Kabanata 34
Above the Sea of Fog
I was awakened by the continuous ringing of my other phone. It was a familiar tone from an online app. Alam ko kaagad na galing iyon sa kapatid ko kaya nanghihina man, pinilit kong abutin ang cellphone at sagutin ang tawag.
"Hello?" I groggily uttered. Masakit ang aking katawan dahil sa pagkakabaluktot sa sofa. It was just a few hours ago that Wyatt left me for good and I feel nothing.
"A-ate..." The shaking voice of Shyra, my sister, woke me up. Ang munting hikbi ay tila nagpaalala sa akin nang akong kinahinatnan kahapon.
"Shyra? Bakit ka umiiyak?" natatarantang tanong ko.
"A-ate..." inulit niya ang pagtawag sa akin. Nilukob ako ng kaba habang pinapakinggan iyon. Alam kong may problema. Kapag ganito ang kaba ko, alam kong may nangyari o mangyayari.
"Shyra...anong nangyari?" mahinahon kong tanong habang sinusubukang huminga nang malalim.
"Si Mama, Ate." Tuluyan na siyang humikbi. Umawang ang aking labi at napahigpit ang hawak ko sa phone. Hinintay kong dugtungan ni Shyra ang kaniyang sinasabi ngunit ang hikbi niya ang pumuno sa aking pandinig.
"Anong nangyari kay Mama, Shyra?"
"Sinugod sa ospital si Mama, Ate. Hindi pa gumigising..."
Nabitawan ko ang aking phone sa narinig. Bumagsak iyon at gumawa ng malakas na tunog sa sahig. The cries of Shyra echoed in the quiet room. Nanatili akong tulala at tila napako sa aking pwesto habang patuloy na pinakikinggan iyon.
"Hindi ko na alam Ate...baka...baka...anong mangyari kay Mama," paulit-ulit niyang sinabi iyon. Sinabihan ko siyang huminahon ngunit walang salita ang makakapagpatigil sa kaniyang iyak.
I didn't know what to do. Kahit pa napakalma ko na ang kapatid, hindi ko man lang alam ang gagawin. Kani-kanina lang ay tumarak na sa akin ang isa pang punyal...hindi ko pa kayang tumanggap ng isa.
And to think that my mother was hospitalized and maybe in the verge of death...parang nawala na ako sa wisyo. I just found myself booking a ticket for me and Saab, calling Jacinta early in the morning to tell her that I'm leaving the country...and calling our boss to tell him that I'll be gone for days.
Hindi ko alam kung paano ko nagawa iyon nang ilang minuto lang. I woke Linda and told her to prepare Saab for our departure. Gulong-gulo si Linda kung bakit aligagang-aligaga ako. There was no time to explain and just told her that Saab and I needed to travel to Philippines immediately because my mother was sick.
I was carrying Saab in my arms while Linda accompanied me to the airport. Dala ni Linda ang iisang bag naming dala. I put all that's important. Kung magiging maayos agad si Mama, mas makakabalik kami rito nang mabilis. I don't want to stay in Marina for long but I also want to make sure that my mother's okay.
Kahit hindi kami nag-usap nang ilang taon, hindi rason iyon para mawalan ako ng pake sa sariling ina. I was still supporting them while I can. At si Mama, pwede niya rin namang iwan ang mga kapatid ko pero hindi niya naman ginawa. She could have let my sisters starve to death but she left me with a choice whether to communicate with them or not. Sila na lang ang tanging koneksyon ko rito sa Marina kaya bakit ko pa ba babalewalain?
"Mama? Why are you crying?" Saab innocently asked as she touched my wet face. Agad kong pinahiran ang aking mga luha at suminghot. I tried to smile at Saab.
"I'm okay, Sweetie. Mama's just tired."
"Did Mr. Wyatt get home safely?" aniya. "I didn't see him this morning."
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Above the Sea of Fog (Provincia de Marina Series #3)
रोमांसDetermined to lift her family out of poverty, Syrean Romano decided to work for the Balsameda Hotel-a place her mother forbids her to go. Iyon lang ang tanging lugar na naiisip niyang magiging daan upang makamit ang kaniyang pangarap at matupad ang...
