Richard still waiting for the operation to finish, his face is full of nervousness and can't imagine that on the second time around this was happening to her. After an hour the doctor came out.
"Mr.?"
"Gomez po doc."
"Okay Mr. Gomez, i want to tell you that maayos ang naging operation namin sa kanya, hindi naman masyadong malaki ang damage sa kanya of that accident. She is now stable and we are preparing her to transfer in one of a private room."
"Salamat Doc. Salamat. Pwede ko na ba siyang makita?"
"For now po hindi pa but when we already transfered her in a private room pwede na. Excuse me Mr. Gomez but i have to go."
"Thanks Doc a lot."
"You're welcome. Bye."
Richard is now relieved after hearing those words on Rachel's doctor. He is now at the nurse station to sign some papers about transferring her to a private room when he notice a man in a wheel chair being pulled by a nurse. He is trying to calm himself while staring at the man and he finds him dumbfounded and a blank expression on face.
"Excuse me nurse. What happen to that patient?"
"Oh sir he is the companion of Ms. Rachel in the accident right?" Nurse says.
"Yes he is. How is he?"
"Okay naman po siya kasi di rin naman ganun kalala ang pagkakabangga nila, pero nabulag po siya e."
He stared at him for a seconds. "Ah okay, salamat. I already done this. Here." He handed the clipboard to the nurse.
"Thank you sir."
While on his way to the room, he remember to call Susan but how he'll do that? The phone that she use to inform him was to Rachel. Unknown number is calling, he stare at his phone for a seconds trying to figuring out the said digits but he can't so he decided to answer it even.
"He-llo?"
"Thanks God Richard you answered it already, i was calling young while ago."
"Oh. Jezz, sorry po Tita."
"Where is my daughter?"
"Tita caln yourself, we're at the hospital —"
"What? What happen to her?" She cried.
"Nabangga po sila, but don't worry to much she's okay right now. Rachel just need to rest po."
"Okay. I'll go there in a few minutes."
"Okay po. Bye. Take care."
He ended the call. One of the nurses informed him that Rachel was now at the room and visitors are allowed now. He started to walk and his knee was crumbling maybe because of nervousness buy he ignores it all that he wants is too see him until he reached the room. He squeeze the knob and finds her peacefully sleeping on the hospital bed AGAIN. He walk slowly and when he reached her, Richard hold her hand and caress her face for about twenty seconds.
"Babe, Rachel you're here again. I'm afraid na baka kapag umalis lang ako saglit iwanan mo na naman ako. Bakit parang umulit to, bakit ba laging ikaw? Rachel, sana paggising mo maalal mo ako. The days that we are together happy and no worries in life, the days that we're just dreaming about our future together. Rachel, mahal na mahal kita, hindi naman nawala yun kahit kailan dahil ikaw lang ang nandito sa puso ko panghabang buhay." He kiss the top of her hand while a tears are now ready to fall down.
Susan was already there at the room when Richard doing that. She feel guilty about what they did before, she didn't expect that Dave have the courage to do that to them especially to her daughter. She just wanted that time is to let her daughter live again without those people who thinks can hurt her but she's wrong, she was fool to listen to that Dave.
Richard notice that there is someone beside him that's why he stood up and he finds Susan in tears while staring to Rachel.
"Tita?"
"Oh."
"Come closer to her."
She sob continuously. "No Richard i can't. I'm the one who did that to my daughter."
"Why are you saying that, wala pong may gusto nito. Aksidente po ang nangyari."
"If i didn't listen to Dave maybe ikaw ngayon ang nasa tabi niya at inaalagaan siya. I was wrong!"
"Shhhh. Tita." He hold the hand of the old woman. "Past is already the past, we should move on and look forward to the future. What happen before is a learning and realization. See, kung hindi po ba nangyari yun malalaman niyo po bang kaya palang gawin ni Dave to. So Tita no one is blaming you okay and please don't blame yourself."
She faces him while wiping her tears with a tissue. "I know now why Rachel fall in love to you, because you have the kind heart. Thank you Richard and i promise to help you on her. You deserve each other." She hug him.
"Thank you Tita for appreciating me."
They just stay that way for a seconds until they withdrawn. "How is she?" Susan asked.
"She's stable now as per her doctor. You don't have to worry Tita. I know she'll be fine as soon as possible."
After that Susan come nearer to her daughter and like what Richard do, she hold her hand and caress her hair. A few hours has passed and still Rachel is not opening her eyes yet. Christine together with her husband, Andrea and Mark are came to visit her after Richard told them.
"How is she Kuya Rich?" Christine asked while caressing Rachel's hair.
"She's stable now Tine but unfortunately she's not yet opening her eyes."
Susan came out from the comfort room and finds them, they just stared to the old woman with awkwardness until Christine speak.
"Good afternoon po Mrs. Zulueta."
"Good afternoon too. Thank you for coming."
"You're always welcome Ma'am."
"Just call me Tita Susan. Congratulations on your wedding."
"Thanks po."
Susan smiled as an answer and her gaze was to Andrea. "Can we talk?" Says she.
"Po?" Andrea says.
"Can we talk iha?"
"Ah." She faces her husband and Mark nodded as sign of go talk to her. "Okay po."
The two went outside and excuse themselves to everyone. Andrea don't know what to say, she admits that she has sulk with her Ninang Susan that she also treat as her second mother before.
"Andrea." Says Susan.
"Po? Ano po bang gusto niyong pagusapan?"
"I don't know how to start but i wanted to say sorry to you and to your family, i know how much you love Rachel and treated her as your sister but i had to do that."
"You had to do what Tita? ang ilayo siya sa aming lahat kahit na sa akin. Yun po ang hindi ko maintindihan eh." Says she with tears in her eyes.
"I admit it mali ako, maling mali na inilayo ko siya sayo. We've been like family, a sister to her and i'm very thankful for that. Andrea, i'm really sorry for what i did hindi ko na sinasadya ang mga nangyari naging mali lang talaga ang desisyon ko, maling nakinig ako kay Dave." Says she sincerely.
Andrea stare her for a while and thinking something. "I heard you and Dave talking about that before but i'm not sure what is all about at ito na nga yun?"
She look up. "Yes Andrea. He told me na ang paglayo ni Rachel sa inyong lahat will help her recover and start over with new life with him."
"And you trust him?"
"Ye-s. I didn't know that he's gonna do this. I thought he loves Rachel so much."
"Can you see Tita? It's not love, it's obsession."
"I'll sue him for what he did to my daughter! He's not worth of my trust."
Andrea sees Susan in resentment to Dave so she come to her nearer and hug her as Andrea's way of saying that she forgive Susan after all she's still her godmother and she treasured all the memories they had in the past and 15 years has passed so maybe it's time to heal all the wound they had in the past and looking forward for the great future. Susan withdrawn and wipe her tears.
"Ngayon ko talaga nararamdaman ang maling ginawa ko, maling inilayo ko siya sa mabubuting katulad niyo. Thanks for being a best friend, Ate and a second mother to her."
"Ninang, you don't have to. You know what we're being dramatic. Okay na po tayo and we need right now is to take care of her."
"Yes and i will tell her the truth."
"Po? Are you sure on that? Baka mabigla po siya."
"I'll take it slow."
"Okay po if that's what you want."
The two walk and returned to the room of Rachel.
××××××××××××××××××
"Hi love!" And he kiss her cheeks.
"Oh babe, sorry ah di pa ako tapos eh."
"Okay lang Love, i'm willing to wait you kahit gano katagal." Says he.
"Sus! OA ah. Pero sige ah wait for me."
"Yes i will Love, nahintay nga kita ng 21 years eh bago kita naging girlfriend eh."
"So you're saying that you born for me?"
"Exactly."
"Bola ka pa!"
"Where are you going?"
"I'll just get my book on your car for my report tomorrow."
"Ah okay."
They stayed at their PARADISE for almost two hours. Rachel can't concentrate on what she was doing because Richard is playfully waiting for her. They decided to eat dinner together since Andrea and Mark are having a dinner with Mark's family.
"Babe, what do you want?" While looking at the menu.
"You!" Says he with seductive voice.
"Richardddddd!" He slap him with the menu when she realized that the waiter was still there waiting for their orders.
"Sorry na Love. Kahit ano ikaw ng pumili."
"Ah okay." She gave the order and the waiter list it down. "Thanks." After the ordering portion.
"Okay Ma'am, Sir. Just wait for a minute."
"Okay we will." Says she and smiled.
"Babe, excuse lang ha i need to go to the wash room."
"Okay Love."
She left him and went to the washroom. Richard was just playing in his phone when he notice that there is someone sit in front of her.
"Oh Love ang bilis mo na—." He didn't continue what he was saying when he saw the woman sitting. "What the hell are you doing here?"
She grab Richard's hand but he removed it right away. "Oh dear, why? Mabaho ba ang kamay ko?"
"What do you want?"
"You know what i want Richard. It's
YOU!" says she.
"Are you serious? May girl friend na ako."
"Sino yung babaeng yun? Richard wake up! I'm better than her, don't you see it?"
"Don't you dare compare yourself to her! Ibang iba siya sayo. Pwede ba umalis ka na kung ayaw mong mapahiya dito o baka gusto mong ipakaladkad pa kita?"
"why are you like that. I love you Richard so please be with me, choose me."
"Stop it Trisha! Umalis ka na."
She stare at him for a while teary eyes before she left and after a few seconds Rachel came and she saw everything from the time that Trish came and leave.
"Hey, what's wrong?" She ask, acting like she didn't know what really happen.
"Nothing." Says he.
Their order came and they started to eat until they finish it. No one is talking it seems like they feel awkwardness. They decided to go home since their night was being ruined by Trisha. While on the road, no one is speaking until Richard has the courage to speak.
"Dawn?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"Ha? Why are you asking that?"
"Napansin ko lang kasi you're so quiet. Is there any problem?"
"No. Walang problema. Ikaw ba?"
"A-ako wala na-naman." His voice was cracking.
"Are you sure?"
"Ye-yes."
"Then we're okay." She smiled but deep inside she feel uneasy.
"Lo-love?"
"Hmmm?"
"I have something to tell you?"
"What is it?"
"Si Trisha nagpunta kanina dun sa resto."
"What did she do?"
"She talk to me but don't worry pina-alis ko rin naman agad eh. Galit ka? Sorry."
"Alam ko. I saw the two of you and hindi ako galit. Meduo nagselos lang."
"Ui nagseselos siya. Ui."
"Ewan ko sayo! Hmf."
"Joke lang love." He hold her hand.
"Focus on the road."
"Oh. We're here already." Says he.
"Yeah. Sige na bye. Drive safely."
"Wait. Wala man lang goodnight kiss."
"Gomez ha! You're being pervert!"
"Sayo lang namn eh." He pouted his lips
She kiss it immediately.
"Ay yun lang?" With a disappointment in his voice.
"Tigilan mo ako Gomez ha. Sige na babye! Goodnight and i love you!" She smiled.
Richard caress her face and suddenly Rachel fells melted on his gaze. His face come closer to her until their lips collide.
Rachel open her eyes slowly and she finds a man sleeping on her side while holding her hands intertwined.
---------------------------------
*end of 59th chapter*
*sorry for the errors.*