Unexpectedly Yours Doctor

Maingat ang bawat hakbang at may palingon-lingon pa siyang nagtungo sa kungsaan nagmumula ang bulungan. Nais niyang maglulupasay dahil unang araw pa lang niya sa bahay buhat nang huling beses siyang pumirmi ay ganoon na agad ang mauulinigan niya.

“What’s going on?” she mumbled as she meddled to the old ones’ conversation upon hearing her name. Her heartbeat won’t let her be at peace, as if it is telling her to feel fear.

“Oh, there she is! Sweetie, come over here,” her mom called, tapping the space beside her.

Sa tono pa lang ng boses nito ay batid na niyang sila lang matutuwa sa kung anoman ang pag-uusapan nila—bagay na ikinalukot ng kan’yang mukha hindi pa man sila nagsisimula.

She consciously combed her hair as she tried to hide her trembling fingers.

“Is this—Is this about the man I am...” she paused and gulped. Tanggap naman na niya na bilang lumaki sa pamilya na ang negosyo ay buhay, balang-araw ay siya naman ang nakalinyang itali sa kung sinoman na matipuhan nila. Labag man o bukal sa loob, ang mahalaga BUSINESS FIRST!

“Yes, darling,” the woman replied, even without waiting for her to get done with her query.

“But I don’t know that man!” she blurted out and flinched away.

“Oh, come on, Bella. There is no sense of knowing who the man is. All we have to make sure is how established he is!” Her dad nodded, smiling in all stretch.

“Biruin mo, kung hahayaan ka lang namin na pumili ng kung sinong makilala mo kungsaang lupalop ka man makahanap, baka kung hindi abutin ng siyam-siyam e tumanda kang dalaga. Hija, hindi sa lahat ng oras ay bata ka na pagbibigyan namin at aabutan ng pera! Hindi pinupulot ang piso—”

“‘Pa, ng mga mayayaman, oo.”

“Ayon na nga. Hindi ka mayaman!”

“Bakit po?! Nalugi na ba tayo?” Bigla ay nagtaasan ang mga balahibo niya sa katawan. Hindi pa siya handang mag-alsa balutan!

“But why do I have to do this? I am not the eldest!” she opposed, looking at her siblings’ frames hanged on the wall.

“Well...” The old man stood up and faced the paintings. “As you can see, all of them are already married.”

Nilingon siya nito at tila nangungumbinsi na tumango-tango. “Kung gusto mong umahon sa lusak ay kailangang ikaw mismo ang gumawa ng paraan.”

Her knees weakened upon hearing his response. She could not think they are really serious about throwing her to an arranged marriage.