Day 16 out of hospital
Finally, after several more days of pestering him, Shane set me up on a second date. And this time the guy, Shane's group mate in the internship from a different university, appeared.
But God, it was such a bad date. He's worse than Shane. Kagagaling niya lang sa breakup and all he could talk about was his ex. So there I was, ending up counselling him and giving him love advice like I was an expert.
Heck, if I'm an expert I won't be doing this. And guess what? He ended up thanking me and promised to man up and talk to his ex after hearing a female side of the situation. It was such a strange day. Dating is indeed tiring.
Pag-uwi ko sa bahay, nabigla ako nang makitang may nakaparadang police car sa harapan. Biglang kumabog ang dibdib ko. Even mom's car was at home.
I immediately went inside and saw all of them in the living room. My mom, two police officers, and Iñigo. Mamala was in the nearby kitchen, listening.
"What happened?" tanong ko kay Mamala. The conversation at the living room was so serious I was afraid to disturb them.
"May nangyaring aksidente sa labas ng village, Gabby, and the victim is paralyzed in the hospital."
"Oh my God," gulat kong sabi. Then I clumped up my mouth dahil bigla silang tumingin sa'kin.
Sari-saring scenario ang pumasok sa isip ko. Maliban sa mountain bike, ginagamit din ni Iñigo minsan ang kotse ni Mamala.
"Witness siya."
My train of thoughts going full speed went into a complete halt. "Witness?"
"It was a hit and run. Nagba-biking daw si Iñigo ng umaga at nakita niya. Siya ang tumawag sa ambulansya at sa baranggay."
I stared at Iñigo who was talking seriously to the officers, relaying everything he had witness in such a calm and mature manner. My little brother who I often tease is not so little anymore. I always take him as a child. When did he grow up so fast?
At the dinner table that evening, mom was silent. Iñigo apologizes for the nth time that day. "Sorry, Ma."
"You don't have to apologize," sabi ni Mama. "Pero dapat sinabi mo sa'min. Imagine the fear I felt when I heard the call from your Lola telling there were police asking for you."
I know Mom. I know how hectic her schedule could be and how she had to practically pull out a replacement doctor from thin air whenever she have emergencies like this. And I know how worried she could be. Her eyes were red. She must have teared up.
Dinner's almost done when Mom asked me. "Saan ka nanggaling, Gabriel?"
"Just... somewhere," sagot ko.
She didn't probe any further. She's tired. "'Wag mong pinapagod ang sarili mo."
That night, I told Shane about my second failed date and about the incident with the police.
"Narinig ko nga 'yong aksidente noong isang linggo. Pero hindi ko alam 'yong kay Iñigo."
"Yeah, I thought so," I told him through the phone na nakatapat sa tenga ko habang nakahiga sa kama at nakatitig sa kawalan.
"Ba't ang lungkot mo?"
"I just thought he's all grown up, you know," my voice breaks. "My family revolves around my sickness sometimes and Iñigo has been left alone nearly every time."
Especially noong unang chemo ko. It was when Iñigo was growing up but we're rarely there for him. Kaya dito tumira si Mamala sa bahay para may kasama siya.
Noong bata pa siya ako 'yong madalas kasama niya. I was the one pushing the strollers. I was the one who taught him how to ride a bike. I was the one shooing other kids and defending him.
Seeing how grown-up he was earlier I felt like I missed a lot of things. I do regret not watching my brother grow up. But I'm proud he grew up this way even with a messy family.
***