Invitation

Jenneth is busy doing some paperwork when Samantha came to her office. And the doctor is not alone. She is with Darlene.

She was so surprised that she just gaped at them and said, "Hey..."

"Hi!" Samantha beamed at her. "We came to visit."

"Hello, Aunty Jhing!" Darlene said with the brightest smile that Jenneth has ever seen.

"Hi!" She smiled back at the kid. "It's nice to see you here."

"Darlene wanted to see the Lab, as you promised her," Samantha said.

"Can I see your laboratory, Aunty?" Darlene asked. "Promise, I won't touch anything. I'll just look and watch."

"Of course," Jenneth said.

Oh well, maybe she really needs to take a break from the enormous paperwork she was doing. So, she stood up and gave Darlene and Samantha some lab gowns, slippers and face masks. She then toured them around the laboratory, stopping a little at every section to make Darlene see what they do and how they do things.

Of course, the little kid was amazed. She was so fascinated with the machines and equipment that she saw. Although, she couldn't help but feel grossed out with the specimen she saw.

After the tour, Jenneth took the two to the office of the hospital's Chief Pathologist, Dr. Victor de Villa.

Samantha introduced Darlene to her godfather. "Lene, this is Dr. De Villa."

"Good morning, Doctor!" Darlene said.

The old pathologist was delighted by the child's demeanor. "Hello! What a polite little girl you are."

"She's the daughter of our friend," Samantha said, indicating herself and Jenneth. "She is curious as to what a laboratory is, so I asked Jenneth to tour her around."

"Ah! And did you like what you saw?" Dr. de Villa asked Darlene.

"Very much," Darlene answered. "It's so amazing! I saw how they tests the blood and specimens. It's like what they took from me when I had dengue."

"You had dengue?" Dr. De Villa asked.

"Yes, Doctor," Darlene answered. "And they took a lot of blood from me. They said it was to know if I am healing."

Dr. De Villa smiled, obviously enjoying the conversation with the smart little Darlene. Jenneth can sense that the grandparent complex is working on the old doctor.

"But, I can see you're all healed now," Dr. De Villa said to Darlene.

"Yes, Doctor, because Aunty Sam healed me," Darlene said.

"Ah, yes! Sam is really a good doctor. Do you know that she studied Medicine in Harvard?"

"Where is Harvard, Doctor?"

"It's in the US," Dr. De Villa answered. "It's a very prestigious school. A lot of students want to study there, but only a few manage to get in because it's really very hard to pass the screening process. Only the best and smartest and intelligent students get in. Your Aunty Sam, she was a scholar there."

Jenneth glanced at Samantha. She was indeed a very amazing person. Even though she was envious of Samantha's role in Ryan's life, she was never jealous. And that is because she really admired her that time. And she still admires her up to this day.

"Yes, Grandpa. That's what they told me," Darlene said. "Oh! But can I call you 'Grandpa'?"

That made Dr. De Villa chuckle. "Well, since I'm really an old person, I guess you can call me that."

"Lene, do you know that Dr. De Villa has a lot of chocolates here in his office?" Samantha said.

"Really?" Darlene's eyes glistened as her gaze shifted from Samantha to Dr. De Villa.

"Yes, but those who had dengue cannot eat chocolates," Dr. De Villa joked.

"Oh..." Darlene's enthusiasm turned to dismay.

Jenneth giggled. Dr. De Villa really has a good sense of humor.

Samantha and the old doctor also laughed.

"He's just joking, Lene," Samantha said after.

And to prove that his goddaughter was right, Dr. De Villa opened his drawer and took out the chocolates that Samantha was talking about. He gave some to Darlene.

"Thank you!" said the child whose enthusiasm came back. She happily opened one chocolate bar, then offered it to Samantha and Jenneth. "You want some, Aunties?"

"I'm good," Samantha answered.

"Me, too," Jenneth said.

"By the way, Uncle. About your rest house in Subic. Can I use it for a few days?" Samantha asked Dr. De Villa.

"When do you need it?" Dr. De Villa asked.

"After New Year."

"I guess you can. No one has asked me to reserve it, so far," Dr. De Villa said. "No one is getting married yet."

Samantha smiled. "You still gift that to the weddings you sponsor?"

"I think that's the only reason why they get me as their wedding sponsor," Dr. De Villa said.

Samantha laughed. Then, she looked at Jenneth. "Do you know that Uncle is the universal wedding sponsor here in the hospital?"

Jenneth shook her head.

"I guess you're still new, that's why," Samantha said. "Everyone here in the hospital who gets married, they ask Uncle to be their wedding sponsor. And his gift to them is free accommodation to his rest house in Subic."

"For how many days?" Jenneth asked.

"For as long as they like," Samantha answered. "There's no limit. Right, Uncle?"

"Sky is the limit," Dr. De Villa answered. "Why, are you getting married?"

Jenneth saw how Samantha's reaction changed, from the jolly visitor to a nervous goddaughter. It made her wonder a little.

"Of course not!" Samantha said, seemingly caught off guard.

She seems quite agitated for a moment, even waving her hands in front to confirm her answer. Jenneth gazed at her because of that, and so did Darlene.

"I thought I have to prepare my suit already," Dr. De Villa said.

"You'll also be my sponsor?" Samantha asked.

"But of course! You won't get me?"

Samantha smiled, obviously touched. "Of course, I will. But that's not the reason why I want to borrow your rest house. I just want to treat my friends because during my birthday, I never really got the chance to hang out with them."

"It's because there were a lot of guests during your Christmas birthday party," Dr. De Villa commented. "Well, that's Helen for you. When she organizes a party, it's like she wants to feed the entire hospital."

The two ladies laughed at what the doctor said. Darlene, though, just looked at them innocently as she is not only busy eating chocolates. She also does not join in older people's conversations.

"So, can I borrow it?" Samantha asked. "After New Year."

"Sure," Dr. De Villa answered. "How many days do you need it?"

"Four, maybe."

"Okay. Remind me again so that I can give you the key. You still know how to get there, don't you?"

Samantha winced. "It's in Waze, right?"

"I'll give you a map," Dr. De Villa said.

Samantha smiled. Then she said to Jenneth, "Jhing, you'll come as well, right?"

"Huh?" Jenneth was really surprised.

"Well, you're also my friend. And it will just be us and Kenneth and Darlene."

Now, Jenneth is starting to feel a little suspicious. It was further intensified by what Samantha said next.

"Ryan will also come, but that's okay, right? Past is past…"

Jenneth immediately remembered what Ryan said to her a few days ago when he went to her house. Could it be that he has found a way to do it without her help? But even without her consent, she is still being dragged into it.

She has no choice but to say yes. Saying no would entail more persuasion from Samantha, and Dr. De Villa might join in convincing her.

"Okay," she said in the end.

Samantha smiled. "Don't worry. You will enjoy it for sure."

"The beach there is very nice," Dr. De Villa said.

"Yeah," Samantha agreed. "The house is beachfront, and it also has a swimming pool. That property is really big, Uncle." She looked at Dr. De Villa.

"You want that?"

Samantha wasn't able to answer. Even Jenneth was surprised at what Dr. De Villa asked. And amazed. It seems like the old doctor wants to give that property to his goddaughter.

Which he confirmed when he said, "I'll give it to you as a wedding present."

"Uncle..." was only what Samantha could say.

"But if someone asked for it for their honeymoon, you have to lend it to them."

Samantha laughed. "Thanks, Uncle. But for now, I only need four days."

"Okay," Dr. De Villa said.

Four days after, Jenneth went back to Samantha's house in Moonville. That will be their meeting place for their trip to Dr. De Villa's rest house in Subic.

"Wow! You look hot, Girl!" Samantha said as she kissed her on the cheeks.

Jenneth smiled. "So do you."

Samantha is wearing a white t-shirt and paper-bag shorts with black and white stripes. Jenneth is wearing a dark blue floral romper that has cold shoulder sleeves.

"For sure Ryan will fall for you all over again."

Jenneth's heart somersaulted. It felt like she was taken back to that time in high school when Samantha found out that Ryan is her crush.

And just the mere mention of Ryan's name made her heart like that because they still have some unfinished business. She is very sure that this trip is his plan.

After a few minutes, Kenneth, Darlene and Ryan arrived. Although she is still uneasy about what is happening, Jenneth was delighted to see Darlene with his exuding energy and enthusiasm.

"So... Let's go!" Samantha told them.

Kenneth took Samantha's things, and Ryan took Jenneth's. She actually had the feeling that he didn't want to, but he was forced to do it. He looked like he wanted to refuse, but doing so would just give Kenneth and Samantha a reason to tease him. So he just did it.

Samantha went inside the car. She sat on the passenger seat, and Jenneth kind of suspected what would happen. The BMW X1 SUV is Kenneth's, so most probably he will be the one who will drive. She knows she will be in the passenger seat, and she wished that Darlene will sit between her and Ryan.

"Hey! That's my place," Ryan said to Samantha.

Jenneth wondered why it feels like Ryan is not aware of what Samantha and Kenneth wanted to do. Or, is he just acting? He's very good at it, she must say.

"Since I am the one who knows where we are going, I should be here," Samantha explained. "Just sit at the backseat."

Ryan seems to want to argue, but he changed his mind. Instead, he shifted to Kenneth. "Ken! Let me drive."

"This is my car, so I'll drive," Kenneth just said.

Ryan can do nothing but retreat. He then went to the backseat, and to his and Jenneth's horror, Darlene does not want to leave the seat by the door.

"I want to see the sceneries we pass by," Darlene said.

"I'll let you see when we get to Subic," Ryan said. "For now, just sit in the middle."

"I don't want to!" Darlene refused.

Ryan's pleading made Jennet feel like he does not like sitting beside her. Well, if only she has a choice, she would not sit beside him as well. But she can't do anything as Darlene won't shift to the middle seat. For the first time since she met the kid, she felt annoyed with her.

"Ry! Are we going or not?" Kenneth asked.

Ryan has no choice but to concede. So Jenneth was forced to sit in the middle seat, while Ryan sat behind Kenneth. He remained quiet, though, even during those moments when Kenneth openly teased him for being unusually quiet.