Medical Batchelor 1: Taking Chances

CHAPTER 1

Mira

KUNG bibigyan ako ng isa pang pagkakataon na maaari kong balikan sa buhay kong ito, ito yung panahon n amalakas pa si papa. Di sana marami kaming nabuong mga alaalang mag-kasama.

The doctors were doing all they could do for my cancer-ridden father. Alam ko, hindi na siya makakaramdam pa ng sakit at kirot sa mga susunod pang mga lingo niya but that did not make accepting his imminent death any easier.

The great—Richmond Esteves. Owner of Esteves Travel and Tours Agency and proud to say that he is my father. The strongest, most alive man I had ever known.

But he is now lay in a hospital bed, thin and sickly. His eyes were sunken in and ringed with dark circles. His skin was pale, nearly translucent. Looking at him made me want to run as far as I could in the opposite direction. Not that I would. He’s been there for me for so many years, I couldn’t even imagine him in his time of need. Of course, he didn’t think he was in need. Suwerte lang ako na hindi si papa yung tipo ng taon na didiktahan ka sa kung ano ang dapat mong gawin sa buhay.

“You need to go back to Boston and study, Miranda. I don’t need a babysitter.” He insisted. I hadn’t left his hospital room since I arrived a few hours earlier. At wala din ako talagang balak umalis.

“You’re right. You don’t need a babysitter, but you need a daughter, Pa, I am not going anywhere. I finished my finals early. Naiintindihan din naman ako ng mga professors ko na kailangan ako ditto sa Pilipnas.” It was true. Simula ng ipatawag ako ng Dean ng Boston University at matanggap ko ang tawag mula sa ospital three days ago ay hindi na ako nakatulog. Sa sobrang panic ko, I emailed my professors, begging to take my finals as soon as possible so I could get home. Each professor responded in kind, allowing me to take my finals almost immediately instead of waiting nearly a week before they were regularly scheduled. Pero dahil sa maaga akong ang exam, hindi ako hundred percent sure na prepared, but I don’t care. Bahala na! All that matters were getting back to my father.

Kaya nandito ako ngayon sa Pilipinas, a place I hadn’t been back to for at least…five years? After a year, my friends and I rented out a place in Boston for the summer and got jobs. Nagging maayos ang buhay naming doon so we decided to stay in an apartment while attending school and save money in Boston rather than coming home.

Calamba, Laguna once been my home. I’d grown up there, had the same friends my whole life, and nevere once been out of the country. I loved music and piano. Pangarap kong maging isang sikat na piyanista so I started looking out for a state college that caters contemporary music and theatre arts. Maayos din naman ang mga schools ditto sa Pilipinas but not unlike when you study abroad. Then I realized that there was so much more to life than a small town.

When I told my father that I wanted to look at schools in Boston, I thought he’d have a heart attack, but he just smiled and made my hotel reservations to visit colleges. He didn’t even question me, which made me feel guilty now. If I’d been home a single time in the last few years, maybe I would have noticed how sick he was.

“But you have your apartment in Boston.” He said. He sat up in his bed, and I could tell how exhausted he was.

“Kath and Lindsey are going to be in-charged for my bedroom for the whole summer and obviously, I need to spend time here.” I smiled. I was seated in the uncomfortable chair beside his bed. Plano ko na talaga ito. And pag uwi ng Pilipinas at maayos na makauwi si papa sa bahay naming. I was still waiting to hear from hi doctors.

“What about your job? Your studies?”

“Pa, relax. Naayos ko na ang lahat bago pa ako bumalik ditto. Part time pa lang naman ako dun sa piano school na pinag tuturuan ko so they granted me a leave of absence. Things were all in order.” I explained. Naging malaking part ng pag aaral ko ng music para makapasok ako sa isang sikat na piano school sa Boston. Part time piano teacher ako sa mga prep and kindergarten. Masaya at masarap magturo lalo na sa mga tulad nila na sa murang edad alam na nila ang gusto nila sa buhay. I saw myself in them.

“Speaking of getting things in order.” Nakita ko ang pag lamlam ng mukha ni papa ng sabihin niya yon.

“No!” todo iling kong sagot. Alam ko na kung saan patungo ang gusto niyang sabihin.

“Mira, we have to talk about—”

“No, Papa.” I tried my absolute best not to faltered. “Not now.” I shook again my head.

Not ever. I didn’t want to think about his death. I didn’t want to discuss the matters of his estate as if it was a business deal and not the end of my world as I knew it. Alam kong hindi ko mapapahinto ang oras, but until then, I wanted to put it off. How would I ever get through dealing with it? My father was my rock; he couldn’t just die.

“Okay fine.” He muttered. Inabot niya yung binabasa niyang libro and then he ignored me. I grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV, changing the station until later on, I turned it off.

“Nakakainis! Ano bang mapapala ng mga tao diyan sa puro Telenovela, Koreanovela, Mexicanovela na puro dubbing lang naman!” nayayamot kong sabi. Wala akong tv sa apartment. Wala din akong hilig sa panonood. Mas gusto ko pang lumabas at libuting ang Boston. Boston was huge. There was always something going on or some new place to discover. Pero sa huli, kahit pa maganda and city at maraming opportunity na nag aabang sa akin. Ramdam ko pa rin ang kalungkutan at pag iisa.

Maybe it was really the time to come home, regardless of Papa’s condition. I could finish my degree online. The university certainly wouldn’t object considering my situation. I could move back into my room, at Papa’s house and call up a few of my girlfriends from high school.

Napangiti ako. Hindi naman siguro masama. Ito na siguro ang pinakamabigat kong desisyon sa buhay ko. Talikuran ang magandang kinabukasan sa Boston para makasama ang ama ko sa nalalabi nitong mga oras.  

I looked over at him and smiled. He was already asleep, the book and pen lying haphazardly on his chest. I leaned down over him and moved them to the table next to his bed.

“Miranda?” he asked. Looking so amused by seeing me. I was shocked also.

“Marco?” I whispered.

He nodded, and he motioned for me to follow him. I gave my dad another glance and then got up.