Christmas Day Birthday Party

Jenneth looked at her reflection once again. She is wearing a simple army green flare dress that flows down to her knees and black stiletto sandals. It's only two inches high; just right to make her look sexy, but still comfortable. Her make-up is also simple. Again, it's just her usual concealer-bronzer-mascara-gloss routine. As for accessories, it's just her rose gold TechnoMarine watch with brown leather strap and Kate Spade stud earrings.

She knows she's beautiful. She knows she's beautiful enough to be the guest at Samantha's birthday dinner party. Yes, she doesn't want to get overdressed to the point that she's overshadowing Samantha on her own party. For all she knows, it was just a simple dinner. That's why she should dress as simple but still as presentable as possible.

But still, she is restless. She's bothered that she will not look beautiful enough for a specific person. And somehow, she hates herself for that. She hates herself for still trying to please that person that she swears has no effect in her life anymore.

But it turns out he still has.

She brushed the thought off her mind and proceeded in preparing for the party. When she's satisfied with how she looks, she took her car keys and went outside her room, but not without her gift to Samantha.

She decided to buy a pair of earrings for her. She doesn't know what to give her, actually. She's doesn't really know anything about Samantha de Vera. What she means is they're not really that close. This is the first time they interacted this way, maybe because she lost most of her friends since she decided to stay in the US for that long.

But it's not like she has zero knowledge of Samantha. She was her mentor during her COCC training, and she always asked her to do some tasks during that time. Although, Sam is not the bossy type. Those tasks she asked her to do served as her training when she ended up succeeding her position.

And since she was always with her back then, she also had a lot of chance to be with Ryan. Which is, at that time, favorable to her.

She arrived at the de Vera mansion just in time the other visitors are arriving. The whole place is lit up. She was kind of surprised because according to Samantha, she only invited her and Ryan and Kenneth aside from her family. Well, there's also Darlene. So why is it that the place looks full of guests?

She went inside the mansion and proceeded to the back where the garden is. There she saw the spectacle of people from the different classes of Tarlac society, mostly upper class. At that moment, she hesitated if she would stay, or just leave. But then, Darlene saw her. She wasn't able to back out.

"Aunty Jhing!"

She loves this child's energy. It's contagious. That's why even though she started feeling something she cannot understand upon seeing Ryan, she still continued to come to them. She felt her whole body tense upon seeing him. She just wished he could not sense that effect he gave her.

"Hi Darlene!"

Instead of embracing her just like what she was intending to do, she touched the back of her hand with her forehead. It's a way to show respect in Filipino culture. That made Jenneth smiled. It just shows that Darlene was really raised very well by her parents.

"Nice to see you again, Aunty Jhing!" Darlene said joyfully.

Jenneth was so touched she embraced the kid. Darlene hugged her back.

"Same here, Darlene," Jenneth said. "Are you really okay now?"

"I am, Aunty!" Darlene answered. "My doctor, Aunt Sam, she was very good, and she treated me very well. You are also very good in testing my blood, Aunty."

Jenneth smiled. "Well, technically, it was the machine who processed your blood. And it was our pathologist who did the diagnosis."

She even pinched Darlene's nose lightly. The kid's really very cute.

Then, she stood up again and finally, face the man that as much as possible, she does not want to see again. But fate has other plans, it seems.

"Hi Ryan."

Jenneth tried so hard for that to sound as casual as possible. She tried so hard to suppress those butterflies that only this man can activate in her stomach. And it pisses her that those butterflies still happen even after everything.

"Jenneth."

That look of him to her. Jenneth looked away.

"Uhm... where's Sam?" she asked.

"Somewhere... she's here, but, uhm... she's somewhere," Ryan said

"What?" Jenneth asked. What he said confused her.

"Well, uh..."

Ryan doesn't seem to know what to say. It's his turn to look away.

It was Darlene who told Jenneth where Samantha is. "She's in the swing."

Jenneth frowned. "Swing?" Was this a place that she should know?

Ryan was obviously alarmed with what Darlene said. Jenneth gave him a questioning look.

"It's an old swing. At the end of the garden," Ryan just said.

Jenneth looked as if it's the most ridiculous thing she's heard.

"Aren't she supposed to be here in her own party?" she asked. "It's her birthday party, but she's not here herself."

"She's with my Dad, Aunty," Darlene said.

"Kenneth?" Jenneth asked.

"Yes, Aunty," Darlene answered.

Now, Jenneth is starting to get suspicious. Something seems to be going on tonight.

She looked at Ryan.

"Actually, we're about to join them." Ryan suddenly said. "Lene, let's go."

"But I thought you said we should just leave them alone?" Darlene asked innocently.

"Don't you want to see the swing? Come on! I'll bring you there."

Ryan looked impatient. Good thing Darlene is still full of good vibes.

"Really, Uncle?" she asked with the exuding excitement she has.

"Yes. Let's go now." Ryan took Darlene's arm.

"Yay! Bye, Aunty Jhing!" Darlene said to Jenneth.

"See you..." Ryan said to Jenneth.

Jenneth just nodded. Partly because she's confused of what's happening; partly because she's confused at what she felt when she realized that they are leaving her. As much as she's uncomfortable with Ryan's presence, at least she is with people that she knows. She looked around and saw the people chatting with each other. It seems there's no one she recognizes.

Well, the officers of TGH are also there. Although, she's not really close to them. She barely talks to them. She mostly interacts with Sir Raul de Vera, as well as Dr. Glory and Dr. Ricky Quinto. But the rest of the people there, she does not know how to talk with.

Then she saw Dr. Victor de Villa. He's talking to some doctors of TGH. Aside from the fact that Jenneth does not know anyone else aside from him outside the de Vera family, he also works with her in the Lab. Maybe it's just but right for her to say hi to him and greet him 'Merry Christmas?' And she can't ignore the fact that the generosity of this old man made him give her a pair of rose gold earrings as a Christmas gift.

She waited for him to finish talking to the other guests before she went to greet him.

"Hey!" he said when he saw her. "You're also here!"

"Merry Christmas, Doc."

"Merry Christmas. Where's my gift?"

That made Jenneth laugh. She knows the old man does not mean what he said.

"What do you like?" she asked to ride on his joke.

"That roasted pig there." He pouted on the buffet table. "It looks so delicious."

"Doc, you can't eat that." She's aware that the doctor has some heart problems.

"Can't I?" he asked innocently.

"Don't be so stubborn, Doc."

"Have you eaten already?" Dr. de Villa asked instead.

"I just arrive, actually," Jenneth answered.

"Come on! Let's go to the buffet table so that you can eat already. I know you're hungry. You're always hungry."

Jenneth just laughed as he followed the doctor to the buffet table. After getting some food, Dr. De Villa led her to a table where some doctors and officers of TGH are seated. He introduced her to them.

She didn't feel out of place as the group also engaged her in their conversation. Most of the topics are about the hospital and other medical related issues. Somehow, she felt she belonged.