DOCTOR’S FEE (MOMMAS BOY BOOK SERIES) ENGLISH VERSION

CHARI TRIED TO calm down Irene. Her voice was getting a little louder, and this was the first time Chari had witnessed her cursing.

“Auntie, please?” “What is it?” she asked Chari as she walked in front of her back and forth. “Who is Laura? Why, why is there a Laura? Come on! I need an explanation! ”

Even though Chari was shy, she still tried to calm Irene down. Ah, Irene? The two are not related; Laura is Clyde’s patient and-”

Irene suddenly answered, “Patient?”, looked at Chari, and nodded. “Did you know that he was calling that girl’s name earlier while he was delirious?” So? Aunt, what? I’m confused! Does it mean that you know that such things happen? Do you know that Laura exists?”

“Irene, please-listen first,” Chari implored.

“Maybe he’s the one that Clyde hangs out with when I’m not being picked on?” Irene yapped. “God! I’m so stupid! ” She sat on the sofa and started crying.

Chari immediately approached and rubbed her back for comfort. “Irene, they don’t have anything. Don’t think like that. ”

“They don’t have it yet! My God, Aunt, I arranged everything so that we could get along. I left my-” she abruptly stopped complaining, then reflected.

“Huh? So-who, Irene? Whom did you leave?” Chari wondered.

“Huh? in-Cebu! I left my job in Cebu because I thought that might make him angry, then-”

Chari didn’t speak. She also caught the truth right from Irene’s mouth.

“Ah!” She stood up and straightened herself. She must also have noticed that Chari had suddenly lost her appetite and stopped pleading with her. “If he ever wants to talk to me-I’m at home. I’m not going back to his condo. Please just say so.”

Chari just nodded.

Irene thought twice about whether to kiss Chari or just go out that instant.

“Alright,” she just said goodbye.

Chari just looked at her until her car left their gate.

“Hmmn… Fish are often caught in the mouth,” she whispered.

_____

EVERYBODY IS CURRENTLY having a serious conversation on the rooftop.

“What-what happened to Doc?” Gwen asked shyly. This was the first time she had faced Clint. He was standing in front of her while staring blankly.

Clint just looked at her at the same time. “Where do you work if you don’t mind?” he questioned Gwen.

“Aah..” Gwen glanced at Tejie.

“At the club, dad,” Tejie snapped.

“Dancers?” Clint asked quickly.

“Ah! “No, I’m a cashier and Laura is a waitress,” Gwen replied with a smile.

She was singled out because Clint’s face was so serious that he was staring at her as if he was examining her personality. His eyes were fierce as if they could see through an x-ray.

“Is it okay with Clyde that Laura works at the club? And-a waitress? ” Clint asked. “What kind of club is that? The one-putting on a show? ” Clint asked seriously again.

“Ah! I won’t deny it, yes! There is some-dancing. We’ve only been at the club for four days,” Laura answered weakly.

Tejie glanced at Gwen. He saw Clint just nod.

_____

CLYDE AND LAURA’S POV

I don’t know what my reaction will be. I’m glad to see Laura.

“What about you, Doc?” she asked as she approached me.

“Huh?” I feel restless like I’m a little nervous now. It’s as if we’re meeting for the first time again.

When she got close, she put down the plastic bag she was carrying.

“Have you eaten yet, Doc?” She asked me, “I brought some porridge. You might like it. I can only make porridge, so don’t be demanding.” She even joked with me.

I smiled. “Alright Laura, I’ll eat. I’ll eat what you brought,” I answered while looking straight into her eyes.

“Ah alright! Good! I’ll get you a bowl,” said Laura.

“No! Don’t go out! I’ll call Tejie to bring one here,” I answered back quickly.

Her broad smile came out. Laura’s face is so beautiful when she smiles.

_____

MEANWHILE…

“Okay! I will right away, doc!” Tejie cried out after answering his phone.

They all looked at each other at the same time.

“Huh? Well-bring it! He hasn’t eaten since last night! Aha!” Clint laughed. “Laura is a relief!”

_____

CLYDE AND LAURA’S POV

“Doc, what happened to you?” she asked, frowning, as she noticed my scratches while pressing the seam on my brow.

“Ouch!” I took away her hand. She’s this silly sometimes. She knew that it was a wound but still pressed it just to tease.

Just a moment and…

“Ah! That’s Tejie Laura.”

And when the door opened, it was Tejie with a bowl. He just put it down and went out immediately.

Laura arranged the food she had brought. While she was moving, I couldn’t stop smiling and watching. I feel like she’s my girlfriend. Just a moment and…

“Here it is, doc! Don’t make me feed you. Go feed yourself!” She joked.

I just shook my head and smiled. She sat on the edge of my bed and stared at me carefully.

“That’s a lot. Are you kidding me?” she asked, her gaze fixed on me.

“Ah, your Irene is lovely, Doc, so pretty and elegant. She looks very social; she’s a wealthy person and well educated,” she complimented.

She would have spoken but…

“Laura? Didn’t you-you came here for me and not for Irene?” I asked.

She just looked at me and smiled.

“Have you eaten?” I asked sweetly.

“You’re the one who needs to eat because you’re the sick one! And—have you showered? Your mustache has grown into a beard now! We haven’t seen each other for only a few days and you’re like this!” She said one thing after another to me while removing the plastic wrap wrapped in porridge.

This is the Laura I’ve been waiting for. The Laura that I look forward to seeing and hearing the nastiness and craziness of. After tying her hair, she sat next to me and stared at my face again. I did the same to her.

“Aah..” she brought her face even closer to mine. “How can you kiss me when you have a sore on your lips? We haven’t had sex together for a long time-you know,” she said to me with a teasing grin.

I stopped eating. “You want to try it? Here again? Over there at my table? I’ll just lock the door. What? You think I can’t do it?” I answered with a serious face, then put down the bowl of porridge that I was holding and was about to stand up from my bed to reach into her but…

She stood up and said, “You crazy? Your Irene is here. Eat now! You’re being silly! Are you like that when you’re sick? Still a pervert?” She objected, avoiding eye contact with me.

I just shook my head and giggled. I was simply moved by what this woman said.

“Eat now! You can’t be full by watching me yammering here!”

I just smiled at her and then bit my bottom lip.

“Umm! Stop that!” she snarled.

I winked at her at the same time. “I missed you so much, Ma’am,” I said.

She just raised an eyebrow at me.

____

THE NEXT DAY, all were still asleep. Mom also made Gwen and Laura sleep there; they were in our spare room and not on the rooftop where Tejie often stayed. When I looked at the time, it was almost eleven in the afternoon.

When I came down, Mom was surprised to see me in such good condition. She was already awake and fixing our food.

“Ugh? Clyde?” She exclaimed when she saw that I had just taken a bath, I had shaved, and my hair was properly brushed up. “Baby? You-”

“Mom? It seems you saw a ghost.” I asked her, chuckling. “Look at you.”

“Ah.. wow.” Her mouth was half open as she stared at me. “Ah! Have you called Irene? She said that-”

I cut her. “Is Laura still asleep, mom?”

Mom smiled. “Let’s have coffee, baby, then-talk to Mom. I bet there is so much for you to tell me,” Mom said as she held my hand and led me to the kitchen. No matter how old I am now, she thinks that I am her baby.

_____

CLINT AND CHARI’S POV

The whole house is quiet and calm. Tejie has a dance lesson, and Claudie is already on campus. I didn’t send Laura home first; I let her friend sleep for a long time. And when they woke up earlier, I prepared their food and made some for them to take home.

I got the right timing earlier and spoke to Clyde heart-to-heart. I forced him to reveal all his feelings and pent-up anger. Luckily, he listens to me when it’s serious talk. It turns out that he has been planning to break up with Irene for a long time because of her cheating, and when it comes to Laura, I can’t say anything from what he told me about her. He keeps on smiling every time he mentions Laura’s name. And he doesn’t need to tell me, I already know how he feels by the way he speaks of her.

“Clint, what should we do?”

“Ma, nothing!”

“Clint, what if all of a sudden the wind blows differently and Laura won’t talk to him anymore? My Clyde will completely go crazy.”

“Ma, let’s just leave them alone. Irene and Clyde have already broken up; they and Laura are free if they ever are; what’s the problem? ”

“That easy? It was just last night? And- What if-?”

“If Laura’s husband comes,” Clint answered quickly.

“Yes, Clint! I’m not going to let her leave Clyde after my son has gone insane with her! I won’t allow it, Clint!”

Clint laughed. “And what will you do?”

I just kept quiet.

A moment later, I heard Clyde knocking.

_____

“WE’RE GOING TO LEAVE MOM,” Clyde said, goodbye.

“We’re going home, Aunt, we have work later,” Laura said goodbye too.

Chari couldn’t speak immediately because she saw that Clyde was already dressed and good to go.

“Dad, we’re leaving,” he said goodbye to Clint.

Chari grabbed Clyde’s arm. “Clyde baby? Are you sure that you can do it? Can you drive? Are you going in?” she worriedly lingered at his waist. “Do you want me to drive you-”

Clint cuts her off. “Chari!”

“Clint, he might get dizzy or-”

“He can do that, Ma! He got into a fight with the four of them, and you saw how he did well, right?” Clint snapped at Clyde, then winked. “He can do that,” Clint said again. “He won’t get up if he can’t. Then he’s with Laura.”

“Huh?” Laura turned to Clyde. They made eye contact.

“Ah,… Laura-”

“Ma, they will be late,” Clint nodded at her.

Chari starts again. Worrying so much about Clyde.

“We’re leaving, Mom. I’ll take them to the condo, then I’ll go straight to the meds. I’ll call you when I get there, okay? Huh, Mom? ” Clyde smiled.

Chari smiled too but with brooding eyes.

“Alright, thank you very much for the sleepover,” said Laura.

Gwen also waved goodbye.

“Laura!”

Clint abruptly, “Chari.”

Chari just looked at him and said, “Clyde, baby.”

“Chari! Ma?” Clint signaled for a stop.

Chari nodded in response and stopped catching up to Clyde.

Clyde said goodbye once more, “Bye, Mom! We’re leaving.”

The young man could not bear it because he saw that his mother was very worried again. He was about to leave when he returned to hug Chari. “Mom, I’m okay. Promise. I’m sorry if I made you worried. Okay, I won’t do it again,” he said softly to his mother.

“Clyde, be careful, okay? Always be careful, okay,” Chari keeps on reminding him.

Clint just put his arms around his wife to comfort her.

“Let him go, Ma. He’s not a kid anymore.”

“Clint… I feel like he’s drifting away.”

Chari loves Clyde so much that she doesn’t want him to grow up.

_____

“DOC, PULL ME OVER HERE,” Gwen said as she walked out of the car.

“What time are you coming back?” Laura yelled.

“I’m going to get some more stuff from Pillows, just be at the club first when I’m gone by eight,” Gwen replied.

Laura just nodded.

“Bye Doc!” she shouted as she walked away.

I just waved at her, and Laura and I kept going.

“You ma’am?”

“Huh?”

“You? What are you planning? Let’s eat first.”

“Doc, I can’t even breathe. I’m bloated. Your mother sent home a lot of food,” she answered.

“Laura-stop calling me Doc. Call me Clyde, please!”

“I don’t want to! I want Doc! Why are you interfering?”

“Really? Umm!” I pinched her thigh.

She raised a brow at me.

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LAURA AND I were so excited to talk that we didn’t realize we had arrived at the place. I didn’t park properly because as soon as I dropped her off, I would leave right away.

“What time do you come in?” I asked her while I was helping her with her stuff.

She was busy arranging her bags. She was carrying a big eco-bag full of food that Mom sent home.

And when everything is settled…

“Bye, Doc. Leave now because you might be late. It’s my fault again when that happens,” she teased.

I didn’t move. I just sat there watching her, and when she opened the car door to get out,

“Laura-” I grabbed her left arm.

She looked at me.

“Laura-thank you,” I said softly.

She just smiled at me and stared. Until I took off my seatbelt to get closer to her and touch her face at the same time to give her a kiss.

“Umm! No kissing, look at your lips!” she says giggling.

“Your clothes will become tangled; go now,” she exclaimed, smiling.

I sighed.

She opened the door and went out.

I brushed my nape. I saw that she was looking at me while standing in front of the car door.

In a moment, suddenly…

“Do you want to go up first?” she asked.

I smiled at what she said.

She smiled. “Aren’t you late?”

I looked at the wristwatch I was wearing. “I still have an hour. It’s still quite long,” I smiled. I bit my bottom lip. “We can still have a few rounds.”

She bit hers too, followed by a silly smile.

“Let’s go, doc, clean my wound,” she whispered.

“Sure, Ma’am, my pleasure,” I whispered back as I gave her a lusty stare.

June_Thirteen