As soon as Angela entered the hospital, she was greeted by a familiar voice.
"Hi, pretty girl!" greeted Dr. Johnson cheerfully, one of the resident doctors there.
She smiled faintly. She used to be annoyed by the nickname he gave her, but eventually got used to it. "Good morning, Doc!" she replied while continuing to walk.
"You have an appointment?" he asked, still smiling.
"Yup!" she answered, emphasizing the "p" before quickly passing by the doctor. She didn't have time for his usual teasing, especially since she knew the topic would end up being Clark—who was now her boyfriend. So far, no one knew except Clark's family in San Diego.
According to Dr. Johnson, it would be easier for her to manage her PCOS if she had a partner. He often teased Angela to make Clark her boyfriend, as if that was the cure to her condition. Even though she repeatedly said that she and Clark were just friends back then, he never stopped pestering her. That's why she always avoided such conversations whenever possible.
She figured Dr. Johnson's imagination would run even wilder if he found out that things between her and Clark were now more than friendship. She couldn't even imagine how he would tease her.
Angela was immensely relieved when she finally reached her OB-GYN's clinic and found out that her doctor was still busy with a patient. She sat down in the waiting area, put on her earpods, and started reading an e-book on her Kindle. Ever since she developed a love for both non-fiction and fiction books while she was in the institution, reading had become part of her routine. She preferred e-books over physical books due to the limited space in her apartment—collecting too many books wasn't an option.
After a while, an unfamiliar voice interrupted her.
"Ms. Angela Adriano?"
She turned to look—it was a new face at the hospital. "Yes?"
"You're Filipina?" the woman asked, a bit shyly.
"Yes, are you Filipino too?"
The nurse smiled. "Yes. I just started working here."
"That makes sense—I haven't seen you here before. So the doctor's former assistant is gone?"
"Uhm, I'm not sure what happened. But the doctor hired someone new, and I got the job," she replied pleasantly.
"By the way, I'm sorry, but the doctor had a family emergency. I just received a call from her. If it's okay with you, Dr. Davis will handle your treatment for today. If you're not comfortable with that, you may return on Friday."
Angela looked toward her doctor's clinic and saw her rushing out. She had no problem with Dr. Davis, so she made a quick decision. "That's fine, I'll go with Dr. Davis. I'm not available on Friday."
"Noted. I'll inform her so she can pull up your records."
A few moments later, Angela entered Dr. Davis's clinic. The doctor quietly read her file before calling her in for the examination. As usual, Angela followed instructions and avoided small talk. But before the session could end, Dr. Davis had to attend to an emergency patient and rushed to finish Angela's treatment.
***
That night, Angela quietly walked toward her favorite spot at the Golden Gate Overlook. She was alone—and that was exactly what she wanted. Today, her chest felt heavy again—it was the death anniversary of her mother and her baby. A few weeks from now would be the anniversary of her father's and brother's passing. During times like this, she preferred to be by herself—not because she didn't want company, but because she wanted to feel her grief in her own way.
Earlier, Clark had accompanied her to church to pray. He didn't join her at the Overlook because he had an important appointment with a patient. She knew he was worried about her, but she couldn't bring herself to say how she truly felt. She couldn't show anyone the weight she carried, not even today.
"Mommy, Daddy, Gelo, my baby… I'm sorry I can't visit you yet. I promise, when I'm able to take time off work, I'll come. For now, I'm still saving up for the trip," Angela whispered as she looked up at the wide sky.
"Oh, and by the way—Clark is my boyfriend now. I'm sure you already know him and his family. Don't worry—I can feel Clark's love and how much he cares for me. So do his mom and dad," she added with a smile, even as thick tears streamed silently down her cheeks.
She could no longer hold back the tears as thoughts of the family she lost nearly all at once flooded in. Despite everything, she clung tightly to the truth that she was no longer alone.
She took a deep breath and looked up again at the vast sky. Years had passed, but the pain hadn't gone away. It just became easier to carry—but never truly disappeared.
Thankfully, despite all the years she and Clark spent denying their feelings, they finally confessed to each other. And now, she had someone to face tomorrow with. Her wounds may not heal right away, but now there was a hand ready to hold hers. A heart willing to listen and stay. And arms ready to wrap her in a warm embrace. Clark.
She read his text before she left:
From My Baby:
Take your time, baby. I'll be home when you're ready to talk. Always here. I love you. Take care.
She smiled despite the tears clouding her eyes. After everything she had been through, she was now beginning to feel a new kind of life and happiness.
She never imagined that Clark had waited for years—so patiently—for the moment when she would finally be ready to love again.
After a few more hours, she decided to return to her apartment. She had work the next day, and she knew she had to take care of herself. But before she left, Angela took one last look at the view in front of her. Here, even if just for a moment, she found peace.
And hope.