Stuck in the Illusion Called Us [Siegfrid & Eleanour]

Kabanata 29

It had been exactly one week, three days, seven hours, twenty-two minutes, and thirteen seconds when I woke up after that liver transplant, and at the same time not seeing Siegfrid. Although, I was not really sure if it was him I saw on the first night of my post-operation hunched beside my bed. Maybe I was still groggy from anesthesia and he was just a figment of my imagination. Sa gunita ko ay tinawag ko siya at sinubukang hawakan pero galit na umiling-iling siya at saka umiwas sa akin, and the next moment I blinked my eyes, he was already gone. Dumating ang kinabukasan pero walang bakas niya. Nakailang tanggap na rin ako ng mga bisita pero siya ay hindi pa rin nagpapakita.

That day I fully regained consciousness, Lily and her parents were the first faces I saw by my hospital bed. They brought me a thoughtful gift, including balloons and get-well-soon banner and cake. Moreover, her parents, incredibly kind and generous, assured me that they would cover any medical expenses Papa might incur in this hospital. Nalaman na rin nila ‘yong relasyon ko sa kaniya at anila ay ang liit-liit daw talaga ng mundo para sa aming lahat. Laking pasalamat ko na lang din na hindi na sila nagtanong pa ng kung ano dahil hindi pa talaga ako handang pag-usapan ang tungkol sa kaniya.

On my third day post-op, Julio, Davis, and Johanna visited me, bringing so many flowers that my room already looked like a flower shop. Pinuntahan din ako ni Jed na parati akong dinadalhan ng mga prutas. Malaya na niya akong nadadalaw ngayon dahil balik na siya sa department namin magmula noong tanggalin sa trabaho niya ‘yong head nurse namin.

“I hate to say this, but they deserved it! That nurse and head nurse are such bitches!” he once ranted to me.

“Jed,” saway ko.

“What? Could you blame me, Elie? Ilang beses tayong napagalitan sa trabaho gayong sila ‘yong hindi gumagawa ng tama!” gigil na tugon niya. “Hay, nako! Huwag na nga tayong magpaka-stress pa sa kanila! Ikaw! Magpagaling ka, okay?”

“Thank you, Jed! I really missed you!”

Sa loob ng isang linggo na ‘yon na nakahiga lamang ako rito sa kama para magrecover ay wala akong ibang ginawa kundi ang manuod ng telebisyon kung saan nalinaw na ‘yong lahat ng mga nangyari. The medical board and the CDC declared Siegfrid and me innocent of the glove contamination allegations. And despite Nurse Sy’s family’s attempts to hide the truth, it was futile. The CCTV footage provided concrete evidence they could not deny. I learned she was facing revocation of her nursing license, and the head nurse was also at risk of losing hers for neglecting duties and attempting to cover up. Additionally, Lily mentioned that the hospital merger with them was unlikely to proceed, as there was a new hospital they were merging with, without the need for Siegfrid to marry off. And how relieving that was! Nalaman ko rin na kaya pala may merging na mangyayari ay dahil nasa krisis ang ospital mula sa panggigipit ni Senator Clemente Buenaventura. But that had already been settled.