THE BEST GIFT

“Hi baby! Kumain ka na?”  the young nurse lit up, as the call finally connected.

The child on the phone looked slightly annoyed but still tried to maintain a smile throughout “Yes, Mom.”

“Mabuti naman kung ganoon, Kumusta ka na anak? ” the woman asked, genuinely curious about the child’s well being. 

“I’m okay,” the child stoically replied. 

Like a gust of wind, all her exhaustion faded away, as she finally heard her child’s voice, whom she had not seen in months due to the pandemic. 

“Sorry ‘di kita mabibilhan ng regalo ngayong pasko ah, ‘di kasi kasya ang sweldo ni mama eh. Pero sa akin ay sapat nang makita kita” the nurse told her son, trying to hide the exhaustion on her face.

“It’s fine, ma.” the child started to grow visibly irritated as the mood got heavier, and heavier.

“Pa-Ingles Ingles ka pa dyan, alam mo namang si mama mo, hindi gaanong nakakaintindi ‘nak” the mother jokingly said, as she tried to lighten the mood with her child.

But the child on the other end felt insulted, and by impulse lashed out on her mother. “Then don’t talk to me! Ugh!” and ended the call right there.

The beeping continued to echo along the cold hospital halls, as the mother wiped her face and got ready for another shift.