Time and Again

[90] History Repeats Itself

Isabel woke up the next day. Ken left her a bunch of red roses on the side table. She took the card attached with the flowers and read it. 

Dearest Isabel My Love,

Good morning! I went out to buy medicine for you. The doctors said they don’t have any available medicine in the pharmacy needed for your medication. Please don’t worry about me. I’ll be back soon. I love you forever. Stay safe.

Love,
Ken

Isabel’s heart started pounding at an increasingly rapid pace. Emile left her a letter before he died. He said he will just buy mangoes for her but he didn’t return. He died during the martial law. Now, Ken was leaving exactly the same letter to her. They have exactly the same handwriting. The thought of the two letters were exactly the same. The only difference was Emile promised to bring mangoes for her while Ken promised to bring medicine for her. The events in her life kept on repeating. It wouldn’t be impossible that the same fate would also happen to Ken.

Isabel couldn’t take the tightness she felt inside her heart. She felt like she’s going to have a heart attack. She pressed the button to summon the nurse. Two nurses came in her room.

“Help. I can’t breath. I need to see my husband.”

“Relax. He will be back in a few minutes.”

“No, I want to see him. Please, help me find him. I can’t breath…”

The nurses injected Isabel with tranquilizer to calm her nerves. She fell asleep. 

Isabel woke up at 11:30 in the evening. Her head was throbbing with pain. She raised her legs and she didn’t feel any pain. She touched her face to check for wrinkles. She didn’t feel any wrinkles so she concluded that she was back to her young self. She saw Maurice, Donatella, Bank and Krit staring at her.

“Hi Isabel. How are you?” Maurice greeted her.

“I will only feel better once I will see Ken.”

They were silent. Each of them were looking to each other as if nudging each other to speak first. They didn’t know on how to break the news gently to Isabel that Ken died. Nobody wanted to be the bearer of the bad news. 

“Ken bought the medicine for you.”

“Where is he?”

A nervous silence filled the room. Isabel could almost hear the beating of their hearts. From the look on their faces, it was obvious that something bad happened to Ken.

“I know what happened to Ken. You are just afraid to tell me.” Isabel whimpered. 

“We’re so sorry Isabel. Ken was hit by a stray bullet. But don’t worry, he is still alive. He was admitted and treated in this same hospital. If you want to see him, we can take you there.” Maurice said.

“You don’t have to say sorry. It’s not your fault. If you don’t mind me asking, can you please go to Ken’s room and watch him for me. I’ll just talk to the doctor. I’ll ask them to allow me to be discharge. If I have to sign a waiver, I’ll do it. I will follow you to Ken’s room shortly.”

“No problem.”

Bank, Krit, Maurice, and Donatella went out from Isabel’s room. They proceed to Ken’s room. 

Isabel waited until 12:00 midnight. She pointed the hands of the ancient clock at exactly 12:00 when midnight came. She turned into an old woman. She summoned the doctor and asked him to allow her to be discharged. The doctor refused to discharge her. They advised her to be discharge in the morning if the test result would show that it is already advisable for her to be discharge. Otherwise, she needed to stay for a few more days in the hospital until they were sure that she was already stable. She insisted to be discharge so the doctor asked her to sign a waiver. She signed the waiver and paid her hospital bills. She went out from her room and went inside the toilet. She made sure first that she was the only one inside the toilet. She tried to turn the hands of the ancient watch and pointed it at exactly 12:00 several times. Luckily, she rejuvenated. 

Isabel went immediately inside Ken’s room. She hugged and thanked Maurice and Donatella for staying until she arrived. 

Ken was still asleep. Isabel told Maurice and Donatella to go home and take a rest. They offered to stay with her but she insisted them to take a rest. She stayed with him.

Morning came but Ken was still asleep. Isabel could only hear the beeping of the machine that was attached to his body.

Ken woke up after a week but he couldn’t talk because of the tube that was inserted in his mouth. His family was already aware of the accident that happened to him. They already knew that he defied them and married Isabel. Even though they didn’t approve her, they still accepted her as their daughter-in-law for the sake of their son.

On the third week, the doctors removed the tube in Ken’s mouth. He was already able to talk. He had difficulty breathing because he was trying to adjust without the tube. Isabel was glad for his progress. She never left his side. She was there throughout his healing process. She was positive that he would be able to make it through and they would live together for a longer period of time.

On the fourth week, Ken spat blood. Isabel called the doctor and the nurses. She prayed that everything would be ok. 

Ken was in a comatose state again. Isabel prayed hard. She would give everything she have just to save him. If only she could trade her body to him so that he would be save. 

Ken did not make it after 3 days in comatose state. He died at 10:00 in the evening. 

Isabel was devastated. It happened before. It happened again. She never had a chance to stay with the man she love for a long period of time. They both left her shortly.

Isabel stayed in Thailand to attend the wake on Ken’s funeral. His family followed the Buddhist funerary rites. His body was not yet buried because it would be cremated after 1 year.  

Isabel went back to the Philippines on the 7th day of Ken’s wake. She could no longer stay in Thailand for one year for his body to be cremated.