Dakota's POV.
Wala talaga ako sa mood nung makarating kami sa area pero as soon as I saw the people in need tila nawaglit sa isip ko ang lahat ng dinaramdam ko.
Doktor pa rin ako, mas kailangan nila ang konsentrasyon ko at hindi ang mga heartbreaks ko.
"Doktora, mag set up na ho kami" tawag sakin ni Nurse Lay. Susunod na dapat ako ng mahagip ng mata ko ang isang pamilyar na tao.
She is wearing a maong pants and a pair of black rubber shoes, she is wearing a plain black top too. Her hair is tied in a bun pero may mga ilang hibla ng buhok nya ang nakaladlad.
Gabriella Lazaro.
She looks beautiful at totoong nangingibabaw sya sa mga tao rito, napansin nya siguro ang pagtitig ko kaya bumaling sya sakin ng tingin.
I was expecting her to be mad at me at mag all out rage gaya ng ginawa ni Lysa but instead she walked slowly at ng magkatapat na kami ay ngumiti sya ng tipid.
"Doktora Sy" she called me.
"Gabriella, how are you?" I asked her.
"I'm fine, I am glad to see you back in field"
"Yes, I just came back a year ago, bakit ka nga pala nandito?" I asked nicely.
"Ah yeah, I am looking for Leonardo, he told me that Ms. Celestine asked my presence here, may mga bata daw kasing naapektuhan, if you didn't know, I am a psychiatrist now, yun ang tinapos kong kurso, I just want to help"
"Wow, I am really happy for you, you look good, I mean it"
"You're more beautiful than I am" she said in a soft tone.
"I wish you can forgive me, I was just really lost and Leo helped me found my way, pero nasaktan ka dahil doon"
"To be honest, I was mad at first, I was blaming you for all the pain, pero it was insecurity and lack of confidence. I realized that if Leo love me enough that time, he won't walk away like that, it was not the smartest move for the four of us, it was actually kinda stupid but it somehow led us to our own path. You found yourself, Leo said he realized my worth, I got to focus on my study and self-being, and Storm, was able to recover from his depression and insomnia-
"Wait, anong sinasabi mo?"
"Ha?"
"Storm had what?"
Saglit na sumeryoso sya, she fixed the sunglasses on top of her head.
"Oh yeah, I guess, he didn't tell you, Storm actually became one of my patient, after you left, he had some serious insomnia, he said he can't sleep, pero we all know the reason for that, he was waiting for you, nung tumagal na ay lumala na din ang depression nya, he lost weight and all, pero I am glad na natulungan ko syang maka recover, I guess he and I can relate to one another kaya naging madali sakin na tulungan sya, he did his best to get better, for Archer and Elle"
Hindi ko napansin ang nagbabagsakang luha ko dahil sa sinabi nya.
Wala akong alam, ang iniintindi ko lang ay kung paano ako nahirapan, hindi ko muna sya inintindi at ang mga pinagdaanan nila.
"Gabby, I am really sorry, and thank you for helping him"
"That's the best thing I can do, magaling man sya o hindi, he always wanted to be with you, I guess people tend to be stupid pagdating sa pag-ibig" huminga sya ng malalim, umikot ang paningin and when she caught Leo, na nasa malayo at busy sa pag attend sa mga bata ay ngumiti sya ng marahan. "Sana lang yung taong pinagpapakatangahan natin ay worth it, na kahit minsan kang naging bobo, you know it is for the right person"
"I-I don't know, h-he is getting married" pinipigilan ko ang sarili kong umiyak pa.
"Bakit ka ba bumalik dito Dakota?"
"Kasi I want him back, I want my family back, kasi mahal ko sya, kasi sya lang yung kaya kong mahalin ng ganito"
"Have you told him that? Na mahal na mahal mo pa rin sya?"
"N-no, I am afraid it is already too late"
"Ano pa bang pwedeng mawala sayo bukod sa pride mo? Would you rather lie to yourself and live with regrets? If yes, sige hihintayin kitang maging pasyente ko" she laughed.
This talk with Gabby, lit up my spirit.
"Thank you Gabriella, I will tell him, I will talk to him, tanggapin man nya ako or hindi, ayos lang, atleast nasabi ko"
"Goodluck Dakota"
"Goodluck din sayo, sa inyo" sabi ko.
She chuckled.
"Goodluck sa kanya, doon muna ako, hinahanap na ata ako" she said and then she left me alone.
Ilang minuto pa ang nakalipas na nakatulala lang ako at iniisip na agad ang sasabihin ko kay Storm pagkauwi namin sa maynila bago ako tinawag dahil may mga ibinababa ng pasyente.
It was almost 8 PM ng medyo tumumal na ang tao. I am really exhausted pero umaandar pa rin ang isip ko sa sasabihin kay Storm.
Will Lysa be there too? Will he even talk to me? Bibigyan man lang ba nya ako ng chance na makausap sya?
"Get away from me Hermosa, masyado ka ng madikit sakin!" narinig kong sigaw ni Gabriella.
"What? I am tired na nga, I told you, sige na, di na kita kukulitin, dito ka na" Leo said following her.
Hindi ko napigilan ang ngiti while looking at them. Leo said he wanted to marry someone opposite of her mom, sabi nya kasi Tita Luna, has a strong personality na even his dad is scared of, kaya ang gusto nya is sya ang superior, guess that is another hoax info from him.
I sighed, kaya ko ba ang ginagawang pangungulit ni Leo kay Gabby?
"Storm, uy, kausapin mo naman ako, ganito kasi yan"
Umiling ako. Masyadong paawa.
"Storm, promise, if you give me this chance, hindi na ako aalis-
I sighed, masyadong madrama, pang teleserye.
"Love, please choose me, ako na lang pakasalan mo ulit-
Jusko, Doktor kasi ako at hindi artista, ang hirap tuloy.
"Ako, na lang end game mo please?"
Halos kaltukan ko ang sarili ko. I am going crazy.
"Storm, I wanted to just let you know na hindi man kita pinili ng panahon na yun, it helped me realized how much you mean to me, how much I wanted to be with you, na sa panahon na wala ka sa tabi ko, nahanap ko ang sarili ko and I was able to know how my love for you is endless, gusto ko lang malaman mo na mahal na mahal pa rin kita, at hindi ko sinasabi ito, para balikan mo ako, sinasabi ko ito dahil iyon ang nararamdaman ko"
Tinipa ko pa yan sa notepad ko para wala akong makalimutan, mamaya may masabi na naman akong mali at hindi nya magustuhan.
Mag isa ako, nasa dulo ako at malayo sa iba, dahil ang weird naman if maririnig nila ang pagli litanya ko at baka isipin nilang baliw ako.
Baliw ako, sa kanya.
Goodness, I am really exhausted, kung anu anong pumapasok sa isip ko.
Halos sumakit ang mata ko ng makita dahil nasisilaw ako sa liwanag na nagmumula sa taas, hindi ko makita ng maayos pero base sa tunog ay chopper yun.
Sino kayang dumating? Politika na naman? VIP? Madalas ko na kasing makita iyon, sa dami ng medical missions ko, yung biglang may susulpot na senador o kaya congressman na akala mo, sila ang nagpapunta sa amin doon.
Umiling-iling ako bago umiwas ng tingin doon, ilang minuto pa ay narinig ko na ang dahan-dahang paghinto ng engine nito, hudyat na nakalapag na ito.
Pinagpag ko ang white coat ko dahil pakiramdam ko nagliparan ang mga alikabok sakin dahil sa grand entrance ng chopper na ito.
Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa cellphone ko para alalahanin yung plinano kong speech para kay Storm.
"Thank you so much for your hardwork"
Kusang napa-angat ang tingin ko ng marinig ko ang boses na iyon.
Mabilis na nahanap ko si Storm na sinalubong ng mga tao at kapwa ko doktor.
"Anong ginagawa nyo rito Mr. Montenegro at nadalaw kayo ng walang pasabi?" tanong nung isang doktor namin.
"Sorry about that, balak ko sanang mag drive pero mas mabilis ang transportation ko thru air, using our chopper" he smiled. "Excuse me" luminga ito sa paligid at nagtama ang paningin namin.
Kusang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.
Hindi ko alam kung gaano at ilang beses nagsalit-salit ang tingin ko sa papalapit na si Storm at ang cellphone ko. Muntik ko pang mailaglag iyon dahil sa kaba.
When he finally came closer to me, mas pinanghinaan ako ng loob, hindi ko alam paano magsisimula.
Seryoso syang nakatingin sakin.
I cleared my throat, hoping it will somehow help me calm down.
"I-I didn't know, h-hindi ko alam, how much you've suffered, hindi ko alam na nagka depression ka at-
"Hindi iyon ang ipinunta ko rito"
I sighed at nag iwas ng tingin, hindi ko naman sinabi na ako ang ipinunta nya pero ito na kasi ang best chance ko.
"I don't care kung anong purpose ng pagpunta mo, pero gusto ko lang sabihin sayo lahat ng nasa utak ko" I bit my lip trying to stop my emotion. "I am a fool, I was so eager to get you simula noon pa man, I was desperate yet when I was finally close to having you, I ran away and left you, at alam ko na kahit anong sabihin kong dahilan, it will not be good enough for the pain I caused you, so let me say this to you instead" naramdaman ko ang kusang pagbagsak ng mga luha ko.
His facial expression soften and somehow it gave me hope na pakikinggan nya ako.
"Mahal na mahal kita, sobrang mahal pa rin kita at kahit na anong mangyari sa ating dalawa, I am glad I love you, I am glad to be loved by you Dalfon Storm, I don't expect you to love me again, sapat na saking nasabi ko kung gaano kita kamahal. I love you Storm, and I am so sorry for all the pain I caused you"
Nagbaba ako ng tingin para punasan ang mga luha ko. I probably look like a lost kid in the wood pero it somehow made me feel better.
Dahan-dahan akong nag-angat ng tingin at muntik pa akong mapa-atras ng mabilis syang lumapit sakin.
He held my face, using his two hands, hawak ng magkabilang kamay nya ang pisngi ko.
"I did hurt you too, in ways more selfish, I was hurt, so you are too pero would it be so selfish to ask you to heal with me? Would it be too much to ask you stay until we fix everything that destroyed and hurt us? Would it be surprising if I tell you that I would still prefer you to break and fold me rather not having you in my life?"
I am really crying so much.
Hindi ko alam kung anong tawag sa labis na saya at pagmamahal na nararamdaman ko.
"Would you still take my hand and believe when I tell you this" l
Lumapit sya ng sobrang lapit, yakap nya na ako sa bisig nya. I can hear his breathing at pakiramdam ko rinig na rinig nya ang puso ko.
"I love you Dakota"
Kusang napayakap ako sa kanya dahil sa sinabi nya.
"I love you more than my fears, I love you more than my doubts, and I will continue to love you hanggang sa parehas nating mapagwagian ang lahat"
"Storm"
"We will win every battle, together, welcome home my love"
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EPILOGUE will be posted.
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New book cover by Mickanna! 💙
- KayeEinstein