They are done with the event and they are heading home. Cassy is inside the van ever since she walked out. She was waiting for them patiently, and wala siyang enerhiyang makaharap silang lahat. Habang nagbabasa siya ay ininom niya ang tubig na dapat na ibibigay niya sa kanyang Ina. Siguro dahil din sa sama ng loob eh parang nag iba ang lasa ng tubig niya. Hindi na niya pinansin ito at ipinatapon nalang sa driver.
Nang makita niyang paparating na ang Pamilya niya ay umupo siya ng maayos at nagkunyaring nagbabasa ng libro. Binuksan ng Kuya niya ang pinto at inalalayan si Irene paakyat. Medyo maputla si Irene but she managed to smile. Hindi nakatabi si Cassy sa kanila at naka upo siya sa harap, katabi nung driver. She continued reading her book when Greggy whispered something to her.
"Look after your Mommy anak, I need to go back to Manila tonight eh. I'll be back din tomorrow." tinignan lamang niya ito at tumango siya. Tinignan niya ang kanyang Ina, at napansing nginitan lamang siya nito.
Nang makarating sila sa bahay ay nagpaalam na agad si Irene dahil gusto na daw niyang magpahinga. Cassy on the other hand was observing her Mom, she saw Celeste wanting to come in her Mom's room.
"Celeste! Come here!" she said and went up to Celeste.
"Ate, why pwo?" Celeste curiously said while holding her doll.
"Let Mommy rest baby ha? Go to Tita Imee muna. Is it ok with you?" she gently said to her sister and smiled.
"Okie pwo ate." the latter said and ran to Imee's room. Cassy slowly and gently entered her Mom's room and saw Irene covered in a thick comforter. She became worried and hurriedly get the thermometer in the drawer. She checked her Mom's temperature. While waiting kumuha muna siya ng pampalit na damit dahil hindi pa nakakapag palit ng damit si Irene. Nang makakuha siya ay sabay na tumunog ang thermometer.
"38.9. Shit" Cassy whispered.
Lumabas muna siya para kumuha ng maliit na basin with cold water and alcohol, sinamahan din niya ng bimpo para ipang punas sa kanya. She also asked help to their helper para mag akyat ng pitcher of water, glass and paracetamol. She went up agad to her Mom's room and to her surprise her Mom is experiencing chills na. She hurriedly turn off the aircon and just opened the fan. Tinanggal niya ang comforter na nakabalot kay Irene at pinalitan ito ng damit. Bago niya isuot ang bagong damit ay pinunasan niya muna ang Mommy niya saka sinuotan ng damit. Binalik niya ang comforter nito at kumuha pa ng isa sa cabinet. Before she let her Mom sleep peacefully she gently woke her up.
"Mom. Mommy?" she whispered while tapping her Mom's shoulder. Irene slowly opened her eyes but also closed is because her head is killing her.
"Hmm. Y-yes baby?" she asked weakly, almost whispering.
"You need to drink paracetamol po. You have a fever." Cassy gently said while preparing her Mom's medicines. When the meds are ready she helped her Mom sit down and gave her the meds. Then she assisted her Mom again to lay down in bed. She tucked Irene in bed and was about to leave to take a bath when....
"B-baby please don't leave Mommy. T-tabihan mo ako anak ko." Irene said. Wanting to open her eyes but Cassy just held her hand.
"I will not leave you Mommy. I'll just take a bath po ok? Mabilis lang po ako malagkit po kasi feeling ko. Tatabihan po kita. Mag pahinga lang po kayo diyan." Cassy sweetly said.
"B-babalik ka ha? Anak ko?" Irene said still with eyes closed.
"Yes Mommy. Babalik po ako." and kissed Irene's forehead.
Lumabas na siya at pumunta sa kwarto niya para maligo. Mabilisan siyang nag shampoo, conditioner, nagscrub, at nagtoothbrush. Mga 8 mins lang siyang naligo. Lumabas na siya para magbihis at nagpatuyo na ng buhok. Kinuha niya ang kanyang phone, charger, earphones, at unan at dali daling pumunta sa kwarto at dahan dahan siyang umakyat sa bed ni Irene. Pagkatapos niya ayusin ang gamit niya ay inayos rin niya si Irene. She lied down and was about to face the wall when her mom turned and hug her.
"T-thank you baby." Irene whispered while hugging her daughter.
"Pagaling ka Mommy. Celeste needs you." she said. Even if she's the one who needs her Mom.
"Y-yes baby. Magpapagaling ako para sayo." Irene weakly said and slept.
.........
Hinintay muna ni Cassy na makatulog ang ina bago siya umalis sa kama upang icheck ulit ang temperature nito.
"37.6. Thank God." she said in her mind. Nilagay niya ang malamig na bimpo sa ulo ni Irene. At inayos ang higa nito. Umupo muna siya sa isang silid at nagcellphone. Hinihintay lamang niya na magliwanag upang malutuan si Irene ng pagkain. To all of Irene's children, Cassy is the sweetest especially to her. She never stopped caring and loving her Mom. And she loves taking care of her Mom.
Exactly 6:30am, without sleep she went down and prepared everything she needs to cook. She'll be making Dinengdeng. Her Mom's favorite food whenever she's sick. A hot bowl of the refreshing dinengdeng makes Irene feel better. She started chopping the fresh vegetables and she will not use bagoong for this. She'll use fish sauce because Irene prefers it that way only if she's sick. While she is cooking she is also singing.
On the other hand Irene woke up feeling so hot. She removed the 2 thick comforters above her and turned on the aircon. She was wondering where her daughter is. While still in bed she called Cassy.
"Mahal ko? Cassy?" She said thinking her daughter is just in the bathroom. She felt a little disappointment when she heard no response.
"Sabi niya di niya ako iiwan." she said to herself feeling lonely. She sat up and was about to go down of the bed when the door suddenly opened, revealing Cassy holding a tray of food.
"O-oh you're awake na pala. I'm so sorry inasikaso ko po kasi food niyo." Cassy said habang binababa ang tray ng pagkain sa higaan ni Irene.
"Before you eat your breakfast po I'll just check your temperature ha?" Irene just nodded and let Cassy do her agenda. While waiting for the thermometer Cassy is fixing her Mom's meds. Nang tumunog ang thermometer ay agad niyang kinuha ito at napangiti sa nakita.
"36.4! Ayun, no fever na po kayo! But you need to rest parin po. Magsisimba daw po mamayang 9am and sabi ko po maiiwan tayong dalawa dahil need niyo magrest baka po kasi mabinat din kayo eh." Cassy said to her Mom. Irene was just looking at her.
"And you need to eat po para maka drink kayo ng medicine niyo." Irene just smiled and nodded. She tasted the dinengdeng and to Cassy's surprise her Mom liked it.
"Hindi gumamit ng bagoong? Anak ko, ikaw ba nagluto nito?" Cassy was too stunned to speak but still nodded.
"How did you know? I mean sina Manang ang alam kong nagluluto ng ganito dati." Irene said while sipping some soup. A realization hit her.
"Wait, so all this time mahal ko ikaw ang nagluluto kapag nagkakasakit ako?" Cassy who is scrolling thru her phone frozed.
"Uhm. I-i a-ah hehe." Cassie just stuttered. Irene just smiled and continued eating.
"Sabi kasi nina Manang sila ang nagluto eh. Pinasabi mo ba sa kanila yun mahal ko?" Irene asked again.
"O-opo. K-kapag sila po kasi nagluluto eh nilalagyan nila ng bagoong e-eh diba po ayaw niyo yun kapag hindi po maganda pakiramdam niyo. Kaya po pag nagpapaluto po kayo noon kapag medyo hindi po kayo ok, a-ako po ang nagluluto tapos ipapasabi ko po kay Manang na siya nagluto. S-sorry po." Cassy honestly and nervously said.
"Mana ka talaga sakin ang galing mo magluto anak." Irene said. Her daughter just smiled and sat in the sofa.
"Hindi ka ba kakain anak?"
"H-hindi po ako talaga nab-breakfast. Pero nagcoffee naman po ako kanina." Irene just nodded and smile to her daughter and took her last bite. She finished her food and she was about to clean it up when Cassy suddenly cleaned it for her.
"No na anak. Ako na."
"It's ok po you just rest there. Here's your meds po, I'll clean this up lang po. Then if you want to take a bath po please use the heater po para di po mabigla katawan niyo. Excuse me po." and Cassy went out. Irene realized how lucky she is to have her daughter.
She just took a bath and and drink her meds that made her really sleepy. When Cassy entered the room she saw her Mom combing her hair in front of the vanity mirror. She was about to leave to give her Mom some space when Irene called her.
"Mahal ko? Halika dito anak. Why are you leaving?"
"A-ah I think po magpapahinga na po kayo." Cassy said.
"No baby. Come here. Samahan mo ako dito for sure naka alis na sila ano?" Cassy went in the room.
"Uh, yes po. kaka alis lang po nila." her daughter said and closed the door.
"Oh ok." Irene said and stand. She went near her daughter and hugged her.
"Thank you my doctora. Mommy feels so much better now." she said and kissed her forhead. Cassy didn't hesitate to hug her Mom back.
"Mommy's sleepy ulit mahal ko. Tabihan mo ulit si Mommy? Please? And alam kong wala ka ring tulog." Irene asked sweetly using her baby voice.
Yes. Her Baby Voice. Where Cassy is very marupok.
"Uhm, sure po." Cassy said and broke the hug. Bigla siyang napayawn at natawa naman si Irene.
"Halika na anak." Irene said and held her daughter's hand while hopping in to the bed.
Pumwesto agad si Cassy at humarap na siya sa kanyang Ina dahil alam na niya ang plano nito. Katulad ng pwesto nila nung isang araw her head is in Irene's chest and can hear her heartbeat. Irene's shoulder is occupied by her daughter's body and her head is on top of Cassy's head. She hummed Cassy's favorite lullaby and as magic her daughter already fell asleep. She kissed her forhead for the result of Cassy burrying its head deeper in her chest. When she felt that Cassy is in deep slumber, she also slept na.
Few hours later Greggy found her mag-ina sleeping in the same position. He took a picture and send it to his sons.
"I hope this is the beginning of our happy ending my ladies." he said on his mind.
Author's Note: It's not the beginning Greggy. It's not even starting yet. And how sure are you there'll be happy ending? Cause I don't believe in happy endings.~
A sweet chapter for all of you! Belated Happy 2k Readers everyone! Thank you guys! Grabe huhu! Maraming maraming salamat sa pagbabasa, at asahan niyo pa ang mga sumusunod na chapters! Mahal ko kayo!
- C 🌸