The barangay hall stood quietly in the heat of the morning, its white paint flaking, the flag drooping listlessly on the pole outside. Emma parked her car beneath a tamarind tree and sat for a moment, hands tight on the steering wheel. The knock on her door earlier still echoed in her head.
A summons after only a week in Panganiban. Just my luck.
Inside, the hall was silent but for the whir of an old ceiling fan. A young secretary sat behind a wooden desk, typing slowly. She looked up as Emma stepped in.
"Ano po yun?" ("Yes, ma'am?")
Emma swallowed, smoothing her blouse. "Pinapunta po ako dito. Sabi ng tanod, pinapatawag daw ako ni Kap." ("I was told to come here. The tanod said Kap wanted to see me.")
The secretary's brows rose. "Sino po sila?" ("And you are?")
"Si Emma po. Apo ni Aling Lotlot."
Recognition flashed instantly. "Ah! Apo ni Aling Lotlot pala." The secretary's face brightened. She slipped into the inner office and returned a moment later. "Pasok po kayo, doc. Kap will see you now."
Kap was behind his desk, spectacles perched low as he read over a document. He looked up as she entered.
"Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," Emma replied politely, taking the seat offered. "Ako po si Emma, apo ni Lotlot."
Kap chuckled. "Ay oo, Lotlot's apo. Pero di naman ako ang nagpatawag sa 'yo." ("Yes, Lotlot's granddaughter. But I wasn't the one who called for you.") He leaned back comfortably. "Yung anak ko si Ronald. Upo ka muna, ipapatawag natin siya." ("It was my son, Ronald. Sit for a moment, we'll call him.")
Emma blinked. His son?
The door opened, and Ronald entered.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, his doctor's coat draped neatly over one arm. His smile was easy, familiar in a way that made her stomach twist.
"Hello," he said warmly. "How have you been?"
Emma tilted her head, uneasy. "We've met?"
Ronald chuckled. "Of course. Every summer you used to come home, and our families would throw those long lunches. We played in the garden until… well, you know. That day." His eyes softened, the words hanging in the air.
Emma's throat tightened. Her mind drew blanks, as it always did when she tried to reach for childhood memories of Panganiban. The forest, the fear, the laughter—it was all buried under a heavy fog. She forced a small, polite smile.
"I don't really remember much," she admitted.
"That's alright." He leaned against his father's desk, easy in his confidence. "You were away too long."
She clasped her hands in her lap. "Why did you want to talk to me?"
Ronald's expression shifted—professional now, but his eyes held something softer. "Because I want to offer you something. I head the OB-GYN department at St. Therese Medical, our family's hospital in Daet. We're badly understaffed. Too many patients, not enough doctors. Since our family owns half of the hospital, I can make decisions about recruitment. And I'd like to offer you a position."
Emma blinked. "Me?"
He nodded. "Yes. Monette's case proved what I already suspected—your reputation preceded you, Emma. Calm, decisive, steady under pressure. That's exactly what we need."
She hesitated. "But I'm on leave. Just a week. And my time is almost up. I'm due back in Manila."
"Even so." Ronald reached into his pocket and slid a card toward her. "Think about it. Even a few weeks here could change lives." He gave her a boyish grin. "Besides, my parents would be thrilled if you stayed. They always thought you and I made a good pair, remember?"
Emma's eyes widened slightly. She let out a nervous laugh. "I think that was their idea, not mine."
"Maybe," he said with a small shrug. "But I didn't mind."
Heat rose to her cheeks. She tucked the card into her bag, forcing her tone neutral. "Thank you. I'll think about it."
Ronald leaned closer, his voice lower. "Fair enough. But know this, Emma—Panganiban needs you. Not just the hospital, not just the patients. This town. You may not remember, but you belong here more than you think."
Her heart skipped, a strange shiver crawling up her spine.
She stood, smoothing her blouse. "I'll think about it," she repeated, though in her mind, doubts piled higher than reasons.
She was Assistant Head of OB-GYN at St. Luke's—prestigious, well-paid, resourced beyond measure. Could this hospital in Daet, even a private one, offer her the same? Almost certainly not.
And yet…
As she walked back to her car, Ronald's words clung like burrs: You belong here more than you think.
The morning sun burned hot against her face, but Emma shivered anyway.