To Forget (Destined Series #1)

XXII

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Tested

That night, it feels like it was the most horrible night for me. . . and for my family.

Sinugod si tatay sa ospital dahil bigla siyang natumba at nawalan ng malay. Natulala lang ako dun kung hindi pa sumigaw si nanay para humingi ng tulong, hindi ako kikilos.

I was shaking. My whole body was trembling. I was just looking at my father's pale face. . . looks lifeless. Hindi ko minsan maiwasang tingnan ang tiyan niya para makumpirmang humihinga pa siya.

It was chaos. My mother almost faint because of so much crying. My brothers wasn't at home. Nasa trabaho pa silang lahat.

Ako? Dahil sa gulat at bilis ng pangyayari, halos hindi makakilos. It was good thing that our neighbors immediately act. Agad na tumawag ng ambulance, tumulong para buhatin si tatay.

I wasn't crying that time. I was just there, dumbfounded, can't even move.

"Kamusta si tatay?" My brother asked me.

Tiningnan ko siya, hindi makasagot kasi hindi ko naman alam ang isasagot. Kanina pa sa loob ng emergency room ang mga doctor pero ni isa, wala pang lumabas sa kanila.

My heart is pounding everytime a nurse would go out, rushing to get another assistantance from a new set of nurse.

Si Nanay? Iyak ng iyak. I was just there, sitting beside her from gently caressing hee back.

Tahimik lang ako. Gustuhin ko mang sabihin sa kaniya na magiging ayos lang lahat kasi pati sa sarili, hindi ko iyon mapapatunayan.

I blink, biting my lower lip, I shook my head. I looked at the door of the emergency room.

"H-hindi ko pa alam, Kuya. Hindi pa lumalabas ang doktor," sabi ko, halos ibulong sa hangin sa sobrang hina ng boses.

My brother look so stress. Alam kong nakasakay lang siya ng motor, nagmadali papunta dito.

Tumango siya, nilapitan ako. He messed up my hair and smile.

"Malakas si Tatay, kaya niya 'yon," aniya. "Bantayan mo si Nanay, ha? Aalis lang ako, kukuha ng pagkain niyo."

Iyon ang sabi niya bago tuluyang magpaalam. Pagkaalis niya, dumating naman ang isa ko pang kuya.

He handed me a bottle of water and to our mother as well.

"Natawagan mo na sina ate?"

Umiling ako tsaka uminom. "Hindi pa, Kuya, nawala sa isip ko."

Mabagal siyang tumango. Huminga ng malalim at binalingan ang ngayo'y natutulog naming ina.

"Sige, tawagan mo sila mamaya. Kamusta si Nanay?"

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin, nilapag sa tabi ang bote ng mineral.

"Stress na siya masyado, eh. Iyak ng iyak kanina. Parang mahihimatay na din. . ." Humina ang boses ko. "Nag-away pa sila kanina. . ."

He didn't ask further. Tumango siya. Pinakatitigan ako. I looked away and swallowed the lump on my throat.

"Ikaw. . . ayos ka lang ba?"

My nose sting. My eyes start to blur. Kinagat ko ng mariin ang labi bago unti-unting umiling.

My brother, despite all the pain, smiled. He opened his arms and there I cried. Mahigpit niya akong niyakap, ingat na ingat. He gently caresses my hair as I sobbed.

"T-takot ako, Kuya. . . T-takot na takot ako. Pa'no kung may masamang mangyari kay Tatay? Pa'no kung. . . hindi niya kayanin? Pa'no kung malala talaga ang sakit niya?" I cried harder. ". . .Hindi ko yata kaya 'yon."