My brother decided to proceed with his scholarship and he’s in San Diego which I was so proud of. He’s on the other side of the country where our relatives and close cousins are but it’s better because he’ll learn to be more independent.
I didn’t know where the time went and before I knew it, I was starting my internship. First month in and I still need to make adjustments because it’s totally different from the labworks that we do. We’re more independent now but have to prepare our reports and submit to our University Hospital Supervisors. I am assigned with group counseling and one specific case in my first month to see how I’d be further assisted by the seniors in the Hospital. I’m learning so much more now that I am doing this mostly on my own but I have to do extra work due to needed preparations.
Sean sometimes picks me up when I get home later than usual because of the reports I have to submit and when he gets to go home early. We still make sure Fridays are ours. It’s the time we get to fully catch up on our week. Other times we meet friends but most often than not we just hang out either in his apartment or mine.
His mother arrived the other day. What turned out to be just joining his father’s business trip became a vacation altogether for his mother but his father returned earlier then got busy at work. And because his mother is back, I was invited at dinner over the weekend. This will be interesting, a reserved and a pretty outgoing set of parents.
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“You think my clothes are fine? I’m just wearing white shirt and denim pants.” I’m worried. He said I can wear comfortable clothes and told me to stick to pants and not wear a dress because it’s just a simple dinner.”
But he arrived wearing white polo shirt, it may look simple, but he looks good in it.
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“Jaime, that’s perfectly fine, you look pretty and simple looks great on you. Plus if you change, you’re going to make me wait for another hour and we have to drive and be there early so please get in the car.”
“Okay, just so you know I am making you accountable if I don’t make a great impression on your parents because I am wearing these simple clothes, it’s your fault.”
“You already made a good impression by bearing with me for almost a year and Mom loves talking with you. It’s just you guys meeting face to face. If she had not stayed long overseas then you will never hear the end of my Mom asking you to go out for tea or shopping with her. My female cousins are lucky because she wanted a daughter too, but since they only had me, all that extra care is given to them.”
I laughed at the thought because one time his mother called me to ask me if I wanted to come visit where she is while on my break. I declined, I didn’t even join my brother because I wanted to relax here. I’m grateful though that his mother seems to like me because it can be quite challenging when the only child is a son.
“I like how your mom treats me. I’m thankful for it but I’m curious about how your Dad is.”
“Dad doesn’t talk much about a lot of things. He lets me be as long as I don’t do stupid things that would cause major problems, which I never really did after that one time he sat me down back in high school. They got called for a parent-teacher meeting because I got into a fight. Huge one.”
“Whoa! You? Got into a fight? I’ve never heard of that.”
We’re already on the road and usually we talk about random things but this was never really mentioned before, him getting into a fight. He brought up before that he had a temper, well who doesn’t, even I do. He talks a little bit about his parents whenever the subject comes up but never really about certain things like this.
“I haven’t mention that? I got into trouble when I was younger. I didn’t bully anyone if that’s what you’re going to ask. Dad talked to me about that before, he said bullying is never a good thing just because we’re stronger or bigger or popular we can do that to anyone who we think is beneath us, which no one should be really. We don’t have the right to. We just have different circumstances, perceptions, and dispositions in life.”
“I totally agree with your dad. Why did you get into trouble though?”
“Sports.” He laughed after he answered. “I get riled up easily whenever people cannot seem to be working together or when we lose. Dad enrolled me in a self defense class after that huge fight for me to learn restraint, self control and it helped in all aspects.”
“I see.” I nodded my head waiting for him to add to the story.
“I was playing soccer with our friends and we were leading by a point and I was handling the ball to make sure I hit another goal and someone pushed me hard. I got pissed and ya know, bloody nose, punches everywhere, all that.”
He continued.
“It reminded me of that when you warned me to bring your brother back in one piece when we played soccer the last time he was here and I saw how competitive he is. I had to make sure he doesn’t get into arguments. Glad the guys playing with us know how I am on the field so they kinda let Johann play his game. It was great seeing your brother like that. He would always just say a quick hi to me on facetime whenever you’re with them.”
“He likes you.”
“I hope so.”
“Huh? What do you mean? You don’t think so?”
“I think so, but he was dead serious when he told me he can beat me up if I hurt you.”
“He said that?”
“Yeah, he’s being a good brother, you know, which I understand completely. He said I should take care of you, especially that he was going to be away.”
“That’s sweet of him.”
“He gave me a look that made me so sure he’s dead serious about that, “I’d beat you up, if you hurt my sister.”
He kept talking about my brother, he never really brought this part up. I guess he was keeping that conversation between them and just thought he could share this to me today. Before we know it, we’re at their house parking in their driveway.
