Until Forever (Published!)

Chapter 11

Pakiramdam ni Mia ay matutumba siya sa kinatatayuan habang nakatunghay sa babaeng sakay ng wheelchair, immobile at nakatingin sa kawalan. Hindi niya napaghandaan ang tagpong ito, ni wala sa hinagap niya na ganito ang kanyang masasaksihan.

          “Is that…” hindi niya matapos-tapos ang sana ay sasabihin. Kaagad na nagkaroon ng bara at sumakit ang kanyang lalamunan. Something was wrong with the picture.

          She came here filled with anger and bitterness in her heart towards the mother she had never seen for years. Ang plano niyang sumbatan ito at ipamukha rito ang pang-aabandonang ginawa nito sa kanya ay hindi na yata niya magagawa pa. How could she do that when the Jasmin that she hated to see was already unresponsive as a vegetable?

          The anger, pain, agony and bitterness that she had nourished in her heart for years instantly melted. At ano ang sinabi sa kanya ni Micheal kanina? Na hinanap din siya ng kanyang ina noon? Na hindi naman siya nito totally na inabandona?

But no one went back to come for her. Iyon ang pagkakaalam niya. Itinago ba siya ng kanyang Mama Gilda? And why did her foster parent made sure that she would look for her mother? Katunayan ay inihabilin pa nito iyon sa Last Will and Testament nito.

There were a lot of questions in her head now. Paano siya nagkaroon ng death certificate? Bakit patay na ang pag-aakala sa kanya ng mga Travilla?

Her chest expanded as she heaved a sigh. At habang pinagmamasdan niya ang maysakit na babaeng nakatungo ang ulo sa headrest ng wheelchair at tila lantang gulay na nakatitig lang sa kawalan ay hindi niya maiwasang panikipan ng dibdib.

          The sight was indeed heartbreaking. Na kahit galit na galit siya kanina ay hindi na niya maramdaman iyon sa ngayon. Sa halip ay nakaramdam siya ng awa para sa ina. Ang ganitong malungkot na tanawin ay may hatid na kurot sa kanyang puso. With her mother’s condition, she knew that she could die any moment.

          The thought of death brought a chilling fear in her whole being. What she had realized all through these years was that life was fleeting. Here today, gone tomorrow. Gilda’s death was sudden and unexpected. It could happen to Jasmin, too. And it could happen to her.

          Napakapit siya sa kanyang dibdib. Biglang naging maulap ang kanyang paningin. Tears were threatening to well from her eyes. Hindi na yata niya kayang ihakbang ang kanyang mga paa.

          Naramdaman niya ang kamay ni Micheal na sumaklit sa kanyang braso, holding her in place. “Yes,” he answered in a terse voice. “That’s Jasmin.”

She sucked her breath. Nilingon niya ang lalaki. “Can I come to her?” halos ay magsumamo siya.

Hindi ito kaagad na nakapagsalita. He just looked at her misty eyes. His face was blurry in her vision. Maya-maya ay napabuntong-hininga ito. “Okay, you can come to her, but she doesn’t talk, Mia. Ganyan lang siya. Unresponsive. And I’m warning you, be very careful. I don’t want her get hurt in anyway. Do you understand?” anitong may babala sa tinig.

And she was aware that it was a real threat. Now she knew why he was so protective of his stepmother. Napalunok siya. “What…happened to her?” she asked him in a broken voice.

          Bahagyang umawang ang sulok ng bibig nito na parang nang-uuyam. “Of course you know what happened to her. She had a heart attack three years ago. More than half of her body was paralyzed. She didn’t only suffer from an almost fatal heart attack, but also from trauma and depression for losing her daughter. Halos ay ayaw niyang mag-respond noon habang ginagamot ng mga doctor. It didn’t take long and she acquired a severe case of Alzheimer’s disease, too. It made her condition even worse. Kumplikado ang kalagayan ni Mama Jasmin, Mia. Kaya binabalaan kitang huwag nang ituloy ang kung anumang masamang binabalak mo laban sa kanya.”