"Baby," I whispered, clutching on her arm. Sumasakit bigla yung chest ko. Parang there's something wrong.  

 

I grimaced when I swallowed a slice of mango and sure enough, nafifeel ko yung pain sa chest ko. Winter suddenly got alarmed when I started caressing my chest and breathing heavily. 

 

"Baby, diba may gamot ka sa car mo?" I asked. Ang init na ng chest ko. I could feel the acidity coming up my throat. 

 

She didn’t even think twice. Hinila lang niya ako ng mabilis towards her car. She was speed walking and I was trying my best to catch up to her. Kahit na I have longer legs than her, I couldn't keep up with her pace. Parang kinaladkad na nga ako.

 

Worried na worried si Winter. "Baby dapat uminom ka muna ng gamot before tayo kumain." 

 

Wala naman to, really. After I drink the meds, it should go away but I guess I can't blame Winter for being worried. 

 

Masakit talaga siya. But I can manage. It's not my first rodeo. 

 

However, there are times where it hurts too much that hindi kaya ng over the counter medicine. Kailangan ko yung prescribed medication. Which I hope I won't need. 

 

Pero, here's what happened. It's my fault naman talaga. Hindi nagkulang si Winter kakasabi sa akin but I guess I'm just too stubborn.

 

It might also be because magkakaroon na ako.

 

So I was a bit whiny sa girlfriend ko. I was also being pushy. 

 

I was craving for street food. Particularly, yung mga maanghang. So with a lot of huffing and whining on my end, I managed to convince Winter na dalhin niya ako to eat street food.

 

We had an agreement kasi. Alam naman niya about my acid reflux and how I shouldn't eat too much of the good things (yes, they are so good). It should all be in moderation.

 

I think kinausap din siya ni Yuyu about this kaya very adamant ang girlfriend ko to follow Yuyu's advice. 

 

But I was not being good.

 

At hindi rin ako natiis ni Winter. 

 

Ang usapan namin, once every two weeks lang dapat ako kumakain ng spicy food, especially yung mangga. I already had some a few days ago but I was really craving for it today. 

 

I was salivating for it. Every time I thought about it, parang I could taste the sourness in the corners of my tongue and could feel the burning on the roof of my mouth. 

 

And because I was so excited, I forgot to drink my medicine. Nawala din yata sa isip ni Winter because I literally dragged her after she agreed to take me out. 

 

Grabe yata ako today. I think I overdid it.

 

Winter was getting very worried. My chest was hurting way too much na rin. Mukha siyang natatakot that as soon as we got to her car, she opened the door so forcefully and rummaged through the glove box. 

 

She ripped the packaging quickly and gave it to me, "babe, drink it na." Tapos inabot niya sa akin yung tumbler niya. 

 

I didn't need to be told. I swallowed the pill right away. It takes a few minutes for it to work so I let it settle.

 

"Okay ka na?" She asked, her forehead creasing from worry. And perhaps nervousness. First time niya akong makita ng ganito. Pinagpawisan na rin siya so I reached out to fix her bangs that were sticking on her forehead.

 

"I'll be fine in a bit," I assured her. 

 

Pero I was not fine. 

 

Five minutes later and it still hurts. 

 

I was trying to breathe slowly but every breath I took felt like my chest was getting squeezed.

 

"Okay ka na?" Winter asked again after a few minutes.

 

I could not lie. Actually, it's hard to lie when I'm literally wincing in pain every time I would open my mouth. "No. Baby, I think I need to go home." 

 

Winter didn't waste any time driving me home. 

 

Ang bilis nga ng pagtakbo niya ng car. 

 

"Slow down, Win. I'm not dying," I said, panting. I tried to make light of the situation. Pero obvious na nahihirapan na ako. 

 

"Hirap ka na nga magsalita oh," she just said without taking her eyes off the road. Inabot niya yung kamay ko and started fiddling with my ring. 

 

I'm in an awkward position kasi my ring is on my right hand but it doesn't matter. Better she play with my ring than scratch her hand. 

 

Winter does this now kapag nervous or anxious siya. I often offer my hand whenever she starts scratching hers so she started playing with my ring. 

 

"I'll be okay," I said, trying to reassure her. Kasi parang mas need niya ng assurance more than me. I've experienced this a lot of times so I know what to do. 

 

My girlfriend just seemed very alarmed by the whole thing. And I felt bad for defying her. I bet you she thinks it's her fault na nangyari to. 

 

Nakarating din kami sa bahay not long after. Winter would've forgotten to turn off her car if I didn't remind her. Bigla na lang kasi lumabas. 

 

"Baby, slow down," I said in between slow, deep breaths. The pain was getting worse but I wasn't going to make my girlfriend even more scared than she already is. 

 

Pero she just kept going, pulling me inside the house. Nawala yung hiya niya and pumasok kaagad sa bahay calling for Ate Marie.

 

Winter sounded so frantic na Ate Marie came rushing out of the bathroom, basa pa yung kamay. 

 

"Anong nangyari? Bakit may sumisigaw?" Gulat na tanong ni Ate Marie.

 

"Si Karina po kasi…" Winter squeezed my hand. "Sumasakit dibdib niya."

 

"Ate Marie, yung medicine ko for my heartburn," I said slowly, so as to not trigger the pain in my chest. "Yung galing sa doctor, Ate." 

 

"Jusko, yun lang pala. Akala ko may sunog," napailing lang si Ate Marie. "Teka lang." She left but not before reprimanding me about eating yung mga bawal sa akin.

 

"See, baby, it's no big deal. Hindi nga natakot si Ate Marie." I led her to the dining table para maupo. Para kasing shaken pa rin siya about the whole thing. 

 

I was trying my best not to show her that I was in pain pa rin. I took slow shallow, deep breaths, breathing in through my nose and out my mouth. 

 

Tiningnan lang ako ng girlfriend ko with worried eyes. "Di mo ako masisi, babe. First time ko nakita ka na ganito tapos nahihirapan ka pa huminga," she said, voice almost trembling. "Syempre nakakatakot yun. Dapat ni-remind kita uminom ng meds mo pero nakalimutan ko." 

 

Sabi ko na nga she would blame herself. I felt bad. Fault ko naman talaga.

 

"Sorry, babe. Ako yung nagpumilit and I was too excited to eat. Nakalimutan ko rin." 

 

Dumating rin si Ate Marie with my medicine, my dad tailing behind her.

 

Oh no. 

 

Nawala sa isip ko na nandito si Daddy sa bahay.

 

Winter is not ready to meet him. Tapos she doesn't feel good about herself pa naman.

 

I could feel Winter tense up beside me. Nakahawak pa rin ang mga kamay namin and she held onto me tighter before she shifted in her seat, sitting closer to me. 

 

This must be overwhelming her right now. Ang unexpected naman ng meeting nila. Winter wanted to prepare herself pero nandito na kami.

 

Pero I know Daddy. And he's cool. He can be a bit overbearing pero hindi siya nakakatakot. If anything, annoying si Daddy.

 

Inabot sa akin ni Ate Marie yung medicine, pinagsabihan pa ako na I shouldn’t be matakaw. I had to let go of Winter's hand and I could've sworn I heard her whimper.

 

My puppy. 

 

"Mangga pa more, anak!" 

 

See what I mean.

 

"Next time, tulungan kitang kumain para tayong dalawa magkasakit. Tara na. Miss ko na rin ang manggang hilaw." Pareho kami ni daddy may heartburn. As a matter of fact, we have the same medication for it. 

 

And he's like this when he's trying to discipline me. Dinadaan sa biro. Biro na may halong guilt trip.  

 

When he got nearer, he finally saw Winter beside me. "Oh, is this Winter?" He sounded so excited pa.

 

"Daddy…" I warned, huffing. Alam ko na how he is when it comes to new people he meets. He gets too excited. He is cool but sometimes he thinks he's young — he's FC. Feeling close.

 

"I'll be cool, anak," he said. 

 

My hand searched for my girlfriend's after I drank my medicine. Tugging on it softly, she finally found her voice, albeit nervous, "H-hello, po." 

 

I know my girlfriend can be quiet pero she sounded even smaller this time. Mas lalo naman akong nafeel bad about their sudden meeting.

 

Tumayo si Winter and magmamano na sana kay Daddy but he gently held her hand and pulled her in for a hug instead.

 

Diba sabi ko Daddy is FC. 

 

Gulat na gulat si Winter sa ginawa ni Daddy. She didn't even hug him back. Feel ko she's internally panicking and doesn't know what to do with her arms. 

 

"Dad!" I pulled Winter away from him. Nakikita ko na kasi how she became uncomfortable sa sudden intrusion ng personal space niya. It takes time for her to be comfortable sa mga ganitong eksena.

 

Sorry na. We're a family of huggers. 

 

"Sorry, Winter. Wag na kasi magmano. Tumatanda tayo ng maaga dyan," he joked, patting her on the shoulders. "Bata pa ako,