Torn in Two (Elite Girls 2)

Chapter 33 - Surprise

I groaned. "How's Mom? How is she handling this?"

"I haven't told her yet."

"What? Pa, that's insane! Tingin mo po ba talaga maitatago mo ito kay Mama? And how about Dashiell? He can't lie to her. One way or another, she's gonna find out, either by the changes in you, or thru Dash."

"Nak... ikaw pa lang ang nakakaalam."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Dashiell's unaware of this too? Pa, you have to tell them!"

"I will when I finally have the courage to do so. Kilala mo ang nanay ni Dashiell. She'll be hysterical the moment she finds out. Ang papasok agad sa isip niya ay mamamatay na ako dahil nagkaroon ako ng ganitong sakit."

But can he blame her? Even I couldn't handle this huge news. I am too shocked. Kaya pala medyo nag-stutter siya tuwing nakakausap ko siya sa telepono. Maski ngayon ay medyo mabagal ang pananalita niya. He's already having difficulty on his speech skills, hindi lang gaano kahalata dahil hindi naman palakuwento si Papa at kung magsalita man siya, iisipin mo talaga sa una ay baka pagod lang siya.

"Your mom... She suffered enough for the past years that she married me. I don't want to add to her burden," He added.

"She's your wife! What do you mean she suffered enough? Mahal na mahal ka po ni Mama at alam kong hindi ka niya iiwan habangbuhay!"

I heard him exhaled loudly. "Alam ko rin 'yon Damian. That's why I feel sorry for her because she chose to love me."

Napahawak ako sa ulo ko at sinabunutan ko ang sarili ko.

Sasabog yata ang utak ko! I can't understand what he meant by his words! Is this an effect of his illness?

"Pa, I can't keep this from them."

"Give me some time and I promise I'll tell them myself."

I looked up at the ceiling and tried my best to stay calm. After a few moments, I nodded even though he couldn't see me.

Fine. I won't tell them until he's ready.

"Dad, can I ask? How'd you know something's wrong? Did you just...collapsed or fell down on your knees all of a sudden?" Parkinson's disease is a brain and nervous system disorder that causes gradual loss for his muscle control.

"I thought it wasn't that serious at first. Akala ko dahil lang sa pagod kaya nanginginig ang mga kamay ko paminsan-minsan at nagiging stiff ang muscles ko, until I experienced balance issues. Nag-decide akong magpa-check up na dahil ramdam kong may hindi tama. I'm not that old to lose balance." Nagawa niya pang tumawa nang kaunti. "I went through a lot of laboratories here and in the US to be sure. Akala niyo marami akong business trips? No. The truth is, kung saan saan kasi akong mga hospital pumunta." He took a deep breath. "The disease progresses as months passed by. Now I'm slowly having difficulty standing and walking. I'm afraid in a few years, I might end up in a wheel chair."

Ma-imagine pa lang si Papa na hindi na makapaglakad ay sumisikip na ang dibdib ko.

"Surely there are therapies and treatments that could help you, right?"