AMACon 3: Oikos - Children

The Wax and Wane - Chapter Four

Upon his return, he noted again that Jane was back and through his guidance, the little girl started interacting with the other kids. She has garnered new friends, including Mina and he was just so proud of how much she has developed. She still wouldn't talk but RJ was confident that slowly, she will start to do that as well. This kept on for the next few months.

At every end of a tiring day, when she would accompany her doctor friend and play nurse for him, she would put her tiny palms on each of RJ's cheeks, give him a smooch and the doctor would feel his weariness ebbing away. He started envisioning her as if she were his daughter, with Maine as the mother, of course that he formed plans of legally adopting her.

On his fifth month, RJ had to stay longer than his twenty day shift in Nueva Ecija because he was monitoring one of his patient's complicated pregnancy. The town being a third class municipality does not have a maternity clinic that's always open. There is a midwife but she still needs the assistance due to the difficulty of the pregnancy.

He was hoping to see Maine off as it's the end of her ten-day shift in the institution but when he woke up, she was gone. He intended to know where she goes whenever she's not in the orphanage but luck was not with him this time.

Late that afternoon, as he was going inside the premises of the orphanage returning from delivering his patient's baby, he looked behind him, responding to the feeling of being watched. Across the road, was an old woman with thick hair put up in a bun. She raised a finger pointing at him and whispered, "It's you."

The hairs on his nape bristled because how could he have heard her whisper with two lanes of traffic separating him and the old lady.

Still looking at him, the old woman stepped forward not looking and she was hit by a speeding vehicle. RJ was stunned for a moment but was quick on his feet to attend to the accident. Good thing that the jeepney driver was able to step on the brakes right away so the bump was not fatal. The lady though was still knocked unconscious, her hip taking the blunt of the force. Doctor RJ swiftly brought her inside the orphanage, his actions precise as was required of him as a doctor.

He stayed for two more days, ensuring that the babe that he just delivered was safe and so was the old woman. He asked Miss Ruby for permission so that the old lady could stay in the orphanage while recuperating. He inquired around for her identity but the people could not direct him to any relative that the old woman might have.

According to the townsfolk, she is often found wandering the town every end of the month. She seemed harmless though. When asked for her name, she referred to herself as Selina.

Before RJ left, he checked on the old woman and to bid her goodbye. She was looking at his face intently and before he went away, she reached for his face and held it between her hands.

"You must remember," she whispered, "come back when you remember." She bestowed a kiss on his forehead and released him so he could go. With questions in his mind, RJ went home to his grandmother and sister.

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RJ has one fervent wish, he wanted to see Jane together with Maine. They have the same quiet yet reassuring aura and the same eyes which look like they have thousands of question but you'd be willing to answer each one without hesitation, allowing yourself to drown in their depths.

He so badly wanted to have visuals of how his future family would look like but they were never in the orphanage at the same time.

When he returned from his rest week in Laguna, Lola Selina was gone. According to the orphanage staff, the old lady disappeared right before he returned from Sta. Rosa. During the whole time she was there, she just kept to herself until she was well enough to move about and help in tending to the children. At night, she would always just stay in the balcony, gazing up at the sky.

RJ found Jane, the little girl having returned after her numerous disappearances. He told her about the old lady who he met before he went home to his sister and that he would be leaving earlier this month.

The current month commemorates his parents' death anniversary and he allots time to celebrate the life that they had, culminating it with his annual mountain climbing. It is on top of a mountain that he always feels the freest and nearest to his parents.

He could not wait until Maine arrives. He was so sure of his feelings for her that he would want her to meet his remaining family members and perhaps bring her to his parents' grave to introduce her, the woman with whom he wishes to be with until the end of his days.

On the eleventh day, just as expected, Jane had disappeared but RJ was not bothered anymore because he had found it as a normal occurrence already. As soon as Maine arrived, he had wanted to approach her to extend his invitation to her but he decided to wait. This could make or break his intent of being with her and he wants to really prepare for it.

After lights out that night, he invited her to talk over hot choco like always so there they were on the veranda, bathed by the moonlight when RJ expressed his intent.

"Maine, I'm leaving earlier than usual this month. I have asked for a two week leave instead of the usual ten days off so I could go home to Laguna."

"Hmmmm, did something come up?"

"It's my parents' death anniversary sixth day from today and I'd really like it if you could come with me. Gusto kitang ipakilala sa lola ko and sa si--"

"I can't, I'm sorry." She was shaking her head 'No'.

"Ahhh, I understand. Dahil ba sa tasks dito sa orphanage? I apologize if I acted without consulting you. I already asked Miss Ruby if she could come earlier para palit na kayo ng schedule just this once para mak--"

"No, RJ, I can't leave here. I'm waiting for something, for someone."

"Someone? May hinihintay kang dumating dito?"

She answered in a whisper. "I'm waiting for him, he has to remember."

It seemed like there was someone else. So that's why she had been drawing back always.

"Him? There is someone else? Who is he? So the whole time that we were getting close there is someone else?" His voice had started to rise but he realized that they just put the children to sleep so he continued, this time whispering angrily. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"He has to remember. I'm sorry, I can't come with you."

"You can't or you won't?"

"I won't because I can't, you have to understand, please."

He never expected this. He was too perplexed so instead of talking things out, he left her there in the balcony without even a backward glance.