Forgotten Child

Sixth Chapter

"Are you okay?"

I kept my mouth shut after hearing Doctora Niets Neknarf's question. We're on her car right now, on our way back home.

"Wait, don't answer that. I mean, I know you're not okay because duh? It's so fvcking obvious but since being kind also means being stupid, I just had to ask that stupid question even though the answer was pretty obvious."

"Doctora..."

"I know, I know, I'm sorry but really, little girl, are you okay? I told you she's a cuckoo," she said, even drawing a circle in the air at the side of her hair with her pointer finger. "But my 'are you okay' question means something different, you know. It means, 'will you stay?'"

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Ho?"

She parked the car. "After learning those things from your own mother, will you stay and finish what you started? Or, will you stop and walk away, give up and go astray?"

Napayuko ako at inisip ng maigi ang tanong niya.

Umpisa pa lang, masakit na. Makakaya ko pa kaya kung ipagpapatuloy ko pa?

Hinawakan ni Doctora ang kamay ko na naging dahilan kung bakit ko siya tinignan muli, at nakita kong nag-aalala siya sa'kin. "It's not a choice of life or death, Maiah girl," ngumisi siya ng nakakaloka. "It's just a choice of truth or lie. Are you willing to remain in the dark, without the answers to your questions, and not get hurt at all? Or, are you prepared to tear that innocence away, attain all the answers, but get hurt in the way?"

Napakagat ako sa aking ibabang labi. "Doctora, does anyone ever told you that your choice of words is so deep?"

"Mhm, yet they are all structured to point out the truth," she answered with a meaningful grin. "I already know what you're going to choose, but I still want to hear it from you."

This lady. "Why? If alam niyo na po, why the need to hear it from me?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." She clicked her tongue kasabay nito ang pag sideways ng pointer finger niya. "Isn't it obvious, little Maiah girl? Once your choice escaped your pretty, little lips," she bites her lower lip, making her look like she's excited. "That's the first step of your chosen action, that's the start of forming a plan," she closed her head to mine as she whispered, "That's the entrance to your own heavenly hell."

Pagkatapos niyang ibulong 'yun ay tumawa siya ng parang nababaliw. Napataas pa nga ang ulo niya sa pagtawa kaso bigla siyang bumaling sa'kin and her expression changed to a very serious one.

Totoo nga... parang baliw lang talaga din siya.

"So?" she asked intimidatingly. "Time for you to announce your choice."

I bit my lip again as I let out a sigh. "Stay. I choose to stay."

She clasped her hands. "Perfect! And what's your next step?"

Kaya ko 'to. Kayanin ko sana ito.

"Please, Doctora, take me to where Mackenzie Ayala is."

-x-

Nandidito ako ngayon sa bahay ni Doctora, makikitulog ng isang gabi. Bukas kasi ang flight namin papunta sa — sabi niya — gusto kong puntahan.

Pero ang alam ko taga-dito lang din sila tita Zie eh. Saang lupalop kaya ako dadalhin nitong si Doctora?

"Dearest Maiah, please don't attempt to jump off my window. I don't want to get involve with your suicide case. I still haven't live my life to the fullest and I don't want to entertain police officers. With all my heart, the best psychiatrist doctor in town."