Brian's POV
Veronica just called to tell me na malapit na daw sila and a few minutes later, they arrived na nga.
"Briana, hi." Tita Tanya greeted my Mom pagkapasok nila sa dining room.
"Hello, dear. I like your dress ha." Mom told Tita Tanya.
Si Dad naman at Tito Viniel, katulad din ng dati. They greeted each other with smiles and hand shakes.
Veronica's worried face was the first thing I saw nang makapasok siya sa dining room namin. She greeted my Mom and Dad pero kitang-kita ko pa rin sa mukha niya ang pag-aalala.
Lumapit ako sa kanya and I took her hand na nanlalamig nga. "Hey, I told you not to worry about this. We'll be fine."
"Uh, sorry. I just can't help it. Paano kung hindi nila maintindihan? What if they get mad or something?" Nag-aalalang sabi niya pa rin.
"We won't know kung hindi natin 'to gagawin." I smiled at her, hoping that it will calm her somehow. "And whatever happens, I'll be here, okay?"
She squeezed my hand bago siya sumagot ulit. "Thanks, Brian. I really don't know what to do kung wala ka."
That sounds nice. I can't help but smile.
We started eating kaya nag-simula na rin ang kwentuhan. While me, I'm still figuring out kung paano ko sasabihin 'to sa kanila.
"Nasan nga pala si Veera? Bakit hindi siya nakasama?" Tanong ni Mom kay Tita Tanya.
"Ay naku, nandun sa Ninang Juliana niya." Sagot naman ni Tita Tanya.
"Ay sayang naman. Di bale, maybe next time?" Sabi naman ni Mom then she turned to us. "By the way, anak. How are you and Veronica so far? I was still wondering kasi kung bakit bigla kang nag-invite for dinner."
"Uhm. . . Actually, Mom we have to tell you something." And this is when Veronica squeezed my hand again.
"Whoa. You seem serious, anak ha? I hope it's not about giving us a grand child yet." Dad joked kaya naman nagtawanan din sila Tito Viniel.
"Actually, Dad it's about the engagement." I started. God! Paano ko ba sasabihin. Tahimik lang si Veronica sa tabi ko but she holds tightly to my hand.
"O, what about it?" Tito Viniel asked. "That would be two years from now pa, right?"
"Uh, yes po, but I'm afraid na. . ." Baka hindi na po 'yun matuloy.
Ugh! Ano ba 'to? Paano ko ba itutuloy ang sasabihin ko?
Tahimik lang si Veronica sa tabi ko. She still looks nervous and until now, hindi pa rin siya bumibitaw sa kamay ko. She even held it tighter.
"You're afraid that what?" Si Dad. This time, nawala na ang ngiti niya. It was replaced by confusion.
"I'm afraid na hindi na—" Itutuloy ko na sana ang sasabihin ko but I was cut off by the pain in my chest.
Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko when the pain got worse. God! Ano bang nangyayari? Bakit sobrang sakit?
"Brian, what's happening? May masakit ba?" I heard panic in Veronica's voice pero hindi ko siya masagot. I can't even speak dahil sa sakit.
"Anak, oh my God! Ano nararamdaman mo? Tell me, please." It's Mom. Just like Veronica, I can hear the panic in her voice. Tears are streaming down her face too.
"Brian, sumagot ka, please." Veronica spoke again and this time she's crying too.
I groaned. "It hurts, Veronica. Ang sakit-sakit." I manage to say.
Halos mapatiklop na ako sa sobrang sakit. Veronica squeezed my hand again at ganon din ang ginawa ko, hoping that it will ease the pain but it doesn't.
"Hindi ko na kaya, Veronica."
The last thing I remember seeing is Veronica's tear-stained face.
And then everything went black.
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Veronica's POV
Nagka-gulo kaming lahat when Brian passed out. His grip in my hand loosen too kaya mas lalo akong nag-aalala.
He fell out of his chair when he passed out, buti na lang at naalalayan ni Tita ang ulo niya or else, it will hit the floor.
"Harry, come on, let's bring Brian to the hospital." Hysterical na si Tita Briana when she called Tito Harry na tinulungan naman siya agad.
"Veronica, anak. Call the driver para madala na natin si Brian sa hospital, go." Tatay said na sinunod ko naman agad.
Gosh! Ano bang nangyayari kay Brian? He doesn't look fine a while ago but I really pray that he is.
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We were staying at the seats near the emergency area kung saan sinugod si Brian kanina. Kasama ko ngayon si Nanay at Tatay. We were filled with silence until I spoke nang hindi ko na matiis ang pag-aalala.
"Nay, okay lang kaya si Brian? Ano kayang nangyari sa kanya?" Sabi ko kay Nanay bago ako sumandal sa balikat niya.
"I don't know, anak but I hope that he is." She said and tried to calm me. "Wala rin namang nakukwento sa'kin si Briana about Brian's health kaya I have no clue."
"Don't worry, anak. Brian will be fine, okay?" Sabi naman ni Tatay saka niya ako inakbayan.
Good thing they're here or else I don't know what to do.
Lumabas rin sila Tita Briana at Tito Harry after they talked to Brian's doctor. Halos manlambot na si Tita Briana sa kakaiyak kaya naka-alalay sa kanya si Tito Harry. Lalo tuloy akong nag-alala, ano ba talagang nangyayari kay Brian?
"Viniel, Tanya, can you take care of Briana for a while? I just need to call Brent to let him know what happened." Kalmado lang magsalita si Tito but I can clearly see the sadness in his face.
"Yes, Harry. Kami nang bahala kay Briana." Sagot naman ni Nanay.
"Thanks, Tanya. Excuse me." He said bago siya tuluyang umalis.
Nanay then turned to Tita Briana na pinaupo niya sa tabi niya. "Bri, anong sabi ng doctor? Is Brian okay?"
A sob came out from her bago siya nakasagot. "H-He's not, Tanya."
My heart raced nang marinig ko 'yon. Lalo akong kinabahan. What does she even mean with that?
"Ano bang nangyari kay Brian, Bri? Why did he passed out?" Nag-aalalang tanong din ni Nanay.
She calmed herself before answering and my world stopped when I heard the next thing that she said.
"Brian has a congenital heart disease. His heart has holes. Holes, Tanya." Napaiyak na naman siya. "And his condition is getting worse."
Natahimik na lang rin sila Nanay at Tatay dahil sa narinig nila. Kahit ako hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. I don't even know if there are any words that can make Tita Briana feel better.
"But, Tita, he will be okay, right?" I asked when I finally found my voice kahit na parang alam ko naman na ang isasagot niya. "May paraan naman po para gumaling siya 'di ba?"
"A heart transplant is what he needs, Veronica. He needs a new heart." She said before tears streamed down her face again. "Pero habang hindi pa kami nakakahanap ng donor, I still don't know kung magiging okay pa siya."
This time, tumulo na lahat ng luhang kanina ko pa pinipigil. No, this can't be happening. God! Bakit naman si Brian pa?
Tatay hugged me and I cried harder in his arms. "Shh. . . It's okay, anak. Don't cry ha?"
I don't know how I long I cried. Brian may not be my boyfriend anymore but I'm saddened by the fact na may sakit siya and I don't even know about it.
"Tita, c-can I see him?"
Pinayagan naman ako ni Tita kaya agad akong pumunta sa kwarto niya.
Dahan-dahan akong naupo sa kama ni Brian. Mas lalo akong nalungkot when I saw his face. His lips turned blue at kahit natutulog siya, kita sa mukha niyang nahihirapan siya.
I reached for his hands. "Brian. . . I'm sorry. Sorry talaga."
Sunud-sunod na namang tumulo ang luha ko. God! Bakit naman kasi si Brian pa? He did nothing but love us.
And if there's someone who deserves, this punishment, it's me. Kasi ako 'yung nagkamali. Ako 'yung may kasalanan sa kanya.
I leaned down para mayakap ko siya. I put my head on his chest and from there, I listened to his heart beats. Parang bumalik tuloy sa akin ang mga sinabi ni Tita kanina.
"A heart transplant is what he needs, Veronica. He needs a new heart. Pero habang hindi pa kami nakakahanap ng donor, I still don't know kung magiging okay pa siya."
Maybe there's still a way para gumaling si Brian.
Maybe I can still make things right. . .
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A/N: Try ko mag-update ulit next week. 😘 few chapters to go na lang, guys. 😍😍😍