THE 13 GOOD BOYS' STORIES

3. BEAUTIFUL

Beautiful Part 7

Maya-maya, may lumabas na doctor na nakasuot ng blue operation lab gown at blue na face mask. Ibinaba niya ang face mask saka humarap sa amin.

"Are you the guardian of Jenny Robertson?" Tanong ng doctor, agad kong nilunok ang kinakain ko.

"Yes doc..." sagot ko agad.

"The operation went well, pero your sister is still unconcious. She still need to have another operation the next month" sabi ng doctor, adad akong nakaramdam ng mabigat sa dibdib ko.

"When she will wake up doc?" Tanong ko sa doctor. Nagkibit balikat siya at lumungkot ang mukha niya.

"I don't even know, all I know is just she's unconcious dahil sa palala nang palala ang kanyang kalagayan" sabi ng doctor saka tinapik ang aking balikat.

"Don't lose hope."sabi niya ulit sa akin bago nagpaalam at umalis.

Nilingon ko si Joshua, he's sad at seryosong nakatingin sa akin. Nakita ko ang kanya pag-aalala sa kanyang mga mata. I managed to give him a slight smile at iniwas ko agad ang aking mga tingin sa kanya.

Nahihiya akong ipakita ang pagpepeke ko sa aking mga emosyon. He knows everything about me at hindi ako sanay na may nakakaalam sa mga nararamdaman ko. Maya-maya lumabas na ang kapatid ko na mahimbing na natutulog sa higaan na tinutulak-tulak ng mga nurse. Sinalubong ko ang kapatid ko, she looks so pale.

"We're going to put her back in her room." Sabi ng lalakeng nurse. I nod at him at umatras ng bahagya, giving the space to continue to deliver my sister back to her room.

Sinundan namin iyon ni Joshua. We're quite habang naglalakad. Iniisip ko lang ang kapatid ko na nag-aagaw buhay. My chest are getting heavier, naaawa ako sa kapatid ko. Naaawa ako sa sarili ko.

Hours past at nandito lang ako sa kwarto ng kapatid ko while Joshua's out. Hindi ko alam saan ang tungo niya, I'm just spaced out everytime at hindi ko na minsan namamalayan na umalis na pala siya.

I reminisced all memories that I have. The memories how our parents leave us, how I and my sister suffered in the cold streets. Everything made my chest more heavier. I badly wanted to cry out loud. I badly wanted to scream. I badly wanted to leave this world. I don't want to suffer this far.

I suddenly remember what Joshua said;

"You know, there's one person na maaari nating lapitan..."

"He's above. Watching us and waiting for you to approach him"

God? Will he help me if I come to him? Will he help us, my sister?

Hindi ko namalayan kung paano ako nakarating sa chapel dito sa hospital. I sat in the front of the altar at napatingala sa malaking statwa na nakapako sa krus. I don't have any religion at hindi ako marunong paano lumapit at makipag-usap  sa mga ganito.

"Ikaw ba ang sinasabi ni Joshua na God?" Para ang baliw dito na kinakausap ang sarili.

"No, he's Christ" halos mapatalon ako sa biglang pagsulpot ni Joshua sa tabi ko. I was spaced out the whole time at hindi ko namamalayan ang mga nangyayari sa paligid ko.

"Joshua wag ka namang bigla-biglang susulpot" I said as I compose myself.

"Did I startle you?" Nakangiting tanong niya. I clear my throat at napatingin ulit sa malaking statwa.

"You can speak to him, through him you can communicate with God because he is the son of God" sabi ni Joshua. Marahan akong tumango habang nakadiretso pa rin ang tingin ko sa statwa.

I looked intently at the statue. And I silently let out my so-called prayers.

"Please let God know about myself and my sister. My sister is having hard time because of her condition. If only you can pass ny sister's illness to me I would gladly accept it. I don't my sister to suffer anymore, I wanted her to have a beautiful life which I am dreaming of. Please help her to recover fast, I am willing to give myself to you just help Jenny to get better."  Napabuntong hininga ako.

"In Jesus name. Amen" nilingon ko si Joshua.

"I bet you're done praying" he smiled at me, I simply nodded at him.

"Jane, I just wanna say this..." napatingin ako ka Joshua.

"I am willing to be by your side. I am willing to be the person you can lean on. And lastly, the person whom you can trust" seryoso akong napatingin sa kanya.

"I may be direct but I wanted to say this to you..." I partly raised my eyebrows.

He took a deep sigh at lumapit sa akin. Inilapit niya ang kanyang mukha sa mukha ko. His breathing touches the tip of my nose already and there's an electric current that runs down my spine that made me shivered a bit.

"I liked you. But now..." his lips touched mine. Napadilat ako sa gulat, why is he doing this. Saglit lang iyon at tumingin siya sa akin ng diretso.

"I think I love you already" he said in a husky voice at napatingin ako sa kanya, trying to process everything he just confessed.

I was about to talk to him when a nurse come in.

"Jane Robertson?" Nilingon ko iyon.

"You're sister's awake!" Hingal na sabi nito. I looked at Joshua and smile. I stood up at agad na tinakbo ang kwarto ng kapatid ko.

I ran until umabot na ako sa kwarto ng kapatid. I saw her smiling at me.

"You're awake Jenny" bungad ko sa kanya at niyakap siya.

"I'm fine Jane" sabi niya. Bumitiw ako sa pagkakayakap sa kanya.

"You have to be" sabi ko at hinalikan siya sa noo. Napatingin ako kay Joshua na nakangiti din. I smiled at him.

"Jane, can I eat?" I let out a small laugh

"The doctor said hindi pa pwede" it was Joshua. Jenny pouted at tumingin sa akon nagkibit balikat ako.

"Jenny, iiwan kita ulit kay Kuya Joshua mo. I have to go back to my part-time jobs" pagpaalam ko.

"Kagigising ko lang tapos aalis ka na" I tap her shoulder at tinanguan si Joshua. Hindi pa nagreklamo si Jenny. Isinarado ko ang pinto at napasandal ako doon. I took a deep sigh. Akmang aalis na sana ako nang may narinig ako.

"Jen, may sasabihin ako" sabi ni Joshua

"Ano yun?" Jenny asked

"Can I court your sister?" Rinig kong tanong ni Joshua.

Bago ko pa marinig ang magiging sagot ni Jenny, ay umalis na ako. Back to work na ako.