A Pandemic Love Story- COMPLETED

21

Nagising ako sa isang puting kwarto, malamang sa malamang, nasa hospital na naman ako. Agad kong tinanong ang kakapasok na nurse kung ilang araw na akong nandito. Sabi nito pangatlong araw ko na raw ito. After ko siyang tanungin ginawa na nito ang pakay nito. Pinalitan nito ang swero na nasa kamay ko at umalis agad after akong icheck.

Hindi na ako nagtaka ng makitang walang nagbabantay sa akin. Me, passing out, in the hospital for days, are not new news to my family. Nasanay na sila. I've been through this for the past 3 years.

Nag-take pa nga ako ng special classes and exams para lang makagraduate on time dahil nga "sakitin" daw ako. Yeah, I've been through a lot dahil lang sa trauma na iyon, but I still choose this over forgetting everything. Hihintayin ko pa din yung Dwayne ko. Hindi ko siya susukuan. Nagulat na lang ako ng may biglang pumasok sa kwarto ko. It's Kuya, and I think he's mad.

"Please, stop this already! This is too much, Princess." May diin nitong sabi. I just stared at him. I know he's at his limit, but I won't get swayed. Papanindigan ko, until Dwayne remembers, until Dwayne's totally fine.

"How many times would I say this, what happened to him were not a case for everyone." Sabi nito. Here we go again.

"But I might recover from this trauma like he did. I still won't risk it." Sabi ko, ito ang parati kong counter everytime gusto na niya akong ipagamot.

"It has low probability that you'll have amnesia to recover from that." May diin ulit nitong sabi.

"As long as that probability is not zero, I'll still won't risk it." Sabi ko, napasuklay naman ito sa buhok nito and his pacing back and forth like he's done with me.

"I told you Kuya, I'll have my treatment if he'll remember me." Dagdag ko.

"What if he won't? Then, what? you'll suffer till your last breath?" Tanong nito.

"I know, he will, I trust him." Sabi ko ng may ngiti, and Kuya walked out.

*

I just have to stay one more day at the hospital. Nang madischarge na ako, bumalik agad ako sa trabaho, resting for 4 days was enough, I still have deadlines to meet. Nang maramdaman ko ang gutom dahil nakaasa lang ako sa IV for 4 days naisipan kong pumunta sa kusina.

Pagbukas ko ng pintuan ng office ko at nadatnan ko si Dad na kakatok at may hawak na tray na may laman na pagkain. Agad ko naman niluwagan ang pinto at kinuha kay Dad ang dala nito. He sat on the sofa next to me and sighed.

Dad's been quiet for years. He's still there for me though, hindi niya lang ako kinukulit tulad ni Kuya and Mama. He's keeping his silence but when he's next to me, like this now, he'll sighs from time to time. At sa tingin ko mas nakakairita itong ginagawa ni Dad kesa sa dalawa.

"C'mon, Dad. What? Scold me now, I'll be busy later." Sabi ko. Dad sighed before he spoke.

"Princess, don't you think it's already too much? Alam kong matapang at malakas ka, pero, Princess, hindi ka ba napapagod?" Tanong nito.

"I know that after all these suffering, these sacrifices, will be paid off someday and I know that, it'll be worth it, Dad. I just don't want to regret if things will go south. I still trust him, Dad. He'll remember. And if he did, I promise all of you, that I'll have my treatment. I just need to wait for him to remember." Sabi ko and Dad just looked at me and sighed.

"Now let me have my meal, I'll still have a project to worked on." I said dismissively.

Dad sighed for the nth time before he left. Pati ako napabuntong-hininga na rin ng makaalis si Dad. Then, I ate my meal, after that, I started working on my project while drinking my energy drink from time to time.

*

Finally, my worked is done in a month, and in that month, I passed out for I don't care anymore times. Every time I finished a project, I'll reward myself for a week rest. Hindi muna ako nag-aaccept ng mga projects. Inaalala ko pa din naman yung katawan ko kahit papaano.

I was lounging in the sala nang tawagin ako ni Mama sa kusina. Nagleave si Mama for a day dahil may binyag itong aattendan. Since, it's a weekday, nasa school si Kuya at si Dad naman ay nasa work. Perks ng freelancing, hawak mo yung oras mo. Nang makarating ako sa kusina, nagpapack si Mama ng pagkain sa plastic containers.

"Here, do me a favor and pahatid naman ako nito kila Tita Lia mo, nagpromise ako na bibigyan ko siya nitong pinakbet kapag nagluto ako." As you can see, close sila Tita Lia and Mama, to the point na kapag may niluluto silang favorite dishes ng isa't-isa magpapadala sila sa bahay ng isa't-isa.

Nang matapos nitong ilagay ang mga plastic containers sa isang paper bag. Nagpaalam naman ito na pupunta na sa pupuntahan nitong binyag. I kiss her on the cheeks and bid goodbye, at nang makaalis na ito, agad naman akong pumunta sa kwarto at nagpalit ng damit.

Wala na akong sinayang na minuto at nagdrive na ako papunta kila Tita Lia, kay Dwayne. Hindi naman ako masyadong excited na makita si Dwayne. Ilang minuto lang ay nasa harap na ako ng gate nila, pinarada ko yung sasakyan sa gilid ng gate nila, at bago bumaba, chineck ko muna yung sarili ko sa rearview mirror. Nang satisfied na ako sa itsura ko, inabot ko yung paper bag sa may passenger seat at lumabas na.

Nagdoorbell muna ako at naghintay sa bubukas ng gate. I hold my breath for a while when I saw him and smiled. "Dwayne." I whispered, yong hindi niya maririnig.

"Hi Kieffer, pinapahatid ni Mama yung niluto niya para kay Tita Lia." I said with a smile.

"Sige, pasok ka, Light."

~Gab