Chapter 28

Joshua and Carla joined Gustin and Carmen for breakfast. The couple's two daughters were also there with them. The older one is Cora, who is sixteen years old. The younger daughter is Carol. She's fourteen years old. 'Joshua…" Joshua looked at Cora. The actor smiled, making the teenager giggle. Carla winced at what she saw. 'Ahm… are you really okay now?" Cora asked. 'Yes, I am," Joshua answered. 'Can I have a picture with you?" Joshua's smile widened. 'Of course." And the two sisters giggled as they were gotten by the charm of the handsome actor. After breakfast, the two daughters had a photo shoot session with Joshua. Carla became the photographer for the morning, and Carmen and Gustin also joined them in the end. 'Doctor, join us on the next photo," Carmen said. 'No, I'm good. It's okay," Carla refused. She can feel that the two daughters don't like that idea as they scowled after hearing their mother's suggestion. It seems like they see her as a competition for Joshua's attention. After the photo shoot, Carla and Joshua said their goodbyes to the good couple and their daughters. They went back to Joshua's car, and the other residents who saw them greeted them as well. Carla volunteered to drive, and just like before, Joshua was not able to refuse. 'Don't worry. Your car is safe with me," Carla said. 'It won't have a scratch." 'That's not what I'm worried about," Joshua said. 'I just feel like you've done a lot for me. I don't know if I'll be able to pay your PF." Carla smiled at what he said. The road leading to the highway is quite easy as the soil has already dried and hardened overnight. It just took them a few minutes and they were driving down the highway going to the city. 'I wonder how the road was yesterday afternoon," Carla said. 'If we insisted on going home last night, we might not have made it through. Your tires would surely be buried in mud." 'Then you have to push the car while I drive us out," Joshua joked. 'Oh! If you made me push your car, then my PF would be times 10," Carla told him. 'Can't you just spare me and treat it as if you had an outreach program again?" Joshua asked. 'Whoa, Joshua Socorro! You're too rich to rely on charity." The two of them laughed. 'Speaking of which, how did you start joining these outreach programs?" Joshua asked Carla. 'Because of a promise," Carla answered. 'Remember Christhoper Surla?" 'Yeah…" He clearly remembers their late classmate. 'He became my patient on his last confinement before he passed away. He is the real philanthropist, the one who organizes those outreach programs. When he found out that he's running out of time, he asked me to continue what he has started. And I promised him that I will." 'And you fulfilled your promise," Joshua said. 'It kind of felt great that he trusted me with his advocacy. I just can't say no to that." 'I can't say no to that either. Not just because it's a dying man's wish, but also because it's a great honor to be passed on such advocacy." 'I kind of felt that it's something that I must do to pay for what he did for me." Joshua looked Carla. The latter smiled at him sadly. 'He kind of made me realize that I could be more than what I settled for," Carla continued. 'At that time, I was determined to stop med school and just be a nurse. That's how he became my patient. I'm his nurse, not his doctor." Joshua was surprised at what she said. He's kind of aware that Carla's pre-med course is BS Nursing. He just didn't think that she practiced nursing before she continued med school. 'Why did you stop?" Joshua hoped Carla would answer his question. He is really curious as to what happened to her back then. 'Because I was broken-hearted." Carla laughed shyly. 'It was embarrassing… but that's the real reason." 'It's okay, really." Joshua suddenly remembered his own heartbreak experience. 'Someone nearly died because I was heartbroken, you know." Carla glanced at him, and she remembered that time that he brought a patient to TGH. Was he referring to that night? 'I was depressed, and… I was stupid." Joshua grimaced at the memory. Carla continued telling him her story. 'I was so depressed that time that I decided to stop med school because nothing good was happening to me. When I recovered, I decided to practice nursing instead. I actually thought I won't be able to go back to med school." 'But Thopei made you do it?" Joshua asked. Carla nodded. 'He told me back then, why am I allowing my life decisions to revolve around a certain guy? So what if he leaves me? He's not what I need to make it through med school. I don't need him to become a doctor. Should I sacrifice the chance that I will be able to help a lot of patients just because some undeserving guy left me? His exact words, by the way." Carla smiled sadly. 'I felt like I was slapped in the face. I thought, yeah, that's right. Why does it seem like I gave up my dream, my whole life, because of that undeserving guy? Just because med school was the reason why he left me? Then I realized, if that's his choice, then I'm choosing med school over him. So, I continued, and here I am now." 'A philanthropic doctor," Joshua said. Carla smiled. 'Thanks to Christhoper." They fell silent for a while. Joshua is actually contemplating on asking her about the guy. He was a little hesitant because he still doesn't consider them very close, considering how sensitive the issue they were talking about is. But he really wants to know how that person managed to hurt her. In the end, his curiosity prevailed. Joshua was able to voice out the question on his mind. 'What happened to the guy?" Carla did not answer. Joshua thought that she cannot or does not want to answer his question. He's okay with that. He won't force her if she doesn't want to, if she can't tell him her story. But in the end, Carla did answer his question. 'He cheated on me," Carla said. 'And it's not just simple cheating. He… impregnated the girl." Shocked is an understatement as Joshua gaped at Carla who's maneuvering his car in the driver's seat.