4 years later
JHOANA
Nandito ako sa school ni Nolan, pinatawag ako kasi naaksidente siya while he was playing basketball daw
"Ms. Maraguinot, unfortunately, your son severely sprained his lower right ankle. But it can be treated non-surgically, therapy sessions lang yan" doctor
I sighed as a sign of relief
"Ok, thank you doc"
Inside the car
"Nolan, I told you many many times to be extra careful pero hindi ka nakikinig"
"Mom, basketball accidents can happen anytime. It's inevitable, you know" Nolan from the backseat
"Pero maiiwasan pag may pag-iingat ka. Eh pano kung mas malala natamo mo?! Nako, Nolan, grounded ka I tell you"
"Moooom, you're being oa na naman ah. You heard the doctor, right? 'Therapy sessions lang yan'" Nolan at ginaya yung wag ng pagsalita nung doctor kanina
"Bukas na bukas, pupunta tayo sa therapy lab. I'll find the best therapy lab in town. Pag magaling ka na wala ng basketball, ever"
"But mom, I love basketball" Nolan
"Tigilan mo ako sa love love na yan. Love love ka diyan eh sinaktan ka nga"
"Is that a hugot?" Nolan teases
"Nolan, I'm serious"
"Ok ok, I'm sorry, mom. I love you. And dada loves you too hahhaha" Nolan laughs
Nang-iinis pa eh
Nolan knows the truth already. Pinaintindi namin sa kanya ang nangyari sa pamilya namin. Pero wala kaming sinabi na sumama si Bea sa iba
The next day
BEATRIZ
While I was in the office, Beth, one of our physical therapists, came in
"Bei, may walk-in client tayo. Eh full sched tayo today" Beth
"What seems to be the problem? Set the client an appointment then"
"Yun na nga eh. Pinakausap sa'kin yung mommy niya sa phone, gusto niya immediate treatment sa anak niya" Beth
"How old is the kid?"
"9 year-old boy" Beth
Oh I remember my son, this patient is the same age as Nolan
"So, sino kasama nung bata?"
"Yaya niya" Beth
"Ahh ok, I'll talk to them. Better if we can contact his mother again? Pero ikaw, as a pt, hindi ba first priority yung case ng bata?"
"No naman" Beth
"Okay, let's go"'
I walked out of the office and went straight to the lobby. And there I see a kid sitting on the couch, clinging to his yaya
My heart raced with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. It had been four long years since I last held my child in my arms. Gusto ko maiyak pero I'm holding it back
NOLAN
I was like "😳" the moment I see dada standing meters away from me
Dada then came closer to us. I am just silent not knowing what to say or what to do? So I better shut up
I was right when dada talked only to my yaya; he did notice me, but he did not make pansin of me
"Good day! I am Bea, the manager. Uhmm, can we talk inside my office?" Dada to yaya
Yaya agreed
"Nolan, pasok na tayo sa loob?" Yaya
"No, I don't want to"
"Pero Nolan, kailangan ka sa loob. Isusumbong kita sa momma mo sige ka" yaya
"Sumbong, you always sumbong me to momma. Can I just stay here? I don't wanna go inside, yaya"
I hate Dada. Because of Dada, I have always seen my momma cry. And he never came home to us
BEATRIZ
Only the three of us were inside, I didn't let Beth in because I really wanted to talk and hawakan ang anak ko ulit
Iba na rin ang yaya ni Nolan kaya hindi ako nakilala
"Pasensya na po, nag text na po yung momma ni Nolan, busy'ng busy na daw po kase siya. Pero pwede po yung tito nalang po ni Nolan kausapin mo?" Yaya
"Tito? Who?"
"It's my tito Nico" Nolan
Anak ba't ka naman ganyan sa'kin. If I could just hug you right now I would. Pero baka kase mabigla kita
"Guys, I cannot talk to anyone but a close relative to keep things confidential and private"
"Ah ganon po ba" yaya
"Uhh anyway can I talk to the patient? Yung kami lang?"
"Sige po, sige po. Nolan nasa labas lang ako ha? Kung may itatanong sa'yo, answer ok?" Yaya
"Okay" Nolan
I smiled internally. Yaya then leave Nolan and I alone
Tumayo ako and carry the other chair and place it beside Nolan para matabihan ko siya
"Anak, do you still know me? Do you remember who I am?"
"Dada" Nolan
"My son"
Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko at yakapin siya
"You left us, dada. You left momma alone" Nolan inside my embrace
Medyo umiiyak na pala ako. I let go of the hug at hinawakan ang shoulder ni Nolan
"Anak, you're still young. There are so much things you still don't understand"
"And I don't understand why you left us" Nolan
"Because you have a younger brother. He needed me to be by his side when he was born"
"What?" Nolan
"Anak, just take things slow, ok?"
Nolan started crying gradually
Kaya niyakap ko siya ulit
"I missed you, d...dada. When are y...you coming back h...home?" Nolan cries
"I missed you so much, anak"
"C...come home and b...bring our little b...brother with you" Nolan cries
"Soon anak, but for now. Can you keep it a secret from your momma that we met? Or anybody in the family? Just for now, anak"
Nolan nodded while whimpering
JHOANA
Habang pripeprepare ni mama yung dinner namin ay nakikipag-usap ako sa admin ng Physiolab talking about Nolan's case. Hindi ko pinayagan si mama na samahan kanina si Nolan kasi galing siyang hospital, may high-blood kasi siya
Physiolab: Nolan's therapy session will start next Monday, ma'am.
Jhoana: Bakit sa Monday pa? Why is it taking so long?
CAITLIN
To my surprise, client ni Bea yung anak niya. Bea told me everything happened kanina actually. Right now kausap ko yung nanay ng anak niya, ako ang sumasagot kasi sa mga clients if may concern sila or inquiries
Jhoana: Bakit sa Monday pa? Why is it taking so long?
I was about to reply when Bea entered the room. Si Caleb naman ay peacefully nang natutulog
"Cait?" Bea
"Yes?"
"Can I have the business phone?" Bea
Separate phone kasi ang gamit namin for business
I raised the phone I am holding. Lumapit siya and got the phone at umupo sa tabi ko
"Ako kakausap kay Jhoana ha?" Bea
"Ako na, trabaho ko yan. Magpahinga kana"
"No, but it's about our son" Bea
"So? Ano na plano mo? Pagkatapos ka nilang ipagtabuyan, Bea?"
Bea sighs
"Wala na nga kami diba?" Bea
"Hindi. Wala lang naman ako kung tutuusin eh, you don't need to explain"
"Don't get mad. I'll be civil when talking to her hmmm?" Bea
Hindi ko siya sinagot
"Ok ok, I'll give this phone back to you and won't delete anything, and then you can read the conversation anytime you want" Bea
"Sige na, matutulog na ako"
"Okay. Good night to you both" Bea and reached Caleb to kiss his head
~~~~~
A/N: I apologize for any grammar errors you may have noticed. :)
I know you guys are wondering what happened for the past 4 years in the story. Just watch out for the following updates!