Say You Do

10|After

"No more, mama. " the little girl said shaking her head slightly.

Kinuha na naman ulit nito ang pink teddy bear sa gilid ng kama at pinaupo sa kandungan nito. Simula nang magising ito 4 days earlier galing sa surgery at nalamang galing sa papa niya ang stuffed toy ay hindi na ito mapaghiwalay sa kanya. Natutulog man o gising yakap-yakap nito ang laruan. It was also the very thing that calmed her after finding out that her hair was cut short. She was sure her daughter had cried the whole day.

"Okay. Let's drink your water na so you could rest, baby. " Nilagay niya ang plate ng half-eaten pancake nito sa tray saka kinuha ang tubig sa table sa gilid ng kama nito.

"Is papa coming over? " agad na tanong ng anak niya pagkatapos maubos ang inumin nito. Bakas sa boses nito ang excitement na makita ulit si Paul, which is still a puzzle to her kung pa'no nito naisip na si Paul ang papa niya. Ayaw naman niyang usisain ang anak lalo na't kagagaling lang nito sa operasyon. She might just confused her daughter. And to top that, she's not yet ready herself to tell her the truth. Kaya hinayaan na lang niya ito sa gusto nito.

Simula kasi nang magising mula sa operasyon ay si Paul na lang lagi ang hinahanap nito. Papa dito- Papa doon. Ganito ito buong linggo kaya naman 'yong isa ay halos hindi na rin lumalabas ng kwarto. And the whole time ay hindi man nakita ni Stephanie na nagreklamo ito. Mukhang masaya pa nga na laging kasama ang anak.

And for her daughter's sake, ay hindi naman niya magawang tumutol. Kahit ang ideyang 'yon ay hindi man lang pumasok sa isip niya lalo na't napapasaya nito ang anak niya. She doesn't want to deny her baby her happiness anymore just because of her selfishness. At handa siyang kalimutan ang nakaraan para mabigyan ng buong pamilya si Angela. Hindi man sa paraang gusto niya but if it meant so much for her daughter kaya niyang gawin lahat.

And though she's still unsure about everything ay grateful naman siya sa mga nagawa ni Paul for the both of them. Especially that time nang makita niya ang duguang anak sa kandungan nito that dreadful day.

A lump formed in her throat and her chest tightened. Kahit na isang linggo na ang nakalipas nang mangyari 'yon ay ganun pa rin katindi ang epekto nito sa kanya kapag naalala niya. She knew that the horrible memory will be etched forever in her mind. A memory of almost losing her baby.

Then, there's also that time when the doctor exited the emergency room looking grim. Stephanie thought she had stopped breathing. Tila gumuho ang mundo niya. All the emotions she could name swirled through her made her knees weak. If not for her bestfriend and Paul, she might have fallen in the floor already.

Doon lang siya ulit nakahinga nang sabihin ng doctor na stable na ang anak niya at natutulog. Pero dahil sa laki ng sugat nito sa ulo ay kailangan nilang i undergo si Angela ng ilang tests.

They performed a CT-scan and found out that she suffered with cerebral contusion due to the hard impact to her head. The result showed a great swelling so the doctor suggests a surgery to lessen the swell and prevent any further damage.

It kills her to see her baby shaved off on top of the operating table. Walang kamalay-malay sa nangyayari. Pero nagpakatatag si Stephanie. Dahil kung may ibang paraan lamang para maging okay ang anak niya ay 'yon ang gagawin niya. The doctor had also told her that surgery is common to those cases with such injury and assured her na lagi naman daw successful ang operation.

At sa awa ng Diyos ay naging successful nga ang surgery and her daughter is already doing well. After a few days of observation, they're finally ready to go home. The thought was enough to made her jump for joy.

So instead, Stephanie just smiled at her daughter then nodded. "Oo naman. Pero mamaya pa kasi may work pa si pap-

"Work? Is he leaving me again? " putol nito sa kanya. Para namang piniga ang puso niya nang makita ang malungkot na mukha ng baby niya. Namamasa na ang mga mata nito at pink ang ilong.