Thunder's Affliction (Updating)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

We occasionally have lifestyles that are so disorganized that we frequently fantasize and wish to be somewhere else. Even if it seems a little strange, sometimes imagining and building a life in our imaginations may be beneficial. Pero sabi nga, lahat ng sobra masama.

All realities are different. Every single individual has a completely different reality, even though we all live in the same world. For some, it's a life of nonstop work, for others, it's a life of a chaotic family, for yet others, it's a life of education, and for still others, it's a life of being or aspiring to be a parent. Although every one of us has a very different or quite similar life, our issues might vary greatly.

I was once rich and had the name, the reputation, a family, the career, the fame, and the man. He is a very good man. But that doesn't end up so well, as they start to crush one by one.

My dad was jailed for the crime of stealing money—government money that was actually from the taxes that people paid. He was a corrupt senator, and that slowly ruined our reputation. Para iyong anay na unti-unting umuubos sa pundasyon ng pamilya namin. After dad, my brother, a famour singer and actor, Light Dacera, overdosed from taking illegal drugs, nabalita iyon sa TV, naitala sa mga tabloids, and kumalat sa buong Pilipinas, which put another stain in our name. He was sent to the rehabilitation center, and after a month, my mom's private jet crashed while she was flying here from Spain, which put her in a coma, hindi pa man natagal, ako naman. My boyfriend, Thunder Stevens, the famous CEO of Stevens Group, broke up with me after finding out that I cheated on him.

My family was completely in turmoil. Hindi kami pinatatahimik ng media, halos araw-araw may nakaabang sa amin. Lahat ng nangyari sa pamilya namin, sa buhay ko, it was too harsh, it was too painful that I ended up isolating myself. Ang bigat-bigat na halos ayoko na lang gumising sa umaga, knowing my family fell apart and that the man I love gave up on me, I couldn't even bring myself to defend myself, kasi kahit ako hindi ko alam ang nangyari. Wala akong maalala. Hindi ako makapagpaliwanag sa kaniya dahil kahit ako hindi ko rin maintindihan ang nangyari.

Nagkapatong patong na ang problema na, my heart was continuously hurting. The news started to seep into my mind, paulit-ulit iyon. Even Thunder's voice when he broke up with me, para iyong sirang plaka na araw-araw nagpapaulitulit sa isip ko. I gave up. I succumbed to the pain associated with everything that happened around me.

Too funny to think that the famous designer, Heaven Dacera, messed up her all-planned life.

Sana. . . Sana hindi na lang ako si Heaven. Sana, hindi na lang ako Dacera. Siguro, kung iba ang kwento ko. . . I won't suffer like this.

"Heaven?" binuksan ko ang mga mata ko at halos sumakit iyon dahil sa liwanag. I waited for my eyes to adjust until I was greeted by the white ceiling.

"Heaven! Thank God!" bumaling ang tingin ko kay Sky, and I found her crying. She rushed toward me and hugged me so tight that I had to groan because of how firm it was.

"I missed you! I missed you so much, bunso!" malungkot akong ngumiti. She's Sky Dacera. The middle daughter sunod kay Kuya Light. Isang taon lang ang gap namin.

"I'm s-sorry Sky." I cried. Sky tried to comfort me. We talked a lot at nasabi niya sa akin ang nangyari but not in detail, dahil makakasama iyon sa akin.

I can't remember whatever memories I had when I was suffering from schizophrenia, but I know that my suffering from that burdens her. She has to carry us on her shoulder at alam ko kung gaano na siya ka-stress ngayon. I feel so sorry for her that she has to fight for our family alone. Ako na lang inaasahan niya pero pati ako sumuko rin.

AFTER a week, ay nakalabas din ako sa hospital. Sky brought me back to our house as she tried to be so attentive to me. Hindi niya hinahayaan na mapagisa ako. She will always talk to me, tell stories, crack jokes, o kaya naman ay manunuod kami ng movies. Ganoon ang naging routine namin habang pinapahupa ang issue tungkol sa pamilya namin at para tantanan na kami ng media.

"Can we visit mom, Sky?" Mom was confined. At alam ko naman na kaya ko na. I want to see her. And Sky nodded her head.

"Of course we will, wait lang ah. . . may need lang ako kausapin." lumayo siya sa akin at sinagot ang tumawag sa phone niya. I watched her talk to whoever was on the other line.

Paminsanminsan akong tumitingin sa movie na pinapanuod namin, eating pop corn, at madalas ay sinusulyapan ko si Sky. Napapakunot ang noo ko kapag nakikita ang mga reaction sa mukha niya.

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang kausap niya o kung ano ang pinaguusapan nila, but she looks frustrated enough. Na parang anumang oras iiyak na siya. I was about to be more focused on her when I felt my stomach growl. I crave something to eat, kaya tumungo ako sa kusina to find something to eat, pero kokonti na ang stock namin tapos lahat ng naandon ay parang hindi ko gusto.

"Heaven?" She entered the kitchen and saw me. I can see she looked relieved when she saw me.

"What's the matter? Are you hungry?" Tanong niya and I nodded our heads.

"I think so, pero wala rito ang gusto kong kainin." I pursed my lips, and she was stunned for a moment before nodding her head.

"Alright, since we're visiting mom, let's find whatever you want to eat." Tumango naman ako at ngumiti. Nagbihis na rin kami ni Sky at hindi na nag-aksaya ng oras.

"Ano bang gusto mong kainin?" She asked while driving.

"Strawberry na hindi pa masyadong hinog, tapos isasawsaw ko sa asin and bagoong." Napansin kong napabuntong hininga siya at tumango.

"I'll try my best to contact someone para maibili ka niyan. For now, we'll wait for him na lang sa hospital, hmm?" Sumangayon naman ako at tumingin na lang sa labas. Sky cleared her throat, but she didn't talk anymore.

Nakarating na rin kami sa hospital kung nasaan si mommy. Sky let me stay inside, dahil may kailangan nanaman daw ulit siya kausapin. After minutes of watching my unconscious mom, I decided to leave the room for a while para magpahangin sa roof top ngunit sakto naman na may familiar na doctor ang napadaan, she stopped when she saw me.

"Heaven? Omg ikaw nga! You're okay now?" She hugged me, and when she let go, I smiled at her.

"Yes Doctora Muñoz, maswerte pa rin." She smiled at me, but her smile was full of worry.

"Grabe iyong nangyari sa 'yo, after your car crash accident, followed by your mental breakdown, Sky was so scared, I saw how she cried every day. I hope maging okay na kayong magkakapatid pati si Aireen." tukoy niya kay mommy.

"Iyan din po ang hiling ko," malungkot akong ngumiti sa kaniya.

"Oh, how's your baby? Okay ba siya? Hindi naman naapektuhan?" sinapo ko ang tiyan ko at hinimas iyon bago ngumiti, I even looked down on it.

"Ang sabi sa akin ni Sky, okay lang naman daw po. It's a miracle that my baby was so strong. Hindi niya iniwan ang mommy niya." kumirot ang dibdib ko. I feel sorry for my child too. Na kailangan din niyang mag-suffer.

"Well, that's good news. You can drop by my office so we can do a check-up. You have to make sure that your baby is still healthy and safe. Mahirap na Heaven, it's really a miracle na after everything happened, nakakapit pa rin siya. Usually, it's very risky." Tumango naman ako.

"Yes Doctora, thank you so much po. Dadaan kami ni Sky bago kami umuwi." Nagpaalam na rin siya at iniwan na rin ako. While I remained standing there, hawak-hawak pa rin ang tiyan ko.

Mapait akong napangiti.

Yeah, I am pregnant. Nalaman ko siya before kami mag-break ni Thunder last month. Does he know? Did I tell him?

No.

Because I myself don't know if Thunder was really the father.

. . .