The Heart Doctor ✔

Chapter 17: Smelled bitchy

THIA

Standing over my kitchen sink, one by one I open the cabinets to check if I have something to eat---noodles of course. Suddenly,  I hear a pair of stomping foot heading towards my direction. Makes me think of something—someone rather. It’s Ramos, weird right? He’s missing in action for the pass weeks, I haven’t seen him. Oh well, he got his own life, I got mine—why bother?

I hear those pair of foot, closer and closer, then it stopped and then continue walking again. Who could it be? I’m sure I did lock door—that’s for sure. It could  be a thief? Hope it’s not! Gosh, I thought this building is safe?  I am now waiting, no more like anticipating to know who is the intruder that have the guts to break in my place. I am now facing at the entrance of my kitchen.   Geez! I mentally  sigh. At bakit pa ba ako nagtataka? Si Ramos lang pala, na ‘missing in action for the pass weeks’. Teka? Bakit siya nakapasok?

“Oh Anong trip ‘yan? Hindi bagay sayo maging spiderman.” With he’s infamous grin.

“Obviously, I’m a woman! Hoy! Bakit ka nakapasok dito? Sure akong ni-lock ko ‘yung pinto.” I turned around to face down ‘cause I’m still standing over the kitchen sink. My eyes instantly zoomed-in to his laryngeal prominence( Adam’s apple)—pacing up and down? Pumunta pa talaga dito para makiinom ng tubig? Dalhin ko kaya ‘to sa ilog Pasig eh.

“B-bumaba ka diyan! Mag-suot ka nga ng pang-ibaba! What are you doing there anyway?” Excuse me? What the hell, did he just say? I am wearing shorts for crying out loud, hindi lang nakikita dahil sa t-shirt ‘kong oversized.

“FYI! I am wearing shorts no! Manyak mo talaga! Naghahanap po ng makakain, eh wala na pala akong stock.” I was about to go down, by leaping ng lumapit siya sa akin na nag-aaktong sasaluhin niya ako. Eh? Hindi naman gaanong mataas ito ah, taga-beywang ko lang ‘to eh.

“Tumabi ka nga!” Paano ba naman, sa harapan ko pa talaga tumayo? Tatabi naman pala eh, kailangan pa talagang pagsabihan? I take a leap like pro—ten points for that graceful leap. Chos!

“Hoy paano ka nakapasok? Ano nga ginagawa mo dito?”

“Chill, Alam ko po ang passcode niyo. Tara grocery tayo.” I just rolled my eyes on him, grocery talaga? Ang mahal kaya ng mga paninda ‘dun! Buti sana kung sa palengke lang, makakatawad ka pa sa presyo almost 50% sa tunay na presyo! I pulled one of the dining chair and sit on it. He also  pulled one and sit on it ,which is beside me. Ang daming upuan dito , tumabi talaga?

“Wala akong pera.” Without taking a glance on him, I just looked at my *ehem*, masterpiece *ehem*. Ngayon ko lang napansin na dito ko ‘to isinabit. I painted this last year eh, it’s the window of our soul which is our eyes. Sa pagkaka-alam ko it’s Franz’s eyes, As far as I remembered when I painted this, I was kind of missed him that time. KIND OF! Yeah! KIND OF!!  As I  thought  of it, these past days—palagi kaming nagkikita ni Franz sa hospital, tatanungin ko nga siya may sakit ba siya. But he said wala daw, alam naman nating lahat na ang salitang ‘wala’ maraming meaning! He often asked me to grab a coffee. What happened to the world? People are getting weirder! Eto namang isa susulpot, lilitaw ang peg? Ano siya---

“KAHIT GUTOM KA HINDI KA KAKAIN DAHIL WALA KANG PERA O TAMAD KALANG BUMILI NG PAGKAIN?” Bulyaw niya habang nakakunot ang noo niya. Kung makapagsabi naman ‘to kala mo tatay ko.

“Both.” Walang ganang sabi ko. Upakan ko ‘to eh.

“Pakasal ka nalang sakin, para hindi ka nagkakaganyan.” I slowly scrutinize him with an annoyed face Excuse me? What the--? Did I heard him right? Oh I’ll wait for the punchline.

“Ha-ha? M-magbihis kana. Babalik lang ako, para sunduin ka.” Then he went off. I  stand up, head towards my bedroom to get dress.  Napailing nalang ako, why o why I’m such a scrooge?! Nope, I’m just a saver, being practical! Kaya marami na akong ipon, maglaway sila sa ipon ko. And was that Ramos back there? Weird, it give some kind of weird feeling! Ano ba ‘yan, pati tuloy ako nahahawa sa mga tao ngayon.