Good For The Heart

|| twenty-two || seeking justice ||

Maine had been walking back and forth by the waiting room outside the operating room. Lucy who was still in her wedding dress, Sam and Patricia were just sitting down, trying to calm her down but were still helpless. Maine didn't care that her heels were hurting her feet, she was anxious.

She tried to avoid thinking of the worse but she could not help it, it was when she realized how she could no longer her life without him.

She would sit down and bury her face in her hands and cry and then she would pace around the waiting room again. She did this routine for an hour until her parents finally came. Mary Ann hugged her daughter while Teodoro looked on, his face was pale. Hating seeing his daughter looking like that, his fist was as pale as his face.

It was until two hours later after her parents had arrived when RJ's doctor finally came out from the operating room that Maine stood up and almost ran towards the doctor, who just happened to be a woman.

"Doctor Faulkerson's condition is stable now. We managed to get rid of the bullet from his back after three hours of operation. He's very lucky that the bullet didn't hit his spinal cords but it was a very close call but rest assured that he's OK now, you will be able to see him after we settled him in his room." The pretty young doctor told her with a sympathetic smile. Maine breathed out a sigh of relief and held her mother tightly, everyone with her seemed to have relax now.

"You guys can go home now, thanks for being here." Maine told everybody, "I'll just stay with RJ."

Mary Ann nodded, "Sige nak, magbihis ka muna. Babalik kami mamaya,"

"Thank you, nay."
-
The next day, RJ still remained unconcious; and Maine had already called Marian to tell her what happened and told her not to worry because RJ survived the ordeal. She didn't want Marian to worry and make Dingdong drive three hours to Bulacan; so she merely told her that RJ was fine and asleep so he was unable to speak on the phone but her worries were coming back again when after a day of being with him, he was still unconcious.

Maine's father came by and told her that he'd spoken to their family lawyer, and one of Teodoro's bestfriends, Attorney Tito Sotto- one of the best lawyers in the country and Maine's Godfather. They were to file a case against Miggy Sandoval, who was now detained in the local prison. Apparently he was now facing so many criminal charges, including drug trafficking and distribution.

"Buti na lang, nak. Nakawala ka don sa Miggy na yun," Teodoro told her, "I never did like him for you, kaya sobra ko nga iyon pinahirapan." Maine smiled weakly.

"Alam ko, tay." She grinned, Teodoro kissed his younger daughter's forehead and held her closely. She was too tired to have a lengthy conversation, she simply rested her head on her father's forehead and stared at her fiancé on the hospital bed. He was still unconcious but she was expecting him to wake up either today or tomorrow.

"Nak, ako na lang muna magbabantay kay RJ. Uwi ka muna't kumain at magpahinga, tatawagan lang kita kapag gumising na siya o ano, susunod na rin naman si Nanay mo eh,"

Maine shook her head, "Gusto ko nandito ako pagkagising niya tay,"

"Oh sige, umidlip ka muna sandali diyan at dito lang ako sa gilid," Teodoro moved towards one of the arm chairs and took out a newspaper from his bag. Maine couldn't argue with anyone anymore; she was just too tired and she missed RJ already, and that feeling alone just drained her.

She must have been asleep for a few hours when she was woken up by visitors. RJ was still unconcious, which was starting to make her feel very worried. She'd been blaming herself quite a lot to, because she should've listened to RJ about not coming to the wedding in the first place then he wouldn't be in this hospital bed, if only she just listened to him they would most likely be making love back home in Tagaytay.