mo? Ang tagal. " reklamo ni Papa Bong
" Kuya, wala pa tayong limang minuto na nagaantay dito. Please shut up kasi naiinis na ako sayo. " Tati Irene said and she went beside me
" There he is. " I saw Axiel's Black Audi Q7 coming towards us
" Doctor Marcos! " Axiel shouted as he went out of his car
" Waaaaah I miss you Ax!! " I hugged him tight
" Ehem. Mahigpit Masyado. " I heard Papa Bong fake coughing
" Ma'am, Sir let me help you with your luggages. " Axiel got our luggage and carefully put it in the trunk.
I sat in the shotgun seat before they even got into the car. I was wearing a white long-sleeve turtleneck, jeans, a black blazer, and knee-high boots. Mommy, Tati, and Papa are next to each other in the back seat, with Mommy in the middle. After Axiel got in the car, we immediately went home to Tati Irene's house.
" Where are those files that I asked for? " I asked Axiel
He got a thick files from the shotgun seat drawer and handed to me one by one.
" This is Mr. Mitchell's updated chart, he's doing just fine and about to go home in 2 days. And wait— you need to see this one. " he said and finding another chart
" Patricia Phillips, 43, have a very massive brain tumor and I know you'll be enthusiast to remove that one. Back story, When she was diagnosed, she started calling her tumor Wilma after the woman her husband was having an affair with. And she said that the tumor finally convinced her to leave her husband. She came to the hospital to have it removed. They did pre-op labs and just waiting for scheduling her surgery. " He explained and while I read the case
" Woah! This is huge! My goodness, I haven't seen any tumor like this before. " I said
" Yeah, Doctor Edwards was shocked too. " Axiel replied
" Axxxx, where's Olivia's chart? " I squinted my eyes on him
" It's there. The brown chart. " I saw the brown chart with 'Olivia A.' Label
" Her eyes are so damage, are you sure you still wanted to risk the procedure. " This is not the first time that Axiel asked me this question. Even my colleagues are so worried about what I'm about to do.
" Ax, I am sure and I'm doing the best to study her case. Im not going to give up on this kid because all she wanted is to see again and to make it up on herself for being selfless. I see myself on this kid so I will give my best shot to bring back her eyesight. " I said and continue to read her scans
" Imo, you know that we can't promise to our patients. " Axiel once said
" I am not because I am hoping for this kid. I am her doctor and I will do everything for her to see the world again. " That's the last thing I said before the whole car went silent
We arrived at Tati's house arround 10 in the morning so we're going to have lunch together before we rest. I stayed at the living room to study my cases especially Livy's case, when Mama and her siblings went here and brings coffee.
" Coffee muna, Doc. " Tati Irene handed me a black coffee
" Thank you Tati. " I said and itinabi muna yung ginagawa ko
" You okay anak? " Mommy asked me as she sat beside me
" Yup, I'm fine. But I think yung isa dito ang hindi. " I said and I looked over Papa Bong
" Sino? Si Bonget? Matagal ng hindi okay yan. Baliw yan eh. " Hirit ni Tati Irene kaya napalingon sa amin si Papa
" You think you're funny Victoria? " masungit na taong ni Papa
" Are you okay Papa? Nasa Pinas palang tayo medyo wala ka na sa mood. Nag away ba kayo ni Tata? What happened? " I asked before I drank my coffee
" I'm fine, Nothing happens. " Papa coldly said kaya I knew that there's something wrong. This is my only Papa and alam kong masama ang loob or nagtatampo siya.
" I know you too well, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Tell me dali. " I stood up and sat beside him
" Why didn't you tell us na you're going to say yes to your suitor already. I heard you talking to your friend on your laptop last night. " I'm right! He's tampotpot.
" What?! " sigaw ni Mama at Tati
" Hey, Stop it. He's just there oh. " I hush them
" Sophia is just asking me if kailan ko sasagutin si Axiel and I said na hindi ko pa alam kasi hindi pa ako ready. " I explained
" Do you think hindi ako magsasabi sa inyo kaagad about my relationships? You are one of the ten men that I first ever loved and one of those man who first ever love me and I will never ever put your feelings before mine. You are my Papa and you witnessed many of my firsts and I also wanted you to be one of the first person who'll know about me and Ax. " I said that before hugging Papa Bong
" So, kailan mo nga ba sasagutin yang manliligaw mo? " Tati Irene asked
" I don't know. " I said and I hugged Papa Bong
" Whatever your plans and decision are, we're all here to support and protect you. Basta sabihan mo kami 'nak ha? Please. You are the only girl in the family, we can't and we don't want you to get hurt. " Papa Bong said as he hugged me back.
Actually, among them four? Papa Bong is the sweetiest. Since the day that I got here in California, he constantly sending me a message or calling me, or he and Tammy will visit me when they're both free, sometimes with Kuya Vinny. He never failed to give his best as my Uncle-Papa.
After I finished reviewing my cases, Axiel told me that he would treat us for lunch that makes my Co-Marias agrees immidiately. Mga dakilang Ilocano
" So, Axiel, what specialty are you again? " Tati Irene asked as we start to eat
" I am a Plastic Surgeon but I also went into Cardio. " Ax said
" Ohh, like Vida. " Tati Irene replies and Axiel nodded
" I want to go to Disneyland. " I blurted out
" Aren't you tired, Vida? " Papa Bong asked
" Nope. I want to ride a ferris wheel. " I said and finished the last baby potato on my plate
" Imo, Disneyland doesn't have a Ferris Wheel. " I looked at Axiel in dissapointment
" Aww. I thought there was. I've never been there before tho. " I said and bowed my head
" You haven't been to disneyland, anak? " Mom asked me and I just shook my head
" She haven't been to any theme parks since she came here, Tita. " Axiel said and look back at me
" Axiel, where would we find a ferris wheel for Vida? " Tati Irene enthusiastically said
" Actually, There's a new opened Ferris Wheel between SD Museum of Arts and Timken Museum. That's the only one that's near here. " my eyes lighten after I hear what Axiel said
" Can we go? " they all agreed
" Why do you want to go to a Ferris Wheel all of the sudden? " Papa Bong said as we both went out of the restaurant
" Papa, I want to tell Axiel that I will be his girlfriend na. Okay lang sayo? " I asked and lean my head on his shoulder
" Masaya ka ba? " He asked back
" Opo. Pero mas masaya ako if all of you are happy too. " I said
" Only your happiness and safety are the one that matter to us, anak. " Papa said that made me teary
" Thank you, Papa. I love you biggie. " I hugged him and he hugged me as well
After Mommy and Tati went to the restroom, we just waited for Ax to bring the car from the parking. This time, I sat at the passenger seat with Mom and Tati.
" Why are you suddenly so clingy, Imogen? " Mommy asked after I clung my arms to hers
" Just want to make sulit my time with all of you kasi I'm going back to work in a few days already. " I said and kissed her cheeks
" I feel something's fishy ha. " I heard Tati Irene said
" Feeling mo lang yon Victoria. Chismosa ka eh. " Papa Bong teased his younger sister
We arrived at SD Museum of Arts after almost an hour of drive and Papa insisted to buy us ticket as his treat. The three siblings went first on the capsule then me and Ax. I'm preparing myself on what will tell him but there's no turning back now. It's now or never.
" How's Manila? They told me that you've changed. " He started to ask
" It's good I guess. Yeah, I mean, that one was very traumatic for me to handle. I'm just so thankful because the rest of my family are there to help me unlike the last time that something happens to me. " I said and bowed my head
" I missed you real time Imo and It's really good that you're back. Not just physically, you know. " he said and smiled so did I
Minutes before the sun's set, I moved forward to his seat.
" Ax, I just wanted to tell you that I am so grateful because you came into my life. You we're there since day one. You we're there when I needed someone when no one is around for me. You're now part of my life, Ax. " I said as I looked straight in his eyes
" Imogen.. " he called me
" And I won't let you out of it. " I added and I smiled
" What do you mean? What are you talking about Imogen? " he asked
" I won't let you out of my life because I want you in it. I want you with me forever Axiel. " I said
" Is that means.. " I nodded and smiled
" Yes, Ax. I'll be your girlfriend already. " I said and he hugged me tight
" I will never let you down, my love. Never. " he said and he cupped my face
And the last thing I know is while the sun is setting, I felt his lips over mine and I felt a thousand butterflies inside my tummy. I never felt this way on my first relationship but I'm so happy that I felt this with Axiel.
After that magical moment that we had on the ferris wheel, we got out and Papa and his siblings are waiting for us.
" Please Axiel, don't hurt our princess. Take good care of her and love her with all you might. " Papa Bong said as he went us and gave Axiel a hug and also went to me to kissed my forehead
" Wait. What did we missed? " Tati Irene confusingly asked
" He is my boyfriend now Tati, Mommy. " I said
" OMG!!! Congrats sweethearts! " Tati squealed but Mom remained silent and teary
" Mommy.. " I called her and I went to her and she Immediately pulled me for a hug
" I love you, Ricci. I am so proud of you, bunny. " Mom whispered
" I love you more Mom. I am who I am today just because of you. " I said and kissed her cheeks
" Axiel, please take care of my baby's heart okay? " Mommy asked Axiel so he went to us and he held Mommy's hand
" Yes, Tita Imee. You have my word. " Axiel assured my mom and he kissed the back of my mom's hand
" Then, you have our full blessing. " Papa Bong smiled at my now boyfriend
This scenario made me feel the happiest niece/daughter on the whole universe. This people are very important to me and I am so lucky to have them with me even at my darkest times.
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Wahhhh. Ang sakit para sa akin na gawin ang chapter na to huhu but still I made it for you guys.
Thank you for reading!
Don't forget to leave a comment for your insights!