Infatuation (Published)

Infatuation.18

"It's like I forgot some important things that I needed to remember. All I could see are fragments, is that even possible?"

I was inside Dr. Nathaniel Varres' clinic. Grandma was there too, we took Sancho to the neurologist for some tests he needed to take – I think it has something to do with his trauma. Sabi niya, alam niya daw na may nangyari sa kanya noong gabing maaksidente siya. He said that he woke up at a certain hospital and he was sure that someone took him – someone he knows but he forgot.

"That's possible, pero hindi natin matatawag na amnesia ang nangyari sa'yo, Mr. Consunji." The doctor sighed. "It's just the normal reaction of a person who was in a state of trauma for a long time." He sighed again. "May memories ka ba noong nasa trauma state ka?" Tanong pa nito. Sancho fell silent. Humawak sa braso ko si Grandma. Mas kinakabahan pa yata siya kaysa kay Sancho. I noticed that Sancho was looking at me.

"I remember Luke, my brother taking care of me." He was smiling. "I also remember a woman teaching me the Apple song just to make me remember her name and some other nurses who took care of me at the mental institute. I don't know how long I was in there, I wasn't aware of the time but Grandma said I was gone for a long time." Sancho explained. Umiiyak si Lola. I know that she was as affected as Sancho. Ako man ay apektado, hanggang ngayon kasi ay nasa blaming myself part of the situation pa rin kasi ako, kung hindi kami nag-away ni Sancho nang gabing iyon ay hindi siya maaaksidente, hindi siya mawawala, wala sana kami dito. I sighed again. Ipinaliwanag pa ng doctor ang mga dapat gawin. Apparently, Sancho still needed to go to therapy para mas mapadali ang pagbalik ng fragments ng memory niya. The doctor dismissed us afterwards. Inalalayan ko si Lola habang palabas kami ng clinic, si Sancho naman ay inaalalayan ng nurse.

Habang naglalakad kami pabalik sa silid niya ay nakita ko si Jane na nakatayo sa hallway, she looked at our direction at ganoon na lang ang panlalaki ng mga mata niya. Napahinto ako.

"Jane!" I called her. Paalis na kasi siya, wala siyang nagawa kundi ang huminto at bumalik sa amin. Dahan-dahan siyang lumakad papunta sa akin.

"G-good morning, Doña Adelina, Sir Luke...." Dahan-dahan siyang bumaling sa kapatid ko. "S-sir S-sancho..."

Sancho smiled at her.

"What are you doing here? I told you to look after Apollo o pati iyon hindi mo magawa?" Gigil na gigil na sabi ko. Hindi talaga nag-iisip ang babaeng ito.

"Sir, kasi naman she left, she said she wanted to go to Sheena's room, I went after her, but Sheena's mom threw me out." Paliwanag niya. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata.

"If I told you to look after Apollo, you will look after her no matter what happened!" Bahagyang tumaas ang boses ko. Hinawakan ako ni Lola sa braso.

"Lukas, ang boses mo, masyadong malakas." Sabi niya sa akin. I took a deep breath. Sinenyasan ko ang isang nurse na alalayan si Lola, nagpaalam ako sa kanila at saka tinungo ang daan patungo sa silid ni Sheena. Walang sabi-sabing binuksan ko ang pinto at doon ko nga nakita si Apollo. May kandong siyang batang babaeng kulot na kulot ang mahabang buhok. Kumunot ang noo ko. She was smiling so wide while she was combing the little girl's hair.

I cleared my throat.

"Ay! Si Sir Luke!" Napasigaw si Sheena. "Mga bata, alisto, wag kayong magulo!" Nakahiga pa rin si Sheena sa hospital bed, pero may kulay na ang mga pisngi niya. Bahagya ko siyang nginitian, isinara ko ang pinto at nakita ko pa ang isang batang lalaking sa tingin ko ay kasing edad din ng batang kandong ni Apollo.

"Tapos na kayo?" Apollo asked me. I nodded.

"Bakit iniwan mo si Jane? Diba sabi ko sa'yo huwag kang lalayo sa kanya? And who's that girl?" Tanong ko sa kanya at tinuro ang batang babae. Apollo smiled.