"Thank you very much to your team, Doc Andeng! Even though this mountain that you are climbing is very high, you still visit here every month to check up on adults and children here."

"Even our pets, Cora!" said an old man whose hat was in tatters. "Even our pet dogs and cats here can be vaccinated against common diseases. Thank you very much, doctor, for your service to us. Even if we don't have a single peso to pay you."

"Why do you have to pay me, Mang Ben... Well, it's a free consultation," I laughed. "It is enough for me to receive your many thanks for my team's service to you. That's too much to pay us."

I'm showing this without any plasticity, just to see that the people who live here in Manoag mountain are happy, I'm fine. It is really because the people from here must travel so far just to get to the center or the hospital, it's too much of a hassle for them if they are the one going to the doctors. So, I thought of starting this voluntary project for people like them who are not capable of accessing hospitals. Especially now that illnesses such as colds and coughs are trending among young people and the elderly because the rainy season is starting again, it would be better for them to have regular check-ups. Well, I can't visit them weekly since my schedule as a doctor is also tight, and at the same time I'm also a surgeon at the big hospital in Manaoag.

"Eat first before you leave." Aling Susan ran to pick up the missing biko from the long table that was prepared in the area. "It's freshly cooked, doctor. I can assure you this is delicious!"

What's beautiful about this place is that their houses are built nearly close to each other. They were able to have their meals together, and that was the reason why there was a long table made of bamboo prepared. There they spread a large banana leaf and prepare their food there. And they will share it together.

"Maybe just wrap me up some of it. After Mildred's wound is as tight as this and has done some treatment, we are leaving. You know I couldn't stay here for long since I also have patients waiting for me at the clinic," I was still a little shy when I said that.

With their very welcoming approach to us, it was really embarrassing to refuse their invitation to share a meal with them. If my schedule is loose, I won't say no. It's just, as I mentioned earlier... I'm a very busy person. Either at the clinic or at home.

"Your wound is going to be fine, Mildred. Don't forget what I said that you shouldn't play games, so you don't strain your foot or make another wound among the sharp objects here, huh?" my advice to the last patient I treated.

In her case, she scratched her skin because she enjoys playing games with her playmates. The children here don't have slippers, so she steps on sharp objects, leading her to have a mild wound on her skin.

"Aling Nena, the medicine I gave you, huh? Please don't forget about that. You must make Mildred drink those three times a day. Done in a week. Also, don't feed her spicy foods. As much as possible, just vegetables first. Okay?"

"Yes, doc."

"Surely the next day, I will send here a sufficient number of slippers for the children. I'll just order because maybe 'til next month we'll see each other again. I hope as I come back here, I'll be able to see all of you look healthier."

"Oh, thank you so much for caring about us, doc!" Aling Marites came to me carrying the small container where she wrapped the biko. Of course, my friends also have it. "You are really a shining star fell from the sky to guide us and took care of us here. We are lucky that you care about us, doc. May you be blessed."

"You are very much welcome. All of you. So, we're g0nna go ahead." After packing our things, I also stood up from where I was sitting earlier. "I hope when I come back here, I won't have to treat as many people as now, okay? Always be careful!"

And my struggle as well as my fellow nurses started again when going down the mountain. The road is also very muddy because it just rained heavily. We really need to double the caution because just one wrong step can make us slip.

"Doc, how long do you plan to go here? Up above this mountain?" I heard Albert ask me, one of the nurses I was with. "I mean... it's not that I don't want to come here with you anymore or that it's tiring. But what I mean is that... aren't you having a hard time? Apart from the difficult way going on the peak of this mountain, uh... as well as your schedule, doc? Aren't you having a hard time having a tight schedule and still visiting those residents up here?"

"If you're worried about Bernard attacking me once again because of this project, just don't mind him," I responded, laughing. Bernard, my colleague in the Pedia Department, is one of the doctors who has always been frustrated about my presence. I don't even know why he has been frustrated or hated me that much, since as far as I know... I'm not doing anything wrong towards him. He's the only one who is often sloppy and then he gets angry with me.

"It's not Doc Bernard," I heard Marie say. "Uh... I'm sorry if we heard you and your husband fighting in the restroom the other night, doc."

When we finally got off and were in front of the SUV, I stopped to face the two nurses who accompanied me for today's visit. I'm not aware that someone witnessed my husband and I fight just last night.

"Albert and I accidentally heard someone exchanging words in the restroom, and we were on our way home at that time. Albert was a little curious-"

"You're the one who got curious, Marie! I just agree with you to stay at the back door and listen to their fight silently."

"Okay, fine! I was really the one who took the first move to eavesdrop!" Marie exclaimed while having a fight with Albert. And she looked at me again, straight to my face. "That's it, doc... we're really curious about what's happening inside. And we found out that it was your voice. I'm sorry if we listened to the battle you're having with your husband, doc."

I smiled bitterly. I didn't make it a big deal that they were curious about my husband and I fighting, but then I still felt an annoyance factor because of that. My attention was more focused because I remembered that night again... the night that crushed me so much.

"You can't even tell me where that lipstick I saw inside your pants came from, Mike! You can't even explain why you have that on your clothes if you really don't have another woman!" My voice was almost hoarse as tears continued to flow from my eyes.

"I came here to pick you up and ask you to go out with our son, Gian. Not to fight with you, Andrea. I don't understand how you can think of those things. You don't have to overthink that much, honey!" He tries to come closer to me and tries to hug me, but I just push him away and walk away. I can't squeamish being touched by someone like him.

"Did you see the photo I sent to you, Mike? I hope before you came here, you opened your messenger-"

"I saw that. And that's a fvcking lie-"

"Justify your answer then! How can you tell me that the picture Jasmine took of you with another woman at the bar is not true? How? What is your reason for denying me that? Convince me that's not true. Alright... I'll listen! I'll lend my ears to you, just make sure you're about to give me a detailed explanation that makes sense."

Ten seconds passed... twenty... thirty... but nothing. I didn't hear a single word from him. I gave him a chance to explain to me, but he wasted it.

"I'm done-"

"You want to break the marriage we had for a suspicion that you haven't proven yet? I hope you understand that we have a child, Andrea!" he snorted at me. "Because even if you push us to divorce, I will make sure that Gian goes to me. And will choose to be with his father."

And after that, I don't know anymore. I lost the strength to challenge Mike for a divorce after he said that he would make a way of having Gian stay with him on one roof. Well... I'm not afraid of having to fight Gian in court. Fight for custody. Because the thing I was afraid of the most was raising my son in an incomplete family. Until now, he is not aware that my relationship with his father is getting worse. It's because I didn't let him know there was something wrong between his parents.

I grew up in a broken family. My father left us because of his woman. And it is very difficult to live and grow up in a family that is not complete. So, I promised myself then that as much as possible, as long as I can endure and I can solve my problem once I have my own family, I will not give up the marriage I had. I will not give up on our relationship Mike and I had. I won't let my future child just be like me. I feel the feeling of growing up without a father... and for Gian... I don't want him to experience that either.

"Whatever things you heard that night, please don't spread it. I can also fix my problem with my husband. We just had a little misunderstanding, and I'm sure we can find a way to fix it," I said to the two with a smile.

And afterwards, we went inside the SUV. We are all tired, so we really need enough rest before starting another duty.

"Honey, aren't you going to eat first?" Mike greeted me. He was still wearing an apron while he had a ladle in his hand in the kitchen. "I'm going to eat with you. This dish I cooked is your favorite!"

"I'm tired, Mike. I want to sleep." I immediately went upstairs to go to our room.

Apart from the fact that we're still not okay because of the fight that happened last night, I still can't get along with my husband because I'm so tired. Imagine that I came from the mountain to check-up on the elderly there and the children, and even their pets and provide vaccination for them... Well, every time I go to that place, my energy becomes very low when arriving home.

So, I just ignored my husband's effort to cook me my favorite dish—of course, his specialty is chicken adobo.

"Andrea?" The bedroom door opened, and Mike was spat out, who was no longer wearing an apron. "Are you still madding at me? Do you still doubt me that I have another woman?"

"Forget about that. I'm tired-"

"With so much work I have to do as a public-school teacher, how could you think that I still have time to find another woman without realizing the excessive workloads I have? Because my monthly salary is lower than yours, do you think you are doing more than me? That you are busier than me? That I have more time to find another woman than you? That between us, I have so much time to find a way to cheat in our relationship than you?"

I think I don't sound like I'm attracting him to start an argument with me... but he's the one starting it. What I really meant by saying I'm tired is really my desire to have some rest... and yet, he is fighting with me now.

"Mike, stop. I did not say anything like that-"

"I'm sorry. I just got carried away." Fortunately, he calmed down and sat down next to me. He held my hands and kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to."

"We're both tired, I knew it. You're tired from school and I... I'm tired from the hospital. I know both our minds and bodies are drained for today, so please... let's just rest. Just reschedule our fight."

"No... I don't want us having an argument... ever again. Please?"

Mike started showering me with kisses all over my face... and the next, to my body. This is perhaps the way he wanted both of us to get some rest—by making our night extra hot and spicy. Although... I also missed having sex with him. We were too busy with our jobs to the point that we lost time for our own needs... and good thing... Tonight we didn't fight anymore. Because tonight, we're trying to make another member of our family.

"Do you really want this to continue?" he asked. When he is enjoying my body while his hands are squeezing my breast, that's the time he asked and caused a sudden interruption. "I thought you wanted to rest?" he asked teasingly.

"Your cock will possibly get mad if we stop this." I didn't let myself be beat by Mike. I retaliated against her teasing. "Less talk, please. And more... kiss and touch."

After all we have already started the night to be warm, we will continue it. As my body felt so hot, while Mike bathed me with a kiss on the lips, and he even licked my face with her wet tongue, I let my hands take off my uniform—and I just noticed just now that I'm still wearing my lab coat.

When I finally undressed myself, only my underwear remained. Now that the wind is blowing against my skin, I can feel my hairs stand up at the tingling sensation on my skin. The kissing has continued. Mike laid my body on the bed, and he placed his body on top. He violently took off his clothes as well as his pants, and only the boxer shorts he was wearing were left attached on his body—hiding his huge cock.

I was tickled by Mike kissing my body. The next thing he did, he's licking my nipple down to my tummy... and that was the best feeling while we did this... sexual intercourse.

My body was raised, and my eyes were left perked up when he couldn't wait to insert his finger into my vagina. Licking while entering his finger down to my core, I moaned in pain, and at the same time moaned in pleasure.

"Please... don't stop," I moaned.

I bit my lower lip to stop myself moaning loudly. Because Gian was in the other room, and when I moaned louder the boy might wake up. It's already late at night and I'm sure my young man is fast asleep.

"It hurts a little at first-"

"No need to inform me about that. It's our second time doing this. Just... put it in." I was laughing the whole time while my eyes were glued to his big and long dick.

I was damn waiting for this moment a bit longer. And now that it's going to happen... that I was left staring at Mike as he slowly inserted it into me, there was a time when I winced at the pain I felt when I felt its head enter... until half of the body entered... and until he was able to push it... I admit even though it was the second time we did it, it still really hurt.

Our bodies swayed together as Mike began to move. Of course, at first, he was going in and out slowly... but then when my body got used to the pain again... it changed nicely... I want him to move faster.

"Thrust me more... faster..." I moaned again.

"Ugh!"

"Faster!"

"Ugh! Yeah... that's right!"

What we both do is crazy. I lose my mind every time we do this. It's like I can't see anything but white. My eyes do nothing but stare. And the speed with which Mike rode me until we reached the sky... his juice entering me served as the exciting part of our wet night. Breathlessly, our bodies separated from each other. We are both wet. My vagina was still throbbing after the action that happened... and I was like...

"How I wish... we can do this more often."

The smile on my lips disappeared when I suddenly realized that it seemed impossible to happen. Both of our jobs require our whole life to spend with. And those scenes... they only happen once in a blue moon.

So, sometimes I wonder... what if Mike's body suddenly seeks sex? When I'm not available... Does he go to another woman to meet his needs?

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the salon with me, doc? Don't you miss having wavy hair?" Helena, one of my close friends who married the CEO visited me at the clinic today. "No offense meant, but I always noticed your hair having split ends. Looks like your hair really needs a professional salon!"

"I use a hair treatment on my hair, Helen. Not only is the effect very fast, but I can stand it if I must wait two to three weeks for its effectiveness. That's perfectly fine with me," I hissed, not actually being offended with what she had said.

I'm overconfident to brag about the product I use on my hair to her just to let her know I won't be dependent on hairstylists at the salon anymore. I don't know if it's just me who doesn't like letting someone touch any part of my body except myself... and of course my husband. As much as possible, I want to take care of my body myself rather than relying on other people to do that work.

"I'm just worried about you. Maybe because when you start to look older than your age because of focusing more on your work, your husband would lose his interest in you." I think she was threatening me. "I mean... Let's be realistic here, Doc Andeng. We know that today's men get bored easily. They will eventually lose their taste in us or find us boring, plain and not giving them thrill and chills anymore if they begin not liking our face or body no more, and then they begin to find another woman who has a different mold and smells fresh."

I lost focus on writing the prescription because of the idea that Helen brought to my mind. Because Mike and I were fine last night, I supposed. The two of us have had sex, and I assume things between us have been fixed.

And there comes Helen... visiting me at my clinic to give me another reason to overthink.

"That's why I'm asking for your consultation, and that's why I'm here. I intend to do breast enhancement. Do you recommend me having one? Then how big should I add?" she replied laughingly. "You know... I need professional advice before I continue this, so I'm trying to ask for your help."

"Uh..." My brain went completely blank. My focus was really broken a while ago because of what Helen mentioned to me. "Is your husband the reason you want breast enhancement?"

"He's always the reason why I retouch my body, isn't he?" She's talking as if she's being proud of how desperate she has been, all because of her husband. "I noticed that he doesn't seem happy to have sex with me every time I try to entice him to do it. I'm looking at the factor, maybe he's no longer satisfied with the size my breasts have or the fluffiness it gives to him... and, uh... that's why I thought of investing money for this."

Because I don't really know what I should answer, I just agreed to whatever she wanted. It is Helen's right to do whatever she wants to do with her body, because after all, it's her body.

"Whatever choice you have for your body, go for it. As a medical practitioner, I don't see anything wrong if you choose to continue the surgery. If you know that it will be good for you and your husband, well... to make him satisfied by fvcking you... it's up to you."

"That's not the only reason why I prefer to be young in my husband's eyes." Helen kept laughing at me without realizing that it was time for her to leave my clinic. She is not my only patient. "We know that men lose their interest in their women so quickly. They are very quick to be tempted by girls who are fresher than you, so for them to stop looking into another woman aside from you... well, you must be fresh yourself and look young in his eyes, right?"

She also bid her goodbye to me after talking not so necessary words. I don't know if I still need to waste my time thinking about what Helen is saying to me or just ignore those? Where in fact, those are not helpful but more likely she's giving me reasons to doubt my husband even more. After the night he fvcked me, my doubts about him disappeared like a bubble, eh. The case comes back suddenly because Helen told me something I should overthink again.

"Doc, did you hear what I said?"

I was brought back from my trance when I heard the new patient in front of me speak. For a moment, my brain went blank because of what Helen told me... which really bothered me a lot.

"I'm sorry. What are you feeling again?"

"Uh... I said I was feeling sick. Then I haven't experienced a menstrual period for two months," said a young woman. And after all, she looks mature for a young girl. "I was worried that something bad might be happening to me, so I ran in here."

"Have you tested yourself for a possible pregnancy?"

She shook his head at me. "I'm afraid to do it. Maybe it's just a hallucination that I'm going to get pregnant, and when I find out that it's confirmed that I'm pregnant, I'm scared that my parents would know about this."

"So, what's the sense of going here? To ask me to diagnose you that you have another illness aside from the fact that you're showing symptoms of early pregnancy?"

While she's just being silent, I just shake my head at people like her... who don't want to get pregnant because their parents might reject them, but that's also their fault. They don't even use protection during sex if they aren't ready to become parents.

"I'm afraid you are," I said. "Unless you accept your situation, we will definitely be able to proceed with the next processes. For now, you have to test yourself to confirm."

I handed her a pregnancy test which is always available in my clinic. For possible cases of patients who don't know they are pregnant based on the symptoms their body is trying to show them, my clinic is always ready for those kinds of incidents.

Just in case, I wondered why she didn't want to pick up the PT lying on the table.

"Let me ask you a question," I said to get the woman's attention. "Have you gone into sexual intercourse recently?"

"You say I'm showing symptoms of early pregnancy, and now you're trying to ask have I had sex with someone?" She laughed at me while rolling her eyes at me.

"In my fifteen years in the medical field, none from my patients have been rude to me-"

"Okay, I'm sorry," she apologized. "Of course, I had sex with someone recently. That's why I'm afraid that maybe when it's confirmed that I'm pregnant... Apart from my parents, I'm also afraid that the father of my baby... I'm afraid he won't choose us."

"Why does he have to choose?"

"He has his own family. He has a son and a wife. He's a married man. And I'm still not sure that if he finds out that he got me pregnant, he'll be ready to trade his family for his son and me. He'll be willing to leave his own family and just choose us and his baby with me... and we'll start a new life."

I suddenly got stuck in the process of organizing the folders in my table cabinet. I immediately returned to my composure and made myself presentable as I looked at my patient with fear on her face.

Because if my beginning doubts are not mistaken, maybe this young lady I was facing is a mistress.