Passionate Serenade

Chapter 6

Delavina Elleanor Salvedo

"I-I... I-I d-don't know what to s-say..." Umiiyak na bulong ni Ate Dasha nang matapos ko ikwento sakaniya ang lahat ng nangyari pagkatapos ko tumakas.

Habang kin-kwento ko sakaniya ang nangyari ay hindi ko nanaman mapigilang mandiri. Ginawa ko ang lahat para makalimot, pero hanggang ngayon ay may oras pa rin na binabagabag ako nito, lalo na sa panaginip. Ang lala ng trauma ko nang dahil sa ka-demonyo-han ng mga lalaking 'yon, kahit kailan ay hindi ko sila mapapatawad sa ginawa nila sakin. Sana nalang ay masunog ang mga kaluluwa nila sa impyerno, they all deserve it for doing those kind of shits to me.

I looked at Ate Dasha. Nandito kami ngayon sa condo ko, inaya ko siya rito kanina para sabihin sakaniya lahat. She was so shocked earlier, hindi ko naman siya masisisi kung magulat siya sa sinabi ko dahil kung ako ang nasa lagayan niya at nalaman niya na muntik nang gahasain at patayin ang kapatid niya ay talagang magugulantang ang pagkatao ko.

"Nasaan na 'yong lalaki na tumulong sayo? Do you know his name?" Tanong ni Ate Dasha.

Nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko nang hindi ko alam kung saan ako kukuha ng isasagot. I never saw his face, I never got a chance to meet and know him. Ang tanging alam ko lang ay tuwing tulog ako sa clinic, doon siya dumadalaw sakin. Well, at least, that's the Nurses had told me.

"He's... still a stranger"

Narinig ko ang mahinang pagbuntong hinininga ni Ate Dasha, ako naman ay napayuko. Natigilan ako nang lumapit siya sakin at pinaharap ako sakaniya. She cupped my face and wiped the tears on my cheeks using her thumb finger.

"I'm sorry, I have no handkerchiefs with me, kilala mo naman ako, hindi ako mahilig magdala ng panyo" Sabi ni Ate Dasha at maliit na ngumiti sakin, she was also crying.

"It's okay, Ate, the most important for me is that you're here beside me..." Muling umagos ang luha sa aking pisngi, kita ko rin na mas napa-iyak rin si Ate Dasha.

Hinapit niya ako papalapit sakaniya at niyakap.

"I-I'm so sorry, sweetcake. I really have no intention to say all that hurtful words in front of you when you were still in the Hospital at hindi ko din alam na gising ka na that time," Naghiwalay kami ng yakap, pinunasan niya ang basa niyang pisngi at sumandal sa couch saka tumitigin sa kawalan na para bang nire-recall niya lahat ng nangyari nung araw na 'yon.

She was holding my hand like she was scared to let me go.

"Devin dragged me into your room because I can't control myself. D-Dad was having a s-seizure that time, halos magwala na ako sa ICU no'n dahil hindi ako pinapayagan ng ibang Doctor na pumasok para tumulong. I wanted to help them, I-I wanted to save Dad... but they didn't let me," Bahagya siyang tumawa, "Doctor ako, yes, but I feel so useless when they won't let me save my own father's life. I was so hurt and blinded by anger kasi gano'n ang nangyayari kay Dad that's why I b-blame you..."

Ate Dasha sighed as she looked at me, "M-Mom lost her consiousness when she knew that you were missing, it's because of the stress" She squezed my hand.

Napatungo ako ng ulo. Parang dinudurog at pinipiraso-raso ang puso ko. Lahat ng 'yon ay nangyari nang dahil sakin. Kung hindi lang sana ako nag-aya nung gabi na 'yon ay hindi kami maaaksidente ni Dad, hindi siya mahihirapan, hindi mararamdaman ni Ate Dasha na useless siyang Doctor, kung hindi ako tumakas ay hindi mahihimatay si Mom.

It was all my fault.

"I'm so sorry—"

"N-No... no, no, please don't be," She shakes her head, "Wala kang kasalanan, okay? You've been through a lot, too. Kasalanan 'yon no'ng driver, he was drunk and high, he's in jail already, hanggang ngayon, he was sent there as soon as he recovered from the incident"