Meryl's POV
Nasa labas ako ng room ko dahil pupuntahan ko si Emma, I've been in the bed for the past days now, I miss her
I hope she's okay now, I can't really describe how unmotivated she looks, it's not a very Emma thing.
Anyways, nakita kong wala si Marcus sa room niya, I wonder where he is
Nagpatuloy nalang ako sa paglalakad
Nang malapit na ako sa room ni Emma, nakita ako ni Rosa, bago pmn ako makapasok, sinabihan niya akong wala daw siya sa room niya
"Huh? Edi nasan siya?", I asked
"Mag didiner daw sila ni Marcus", simpleng sabi ni Rosa.
"Marcus?", I heard joy in my tone, "Bati na sila?"
Bobo, baka di alam ni Rosa
"I guess so honey, why don't you go along with them?"
I am so happy, I can't believe it, excited na akong makita sila
"Thanks Rosa, thank you talaga!", I exclaimed.
Nagmamadali akong pumunta sa elevator
Nang makarating ako sa cafeteria, nakita kong nag hoholding hands ang dalawa
Sandali, kalma ka lang Meryl, kalma
"Pota shet, kinikilig ako", bulong kong sabi sa sarili ko
Hindi nila ako napansin or nakita
Kaya naplanohan kong magpaselos-selos dahil hindi nila ako sinama
I approached them pero hindi sila lumingon, focus na focus sa eachother, nakaka-inis siya somehow.
"Ehem", I made the sound, "excuse me"
Nagulat pa si Emma
Binitawan nila ang kanilang mga kamay
"O.A mo", I commented at her action
"Oy Meryl, nandito ka na pala", sabi ni Marcus
"Oo no! Kanina pa kaya ako nandito, inlove kayo ah? Bakit? Kayo na?"
Kinikilig si Emma sa sinasabi ko, nag cringe ako
"Tekaaa! Teka lang!", with hand gestures pa, "nagseselos ako", I crossed my arm
Walang umimik sa kanila, tiningnan lang nila ako, "duh! Hindi kayo nagsabi na mag dinner pala together", I rolled my eyes at them
Binigyan ako ni Emma ng sandaling tawa.
"Sorry Meryl", tumayo siya at yinakap ako, binigyan niya ako ng kiss sa cheeks, ang excited naman ni Emma, sayang saya sis?
"Sooo?", I'm waiting for the answer of my question earlier
Binigyan ako ng malaking ngiti ni Emma, she intertwined her fingers to Marcus' and happily said to me, "oo! Kami na"
I am shocked, too shocked even
"OMAYGHADDDD!!!! OMAYGHADDD!!!", ang lakas ng boses ko kaya agad itong tinakpan ni Emma pero hindi ako tumigil
"Hoyy shit!!", pinilit ko paring sabihin
Tumawa si Marcus at triny ni Emma na hindi tumawa
Short after, she removed her hands from my mouth as I keep on hitting her.
Sinapak ko rin si Marcus, "pero puta shet, ba't ngayon niyo lang sinabi, kailan pato ha?", I rolled my eyes at them, "Edi wow guys!"
"Kanina lang naman, may plano kaya kaming sabihan ka, duh, pwede ba namang hindi?", Emma uttered
"Ayieieie, nakakabigay ligaya, sobra!", I said
"Well..", Marcus said
"Kayo ha, ang o.a niyo, ito lang pala ang ending, hays", I said
I am really happy for them, I'm gonna support them until my last breath
Until my last breath
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Emma's POV
Nandito na ako sa room ko, hindi parin ako makapaniwala sa mga nangyari kanina, sa araw na'to
Sobra, I am so happy that I even got to tell my mom what happened, it's crazy
Now, she's here, sleeping at the visitor's chair.
She didn't oppose to it or even hated the idea, she's happy for me actually.
I can't help but feel very happy that now, I'm having trouble sleeping
Pa ulit-ulit ko nalang binasa conversation namin ni Marcus
Kinikilig ako, sobra
Hindi ako nag eexpect, iba talaga ang tama pag inlove ano?
Akalain mo, isang Emma Dela Cruz magiging ganito, hays, pano nayan self?
Well, I'm not complaining.
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The next morning came
Si Rosa ang una kong nakita, prineprepare niya ang pagkain ko before I go on my dialysis
Hindi agad ako umimik, pinipikit-pikit ko pa mga mata ko
"Ang aga mo naman, may dialysis schedule 'tong si Emma"
Huh? Who's she talking to?
I opened my eyes widely as I hear a manly voice
"And that's why I'm checking on her"
Sandali
Bumangon ako at inayos sarili ko, nakita ko si Marcus
Si Marcus talaga
At narinig kong may nag flush sa C.R
"Marcus?!", I'm shocked
"Goodmorning Emma", he smiled
"Goodmorning honey, you should get ready for today's schedule", Rosa said afterwards
I nodded, lumapit si Marcus sa'kin pero lumayo ako, pumunta ako sa CR, pero bago ko pa naman na open yung door, lumabas si Meryl
"Goodmorning sleeping beauty", she jokingly said
"Goodmorning", at dumiretso ako sa CR
Tiningnan ko ang sarili ko sa mirror
Ang haggard
Palagi ka namang haggard Emma, sabi ng utak ko
Nag wash nalang ako ng face ko, pagkalabas ko, nakita ko si Meryl nagtake ng pictures sa outside world gamit ang window ko
At si Marcus naman, tiningnan yung mga pictures na denidesign ko.
"Oh andito na, kompleto na ang mga kailangan mo bago ang dialysis mo, I'll be back", sabi ni Rosa
Tumigil na sila Marcus at Meryl sa mga ginagawa nila
Bumalik ako sa bed ko, "Thanks Rosa, what would I do without you?", I said
"No problem baby, it's my job", she smiled
Lumapit sila Marcus at Meryl sa'kin habang palabas na si Rosa
"Ang aga niyo ah, kumakain naba kayo?", tanong ko
"Hindi pa", sagot naman ni Marcus, binigyan ko siya ng isang masamang tingin, "di, joke lang, ofcourse naman", sabi niya ka agad
"So you're going on dialysis again?", may pa pout pa'tong si Meryl
"Yep, keeps me alive", I said with a funny tone, "what are you guys been up to these days, we didn't got to catch up on eachother yesterday"
"Okay lang ako, minomonitor parin naman sa mga doktor", sabi ni Marcus, "na alala mo ba yung sabi ko na lumala raw yung sakit ko?", tanong niya sakin
"Oh bakit?", tanong ko naman kaagad
"The doctors now said I'm slowly getting better, C immitis is in fact, curable without even any treatments", he stopped and looked at me
"The doctors were even relieved how I didn't got the aspergillosis even though I have weakened immune system, but I'll get better soon, better than this, that's for sure", he uttered
I'm happy for him
"That's great news, really", I commented
Tahimik naman si Meryl kaya lumingon ako sa kanya, "eh ikaw madam?", tanong ko sa kanya
She let out a short laugh, "I swear you don't wanna know"
Marcus and I looked at eachother, as Meryl noticed it, she said, "oh it's nothing guys, promise gagaling ako, tapos makapag shopping na tayo, laro arcade games"
I hate the way she sounds, it's like she's unsure, very unsure.
"Meryl", I started
"Don't get me started Ems, I'll survive, okay?", she asked for it so I stopped
"Okay, I love you. We love you, okay?", sabi ko
She rolled her eyes at me, na feel kong ngumiti si Marcus, "yeah whatever, kumain ka na, may schedule ka pa naman"
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"I will always be here with you", sabi ni Meryl
"Eh, promise yan ha?", tanong ko, nagtataka dahil parang goodbye message
"Oo, ano ka ba!? Ba't naman kita iiwan?", sabi niya
Ngumiti nalang ako
Nakita ko si Marcus sa hindi kalayuan, "Hi Marcus!", bati ko sa kanya
Pero hindi siya umimik, diretso-diretso ang paglalakad niya patungo sa akin
Inabot niya ang kamay ko, tumayo ako sa kung saan ako naka-upo
Nakatalikod na ako kay Meryl ngayon
Tumingin si Marcus kay Meryl na may mga luha sa mata, ni hindi ko naman nakita 'yon kanina
"Goodbye Meryl", tinig ni Marcus
Naguguluhan ako! Bakit?
Lumingon ako kay Meryl at nakikita ko siyang nag struggle sa tubig, tubig na bigla bigla nalang nagpakita
I kept on moving but I somehow can't move, tiningnan ko si Marcus, tumutulo lang yung mga luha niya
"Hoy! Tulungan natin siya", sabi ko sa kanya
Hindi umimik si Marcus
"Marcus! Wag ka namang ganyan, you're scaring me", triny kung lumayo pero para kaming nasa box
"Marcus!", I am shaking him like I am waking up a person pero hindi siya nag rerespond
"Meryl, teka lang, sandali", triny kong tinanggal ang mga sapatos na ginagamit ko pero nang lumingon ako ulit kay Meryl, wala na siya
Wala na rin si Marcus...
Ako nalang ba mag isa? Ako na naman?
"No!!! Shit! Wag! Hindi ito pwede!", umiyak na ako, cried like there's tomorrow
So much grieve, so much sorrow.
Nagising ako sa panaginip ko, may tumutulong luha sa mukha ko at naramdaman ko ang sakit sa puso ko
Parang totoo
Nakatulog pala ako, I thought
I wiped my tears
What if that dream was a sign?
"Hey gorgeous", napalingon ako sa tawag niya, si Marcus pala
Am I feeling the wrong vibe or is there something really going on?
Marcus is however smiling but still carries this negative energy
Kaya tinanong ko siya ka agad.
"Sa'n si Meryl?", I asked
Hindi siya umimik kaagad, kumuha muna siya ng upuan at tumabi sa'kin, "nasa room niya, nagpapahinga", he replied
Why is she not here?
"Why? May nangyari ba?", I asked again
Hindi na naman niya ako sinagot kaagad
After awhile, he just nodded, he was hesitant but he did
"Then we should go, we should check on her"
Pero tinigilan niya ako at hinawakan ang kamay ko, "what are you doing? We should go", may mga luha ng lumalabas sa mga mata ko
Nanginginig na ako
Shit, Meryl naman e
"Hey, hey, look at me", triny niyang pakalmahin ako, "Emma, look at me"
I looked at him
"You---you wanna know what happened?", he asked
"Yes please", hagulhol kong sabi
"Don't--don't-- please, let's calm ourselves Emma", he said
"Marcus naman eh", umiiyak na talaga ako
Hindi siya umimik, tinitigan niya lang ako. He is clearly waiting for me to calm
Once, I calmed myself
"She's getting weaker, she might not be able to join us anymore, she'll be in her room for the rest of the year", he said
"But she'll be fine, right? She'll---she'll survive, right?", I asked
It's stupid but I asked
"I'm---I'm not--, I don't know", he simply said it
Hindi ko na kinaya, nag breakdown nalang ako sa harap ni Marcus
I knew this would come, and this is what I'm most scared of
Losing people
Losing them