Sober

Chapter 2

“No, and I don’t have plans to,” Leo said. “If you are worried that I told her about you and Aya, I did not and I will never do that. Ayaw kitang pangunahan tungkol sa bagay na iyon.”

“Salamat po, pero anak niyo siya”

“At apo ko si Aya,” he retorted back. “I just wanted the both of them to be safe, and Aya is safe with you. I have found comfort in knowing that my own daughter is doing fine. I eventually stopped wondering and worrying where on earth she is and that’s enough for now.”

“But you miss her”

“I do, everyday. Sarah misses her Ate so much. Pero hindi ako ang lalapit sa kanya. She has to accept the consequences of what she did, and if ever she comes back to me, I’d still accept her. She will still have a home in me.”

______

“Huwag ka ng babalik, ah. Hindi ka na puwedeng bumalik” saad ng guwardiya ng establishemento habang chinecheck ang bag niya.

“Paano kung gusto ko pa?” saad niya nang pabiro.

Umakto naman ang guwardiya na papaluin siya nito ng batuta dahilan para matawa siya, “Tigilan mo kami Salonga ha. Ayaw ka na naming makita rito.”

“Pero mami-miss niyo ko?”

“Oo, mami-miss ka namin,” saad pa ng isang guwardiyang babae. “Pero utang na loob sana tuloy-tuloy na ‘to. Tumino ka na sana nang tuluyan. Masyado kang maganda para magpabalik-balik dito.”

She flipped her hair, “Alam ko naman ‘yun,” she said and smiled. “Thank you. Hindi ako mangangako, gagawin ko na lang.”

“Ayan, okay na. Makakaalis ka na,” the guard said and handed her things. “Mag-iingat ka at sana magkasama na ulit kayo ni peanut.”

She smiled weakly with that. Sana nga. But at this point, she doesn’t know where and how to begin her life again. She has no one and nothing to begin with.

Lalabas na sana siya nang may tumawag sa kanya, “Lea, sandali!” napalingon siya at nakita ang doctor na ilang taon na niyang kasama rito. “You forgot this”

“Holy!” she reacted as she snatched the photo from the doctor’s hand.

“Maka-react ‘to akala mo naman may ninakaw ako. Nakalimutan mong kunin sa’kin, buti nakita ko at nahabol pa kita,” saad nito at ngumiti nang malapad sa kanya. “It’s really happening, Lei! And I am the happiest, if not the happiest for you. Sa susunod na magkikita tayo, hindi na rito ah, ako mismo gugulpi sa’yo kapag nagkataon”

She laughed heartily, “Alam mo, umamin ka nga sa akin, doctor ka ba talaga? Baka kasi mamaya nagpapanggap ka lang tapos adik ka rin pala. Hindi ko naman ipapagkakalat”

“Siraulo ka! Adik lang ‘to sa pananalita pero isa yata ‘to sa mga nagpatino sa’yo ‘noh?” pagyayabang nito na siya rin namang may katotohanan. Regine Velasquez, M. D., one of the addiction medicine physicians who work with her treatment and recovery for the past four years. It’s no longer surprising that they became friends since they almost meet each other every day in four years. “Susunduin ka raw ba ni bakla?”

“Iyon ang sabi niya pero wala pa naman siya. Hintayin ko na lang siguro nang kaunti.”

“O’sya, mauuna na ako at may pasyente pa akong naghihintay. Dadalaw na lang ako kung kailan ako available. Congratulations and good luck sa outside world.” Regine said and hugged her tightly. She hugged back with the same grip. She will surely miss her sessions with her.

Tuluyan na itong nagpaalam at bumalik sa loob habang siya naman ay hinintay pa ang kaibigan. Hindi niya naman ito magawang tawagan dahil wala naman siyang telepono. Lintek Vice, alam na ngang ayaw  ko ng late.