THE BROKEN MAN'S AFFLICTION

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 22

UNTI-UNTING nagmulat ng mga mata si Happy at napatitig sa kisame. Kumunot ang noo niya habang pinapakiramdaman ang kapaligiran at sarili. She was in her room and an IV fluid was still connected to her wrist. She was not naked and there was no Blaze in her room.

Lalong lumalim ang gatla sa noo niya. What happened?

"Princess? Are you awake? Are you okay? How are you feeling?" It was her dad and he had tears in his eyes. "Oh, my God, princess..." Hinawakan ng ama niya ang kamay niya, saka humagulhol. "My princess... Thank God... thank you... thank you so much."

Umangat ang kamay niya para haplusin ang basang pisngi ng ama at namamalat ang boses na nagsalita. "W-what happened?"

Humigpit ang hawak ng ama sa kamay niya. "Don't you remember what happened?"

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "The bodyguard you told me... it was Blaze, and his face was clean. And you forced me to marry Blaze and we came back to my room, and we kissed and..." She tried to remember harder but nothing. "T-that's all."

Her father face darkened. "Why would I force you to marry a man who have hurt you?"

Umiling siya. "I, ahm, I don't know? For my safety?"

"I can keep you safe, princess. I don't need anyone's help."

"Then where is Blaze?" hanap niya sa lalaki.

Bumuntong-hininga ang ama niya. "In the Philippines, I guess? There was no Blaze, princess. Hindi nangyari ang ikinuwento mo sa akin."

Now she was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You fell into coma. For a week now."

Her lips parted in shock. "W-what?"

"Yes. And I guess Blaze was in your... dream?"

Hindi niya alam kung bakit nag-uunahan ang luha na kumawala sa mga mata niya. "So my mind just made it all up?" Mapakla siyang natawa. "That's why I was so happy and I accepted him so fast because it wasn't real? Am I going crazy, Daddy?"

Agad na umiling ang ama niya. "No, of course not, princess. Naaalala mo ba noong kagigising mo pa lang din sa coma, you told me about your dreams, that we're together and playing and just being happy together."

Her eyes watered. "Because I was sad in reality before my coma," she whispered. "Because you left me when I was a kid and you didn't play with me because you were busy mourning Mom."

Yes, she remembered that. And a doctor told her that it was her mind showing her what she wanted to see... what she yearned the most.

But it was just a dream. Just like marrying and being with Blaze.

A dream.

A tear fell from his father's eyes. "And I'm sorry about that, princess. Bumabawi naman ako. I'm being a good dad."

Tumango siya. "I know, Dad."

Hinalikan nito ang likod ng kamay niya. "You seem okay now? I was so worried."

Pinag-aralan niya ang mukha ng ama. "You haven't slept."

Tumawa lang ito. "My princess is in coma again. I am not leaving you. Never. Never again, princess. Never. I will not fail you again. You can always count on Daddy, okay?"

Happy slowly nodded. "What happened to me, Daddy? What was my last real memory?"

"You got shot," sabi nito. "King got to you on time and we patch you up, then I asked you to have a matching tattoos with me."