• Channel 162 •
We both got busy.
Sean was able to resolve the design issues but he needed to be on top of everything as project lead. They are also working on the patent while it is in full swing. I think he has one final year left to complete his internship.
I’m almost done with my research, only minor edits and then panel presentations at the end of the semester. I plan to take a break before I actually start my full time internship at the University Hospital for my certification. Two years have gone by and I’ve not realized it. No more laboratory sessions at school but more on handling cases of my own to finally complete the hours required for my license then the national exam. That’s going to take about two more years though give or take.
My support system has been solid. There is Sean of course, my friends, and family who never waver in checking on me. The simplest “hello” or “everything alright?” messages could mean so much to everyone. I make sure I check on them too to see if they are doing well. We have to check on our friends and family most often. That’s also why I relish every chance I get to come home and visit my family.
Whenever I’m home, my phone gets ignored because I love conversations with my parents, most particularly with Dad. I guess it’s my other way of distressing aside from all the stable activities I have. I usually just send Sean random messages but won’t stay on my phone for long, which he understands. It’s my only time to be physically with my parents and I savor these times.
I can freely talk to them now that I am older, it used to be the other way around when I was younger but now that I experience life more, talking to my parents has become one of the best things ever. You know when we’re younger that we feel like they’re always against us right? All the nagging can get overwhelming but turns out, they just want us to always be happy and healthy. It will take us time to understand that but we have to, plus as they get older, we should appreciate our time with them more.
“How’s school?” Dad sat next to me on the bench we have in the garden holding his favorite cup of coffee.
“Almost done, minor edits and then panel presentations. I’m free from the confines of school but hello University Hospital.” I chuckled.
“Do you want some help with your research? I could proofread and make notes too if you want, I won’t be biased I promise.” he offered.
“I’ll send you my final draft but that’s okay too if you get too busy. I know you’re writing these days.”
“Honey yours is a manuscript that I would love to give my time of the day. If I could do that to my students, I can definitely do that for you.”
“I will Dad, I promise.”
“You never get or ask much help from me about these things. I don’t know if I should be relieved or worried.”
“You should be relieved, that means your daughter can do well in this field.” I put my head on his shoulder. I love talking to my father.
“Let’s talk about something else, please. I don’t want to talk about school work, Dad. Mom’s going to get worried and she’s going to give me all sorts of juices, food, supplements, vitamins, and everything else she can get her hands on.”
He laughed at how I described my Mom whenever she’s worried about her children.
“Your brother was so surprised the other day when your mother sent tons of side dishes and all sorts of supplements. I don’t think he’d ever be able to finish them by himself.”
My brother, who’s finishing his undergraduate in Business, lives near his campus too. He’s not here this weekend due to the reviews he has to do for finals. We always bicker when we’re younger, well up until now, but I always miss that silly boy.
“Everything good with you? Not school, but life in general?” Now my father is fishing for information, I know his ways.
I know he’s sensing things but he just wants me to be more open about it. I guess it’s time to tell him and Mom about Sean. They know I date here and there but nothing too serious but I think he realized that I have not mentioned anything about that topic, I usually inform them casually but never in the past months. He knows my patterns and I know how he is too. Once I tell him I’m seeing someone and it’s getting serious, they will want to meet him and get to know Sean better. My Dad can get so intimidating with all the probing he will do.
Our parents though will always support us in our relationships, they will just give a piece of their mind after meeting whoever we are dating but we are left to decide for ourselves. They are not overbearing like that.
I’ve only ever introduced one after a year of dating him. I dated Nathan during my undergraduate sophomore year until senior year. It was my first ever serious long relationship and my family liked him. We were just a little bit immature back then and we constantly fought over silly things that eventually we decided to break up so we could stop hurting each other.
“I’m seeing someone great.” I confessed.
“I sensed that you are, have you told your mom yet? You would usually tell her first.”
“Nope, you’re the first one to know Dad.”
“Interesting. I’m all ears kiddo. How long have you been seeing him?”
Here we go. I’m going to get bombarded with a lot of “how is he like” questions in various forms.
“Almost half a year. He’s good to me. All these months, we never have major arguments. I’d usually be the one to get irked but you know how impatient I can get right?”
“Yeah, I know perfectly.” he agreed.
“He’s more understanding plus takes that effort to have the conversations I want to have you know? He makes time, despite the short months we’ve been together I can see that he wants nothing but be better in this relationship.” Sean’s going to earn a lot of brownie points to my father.
“Sounds like a sensible guy.” This is getting suspicious, he’s not asking too many questions but I feel like I’m hypnotized to keep talking about Sean.
“You’re awfully mum with the questions.”
My father looked at me with a grin on his face. “I just want you to tell me, I’d ask questions later or I’ll ask him later.”
“Daaaaad!” I sounded like my whining 10-year old self.
“What? By the way and how you’re describing him, I’ll be meeting him soon. It’s just a matter of when your mother will tell you to bring him.” He said in between laughter.
“That scares me a little.” I quipped.
“Whenever you are ready and of course whenever he feels comfortable to do so. We won’t pressure you into that. At least I know you’re happy with what you have and who you’re with. It doesn't really matter how long you’re seeing each other, it's the quality of the relationship you both have. People think that relationships are always the pretty ones and they tend to not get ready for the ugly parts. Only to realize that after so long, they start resenting each other. We have to learn from that and communication is always important. That goes for whatever kind of relationship we have, whether with significant others, with friends, or with family.”
“Thanks Dad. I appreciate the trust and freedom you always give me to manage things in my life.”
“It’s the only way for you to learn what is good and bad, honey. But hoping that before it gets bad, you come to us for guidance. That’s what we are also and always here for.”
Mom joined us after she finished her chores, she rarely lets me do things whenever I get home despite me loving washing dishes. She said it’s my time to get taken care of at home and their chance to let me feel less pressured. I showed them Sean’s pictures and my parents even got more curious.
Now how do I tell Sean that he’s going to be summoned by my parentals anytime soon. I don’t want to scare him.
