Doctor and Ma'am

Chapter 4

Li parked the car in front of a cozy restaurant.

“Doc, why did we come here?” Jas asked, looking at Li in confusion.

“We’re just going to talk, Jas,” Li said as he unbuckled Jas's seatbelt.

Though surprised by his action, Jas averted her gaze. She couldn't hold his gaze for long, feeling a nervousness she couldn't understand.

Li got out of the car, opened the passenger side, and extended his hand to the young woman. “Jas, please.”

The young woman was surprised because she hadn't noticed that Li was already outside with his hand extended to her. Absentmindedly, she took his hand.

Li held her elbow as they entered the restaurant. Li chose a two-person table in a corner.

Jas kept swallowing nervously, feeling uneasy around him.

Li looked at Jas while holding the menu booklet. “Jas, what do you want to eat?”

“It’s up to you,” the young woman replied tensely. It felt different being just the two of them. When Sam was with them, she had something else to focus on.

“Jas, please don't address me with 'po' and 'opo.' It makes me feel old,” Li said with a laugh, trying to lighten the young woman's mood. ('Po' and 'opo' are polite terms in Filipino.)

While Li was giving their order to the waiter, Jas just stared at her hands on the table. She was startled when Li touched them.

“Jas, are you okay?”

“Huh? I-I'm okay,” Jas replied in surprise. She really couldn't look directly at Li.

“No more ‘po’ or ‘opo,’ okay, Jas?” Li released the young woman's cold hands.

“Jas, I hope we can forget what happened,” Li gently hinted.

“I-I want to forget, but it's hard.” Tears welled up in the young woman's eyes. She kept her head down.

Li saw the tears forming in her eyes. “Jas, please don’t cry.”

“When I see you, I feel so small. I feel so low.” The tears she had been holding back finally fell.

“Please don’t cry.” Li took out his handkerchief and wiped the tears from her cheeks. He caressed her smooth cheek and her lips. ‘How I missed these lips’ he thought to himself.

“Let’s leave the past behind and let’s start a new chapter, Jas.” Li held the young woman's hand again.

“W-what do you mean?” Jas asked, looking directly at him.

“I want us to be more than friends, Jas,” Li said with a smile. It seemed like he wanted to say something else.

Jas responded with a shy smile. She wasn’t sure how they would start as friends.

Jas was excited about her graduation day. She glanced at a wrapped box placed on her table.

“Mom, who is this box meant for?” she asked her mother, who was ironing the clothes she would wear for her graduation.

Her mother looked at her and then went back to ironing. “Oh, that’s from Doc. He said it’s a graduation gift for you. He was here early. He said not to wake you up. He seemed to be in a hurry,” Gloria recounted while continuing to iron. “Child, is Doc sweet on you?”

“What?" Jas was surprised by the question, "N-no," she quickly replied.

“Child, Doc is kind, but—” Gloria didn’t finish what she was going to say and continued with her task.

Jas entered the room and looked at the box. She read the message inside the small envelope. ‘Jas, Congratulations and thank you for making Sam happy’ - Li. There was even a smiley at the end. She opened the box and was surprised by its contents. “Laptop?”

“Why did Li give me this, this brand is expensive,” Jas muttered as she took the laptop out of the box. Jas understood what her mother meant. Li was on a different level compared to them. How could they compete with Li’s wealth? He was a major stockholder of a famous drugstore chain. Co-owner of a large hospital and a doctor, and probably had other investments. While she was poor. Could someone wealthy truly fall in love with someone like her? Jas sighed and pushed the thought away. ‘Impossible,’ her mind said.

A small gathering was prepared for their family at Jas’s house. Gloria glanced out the window when she heard a car honk. “Doc’s car,” she said. Her mother gave Jas a meaningful look before going out to open the door for the new arrival.

“Hi everyone,” Li greeted everyone at the table. Jas's siblings smiled and invited the doctor to eat. “Dad, good evening.” Li approached Omeng and placed his hand on his forehead in respect.

“I arrived just in time,” he jokingly said with a soft laugh. “Here, Mom,” he said and handed the food he brought to Gloria.

“Oh! You shouldn’t have bothered. Thank you, Doc. Come, join us,” Gloria invited.

“Doc, have a seat.” Omeng pulled out a chair for him, which happened to be beside Jas.

Jas suddenly became aware of Li's presence, especially since Ellen was across from her with a teasing smile. She was surprised when her mother spoke.

“Jas, get a plate and utensils for Doc,” she instructed while setting out the food Li had brought.

Jas stood up to fetch a plate and utensils, placing them in front of Li. Li looked up, and their eyes met.

"Thank you," Li said with a smile. Jas's heart beat even faster. She smiled too and then looked away.

"You're on cloud nine, sis," Ellen teased with a giggle as they washed and cleared the dishes.

"Stop it," Jas scolded her sister irritably, giving her a sharp look.

"It's clear that Doc is smitten with you. And he even went to our parents, wow, that's something," Ellen continued to tease.

"Enough already, he might hear you," Jas said irritably again. Li was in the living room talking to their parents.

"Sis, do you like Doc?" Ellen asked in a whisper, seriously.

Jas couldn't answer her sister's question right away. What did she really feel for Li? Her heart just beat faster. She became self-conscious when he looked at her. Every touch felt electric. 'And he's already won you over,' her conscience said. "I don't know," she evasively replied to her sister.

"Yeah, right. I saw how you two looked at each other." Ellen even imitated the way she said they looked at each other.

Jas heard Li's car drive away. She left the kitchen when she heard her mother's call.

"Jas," her father said. "Li formally asked for our blessing to court you. Your mother and I are okay with whoever makes you happy. You know yourself and him best. What's important to us is that you don't get hurt, my child."

"My child," her mother added. "Doc is kind, but they're very well-off. His relatives might just look down on you." Her mother's words carried a tone of concern.

Jas couldn't speak. Li's sister Jelyn and her family were kind, but she hadn't met the doctor's parents yet. Would they accept her if it came to that? Jas didn't comment on what her mother said.

Jas couldn't sleep that night. She weighed her feelings for Li. She thought about what her mother had said. There was indeed a big gap between them, not just in age but also in social status. She looked at the laptop on the table; for her, it was too valuable for just a gift. Li could easily buy any material thing.

Her cellphone vibrated. Sam's name was registered. "Hello Sam," she greeted softly.

"Hello Jas," came the sweet greeting from the other line. She immediately recognized who it was.

"Li?" she said loudly in surprise. She plugged in her earphones and turned her back to Ellen, who was sleeping beside her. She covered herself with a blanket, a smile plastered on her face. She didn't notice her grinning sister with one eye open.

"Sorry, I couldn't say goodbye to you earlier, there was an emergency. By the way, why are you still awake? It's late," her caller asked.

It's unbelievable, he called her and then asked why she was awake? "Of course, you called, so I woke up," she smiled at her small lie.

"Sorry, I just wanted to hear your voice," her caller apologized.

"Aw really?" Jas replied teasingly, but her heart was fluttering with excitement.

"True, no kidding," said the doctor.

"Are you still at the hospital?" the young woman asked her caller.

"No. I'm on my way home," Li replied.

Jas suddenly thought of Sam and felt sorry for the child. It was late, and Li wasn't home yet, and he would surely be tired when he arrived.

"Thanks for the gift, but I hope it wasn't too expensive," the young woman said to change the topic of their conversation.

"Jas, it's my pleasure to give the best for you. Just accept it," her caller said gently.

"I'm not used to it, and I find it embarrassing," the young woman replied. She didn't want others to think she was opportunistic.

"Jas, get used to it from now on," he said.

"O-okay, drive safely and thank you again." She didn't really want to end their conversation, but she felt Ellen stirring.

"Bye, dream on me," said the voice on the other end sweetly.

"Bye," Jas replied. A smile remained on her lips until she fell asleep.

Jas was once again called by the Dean of Education at the University.

"You have very good credentials, Jasmine," said the Dean. "The reason why I requested you to come is because I am recommending you to La Bethania School. I would be glad if you would consider my recommendation. I am a part owner of the school."

"Really, Ma'am." Jas felt like jumping with joy. Even though she had good scholastic records, she still had a lot of competition when applying for jobs. With a recommendation, she would have an edge over others. "Thank you very much. I am very much willing to accept your recommendation."

"Well, here's my letter of recommendation. Present it to the principal, Mr. Rafael Buenaventura. He's my brother." Dean Patrice handed the LOR to the young woman with a smile.

"Ma'am, thank you so much." The young woman was overjoyed as she received the letter. The fulfillment of her dream to become an excellent teacher was about to begin.

Jas stopped as she entered the yard and stared at the parked car. She continued inside, and upon entering the living room, she saw Li and Sam. Her mother was talking to Li, and Sam was playing with her siblings, Bong and Mark.

"Teacher Jas!!!" Sam shouted loudly and ran to hug her.

"Hi," she greeted the child and patted his head.

She approached her mother and paid her respects, saying "Ma, bless po," a traditional Filipino gesture of respect.

"Jas, it's good that you're here," said Gloria. "The doctor has been here for a while and has something to tell you."

Li stood up and approached Jas with a smile. "Sam wants you to join us on an outing. Bong and Mark will come with us."

"We're going to EK!" Sam shouted happily.

'He's really using the kids to make it hard for me to refuse,' Jas thought. She also secretly admired Li's rugged look because his jeans, collared shirt, and sneakers made him look younger.

"Come on, you're the only one we're waiting on," her mother pointed out. It was then she noticed that her two siblings were already dressed for the outing.

As usual, Jas was in the passenger seat, with Sam and her siblings in the backseat. Before Li started the car, he turned to her, smiled, and whispered, "You look simple but beautiful."

Jas's heart started to race again. She just smiled and focused her eyes on the surroundings. Meanwhile, Li happily drove, occasionally glancing at her. The only sound was the chatter of the three in the backseat.

Sam and the two teenagers were excited as they entered EK. They had ride all you can tickets. The three kids first rode the carousel, and she and Li joined them. While the carousel spun, Li held the video camera focused on them.

Sam became hyper, shouting with joy. Sam wanted to ride everything he saw if only there weren't restrictions for kids. Her two siblings, being older, lined up for every ride and eventually separated from them, leaving her with the father and son.

The father and son rode the bumper cars together, while she rode alone. They were like kids racing, and she even caught Li winking at her when their eyes met.

She pretended not to notice but secretly felt thrilled. She couldn't understand why the man had such an effect on her.

Sam was tireless, and in the end, he saw the Ferris wheel and pulled her towards it. "Come, Teacher Jas, let's ride."

She had a phobia of heights, so she didn't ride tall attractions, including the Ferris wheel. "No Sam, sorry I can't," she firmly refused.

"Come on, Daddy is with us," the child insisted, tugging at her.

"Come on, Jas, join us," Li persuaded. She couldn't win against Sam, so she just went along with it, leaving whatever might happen up there to fate.