“Tsk! Waahh”! I think the fine lines under my eyes are becoming apparent. I can see it as I look in the mirror. I stroke it upwards hoping that it would help.
“What? You don’t use anything at all to your face? Really? But your skin looks so supple and fair. How I wish I have your genes.” the lady complained to her friend on the other side of the lavatory.
I looked at the girl that she was referring to.
Her face looks perfect without a trace of fine lines round her eyes.
“Anu ka ba? Belo yan!” the girl said then giggled .
“Really, kala ko mahal dun?”
“Ganun talaga nakapag-asawa lang ng mayaman!” They both burst into laughter and left the toilet.
So, to be beautiful there’s a price to pay. I mean literally. Samantalang ako, nagtatiyaga sa moisturizer at ibang beauty products. Anyway, I don’t want to be 'that beautiful' like having beautiful luscious lips, alluring eyes, wonderfully shaped noise and everything. I am just worried about my skin issue. I don’t care if my lips is not as tempting as Angelina Jolie’s lips, eyes not as captivating as Megan Fox and nose not as beautiful like Keira Knightley. I just wanna have good skin especially on my face because that’s where the early signs of aging appears but I’ll never do the under the knife thing. And haven’t tried to enter Belo wala kasi akong asawang mayaman!
I made my way back to the doctors clinic. I think Dr. Aquino will be up a few minutes. I went back to clinic and arranged the patient’s list. Madami ng patient sa labas.
“Kamusta na Margaret, looking good today!” napatingin naman ako away from my laptop. Si Mommy Espie, an old patient ni Dr. Aquino.
“Hi! Thank you, Mommy Espie! Meg nalang Mommy! You’re late madami ng nakapila sa labas.” I said. "You’re number 15.” I looked at her apologetically.
“Okay lang! Maggagala muna ako Marg- ahmm Meg. Text mo ko kapag malapit na ako ha!” sabi niya habang nagpaalam. “Opo”
*Ring!
“Dr. Aquino’s office! Yes... MWF 9 am -12 noon. Yup! Thank you! Bye!” My everyday life as a doctor’s secretary or let me rephrase that Doctor’s Office Manager para mas maganda ang dating. I’ve been working here for about 3 years. Eto lang ang natagalan kong trabaho kasi hindi ganun ka stressful. Although the pay is not high but the job is rewarding as it gets. Lalo na ang mga regular patients masarap makipagkwnetuhan. I am more of a listener lalo na dun sa mga old patients. Although some of them were 'makulit' but the heck, they were not pain in the a*s compared to other people who can’t talk any sense at all.
“Good Morning Margaret!” Napatingin naman ako sa pagtawag niya sa buong pangalan ko.
“Good Morning Dr. Aquino! How are you today?” I said while bouncing back the smile that he had thrown me. I took hold of his suitcase and followed him to the inner clinic. “Here’s the first patient. Bagong pasyente po, Doc!” sabi ko habang nilapag ko sa table yun new record ng patient.
“Thank you, Margaret!” I sensed something in his voice. I felt his tired.
My boss, Dr. Timoteo Aquino is 70 years old and still practicing medicine. He’s an OB/Gyne, the top from his league, the Director of OB/Gyne department in St John's hospital and a pioneer of IVF/IUI practice in the Philippines.
“You sound tired, Doc. Are you okay?” I worriedly said. Well, Doctor Aquino is very kind to me and he’s really like a father the more I am worried.
Palagay ko ay masyado siyang napagod mula sa conference niya sa US pagkauwing-pagkauwi niya kasi ay bumalik na siya agad dito dahil nagkaproblema sa ospital.
“I think I’m not Margaret, but the cue outside is overwhelming so I need to push much harder today” he smiled to me but I could sense that he was really tired.
“Call me Doc outside if I need to cut off the line, okay?”
He nodded. “Yes, thank you!”
And that was the last word that he uttered to me. Dr. Timoteo Aquino had a stroke that day after he finished the last patient. Even at the time of his impending death he was still a professional. I am still shaken from the experience. The terror that I experienced when I saw him lying on the floor stayed with me until now. You can’t cheat death even if you’re a doctor. Dr. Aquino was good person and like a father to me. I haven’t experience loss in my family and that would be my first because he’s like family.
XXX
“Kaya nga ikaw Margaret maghanap ka ng magiging asawa mo!” eto na naman tayo. Litanya ng Mama ko. We were in the garden. Nagkwento ako kay Mama about sa memories ko kay Dr. Aquino. My Mama was gardening and I was bumming.
“You don’t know what will happen next, baka next thing you know bumulagta nalang kami ng Papa mo and at hindi ka namin makita walking down the aisle na mukhang bangkay sa kapal ng make-up!”
May pagkabaliw din kasi magpangaral ang Mama ko. Ngumuso nalang ako ng sobrang haba, nalungkot ako. The thought of my Ma and Pa’s death, mukhang hindi ko kakayanin.
“Puputulin ko yan eh. Sige na mag-asawa ka na, hablutin mo na kung sinong nakatambay diyan sa kanto," sabi ni Mama. Sinabi ko na nga ba na lahi talaga kami ng mga baliw.
Inuga ko ang tomba-tomba ko. Oo, yon ginagamit ng mga nursing moms. We had it since forever and it was Tita Agatha who gave this to us.
“Tiganan mo na! Sabi ko sayo wag ka masasanay diyan sa rocking chair ng Tita mo! Kasi may curse yan, hindi ka makakapag-asawa gaya ng Tita mo!” Tinigilan ko naman bigla sa pag-galaw ang upuan.
“Weh?! Mama why you are so mean to me? Isusumbong kita kay Tita Agatha!” sabi ko matapos ay inuga ko na ulit ang tomba-tomba ko.
“I am not kidding Margaret! Look what happened to your Tita Agatha.”
Speaking of Tita, I saw Tita Agatha walked towards us from the front gate.
“Hi Tita," bati ko sabay yakap sa kanya.
“I said not to call me Tita, Ate diba?” she said to me while pinching my nose and then she hugged Mama.
The usual beautiful Tita Agatha , I mean Ate Agatha. She’s 40 years old but she looks so beautiful and sexy at madami pa rin nanliligaw sa kanya. She’s Mama only sister and she is a spinster.
“Ate, Mama told me that this chair is cursed, is it true?” sabi ko kay Tita Agatha. Patay ka Mama!
“Yes Dear it's true!” napatigil ako sa pag-uuga ng upuan ko.
“I told you!” Mama said while laughing.
“No…no.. you’re kidding me both.” I have enjoyed riding on this chair since I was little. Mahal na mahal ko itong silya na ito at walang makapaghihiwalay samin kahit sino o ano pa!
“Yes dear it is. Kaya nga binigay ko to sa Mama mo kasi gusto ko ng mag-asawa but the chair has its effect until now.” Tita said to me dead serious.
I jumped out from my seat. This is ridiculous! Uso pa ba ang curse ngayon?
“My Dear, the duration of how long you’ve been using it will reckon the days that you won’t find the right partner and I am paying its toll.” I switched glances from her to my Mama. They were both serious.
“You are saying… t-that… it is t-true?” I was dumbfounded. I sat down on the grass looking really disheveled.
“I am sorry dear, how long have you been using that?” Tita Agatha said while she approached me.
“Wah! Gamit-gamit ko na to simula pa ng natuto ako umupo!” Naiiyak na talaga ako sa pinagsasabi nila.
“Oh My God! I am very sorry. I should have known na maaring gagamitin to ng anak mo buti nalang isang taon nalang yun sakin then I am freed from the curse, but you my Dear I think it will last forever!" sabi ni Tita habang nakatingin sa akin matapos ay tumingin kay Mama.
Iiyak na talaga ako. Bakit kasi naging favorite ko yan rocking chair na yan. Tears were slowly streaming down my cheeks.
“HAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!”
The evil sisters were laughing. They were laughing at me.
“I hate you! You are so mean to me both!” I stood up and sat to my favorite chair again that has been my comfort whenever I feel down.
“Yeah, laugh your hearts out!” I squinted at them. Hindi ako maniwala na Mama ko at Tita ko ang nang-gugood time sa akin ngayon? Parang pareho ko lang silang evil step sister.
Lumapit lang sila sakin at hinalikan nila ang noo ko.
“I love you, darling and you never fail to amuse me!” sabi ni Mama tapos ay pumasok na sila sa loob. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanila habang pinoproseso ang ginawa nila. Lage nalang ako ginaganun. I mean they always played pranks on me at ako naman si engot na laging nauuto at naiisahan. Am I that gullible?
Inuga ko nalang ang upuan ko habang nagmumuni-muni. Napatingin naman ako sa mga bulaklak na inaalagaan ni Mama, Star gazer. Iyon ang name nun flower at gustung gusto ko talaga ang pangalan niya. Pati ang itsura niya. Ang laki niya kasi, mukha siyang kakaiba at isa pa gusto ko ang meaning niya. Parang ako lang. Malaki, kakaiba at pareho kami ng personality.
Nakaramdam nalang ako ng pagkaantok habang dinuduyan ako ng upuan ko.
“Margaret! Wake up! Phone call! Dr. Aquino” I was awaken by Mom. Nakatulog pala ako dito sa garden.
“What? Who called me? Wala naman clinic ngayon day ah. Wala na si Dr. Aquino,” nalungkot naman ako ng maalala ko ulit si Dr. Aquino.
Inabot sa akin ni Mama ang phone ko. I touched the screen to answer. What? Dr. Aquino’s number?!
“Hello?” I answered wondering why my old employer’s calling.
“Is this Miss Tan?” I heard a deep man’s voice on the other line.
“Y--yes?!”
“This is Dr. Aquino! Where the hell are you?!” the man said while slightly raising his voice. OMG! Dr. Aquino’s dead. Eto ba ang way na magparamdam siya sakin.
“S-s-sir I-I k-n-now t-that t-this is r-real-ly hard t-t-o a-accept b-but you're al-re-ady—d-dead” Sabi ko habang nangingig at nangingilabot sa kausap ko. I can hear dead people. I can hear dead people on the phone. Oh My God, hindi po ako humingi ng ganitong kakaibang gift, ang gusto ko lang po ay magkaboyfriend at magkaroon ng magandang balat. Pero bakit ito po ang binigay niyo?
“What the hell are you talking?” The voice said.How can I tell him to go to the light? Di ba yun yung madalas sabihin ng mga espiritista? Pero hindi naman ako espiritista.
“D-doc... k-kung a-anu man po yun just go to the l-light. P-please s-top c-cal-ling me!” Binaba ko na ang telepono. Sa sobrang takot ko pumasok ako sa loob ng bahay at hinahap si Mama.
“Mama!! I can hear dead people!” I shouted and both of them looked puzzled when they heard me.
“What?!” they both exclaimed.
*Ring!
“Im not going to answer that!!” I threw my phone on the couch. Mama picked it up and answered the phone. Alam kong hindi maririnig ni mama ng 'The Voice ni Dr. Aquino' dahil wala naman espesyal na gift si Mama gaya ng sakin.
“Hoy Margaret! Kausapin mo! Anak ng Boss mo! Dr. Timothy Aquino!”
A-anak?
Napakagat nalang ako ng labi sa ginawa ko. Kinuha ko na ang phone ko kay mama at sinagot ang tawag. Ang kahibangan ko kanina talaga ay sobra sobra na, yan ang napapala ko sa pangloloko ng Mama at Tita ko. Pero teka may anak pala si Dr. Aquino? At Doctor rin?
Pinapapunta niya ko sa Clinic. Pronto!
Binuksan ko ang pintuan ng clinic. Natatakot na naman ako hindi dahil baka magparamdam si Dr. Aquino kundi dahil dun sa pagbaba ko ng phone sa anak niya.
I opened the clinic and the files were all over my table. Anong nagyari? Pumunta ako sa may inner clinic wala naman tao.Nasaan na si Dr. Timothy Aquino? Napatingin naman ulit ako sa lugar na kinakitaan ko ang nakabulagtang katawan ni Dr. Aquino at kinilabutan ako.
I looked around the whole room. 'Tic toc, tic toc, tic toc', was the sound of the Old grandfather’s clock, it was Dr. Aquino’s favorite furniture I liked it before but not now.
*Dong! Dong!Dong!*
Bigla naman hinangin ang papel mula sa mesa niya.
“D-doc w-wag p-po m-ma-t-ta-g-al- n-a-p-po-a-akong –t-takot!” I said and covered my face with my hands.
“OHMYGOD!” I exclaimed ng maramdaman kong may humawak sa balikat ko! I turned around and saw the apparition that I didn’t expect to see.
“UHM!” Pwersadong tulak ko sa kanya dahil sa pagkagulat ko.
“Hey!" sigaw niya sa akin.
“Who are you?! Wag mo nga akong takutin ng ganyan aatakehin ako sayo! Gusto ko pang magkaboyfriend at maramdaman mahawakan ng lalake! Nang-aano ka eh! Sino ka ba?” I said without halting. Sinampal ko nalang yun bibig ko para tumigil.
“OHMYGOD!!” I exclaimed.Patay! “Are you Dr. Timothy Aquino, the son of Dr. Timoteo Aquino?”
Nakapamewang siya tapos umiling-iling siya sakin.
OMG!!!