Chapter 7-Crush
1109 Words
[Akina Dein Archangel]
My eyes started to pool in tears when I entered the private room again after calming myself. Aica and Sir Bryan were left outside to give us privacy.
"Akina, come here…" My mom raised her arms, urging me to hug her.
"I'm sorry, Mom…" I went in between her arms and sobbed on her chest. "I'm sorry you have to go through that alone."
"It's okay." She caressed my hair before letting me go. She wiped away the tears streaming down my cheeks. "You're beautiful when you cry."
"Mom, please…don't leave me. Hindi pa ako ready. Magpagaling ka…"
"I've already convinced her," dad said. "But she keeps on insisting not to do her treatment."
"But why, Mom? Ayaw mo na ba talaga na gumaling? Gusto mo na kaming iwan?"
"Hindi sa gano'n, anak." She held my cheeks gently. "I simply don't want to waste my time undergoing therapy if I'm going to die anyway. Pareho lang tayo masasaktan at aasa na gagaling ako."
"But I don't want you to die! We don't want you to die, Mom!" I started crying again." Isipin mo naman kami!"
"I-I'm sorry, anak…" Her words pierced my heart like knives. Her eyes were full of determination…like she doesn't want to live anymore.
I couldn't do anything to convince her. I just cried there silently.
"Alam kong nahihirapan ka, anak…pero mas mabuting hayaan na natin siya sa gusto niya," dad told me while mom was asleep. We were sitting on the couch while watching her sleep.
"I still don't understand why…" My eyes couldn't stop pooling in tears. "Why would she give up her life just like that?"
"I honestly have no idea. She is my wife, but she's unable to express herself to me. Hanggang ngayon ay nangangapa pa rin ako sa kaniya."
I looked at him, witnessing the beads of tears coming from his eyes. He's suffering, too.
"18 years…18 years na kaming kasal pero hindi ko pa rin maintindihan na sa tinagal ng panahon…hindi niya ako magawang mahalin. I gave her everything."
"I'm sure she has reasons, Dad." I hugged his arms to console her.
"But we better respect her decision. She doesn't want the treatment…ibigay na natin 'yon sa kaniya."
"But, Dad…" I begged.
"You know your mom very well. Kapag gusto niya, gusto niya talaga. Wala tayong magagawa. All we have to do is pray for her."
As much as I want to refuse…I feel tired arguing with him and with my mom. Pagod na rin akong umiyak. My chest was so heavy until now.
Dad went out to buy some food. Gusto niyang umuwi na ako pero gusto ko pa mag-stay with Mom. I sat beside her hospital bed and held her hand gently.
"Why do you keep on hiding secrets from us, Mom? First, you can't tell us the reason why you couldn't love Dad back. Second, the reason why you decided to surrender yourself to death. Why, Mom? Hindi na ba kami enough para lumaban ka? Do we make you unhappy?"
My eyes started to heat again but before a tear fell from it, Aica and Sir Bryan went in.
Aica gave me a comforting hug. "I'm really sorry. Sana maging okay na si Tita Akira."
"I-I hope so…kahit alam kong imposible."
She let go of me and stared at my face with a surprised look. "Imposible? Why?"
"She doesn't want the treatment."
"You should've convinced her more," Sir Bryan told me suddenly. I saw him looking at my mom…with concern in his eyes.
"You think I didn't try convincing her?" I raised my voice. "She doesn't want to live anymore and I don't know why. You think this is easy for me?"
"Akina…" Aica held my arms to calm me down.
"Hindi siya ganito dati," he said, ignoring me. "Oo, malungkot siya noon pero hindi umabot sa puntong sumuko na siya na mabuhay."
"What do you know about her?" I asked him, getting curious now.
He looked at me instead, refusing to answer. "Just…take care of her. I have to go."
Before I could react, he already walked out of the room. Mukhang nagmamadali pa.
That moment, I know he keeps a secret that only he and my mom know.
I didn't attend my class the next day. Umuwi lang ako saglit sa bahay para magpalit at kumuha ng damit and then bumalik na ulit ako. I wanted to stay beside her kahit pa ayaw ni Dad, but I insisted.
I slept on the couch, while Dad stayed beside Mom, holding her hands while sleeping.
"I came as soon as I heard," Miggy told me the next morning.
Naka-uniform pa siya at may dalang basket ng mga fruits. Nilagay niya 'yon sa table. He looked sleepless just by looking at the dark circles under his eyes.
"What the hell happened to you?" I asked him with my brows furrowed. I tried to point out his eyebags but he was so quick to catch my wrist.
"H-Huwag mo nang intindihin ang eyebags ko. Kamusta si Tita Akira?" He let go of my wrist.
I looked at my mom's bed. Miggy and Aica's father were there to visit her. My mom seemed happy while talking to them.
"She's okay…for now…" It was almost a whisper.
Miggy extended his hands to hug me but stopped halfway. He put his hands inside his pockets instead before faking a cough.
"Magiging okay din ang lahat. Huwag ka nang sumimangot diyan."
"My mom is sick. Wala akong time to smile like everything is okay." I looked at his eyes but he quickly avoided my gaze. "You look miserable. Nag-away kayo ng girlfriend mo?"
"H-Huh?" Pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata.
"Huh?" I mocked him. "You said na may girlfriend ka na. Hindi ba totoo 'yon?"
He scratched the side of his head, laughing awkwardly. "A-Ah…oo. May girlfriend nga ako."
"And she's the reason why you look like a zombie right now?" I sarcastically said. "I wonder what kind of girl she is. Why don't you introduce her to us?"
"T-Teka, hindi ka galit na may tinago akong girlfriend?"
I suddenly remembered what Sir Bryan told me yesterday. Secrets are part of life. Naiintindihan ko na may mga bagay na hindi kailangan ipangalandakan sa iba by keeping it to yourself. Maybe Miggy just wants to have his privacy when it comes to relationships. Thanks to Sir Bryan.
Speaking of Sir Bryan…I saw him walking in. He looked fresh wearing a white sweater and black pants. His eyeglasses were there too to complete his look.
"May crush ka ba kay Sir Bryan?"
Napatingin ako kay Miggy nang itanong niya 'yon bigla. "W-What?"
- Writer
