“Mommy?” Aya asked upon hearing the hello from the other line. Her hands shook in anticipation. Her heart pounded in nervousness. But to her dismay, she no longer heard another response after that. “Hello… Mommy?” she called again.
“Hoy, anyare?” Hannah asked. They both checked the phone’s screen only to find it black. Aya tried opening it but it wouldn’t. Dead battery. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! Just what the fuck!?” Hannah exclaimed in irritation and embarrassment when she realized so. She immediately reached for her charger and plugged her phone on an available outlet.
“Shit, shit! I am very sorry, Aya! Damnit! I should’ve charged it first!”
While Aya only remained staring at the blank space, without wearing any emotion, as she was still processing everything that just happened. That voice. She cannot be wrong in recognizing that voice who used to sing her to sleep. It was her. It was her Mom on the other line just a few seconds ago, “Hannah... it’s my Mom. I heard her voice… it’s her. I-I’ve talked to Mom.” she said as if it has just sank in to her. It just really did.
“I know, I know… here, my phone’s alive na. Let’s call her again.” Hannah said after connecting her phone to the internet again. Aya sat beside her and they tried calling Lea Veneracion again, but she is no longer answering. They checked the profile and saw that she’s active 2 minutes ago. “Fucking shit!” Hannah cussed herself and her phone for she feels so bad and responsible for this. Aya has been waiting for this for so long but it was cut short because of her stupid dead battery phone. She wanted to cry and knelt before her friend to say sorry. “Aya, I am very very sorry… this is all on me. God, bakit kasi ngayon pa!?”
“Hannah… Hannah, it’s fine. I am not angry at you because you’ve done enough for me. Just being here with me is more than enough. Hannah, I am just very happy right now because we already found her. It was her and we can just call her again anytime. I found her and that wouldn’t be possible without you.” she was teary-eyed that made Hannah emotional as well. She can clearly see how happy her friend is. “It’s Mom… It’s my Mom.”
_______
Lea stared at her phone’s screen with a frown when the call she made just ended shortly. She convinced herself so hard to make that call after receiving the sender’s message introducing herself as her daughter just to get hung up on? She isn’t happy for she feels like she was just being played on— pranked on. She misses Aya so much and those messages actually gave her hope about it. She thought that was already her daughter she’s talking to only to feel terribly disappointed by it for the nth time.
“Damn you!” she said and went to message settings.
Block.
“Lea?” she looked behind her just to see Ian getting up from his deep slumber. “Why aren’t you asleep yet? Anong oras na ba?” he asked.
She turned off her phone and put it on her nightstand before lying beside her husband. “I just did something. You remember that anonymous person who messaged me asking about Aya?” she asked to which Ian gave a nod to. “I replied to her and asked who she is. She replied and she said she’s Shaniah Allison Muhlach. Allegedly. I didn’t want to believe at first, but I eventuality convinced myself to try calling her. And I did. I called the account handler.”
“Really? Did someone answer? Was it really Aya?”
“Someone accepted the call but no one from the other line talked. It ended very shortly which made me think that that person is just fooling around. That person is just tripping on me and she— or he may rot in hell for doing so. I am so pisssed!”
“Ang judgmental mo naman. Malay mo naman na-lowbatt lang kaya naputol. O kaya nawalan ng internet connection. Give it a benefit of a doubt.”
“Lame excuses. I won’t accept that. If she is really my daughter who’s determined to look for me, those excuses should not even be there.” she said and sighed heavily— feeling exhausted and dissapointed— feeling exhausted for being so disappointed for so many times. “In the first place, I should have not believed it’s Aya. I mean, it’s very obvious that it’s not my daughter. It’s just someone who took advantage of my vulnerability and I hate the fact that I let her. I let her play with my weakness.”
Ian can clearly feel how much it affected his wife. He cannot really blame her. Aya and Sky are everything to her. She would do and give everything for her children no matter what it takes. She would do and give everything just to be with Aya again.
“Anong oras na, stressed pa rin Misis ko. Tulog na lang tayo. It’ll pass tomorrow morning.”
“Hindi ako inaantok.”
“Gusto mo pagurin kita para antukin ka?” he jested but Lea wasn’t really in mood that’s why he received her deadly glare.
“Huwag ngayon Ian ha! Bad trip ako.” she said and turned her back against him.
Ian pressed his lips against each other in shame and regret. He leaned forward to give her a kiss in her temple, “I’m sorry, that was just a joke. Rest ka na. I love you, honey.”
______
Aga shares a peaceful dinner with his wife, not minding the spot where his daughter usually sits who has gone empty for almost a week now. Yari loudly puts down the knife she’s holding to wake him up because he doesn’t seem to care about Aya’s absence. She just got back from Manila and she was surprised that Aya and few of her things are no longer in the house. But what surprised her the most is Aga’s reaction to it. He doesn’t seem to worry at all.
“Aga, hindi mo ba talaga pauuwiin si Aya? You told me she left when I left, it’s been five days and you are still not doing anything about it!?”
“Hayaan mo siya. Uuwi rin ‘yun.”
“Seriously?” Yari exclaimed in disbelief. “How can you be this chill when your daughter is literally out there alone!? Paano kung may masama nang nangyari d’on!?”
“She’s fine, okay!? She’s with her friend. Hannah’s Mom called me and told me that Aya’s currently with them.”
“And you just let her? Hindi mo man lang siya susunduin at pauuwiin? Paano mo natitiis ang anak mo nang ganito!? Kaya lalong nagre-rebelde sa’yo eh, kasi tinitiis mo!”
“If she has to learn it the hard way, I’ll let her. Kapag kinakausap ko naman kasi ‘yan nang mahinahon, pinipilosopo lang ako. I’ll let her realize that she still needs me— she cannot live without me. Let her crawl her way back here, I won’t give her a ride or whatever.”
Yari can just exhale heavily, “You’re unbelievable!”
He continued eating as if nothing happened when they heard their doorbell rang, “See? That is what I was talking about.” Aga smirked, thinking it’s Aya who’s knocking back home. He stood up and opened the door only to be totally wrong. His eyes widened upon seeing his sister in his doorstep. “D-Dawn?”
“Yeah, I know I didn’t give a notice again but I’ll just be here for a couple of days. I just miss you all so much.” Dawn said as she entered their home. She saw Yari and waved a hand at her. “Where is Aya?”
Aga knew she would ask that question as soon as she will notice that her niece is not around. It is what he is afraid of because Dawn loves Aya so much. Siguradong ililibing siya nang buhay ng kapatid niya sa oras na malaman niya na hinayaan niyang lumayas ang anak niya.
“Aga, where is Aya?” Dawn asked again when nobody gave her an answer. She looked at Yari but the latter just looked away. “Is she upstairs? Puntahan ko ha?” she said and readied to take the staircase.
“She left.” Aga finally spoke.
His sister turned to him with a confused look, “And by that, you meant?” she asked. It took him a while to answer again so that’s when Dawn concluded it. “Lumayas si Aya!?” she asked for confirmation, but Aga didn’t give her anything. “What happened!? Have you already looked for her? Shall we call for a police!? How long she has been missing?” she worriedly asked while looking at her brother. “Aga, can you please goddamn talk!? Where the fuck is your daughter!?”
“You don’t have to worry, okay!? I know where she is currently staying. She is safe!”
“Aya is a fucking minor! How can you say that she’s safe out there!? Wala ka na ba talagang pake sa anak mo!?” she exclaimed, mad and disappointed at him. “Where is she!? Susunduin ko siya!”
“Dawn, let’s let her be for now.”
“What the hell Aga!? Do you even hear yourself when you are talking!? Sigurado akong may ginawa ka na naman kaya umalis ‘yang anak mo, ano? God, what are you doing to your daughter!?” she continued nagging him. “Take me to where my niece is! Kung lalayasan ka lang din naman ni Aya, mas mabuti na ‘yung nasa puder ko siya kaysa sa ibang tao! Kung wala ka nang pakielam sa anak mo, ako meron!”
Aga just heaved a deep breath, controlling his temper on everything that is happening around. He got no choice but to drive Dawn to Aya’s friend’s home where she is staying. She was the one who went out of the car and pressed the doorbell while he stayed inside the car.
“Hi, how may I help you?” a woman in her late 40s greeted Dawn with a smile.
“Good evening, is my niece Aya there? I’m her aunt and I’m here to fetch her.”
“Oh, yeah, Aya is here. But I don’t think she wants to come home right now. When she came here, she was really in a terrible state. I don’t want to meddle with your family’s issues but I’m a mother too and I think the kid needs some time away from all of you— especially her Dad.”
Dawn heaved a deep breath and looked back where Aga’s car is parked, wondering what happened between them again that caused Aya to do this. It must really be that worse, “I understand. But can you just please at least tell her that it’s me? Tell her it’s her Mama Dawn.” she pleaded.
“Sure. Just a minute.” Faith left her for a while to talk to Aya.
Dawn patiently waited until the door opened again revealing Faith, this time, with Aya already, “Oh, God, honey!” she exclaimed upon seeing her niece.
“Mama!” Aya ran to her and hugged her Mama Dawn with tears in her eyes.
“Are you okay, huh? Halika, umuwi na tayo. Sumama ka sa’kin.”
Aya shook her head, “Ayoko... ayokong umuwi, Mama. Ayoko na kay Daddy.” she said and the fright was very evident in her voice.
“I’ll be there with you. I’ll come with you. He won’t be able to hurt you as long as I’m here.” Dawn said, convincing her to come with her. “Aya, just come with me. I am very worried about you. Mapapanatag lang ako kapag kasama kita.”
Aya knew it will be better to be with her Mama than to be with her Dad alone. She misses her too, despite the little tampo she’s feeling for her because just like her Dad, Dawn is also depriving her of any information about her Mom. She’s her Dad’s ally but she knows she still genuinely cares for her.
She looks at Faith and Hannah behind her, “If you want to come with your Tita, go. I’ll just fix your things and give them to you tomorrow.” Hannah told her.
She came to her and hugged her, “Thank you, Hans. Thank you so much.” she said. “Thank you rin po, Tita. Thank you for letting me stay here.”
“You are always welcome here, hija.” Faith said.
Dawn also thanked them for taking care of Aya before they took off. They settle at the back of Aga’s car and she’s holding her niece’s hand all throughout the ride. Nobody’s talking— not even glancing at each other until they reached their house.
Aya immediately went inside her room where her Mama Dawn followed her, “Aya, can we talk?” she asked as she closed her door. She sat beside her niece and stroked her hair. “What happened, babe? Bakit ka umalis ng bagay?”
A tear instantly escaped from her eyes, “S-Sobra na po kasi si Daddy... Mama, he tore my passport.”
“She did what!?” Dawn exclaimed, totally flabbergasted by what she just heard.
“He tore that one thing that can bring me back to Manila— to Mom. And I have to earn and use my own money to apply for a new one. Saan naman ako kukuha n’on? Paano ko gagawin ‘yun?” she sobbed. “Mama, what did I do ba? Ano bang nagawa kong mali? Gusto ko lang naman makita ulit si Mommy, bakit ipinagkakait ni Daddy ‘yun sa akin? Bakit ipinagkakait niyo ‘yun sa akin? A-Ano bang naging kasalanan ko sa inyo?” she asked which broke Dawn’s heart.
She feels bad for Aya and yet she is one of the reasons why she feels so devastated and heartbroken like this. She is just as responsible as Aga because she is a part of this. She is hurting her niece.
“It’s not you, okay? You didn’t have a fault. Trust me, Aya, your Dad is just doing this because he loves you. He loves you so much.”
“I don’t feel loved, Ma. Not even a bit. I feel punished for wanting to be with my mother. I feel deprived from everything that can make me happy. I feel like his prisoner.” Aya voiced out, still weeping.
A tear fell from Dawn’s eyes too, “I’m sorry... I’m sorry.” she can only apologize in Aga’s behalf. “I’ll talk to your Dad. I’ll talk to him, okay?”
“I’ve talked to Mom.” Aya revealed.
“W-Who?” she asked for clarification because she didn’t think she heard that one right.
“I-I’ve talked to Mom. I—”
“How sure are you that it was Lea? And... and just how?!”
“Lea Veneracion is already her name, right? She already got married, didn’t she?” she asked as another tear escaped from her eyes. She doesn’t know but the idea of her Mom getting married while she is here suffering somehow pains her. It got her into thinking if she even tried to look for her too just like how desperate she is to look for her. At some point, she once asked herself that. But she’d like to think her Mom loves her enough to just try.
“S-She did.” Dawn answered.
“I found her on Facebook and I introduced myself. She called me shortly just after telling her that I am her daughter. I heard her voice. She said hello but it was cut short because my friend’s phone ran out of battery. Then, when we were trying to call her again, she blocked me. She blocked my account.”
Dawn can clearly see how her niece is in pain with everything that’s happening to her right now. She knows Aya doesn’t deserve this but she doesn’t know how to get her out of this situation. Aga is still her father and he has much rights to his daughter than her.
“D-Does Aga know?”
“No... No, he doesn’t know but it’s up to you if you will tell him. I no longer care anyway because it’s like I’m never going to see Mom again, am I? He wins, I guess?” she sounded tired and hopeless. It’s as if she already accepted the worst. “But I just want to know how is she doing at least? Is she just okay there?”
Dawn smiled faintly and erased that hesitation in her mind in answering her question, “She is... she is fine. We actually accidentally met a month ago. We faced each other and I thought she was going to ask me again about where you are right now and the likes. Maybe, she already knew I would not give her an answer to any of her questions about your whereabouts so she no longer attempted. But she asked me this one question and her eyes really looked desperate to get an answer from me. Do you want to know what it is? It’s the same question you just asked me.” she told her that story which put a small smile on Aya’s lips. Her heart leaps at the idea that her Mom still thinks of her. “Your Mom still cares of you. She still looks for you and I’m sorry if I still didn’t tell her anything. I’m sorry if I am keeping the both of you away from each other.”
Aya sobbed as she hugged her Mama, “I miss her, Mama. I miss Mom so much.”
______
After that emotional conversation with her niece, Dawn went downstairs to look for her brother. She found him casually drinking a coffee in the kitchen with his laptop. He’s working, she guesses. His life really goes on despite all the issues he has with his daughter.
“Really? How did you go as far as tearing Aya’s passport?!” she surprised Aga with those remarks.
“Nagsumbong pala sa’yo.” he plainly stated without looking at his sister.
“Seriously, Aga?! How could you go this far?! How could you treat your own daughter this horribly?!”
Aga sighed and looked at Dawn, “Aaminin ko, nadala lang ako sa galit ko kaya napunit ko ‘yung passport niya. I had too much of it na kasi. Lagi niyang hinahanap kasi ‘yun na lang ang kulang para makauwi siya ng Pilipinas. For all I know, she’s working to earn money to be able to buy a plane ticket.”
“What?!” Dawn exclaimed as she was stunned. “Aya’s working?! Since when?!”
“Yeah, I just recently found out. She’s not going to school because she’s going to her part-time job. See what’s Lea’s doing to her? She’s making my daughter desperate and ruin the good life I wanted to give to her. Aya’s obsession to see her Mom again made her this rebellious!”
“Talaga ba? Kasalanan ba talaga ni Lea kung bakit nagre-rebelde sa’yo ang anak mo? Kasalanan ba talaga ni Aya na gusto niya lang naman makita ‘yung nanay niya?” Dawn asked. “O kasalanan mo?”
“What are you trying to say?!”
“Aga, bakit hindi na lang kayo ulit bumalik ng Pilipinas?” she straightforwardly told him. “Why don’t you give to your daughter that one wish she’s been dying to ask from you?”
“Nagbibiro ka ba, Dawn?! Have you forgotten why I took her here in the first place?! Kung nakalimutan mo na, ipapaalala ko sa’yo. I took Aya here because I wanted to protect her from her own mother!”
“Lea’s been all good ever since she came back to your life. She’s a doctor now, haven’t I told you that yet? She’s a successful doctor now. She’s a good wife and a good mother to her second child. Does Aya need some protection from that kind of woman?” she said. “Because I think, Aya only needs that protection from her manipulative, heavy-handed, and stonyhearted father.”
“Fuck you!”
“Bakit? Masakit ba marinig kung anong totoo, Aga? You would deny this but you’ve turned into that villain whom you wanted to protect your daughter from. You are the one who’s making Aya suffer, not Lea— not anyone else but you!”
“Whatever you say, I am not taking my daughter back in Manila. We’ll stay here for as long as I want!”
“What about your son? With Lea?”
“Dawn, for Pete’s sake, I don’t have a son! We didn’t have a son. Stop insisting it because it doesn’t make sense to me. Bakit ba pinipilit mo sa akin ‘yung anak na hindi naman akin?!”
“Kasi hindi ako tanga!” Dawn fired back, holding back her voice to not create much noise. “My God, Aga, magbilang ka nga ng taon! Hindi ba’t may nangyari sa inyo ni Lea bago kayo nagkagulo-gulo ulit?! She’s probably already pregnant before you left Manila!”
“But it doesn’t automatically mean that the kid is mine. She has Ian too; he could be the father!”
“Then why is the kid still not using Ian’s name up until now that he’s already married to Lea?” she asked which put her brother on trap. “For once, open your mind, Aga. Para naman hindi ka nagmumukhang tanga.” she added and was about to leave him when she spoke again. “And, oh, please don’t hurt my niece again— not physically, not mentally, not emotionally. Dahil sa oras na malaman ko na sinaktan mo na naman si Aya—”
“What? What will you do?”
“Ako na mismo magdadala sa kanya kay Lea.”
_______
Almost sunset. Unlike the normal days where she would probably be inside her clinic and talking to a patient, Lea found herself sitting inside her car outside Aga’s old house. She doesn’t know how long she has been there but she took just a half-day for work today and went directly to this place. It has gone dark as the sun slowly fades and empty as it has been for the last nine years ago.
Another tear fell from her eye as if she just didn’t wipe away the last one. Every memory she has with Aya is inside that house. She remembers seeing her for the first time; she remembers talking to her for the first time. She remembers how tight their first hug was. She remembers the very first time her daughter called her Mommy.
She remembers it all. And she remembers how quick all of those lasted. She remembers— and she still feels the pain and devastation of being away from her for the second time. She misses Aya so much and her heart always aches for wanting to see her again.
Lea wiped her cheeks when a taxi stopped in front of the house and a familiar face came out of it, “Jane?” she was able to recognize Aya’s former nanny despite the dimness of the place. She immediately got out of her car to approach her. “Jane!”
The latter turned around upon hearing that call. She saw Lea running towards her from the other side of the street, “Ma’am Lea?” she asked and confirmed it when Lea got closer to her. “Ma’am Lea, long time, no see po ah? Lalo po kayong gumanda!” Jane told her with an amused smile.
She smiled and hugged her, “Long time, no see nga. How are you doing? Where do you work now?” she asked.
“Maayos naman po. Hindi na po ako nagta-trabaho simula n’ong nagka-anak ako. Focus na lang po ako sa baby ko ngayon.”
“Wow, that’s great! What are you doing here then?” she segued.
“Ah, maglilinis lang po sana.” she slightly frowned at that answer. For what?! “Tara pasok po tayo, malamok na po rito sa labas eh. Na-miss ko rin po ‘tong bahay na ‘to. Nami-miss ko na ‘yung alaga ko.” Jane said making Lea smile. She followed her inside the house and as soon as Jane switched on all the lights, her eyes automatically roamed around. Every furniture is covered with white blankets with a lot of dusts on top of it. It’s very evident that no one has lived here for such a long time.
“You still have the keys for here pala.”
“Kay Ma’am Dawn po ito actually. Tumawag po kasi siya sa akin kahapon, nanghingi ng pabor na kung puwede linis-linisin ko itong bahay nila Sir Aga.”
Lea stopped for a while. Now that explains why, but does that mean they’ll come home soon? “Really? A-Are they coming home?”
“Wala pong sinabi si Ma’am Dawn eh. Basta kung kaya ko raw po, unti-unti ko raw pong linisin itong bahay.” She answered which gave Lea another dose of hope. Here is this stupid girl again, she thought referring to herself. “Hindi pa rin po kayo okay ni Sir Aga?” Jane suddenly asked.
She just showed a small, forced smile because she doesn’t want to answer that verbally. She doesn’t want to mention his name nor even have him as a thought. She loathes that man so much for everything that he did to her.
She got a little surprised when her phone suddenly rang. She excused herself for a while to answer the call from her sister, “Bakit?” she asked Sarah.
“Pauwi ka na? Puwede pasundo?”
“Bakit ka sa akin nagpapasundo? Saan boyfriend mo?”
“Eh, wala—”
“Anong wala? Iniwan ka?”
“Ate naman eh! Nagpapasundo lang kung saan saan na napunta. Kung ayaw mo, hindi naman kita pinipilit!”
She slightly chuckled as she imagined her sister’s pissed face, “Oo na, papunta na. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” she said and ended the call. “Jane, I’ll go ahead. Si Sarah, nagpapasundo eh.”
“Ay, sige po, Ma’am. Ingat po kayo.”
She smiled, “It was nice seeing you today. And I hope, we’ll both see Aya soon again.” she said before leaving her there.
She drove herself to the hospital where Sarah works to fetch her. She waited for her for a couple of minutes outside before she finally hopped inside her car, “Thank you!” Sarah sweetly tells her. “Aga mo naman yata mag-out today. Anong meron?”
Lea started the engine again and drove, “Nag-half day lang ako ngayong araw. I wasn’t from the practice.”
“Saan ka pala galing?” Sarah asked and opened her phone.
“Where Aya used to live.”
Sarah looked at her, “Kina Kuya Aga?”
“Yeah, and I unexpectedly saw Jane there. Tinanong ko kung anong ginagawa niya r’on, sabi niya, pinapalinis daw sa kanya ni Dawn ‘yung bahay.”
“Bakit? Uuwi na ba sila Kuya Aga?”
“Hindi raw sinabi… pero sana. I am wishing and hoping.”
Sarah no longer responded after that so she glanced at her and she was just focus on her phone. She might not want to talk further so she just lets her since she knows she’s tired too from her shift.
“Oh my God!” Sarah silently exclaimed upon reading the series of messages she just found in her inbox. The very first message was sent to her two months ago but there was a recent one that was just sent a week ago. “Ate, about that SAM you told me before—”
“Ay, forget about that person. I am so pissed at whoever is that asshole. Alam mo ba, I once called her because she introduced herself as Aya—”
“This is Aya.” Sarah said, not taking her eyes off of her phone.
“No, she is not—”
“If this is not my niece, how did this person know that we’re sisters?” she asked and showed to Lea the messages. “Bakit sobrang accurate ng mga message niya sa akin?”
Lea stopped the car since the traffic light is red. She gets Sarah’s phone and reads everything in the chat— from the very first one
Tita, this is Aya. Your niece.
Tita, why can’t I find Mom here in FB? I want to talk her po.
Please see my messages po :(((
Tita, if you ever see this, please tell Mom that I am here in San Francisco.
Please, I badly need her here. Ayoko na po rito.
Those are just some of the messages she sent to Sarah and those made her teary-eyed. The messages sound so desperate to her— it’s as if the sender really want to see her. The sender— her daughter.
Tita, please tell Mom that this is really me. This is Aya.
She blocked me. Tell her to unblock me, please. I need to talk to her, I need to see her.
I need her.
Tears started falling from her eyes as she looked at her sister.
“O-Oh my God…” were the first words that came out of her mouth when realization finally hits her. “T-This is Aya… This is my daughter.”
______
Wearing her usual hoodie, only of different color, Aya makes her downstairs where Aga, Yari, and Dawn are already waiting in the dining hall. She is forced to join them for breakfast today just because of her Mama Dawn.
“Good morning, baby girl!”
She cringed at that greeting from Dawn, “Ma, I’m no longer a baby girl.”
“No, you will always be a baby girl in my eyes.” she said before she let Aya sit beside her. “You have school today?”
“Yeah.”
“Papasok ka ba talaga?” Aga suddenly pried.
Aya mentally rolled her eyeballs as she looked at her father, “Yeah, I’ll go to school today. Gusto mo sundan mo ulit ako para makasigurado ka, eh.” she said. “Creepy stalker.” and whispered.
“You’re going to school wearing that?” puna ni Dawn sa suot niya. “Hindi ba masyadong mainit kung naka-hoodie ka? Tapos naman na ang winter dito, bakit parang lamig na lamig ka pa rin? We should go and shop you some teen-y clothes.”
“I-I’m fine, Ma,” Aya replied, subtly gulping at that thought. “I am more comfortable wearing this.”
“Ay naku, ako hindi. Mas bagay sa’yo ‘yung mga uso ngayon. Ang ganda ganda mo kaya at ang sexy mo, you should show it off.” Dawn reasoned out as she got her niece a food. “Ayan, kumain ka na para hindi ka ma-late sa school mo. Then, maybe, this weekend we’ll go and buy you new clothes.”
Aya could not help but to feel overwhelmed with the amount of care Dawn is giving to her. No one takes care of her like that anymore— not even herself. Everyday, people around her care less and less about her that she just got used to not depend on them.
In the middle of eating her food, Aya started feeling nauseous and dizzy. She slightly heaved a deep breath, trying to shrug the feeling off, but she knew first hand that she couldn’t. She hasn’t taken her medicines for almost a week now since she has ran out of them again— reason why she’s feeling all the symptoms this terribly again.
She immediately stood up when she couldn’t fight the feeling anymore. Her action alarmed everyone most especially when they heard her throwing up in the kitchen sink. Aga, Dawn, and Yari followed her to see and check what was happening to her.
“Honey... Aya, are you okay?” Dawn worriedly asked while rubbing her back. She held Aya’s hair so it wouldn’t get messed as she continued vomiting; while Aga got her a glass of water, frowning at the idea he has in mind. “You okay? May sakit ka ba?” Dawn asked as she checked her temperature using the back of her hand. It’s just normal though. She isn’t that hot.
“Buntis ka ba?”
Napatingin nang masama si Dawn sa kapatid nang walang preno niyang itinanong ‘yon sa anak, “Aga, just what the heck?!”
“No, I just want to get straight to the point here. Buntis ka ba?!” he repeated his question in a louder and sterner manner. He held her arm and made her face him. “Aya, sumagot ka sa’kin! Have you gone that far against me?!”
A tear escaped from Aya’s eyes as she darted her father a sharp look, “Gan’yan na ba talaga kababa ang tingin mo sa’kin?” almost a whisper, she asked. Aga was about to answer but seeing a blood dripping down from Aya’s nose made him stop.
“Oh my God! Your nose is bleeding!” had Yari not exclaimed that, Aya would have not known what already is happening. She touched her nose and felt liquid in it—red liquid.
Her sight went blurry and she seemed became deaf despite the noise caused by the panic from the people around her. The next thing she knew, her whole surroundings have already gone a total pitch black. And she fell unconscious in Dawn’s arms.
“Aya?... Honey?” she tried waking her up. Aga also helped by slightly shaking his daughter’s body but she did not respond at all. Dawn unzipped her hoodie, hoping she would get enough fresh air, but what revealed to them behind those long and thick sleeves made their eyes widened.
Bruises. Just a lot of bruises and wounds all over Aya’s body.
_______
“You really have no idea what is going on with your daughter?!” Dawn pried her brother outside the hospital where they sent Aya.
“Hindi nga, Dawn! Wala siyang sinasabi sa’kin. Wala siyang sinasabi kung may sakit ba siya kung ano! I don’t know what’s happening to her!” Aga replied in frustration— in fright. Of course, what happened to Aya earlier— those bruises— made him feel worried and scared.
“Of course! Bakit nga naman magsasabi sa’yo ang anak mo eh sobrang layo na ng loob niya sa’yo?! She would keep secrets from you because she doesn’t trust you anymore! That makes sense to me now!”
“Guys!” natigil sila sa pagtatalo at sabay na lumingon nang marinig ang boses ni Yari. “The doctor wants to talk to you, Aga.”
Without further ado, they went back inside the hospital and faced the doctor who assisted Aya, “Hi, I’m Aya’s father. How is my daughter?”
“She’s fine although still unconscious. A bag of blood is currently being transfused to her because she is at high risk of bleeding.”
“What exactly is her condition?” Dawn asked.
“According to her medical history in here, the patient has a condition in which her blood has very low platelet counts. It is called thrombocytopenia. Platelets along with other kinds of blood cells form together to stop any bleeding when the blood vessel is damage. Since she has a very low platelet counts, they couldn’t do their work properly which explains all the bruising in her body. Her current platelet count is less than 20,000 per microliter which is pretty severe and dangerous because it can cause uncontrollable bleeding externally and worse if internally.”
“She has a medical history here? But she’s never been hospitalized here. I have never brought my daughter in any hospital except today.”
“The nurses gave me her complete record here. Its said that she came to the hospital twice for a checkup with our immunologist five months ago.”
“W-What?” Aga exclaimed in surprise. Five months ago were too long already. He couldn’t believe Aya kept serious things like this from him. Ganoon na ba talaga kalayo ang loob ng anak niya sa kanya?
“Is her condition treatable? How severe it is already?” were Dawn’s concerns.
“The best way to treat her at this post is through blood transfusion, so if any of you is a blood match with the patient’s, it would be better if we’ll get it extracted right now because she’ll soon need it.” the doctor explained. “I just got a page so I need to go now. I’ll continue monitoring her in the next few hours, don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Dr.” Dawn said before he left them. “So, you really have no idea about this?!” she confronted her brother again.
“Judge me all you want! Call me names, but I really don’t have an idea that she’s going through something as terrible as this. I still don’t understand why did she hide this from me. This is her life we’re talking about. Ganito na ba siyang ka-walang pake sa buhay niya?!”
“Maybe because she doesn’t want a help from someone who would still blame her for something that I know she never wanted. God, Aga, stop putting it all on your daughter. This is your negligence; this is you being irresponsible!” Dawn exclaimed, in the lowest tone she could to not create any scene. “Now, we should find Aya a blood donor because none of us matches hers. Is Lea an A negative?”
“No, she’s not,” Aga abruptly answers despite it being a complete lie. “And we’re not going to ask any help from her or her family. Ako na ang bahala. I’ll look for a possible donor.” he said and went inside Aya’s room.
_______
“Sweetheart, I really can’t give you any kind of medicine. I am a psychologist and I am never allowed to administer my patients any medical drugs. Only our psychiatrist can do that.”
“Then why am I even talking to you? Nagsasayang lang naman pala ako ng oras dito. Where is your psychiatrist? Siya ang gusto kong kausap.”
“Kahit kausapin mo siya, hindi ka rin niya bibigyan ng kahit anong gamot. You’re a minor and you don’t have any guardian with you here. Sa amin ang bagsak nito kapag binigyan ka namin ng gamot nang basta basta lang.”
“Hindi ko naman sasabihin sa iba eh. Promise, secret lang natin ‘to forever.” the young lady begged and convinced her. “Akala ko ba mental health matters? Why are you depriving me of medicines that would help me handle my issues? Antidepressant lang naman hinihingi ko ah.”
Lea scratched her head. She no longer knows how to make her understand this further, “Halika nga.” she stood up and pulled her with her. “Dr. Velasquez, can I get a minute?” she peeked in Regine’s door.
“Sure!” Regine replied and went out of her clinic.
“This young lady right here said she’s experiencing great anxiety and having trouble sleeping these past few weeks. She’s asked for antidepressants but the thing is, she’s minor. What should we do about this?”
Regine shifted her look from Lea to the young lady beside her, “If you’re a minor, we need to talk to your parents or guardian first, hija. Hindi kita bibigyan ng anti-depressants nang basta basta kasi may side-effects ang mga iyon. You need someone who would know the dosages you take and would be able to look after you.” she explained to her, pretty much, just what Lea had already said earlier.
“But I’m 17; I’ll be 18 in like... six-seven months? Can’t that count? I’m responsible enough to take care of myself.”
“The law counts more to us, little miss. Unless you’re 18, you should have a parent or guardian by your side when it comes to this kind of thing. Nasaan ba kasi mga magulang mo?”
Lea observed how the young lady slightly flinched when she mentioned her parents, “They’re busy. They will not be able to look after me even if I tell them so.” she said. “Nevermind. I’ll just look for other people who can give me what I need.”
“Well, unless those people are either illegally practicing medicine or just simply drug pushers, every legal and professional doctor you will go to will not give you any prescription without your parents’ consent.” Lea told her.
“Whatever! I just wasted my time here. You’re no help at all!” the young lady said before walking away from them.
“Ang attitude naman n’on! Sino ba ‘yon?” Regine asked after.
“She came to me earlier and said she has anxiety nga raw. Iyon lang ang sinabi niya, wala na. I could have dug deeper on what’s causing her anxiety but she wouldn’t talk. Gusto niya lang bigyan ko siya ng gamot para makatulog siya nang maayos, eh hindi ko naman puwede gawin ‘yun.” Lea said and looked at her chart as they walked to their kitchen. “I am really worried about her though. I think she really needs some help, aside from antidepressants and the likes. In think she’s going through something.”
“Sus, naalala mo lang si Aya eh.”
“Well... that’s a fact.” she said and smiled fecklessly. “Naisip ko nga— huwa naman sana— but what if she’s also going through something the same as that young lady? What if she also has a problem and doesn’t know whom to go to? Because her father’s too busy to help her and I wasn’t there with her. Kasi when I read her messages to Sarah, she seems in pain. It’s like... she’s suffering.”
She doesn’t want to think about horrible things happening to her daughter but those messages were too heavy to ignore. Hindi na rin siya nakakatulog nang maayos simula n’ong napagtanto niyang si SAM ay si Aya. She has unblocked her account and sent countless messages but until now, no one is responding. It makes her worried even more.
“Hindi pa rin ba nagre-reply sa’yo?”
She shook her head, “I’m really, really stupid. Nand’on na ako, natawagan ko na siya. Then just because she wasn’t able to answer back, I blocked her account. I should have had more patience... I should have had known it was her.” she said and slapped her forehead.
“At least, you now know that she’s in San Francisco.” Regine reminded her.
“Yeah, and I might fly there this weekend despite not knowing where exactly in San Francisco. I’m betting all my luck, I’m gonna get my daughter back!” she said with full of conviction. Screw everyone who would get into her way again, she’s getting Aya back with her.
“LSV!” she turned when she heard Elise calling her. “May tawag ka po.”
She stood up and went back to her clinic to get that call, “Lea Veneracion speaking. Who am I talking to, please?” she politely asked. She frowned after hearing a familiar voice on the other line— she didn’t expect she would receive a call from Dawn; but her world seemed to temporarily stop when she heard what she just said— what happened— and why she needs her. “What?!”
_______
Aga and Dawn watched as the nurse removed the empty bag of blood from the pole hanger as Aya just finished her second unit of blood transfusion for today. The latter is already sleeping as she was already feeling weary from all of her medications.
“Can I talk to you outside?” the doctor asked them and so they followed him outside. “We are able to maintain her platelet counts into an almost normal numbers because of the series of blood transfusion we’ve given to her. But I don’t know how long we will still able to keep that because we are already running out of A negative blood supply.”
“What?! Aren’t you supposed to have enough blood supply for your patients?!” Aga asked.
“We are having trouble with A negative since it is the least donated blood type compared to the rest. It’s really better if you find a relative who would supply you daughter’s needs.”
“But none of us is a match to her. None in my family.”
“Are you her only family here? Where is her mother, anyway? Maybe, she’s a match.”
“Her Mom... her Mom already died.” he said which made Dawn frown and look at him in disbelief. What the hell?! You are really crossing Lea out of her daughter’s life?! She said at the back of her mind.
It’s just made her feel better for doing what she did. She should really be here.
“I’m A negative.” someone spoke from behind which interrupted their conversation.
Aga and Dawn turned around and the former was beyond surprised upon seeing the person standing a few meters behind them. He held his breath for a couple of seconds as he stared at her whole existence in front of him. Aga subtly gulped. Her strong aura and her posture are undeniably intimidating. Just by merely staying still there, with an almost expressionless look, is unmanageable. Her eyes are cold but he feels like they can already burn them down alive.
“And you are?”
He can only continue staring at her as she walks closer, while she doesn’t even glance at any of them, except at the doctor. Everything seems to be in a slow motion for him as his ex-fiancée starts walking. Every step she takes screams power and strength. She screams a woman who is bolder and wiser. She offered her hand which the doctor gladly accepted as she introduced herself.
“I’m Lea Veneracion. I’m the patient’s mother.” she said and shook the doctor’s hand. Her eyes changed their subject and for the first time in long years, she finally looked at Aga with a small smirk on her lips. “And guess what? I am so alive.”