If the Shoe Fits

When Cinderella attended a royal ball, she left her glass slipper and found her prince.  Disney producers call it a 'fairy tale'.  Every girl calls it a 'sweet love story.'  I call it a 'dream come true.'  

That happens in the land of fantasy where princesses fall in a deep sleep, wait for their true love's kiss and find their own ever after afterwards.  In the world where I live in, there are no fairy Godmothers, royal-themed banquets, nor glass slippers.  Ever after only exists in fairy tales and romance blossoms in unexpected places.

It was September 17, 2012- the start of a significant chapter in my life.  I left my province to attend the Critical Care Course of Philippine Heart Center.  I was nervous, sad and scared because I would be away from home for quite a long time.  I was in an environment far different from the one I've grown accustomed to.  I was lonely.

Then, I and my batchmates had to introduce ourselves to each other the day afterwards.  There were lots of new faces, really but one guy made quite an impression.

'Ako po si Romeo.  Simpleng tao lang po ako.'

That was the first time I noticed him.We weren't really given the chance to talk to each other during the lecture days of our training until one day, he said:


'Miss, nakicrit care ka pala.'

First Picture Together

That is where it all began. I can still remember the details.  He was the guy from PHC (Philippine Heart Center).  I was this ordinary girl from Or. Mindoro.  He was 'makulit' and bubbly.  I was 'suplada' and a loner in every sense of the word.  

 Romeo: Anong ngang pangalan mo?

Me: Maica

Romeo: Anong apelyido mo?

Me: Feraren

Romeo: 'Taga saan ka?'

Me: Mindoro

Since he's quite good-looking and a 'bolero,' I then had a negative impression on him.  I avoided his calls and stopped responding to his text message.

One time, I saw him at Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of PHC  and he said:

'Bakit hindi mo sinagot 'yung mga tawag ko sa 'yo kagabi?  Tumatawag ako sa 'yo kasi may kailangan kang irevise sa case study natin.  Hindi mo naman pwedeng sabihin na low batt 'yung phone mo, kasi nagriring.'

Thus, our love- hate relationship began.  Awesome, right?  

'Pwede namang magsama ng iba, 'di ba?

That was my initial reaction when I was tasked by my case study buddies to buy something at the mall with no other than him. The thought of spending time with the guy I was annoyed of was just weird.  However, since my groupmates had something else to do by then, I was left with no other choice than to go to the nearest mall and spend some time with him.  We talked, had dinner and spent some time together.   

That was the first time I  realized that the guy I was ignoring, the one who was making fun of me during our first duty together, the man I despise of the most, was actually a nice person.

We then saw each other on the next day and we talked.

Romeo: Magcoffee naman tayo.

Me:  Saan tayo magcocoffee, 'dyan sa 7-11?  O pwede rin namang bumili ng coffee sa vending machine.

In every sense of the word, I was still 'suplada' and he kept on catching my attention, even liking almost all of my facebook posts.  One night, when I was with my brother at his condo unit, I got the chance to talk to him through one of the most popular mediums of communication today- facebook.

  

From then on, 'Ms. Suplada' met 'Mr. PHC.'  We started dating and he began courting me for real.  We attended the tiresome group meetings for our case study,  watched PBA games together, toured Quezon City Circle together and spent a lot of time together.

PHC, Quezon City, Metro Manila and our Crit Care batchmates witnessed how a Pangasinense has won the heart of a Mindoreña like me.  

'Wala naman akong dapat i-regret especially sa Seventythird Criticalcarecourse Philippineheartcenter. Makakuha man ako ng mataas o mbabang grado, basta ang mahalaga sa akin ay natuto ako. Salamat Maica Angelle Esguerra Feraren dahil ikaw ang nagbigay ng kulay sa puso ko. Wala akong pakialam kung anu ang sabihin ng ibang tao, basta ang mahalaga, nandyan ka sa tabi ko. Hinding hindi ako nagsisisi nakilala kita. "You completed Me". Good luck sa case presentation natin bukas!'

Romeo posted this on November 4, 2012 for the whole facebook community to see.  My twin sister, friends, relatives and PHC buddies finally knew that something was going on between the two of us.  Then, five days later, he gathered up all his courage to give me a bouquet of white flowers in front of the PHC community.

That was November 9, 2012- one of the most memorable days of my life.  I graduated from one of the most prestigious training programs in the country.  Romeo and I also became an official couple.

It has been two months since that special day and as of now, Romeo has already met my parents, visited my hometown thrice and has made me the happiest girl in the world.  We are actually celebrating our 2nd month anniversary as a couple today.

P. S. I'm really grateful that God gave me Romeo. He has made me realize that I don't need a fairy Godmother, an invitation to a royal ball and a pair of glass slippers to find my own ever after.  Princes don't necessarily wear crowns, majestic outfits and expensive shoes.  Sometimes, they exist at PHC wearing white nurses' uniforms.


Lovelots,
Maica Angelle

Credits:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.326426567380604.92720.100000397892268&type=3
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