Lumipas nang napakabilis ang araw. Everything started in it's good place at least.
Katatapos ko lang na isalang sa chemotherapy. I saw Dad and Professor Jed talking sa loob ng hospital room ko.
The nurse pushed my wheelchair inside kaya't nahinto sila sa seryosong usapan.
"How was it?" my Dad asked.
"It sucks..." I frowned after na ikinatawa niya ng payak.
Sa lumipas na isang linggo, everything started to be unraveled. Dad used his connections to help capture the escapee of the hit & run... at napag-alamang iisa lamang ang may kagagawan... ito ay si Arthur.
Nang malaman nitong ako ang dahilan kung bakit umuusad ang kaso laban sa kaniya, he wanted to avenge himself from the trouble. He stalked and know my whereabouts, and the time that I'm crossing the pedestrian, ginawa niya iyung pagkakataon upang sagasaan ako... but he failed doing so dahil si Darlene ang nasagasaan niya.
Psychologists examined him, and they found out that he actually had something which affect his behavior because of how his mind thinks. At dahil roon, napatunayan na he had the capability of doing such crime kaya't tumaas ang hatol ng parusa sa kaniya. He's now inside the jail.
Gayunpaman, I felt the guilt once again, dahil ako uli ang naging dahilan kung bakit nangyare ang mga iyun but with the help of my Dad, Professor Jed and Theo, maging ni Ms. Mendivel who oftenly counciled me, I stopped blaming myself again. Darlene won't like it as well if I keep behaving that way.
"Anong pinag-uusapan niyo?" I asked at dumungaw sa bintana just like I always do.
"Well... it's about Darlene." wika ni Professor Jed.
I looked at them instantly after hearing it.
"Is she awake?" mabilis na tanong ko.
Sa lumipas na mga araw, there's an improvement even just a little. Gumagalaw na ang daliri niya but she's not opening her eyes yet.
"Hindi pa... it's about his father. We had a lead, and when we contacted him, it's confirmed, siya nga ang tatay ni Darlene. He already booked a flight next week... inaasikaso pa ang maiiwan na kompanya sa London..." wika ni Dad.
Halo-halo ang emosiyon sa puso ko. I don't know if I feel happy or sad. Perhaps I must be happy because finally, her dad will see her after some years. In the contrary, I feel sad that he will see her in a terrible state... nang dahil sa'kin...
My eyes are just fixated at the ceiling. My mind is just playing with it's thoughts. Ito ang pakiramdam ng walang magawa because of sickness. Just too hopeless.
"How are you feeling now? Mr. Successor?" he said pagkatapos pumasok nang hindi man lang kumakatok.
"What do you think? O-of course I feel sick..." and I frown at him.
"Ohhh... hindi ba bumubuti kahit kaunti lang?" seryosong tanong niya.
I heave a deep sigh and just look back at the ceiling. Kahit na anong chemotherapy ang gawin, mas malakas pa rin ang spread ng cancer cells. The therapy can't keep up with it.
"How's the graduation ceremony?" I asked curiously. Ipinakita niya naman kaagad ang dalawang kahon kung saan nakalagay ang diploma.
"Here, as what you told me. May bayad 'to..." aniya. I just smirked at him.
"You're f-finally out of m-my turf... worth c-celebrating..." at mas lalong ngumisi sa kaniya.
"Huh... you still have the strength to pull off some sh'ts... Nakakabilib..." hindi makapaniwalang atas niya na ikinatawa ko.
"That's my way o-of saying c-congratulations..."
"Then... f'ck you... that's my way of saying thank you..." and we both laugh on it.
The graduation ceremony just ended few hours ago. I'm supposed to be there, giving my speech but because I can't go and tired myself because of the travel, minabuti na hindi na raw ako pumunta. Professor Jed handled everything, assisting Mr. Arellano and other members of the faculty.
"Bring me to Darlene..." I favored.
Mabilis na niyang kinuha ang wheelchair at inalalayan akong tumayo at maupo roon. He pushed the wheelchair for me hanggang sa makarating sa tapat ng kwarto ni Darlene.
"Can you put her diploma beside her?" I requested na ikinakunot noo niya.
"They both wanted to graduate so bad... this is the least thing that I can do..."
Theo smiled faintly and tap my back bago pumasok sa loob at ilagay ang kahon na may lamang diploma sa mesa na kalapit ng hinihigaan niya. Wala akong ibang nagawa kundi ang panoorin ang ginawa niya mula sa salaming bintana. I can't go inside, for it's prohibited for the sick. He stayed a bit inside talking to her.
I wanted to do that too, so badly. Gusto ko ring makausap siya. They say that people in coma still can hear so maybe, if she hear me begging for her to wake up already, baka nga ay gumising siya... but I can't. All I can do is look at her from a distance so hopelessly.
Mabilis na dumaan ang mga araw. Darlene's father finally arrived at kasalukuyan itong nasa loob ng kwarto ni Darlene, holding her hand while crying beside her bed.
The scene is heart-breaking... lalo na at hindi pa rin mawala sa isip ko ang naging mga dahilan ng nangyare sa kaniya. Hindi ko rin malaman kung ano na lamang ang sasabihin ng papa niya dahil sa nangyare... he might blame me on what happened, but I don't have the right to complain and defend myself. Kung anuman ang sabihin niya, buong puso ko iyung tatanggapin. Ngunit ngayon sa nasasaksihan ko, wala akong mukhang maihaharap sa kaniya.
"Stray dog... push my wheelchair back inside my room." aya ko kay Theo.
"Bakit? Rinig ko gusto ka raw makausap ng papa ni Darlene."
I rotated and start pushing the wheels by myself at dahan dahang gumalaw.
"I feel dizzy... and I'm... i guess I'm not yet ready... tsaka nasa loob naman si Professor Jed at Dad..." at pinagpatuloy ang pagtulak sa gulong.
Ngunit bago pa man ako makalayo ay hinatak ni Theo pabalik ang wheelchair. I am going to complain but I didn't able to do because Darlene's father is already in front of me. Nasa likod niya naman ang dalawa at kalalabas lang nila mula sa kwarto.
"I believe, you're Eve Meneses..." simula ng dad niya na ikinaurong ng dila ko. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba.
"I-i... I am sir..." i stuttered. Now that I had a closer look, I can say that it's true, Darlene got her beautiful eyes from her father. It's not overlooking as well that Darlene got the looks because her mother is as beautiful as her and his father got a handsome face.
Nang marinig ang naging kasagutan ko, he reach his hand for a handshake. Tinanggap ko iyun habang nanginginig ang kamay. As we shook our hands, he smiled warmly at me.
"I badly wanted to talk to you after hearing a lot about you. Finally, I had a chance to meet the lad..." aniya at lumingon sa direksyon nina Dad na mas ikinakaba pa lalo ng dibdib ko.
"I'm sending my deepest gratitude..." aniya. what he said weren't the words that I'm expecting from him to hear.
"Sir... you don't have to... afterall, I'm the reason why your daughter is suffering now..." mahinang pagkakasabi ko.
He smile and chuckle before patting my head.
"It's not your fault. What she did just prove how valuable you are for her. Let's hope for her fast recovery... and for you as well." and he tap my shoulder twice before smiling warmly.
I feel overwhelmed and speechless. Pinilot kong pinigilan ang maging emosyonal dahil sa narinig ko sa mismong papa ni Darlene.
"See?" Theo whispered at me.
Nagpatuloy sila sa pag-uusap and I'm just all ears on their serious conversations.
"I will be staying for a while. I'll fix everything in here then I'll go back to England with my daughter and Devina. I'll be taking them with me..." Mr. Harrison stated na ikinaguho ng mundo ko.
End of Chapter 44:
The aftermath