HEIRS OF ATTICUS

HOA: A FAVOR

The next morning.

Nagising ako sa sikat ng araw na tumatama sa mukha ko. Then a shadow appeared in front of me. Di ko maaninag ang mukha nitong lalaking ito, syempre kakagising ko lang.

"Bumangon ka na d'yan. Every seconds of your life is important," sabi niya sa'kin. Bumangon agad ako.

"Who—" Bago pa man ako makapagtanong may pinakita siya sa'king picture, a photo of him. I saw  the label on it. Oo nga pala, Doctor ko siya.

"You need to get up now. We have a lot to do." Napatingin ako sa paligid kasi parang may kakaiba. Yes, meron nga yung kwarto ko puno ng label.

"I'm sorry for not asking your permission but I already organized everything in your room," he said

"Pansin ko nga," I said, tinignan ko ang paligid. Everything was really organized.

"When you wake up, what's the first thing you see, aside from the ceilings?"  he asked. Tinuro ko ang alarm clock. Then he put a label on it. Something like 'Hi, Goodmorning beautiful, you need to get up, look at yourself at the mirror.'  then next is yung salamin naman yung nilagyan niya. 'You looked messed up, but it doesn't mean you're ugly. You're beautiful. Go to the bathroom and fix yourself.' 

Sinusunod ko lang yung mga pinaggagawa n'ya, since this is so much helpful para sa'kin. Pumanta ako sa banyo bago ko buksan ang pinto may nakalagay sa doorknob na label. ' As you enter don't forget to switch on the lights.'

Yes, ultimo mga maliliit na bagay, and my supposed to do nilalagyan n'ya ng label. Pati sa loob ng comfort room lahat organized at may instructions. After kung makaligo at mag ayos lumabas na ako. Habang namimili ako ng damit nagulat ako kasi biglang may nagsalita.

"You already forgotten that I'm still here?" wika nito at nanlaki ang mga mata ko at napatakip ako sa katawan ko kahit may towel naman ako.

"Bakit di ka man lang lumabas?" He just looked at me seriously at lumabas, 'yon na 'yon? Parang wala lang sa kanya? Sa bagay wala naman siyang nakita eh. Pagtapos nagbihis na ako at maya-maya kumatok na ulit siya, pinagbuksan ko na lang.

"That's just one fourth of your routines. We have so much more to practice." 

"Di ka man lang ba magsosorry?" attitude kong tanong sa kanya.

"Sorry for what? " pagmamang-maangan niya.

"Nagkaka-amnesia ka na rin ba? As far as I know di naman nakakahawa ang amnesia!?" attitude ko ulit na tanong sa kanya.

"I have nothing to do with that and besides..." he stopped for awhile and looked at me. Tinignan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa na para bang jinujudge ako ni kamatayan.

"Never mind." he added.

"Hoy! Binabastos mo ba ako?" medyo naiinis na ako sa Doctor na ito.

"Your mom told me that she will be out of the country within this month and she trusted me to take good care of you. I guess you also need to practice that," he said and tapped my hair. I laughed loudly.

"Trust you? You maybe my Doctor but I don't trust you!" sabi sainyo eh kalimutan ko na lahat wag lang yung trust issues ko.

"Did you know how much money your mom paid just to hire me?" he asked, as if may pake ako sa sasabihin niya.

"It cost a million, Ms. Leyra. So whether you like or not you need to trust me. Cause no one will help you with everything except me. Paano nalang tayo niyan kung di tayo magkasundo?" Wait, tama ba itong naririnig ko? Anong pinagsasabi nito?

"Anong sabi mo?" tanong ko sa kanya at seryoso pa rin siya. Di talaga siya ngumingiti sayang yung  dimple niya.

"You have memory loss. As far as I know hindi naman nakakabingi ang amnesia." May pagkapilosopo din talaga itong Doctor na ito. Ginagaya pa ang sinasabi ko kanina, nang aasar ba 'to?

"Doctor ka ba talaga ha?" He just looked at me at dumiretso sa table at may kinuha sa bag niya at biglang may binato sa'kin na medyo maliit na notebook.

"You can use that in jotting down notes of important moments that will happen to you and take this, I already organized everything in there just check it out." May iniabot siya sa akin na mga photos may nakalagay na doon mga kapatid ko pati mga personal informations nila at cellphone numbers. Nilapag ko ito sa table ko nang bigla kong napansin ang isang papel na may sketch ng mukha ko. Tinignan ko ito na napansin ko sa likod na may nakasulat at sa muling pagkakataon naalala ko nanaman si Klio.

"Are you okay, Ms. Leyra?" tanong niya sa akin.

"Sabi mo you will help me with everything, right?" tanong ko sakanya.

"Of course." Hinarap ko siya at pinakita ang nakasulat sa papel.

"Then help me find him!" Nang masabi ko 'yon biglang nagbago ang awra ng mukha niya, kumunot ang noo niya.

"NO!" agad agad na sagot niya.

"You want me to trust you right? Then help me with this!" pagpupumilit ko sa kanya.

"You want me to help you with that? Are you serious? I'm a Doctor not a part of investigators!" he insisted.

"Please, I asked you a favor. I need justice!" mangiyak ngiyak kong sabi sa kanya malay mo baka maawa.

"Hindi mo ako madadala sa pag iyak mo. I promised to your Mom that I will take care of you and now you're putting me in a situation that can put your life at risk? No!" he insisted.

"Have you fallen in love?" desperada kong tanong sa kanya.

"Don't ask me that question." Tumalikod siya sa'kin at inayos ang mga gamit niya sa table siguro gusto niya lang umiiwas sa tanong.

"Did you know what we've been through? How we've sacrificed just for love?" Napansin kong napatigil siya saglit sa ginagawa niya.

"Siguro di mo pa nararanasang magmahal kasi tignan mo ang bata mo pang naging Doctor, puro aral ka lang siguro kaya wala kang alam sa pagmama—"at bago ko pa man matapos ang sasabihin nakalimutan ko na naman.

"This was your engagement ring." Iniabot niya ito sa'kin at agad-agad ko namang kinuha.

"Where did you get this?" I asked him.

"Your Mom. Just call me if you need anything," he said

"Don't teach me about love and sacrifice...you know nothing about," he added and looked at me seriously and his eyes looks likes he wants to say something and then he leaves me cluelessly.

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