Can You Hear Me?

Chapter Nineteen

Maeve

          Alonzo was comforting me nang may biglang naaksidente. May nagkasalpukan na motor at private vehicle. Bilang isang natural na Pilipino, ang unang-unang ginawa namin ay maki-usyoso sa nangyari. Una kong nakita yung motor. It looked familiar. Kinabahan na ako dun pa lang. As I looked further, bumungad na agad sa akin yung sapatos niya...

          "REID!" Lumusot agad ako sa dami nang tao. Oh my god! Reid! No please, please! My god!

          "Reid, Reid, stay with me. D-do you feel anything wrong?" Tanong ko agad sa kanya nang hindi ko ginagalaw yung katawan niya. Hindi ko pwedeng galawin baka kung mapano siya.

          "Maeve, Maeve, CALM DOWN!" Sinigawan ako ni Alonzo at pinatabi. He checked up on Reid. Halata mong may alam siya sa pagbibigay ng first aid. All I could do was hope for his well-being. Hindi ako relihiyosang tao pero pinagdadasal ko na sana maging ok siya.

          Maya-maya pa ay dumating na yung ambulance. Siguro may tumawag kaagad kaya nakarating din sila kaagad.

          "Sumama ka na sa kanya. Susunod ako." Sabi ni Alonzo. Sumakay na ako nung ambulance at sinamahan ko si Reid. I held his hand tight. Hindi ko mapigilan ang pag-iyak ko. Everything we've been through, it all came back to me. Hindi ko kayang mawala si Reid. Hindi ko kaya. Ikamamatay ko pag nawala siya.

          "R-reid, Ah-I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry kasi hindi ko agad nasabi sayo, dati pa, na mahal na kita. I-I'm sorry." I cried to his unconscious body. Please Reid...

ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ♥ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ

Reid

          "Reid? Hijo? Reid? Wake up." May narinig akong boses ng babae. I opened my eyes and woke up at a garden of flowers. Beside me was a man and a woman. Kamukha nila yung parents ni Maeve. Am I dead?

          "Am I dead?" Tanong ko agad sa kanila. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa and smiled at me.

          "Ikaw dapat tinatanong namin niya. Gusto mo bang mamatay o gusto mo pa bang mabuhay?" Tanong agad nung mama ni Maeve.

          "I want to live." Sagot ko agad sa kanilang dalawa.

          "Oh! Eh ba't tinatanong mo pa?" Tanong agad nung papa ni Maeve. He looked like a proud father. A great man. Her mother, she looked gentle and kind.

          "Eh bakit po ako nandito?" I asked them, confused as of what is reason I am here right now.

          "Siguro nagfi50-50 ka ngayon. But still, you want to live kaya hold onto that. Habang hinihintay natin yung kakalabasan ng buhay mo, lets talk." Sabi ni tita. They helped me up and we started walking.

          "We know your story Reid. We know how you feel about Maeve." Wika ni tita.

          "We just wanted to ask, what's holding you back? Bakit hindi mo gawin ang lahat para matuloy kung ano dapat ang matuloy?" Tinuloy ni tito. Napaisip naman ako sa tanong na yun.

          "Kasi mahal ko siya, at kung ano mang nararamdaman niya, susundin ko. If she doesn't want me, then so be it. Lalayuan ko siya." I told them. Bigla ba naman akong binatukan ni tito.

          "Eh tanga ka pala eh. I know you were unconscious a while ago kaya di mo naririnig, but she loves you. Halata na nga eh! Manhid ka lang din." He pointed out. Wow, ang straightforward, parang si Maeve.

          "He's right Reid. Mahal na mahal ka ng anak namin. Although bata pa kayo para sa ganitong bagay, pero age is not a factor on finding your one true love. It may come early or late. Pero darating yan. With you two, it came early, at ginagawa niyong dalawa ang lahat para mawala kayo sa isa't isa. Maeve won't stop pushing you away hangga't hindi kayo nagkakaayos. At ikaw, hindi ka rin lalapit sa kanya hangga't tinutulak ka niya." Inexplain sa akin ni tita.

          "One has to make the move. Meron at meron dapat gagawa ng move para may magbago. And sa setting niyo, you're the guy, ikaw dapat ang gagawa nun." Payo ni tito. He's right...

          "Oh! Look, you held on strong. Mukhang di mo pa naman pala time." Turo ni tita sa isang bright doorway.

          "Take care of Maeve. Kundi mumultuhin kita hanggang sa gustuhin mong mamatay." Babala ni tito. I thanked them and waved them goodbye.

ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ♥ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ

Maeve

          Its been six months. He slipped into a coma. Hindi ko naman inaasahang aabot sa ganito. Ipursued my studies. Hindi ko hinayaang masira yung kinabukasan ko dahil lang sa ganito. Alam kong di naman din matutuwa si Reid na mapapabayaan ko yung studies ko dahil sa kanya. Binabantayan siya ni tita from time to time kapag may oras siya outside of work. Ako naman, after ng mga klase ko, deretso na agad ako sa ospital para bantayan siya. Habang nandun ako, dun na ako gumagawa ng mga schoolworks ko and everything. 

          I was a bit chubby before, but I lost so much weight because of everything. I couldn't eat right, I was always stressed, I couldn't get enough sleep... I was burdened. I was guilty of being the reason why this happened to him. I felt like I need to suffer for what I did.

          "Mae.." I heard someone whisper. I was half-asleep. Napabalikwas ako sa narinig ko. I looked at him. He was awake. I rang the alarm para malaman ng mga nurse.

          "Reid, Reid, do you remember me? Nakikita mo ba ako? Naririnig? Can you hear me?" Kinamusta ko agad siya. I started to cry. Thank you. Thank you so much for waking up. Hindi mo alam kung gaano ko pinagdasal na magising ka na.

          "Maeve. I can't hear you." Sinabi niya bigla. I was taken aback. He can't hear...