My Love From The Star

“Look up and see the stars” he whispered to me as I laid my head to him. “isn’t it amazing?” he whispered again. “they’re not beautiful. They are just lights from the sky” I answered. I’m not really an avid fan of stargazing but watching him watching them makes me want to love them.

8 years ago during a typhoon that landed in my hometown where tall trees fell and floating roofs all over the way broke the hearts of the people who lived there. Some lost their shelter and few lost their family member but me? I lost my life. I left my whole family because I want to pursue my medical career but I guess I was too late. I wanted to become a doctor so that I can take care of them but look at it now. I feel so useless. Instead of breaking down, I went back to my work and volunteer medical missions so that I can repay what had I missed. Seeing my patients broke into tears after I cure them is a fulfilling scenario.

“Angel, there’s a group over there who wants to talk to you. I guess they’re your fans” another Doctor from my department said and taking over my current patient. It’s just a simple scratch so I didn’t mind her doing that. Me? Having fans? I saw them waving at me while preparing their camera. “Hi doctor! We came from Davao after you volunteered because of the typhoon. We didn’t get the chance to take a picture because you were so busy and we didn’t expect to see you so we grab the chance” I’m stunned. I spend an hour with them before I rest at our cabin. “Mom don’t leave me! I need you here, please!” strong winds keep us apart, sweats all over my body and tears strolling down in my cheeks. I couldn’t hold more so I let go seeing my mom flash through the winds.

“Doctor wake up!” I was awake by the noise coming from reality. With my heart pounding, I open my eyes to see the reality I’ve been ignoring. I’m just dreaming. My depression will only lead me to stress so I must decide from now on what really matters to me.

“Are you sure you’re going to take a leave? It’s so unusual of you to dismiss medical mission” I made a leave at work to ease my mind. Sun hitting on my skin and sands tickling on my foot here at the beach resort my cousin referred to is absolutely amazing. I went to the lounge to check my name because my cousin told me it’s free. Free accommodation, free food, free drinks, free games, free style but imprisoned heart. “Oh, Miss Chen mentioned you yesterday, we are so glad to have you here. Here is your keycard. Welcome to Camp Sawi” the clerk happily swayed the keycard infront of me. From the ambiance itself, I can say that I can refresh here.

I spent 3 days in my hotel room crying and begging some extension of days with my family. I was so devastated that I couldn’t even eat. I thought I moved on but I was wrong. At the end of the day, you need to remove the mask. During my 4^th day at the resort, I went outside to chill and make some friends. At the exit, you can see straightly the restaurant so I head over there because I’m actually hungry. I ordered and sit myself aside. “Angel! You’re here! I thought you won’t take my offer!” I was schocked because of the large noise just beside me. It’s my cousin Janice. “I miss you so much! Come sit with me!” She held my hand and lead me to where her table is. When I took a glance, it’s not just her but she’s with her Carlisle and a man i-don’t-know-who. “You know my husband of course Carlisle. Well, this man right her is his brother Ally. He’s a warrior” Janice introduced him to me so I only gave him a smile but I guess he don’t like smiley face. He offered his hand. “Allistair Alfonso. Call me Ally” trembling, I exchanged his offer. “Angelicess Nieves. Call me Angel.”

“I’m not with my family also when the typhoon hit our hometown but slowly I’m moving on” just like me, Janice cried also trying to remember her memories with her family. “I really feel yo--“ we were interrupted by the noise of Carlisle’s cellphone. “Hello? Yes of course. Really?! Okay we will go there!” Confusion plastered on our faces. “Shaira met an accident! Let’s go!” without anything else, he grab Janice and they hurriedly run towards the exit. Shaira is their only daughter. I hope she’s okay.

I was left with Ally and uncomfortable. “I know that you’re uncomfortable so let me take you to your condo. It’s late and I’m safe” it’s a rhyme so I laughed a little. While walking down the sands and heavy breathing of sea waves, we talk a lot and somehow, I know him a little. “So you’re a soldier?!” for God sake it’s not easy to fight from bullets of rain! “And you’re a doctor too. You should be very careful while opening someone’s stomach” I smiled and look up to him “you should be very careful to when pointing a gun, you might hit someone without them knowing that they were hit” I whispered. I feel so comfortable with him right now because we have some similarities and same ideas.

“But I was hit first without that someone noticing it” I coulnd’t hear what he’s saying because it’s getting louder every word. “Huh?” I make face showing him that I didn’t hear it. “Nothing, goodnight. See you tomorrow. Same time, same place” he smiled. O--kay? “Are you asking me out?” I asked. I know this move. “If that’s what you think then yes”

During my stay in the resort, I feel so alive again and somehow, my life restarted. “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC! WORLD IS NOW IN A PANDEMIC CRISIS BECAUSE OF A DISEASE CALLED NOVEL CORONA VIRUS. EVERYONE SHOULD STAY HOME AND WEAR MASK WHEN GOING OUTSIDE. DOCTORS ARE NOW ON ALERT, COPS ARE NOW ON DUTY, SOLDIERS ARE MAKING PLAN ASWELL AS THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.” I came back to the hospital together with a shocking news. There’s a pandemic! It’s a human-to-human transition. It’s more active to senior but everyone can be infected with it. “We will send some medical volunteer to remote areas to secure the health of the people from the hill. As expected, I participated the medical mission and head as fast as my team could.

Different strollers from different ambulance that were sent to the clinic that I’m assigned of. Those were patients getting infected with corona virus. As today, frontliners are wearing personal protective equipment to cover themselves up. “Doctor, soldiers are outside wanted to talk to you” I gave the patient to the another doctor and head towards the exit. Because we are wearing PPE, we couldn’t recognize each other’s faces but this man seems familiar. Ally. Our eyes locked and it sent shivers on my spine.

“Cases are inflating Doctor Angel, we cannot plan anything else because when building an another clinic will contain 3 to 4 weeks. The cases are getting higher and higher everyday. So we suggest if it’s okay with you to do a house-to-house monitoring” this issue is so serious so we have to think about it real quick. “I’m very okay with that” I said. “Okay, we will start later after lunch so go back inside” he said and turned his back to me. That was it? I shall go back now? Don’t you have anything more to say? Wait, why am I even assuming?

I didn’t eat my lunch because I was so busy checking the patients. Some were already dead because of the virus. I’m so sad for them. “We will go to 7 houses this afternoon then after that, you can head home now” he said while driving. I only nod as a sign of agreement. “Did you eat your lunch?” Out of nowhere, he asked. “Y-yes” no. I’m really hungry! Grrrrrl Grrrrrl Grrrrrrl  the noise coming from my stomach made a noise. I was so embarrassed! “You eat, huh?” he said smiriking. He stopped the car and gave me a snack. Actually it’s a canned food in a bread. “We should share” I was half cutting the bread when he stopped me “It’s okay, I’m okay when you’re okay”

After the house visitation, he drives me on my cabin with his military uniform. “Next time, wear your PPE. It’s not safe without them” I warned him. He’s not wearing a mask either! “It’s gonna be okay. Goodnight my Angel” I was stunned by the way he called me. “Y-your what?” am I stuttering?! I look down and turned my back to him. That’s kinda embarrassing. “I’m not done with you yet” he said and grab my wrist. He pulled me closer to him grab my waist and held my chin high. “Please treat me doctor” he said and lock our lips. It was passionate. It was magical. There’s butterfly everywhere.

Weeks has passed and the cases are getting higher and higher every second. The house-to-house visitation is actually no joke. So very exhausting but working in the clinic is way more stressful. 7 consecutive days that Ally didn’t visit me here. Being a soldier must be very hard. He must be having a hard time. It’s past 4 pm and I decided to leave the clinic to take some rest. When I was going to enter the cabin when I hear some car honk outside. I took a peak and it was Ally! He visited me!

I run to him but keeping a distance to each other. “Thank God you’re wearing PPE! You are so covered that I couldn’t ever recognized you!” I beamed but he just stayed there looking at me. “Is there anything wrong?” He drove me to the beach. He’s not saying anything so I stayed in silent also.

When we arrived, I can see a picnic mat not reaching sea floor. He handed me a blanket so I took it to cover myself. “What’s wrong?”

“Look up and see the stars” he whispered to me as I laid my head to him. “isn’t it amazing?” he whispered again. “they’re not beautiful. They are just lights from the sky” I answered. I’m not really an avid fan of stargazing but watching him watching them makes me want to love them.

“I’m infected. I went to the hospital and refuse to get treated to the clinic because I know that you will feel upset. I’m sorry” I went blank for minutes. Absorbing all the words he said. Why?

“I f-feel so very suffocated right now. W-when I’m gone, just pick one s-star from above that resembles me. I-it will make yourself soothe from s-stress.” Tears rolled down from my cheeks as I remember him here at the same beach, same time. He’s my love from the star. It’s been 8 years since he left me. 8 years of suffering and 8 years of a hard trying girl from moving on.