KEEPING UP WITH HER CHEERFULNESS

CHAPTER 18 "NAITAKAS"

"Ma'am?.."

Nagulat Ako ng nakasalubong ko ito..

"M..Manang Matilda?.."

"Ma'am.. " Saad nito at linapitan Ako ng may naluluhang mga mata...

"Manang Matilda... plss.. wag mo akong pigilang itakas si papa.. plss.. maawa ka.."

Pagmamakaawa ko habang nakahawak sa kamay niya..

Umiling iling ito sa sinabi ko..

"Hindi kopo kayu pipigilan... habang may Oras pa... tumakas na kayu.. " Anito na ikina kunot ng kilay ko..

"Matagal ko naring gustong Sabihin to sayu..

pero Hindi ko alam kong nasaan ka.."

Nagulat nalang Ako ng bigla itong Napahagulhul..

"Nilalason niya Ang papa mo... kitang kita ko sa sariling mga mata ko.. p.. pasensya na kong Wala akong nagawa.."

Naiyukom ko Ang mga kamay ko sa Galit..

"Manang Matilda.. Wala Kang kasalanan.."

"I..itakas mo na Siya...

ilayu mo Siya sa demonyong Babaeng Yun.."

Pag mamadali nito sakin..

"Ma..Manang Matilda?.. "

"Bilis lumayo na kayu ditu!.."

"P..pano ka?.. bakit Hindi ka nalang sumama sakin?.. "

"Hindi moko dapat ipag alala.. Ang importante..

makatakas na kayu..."

Anito habang lumingon lingon sa paligid..

"Manang... a..ano pang alam mo?.."

Naluluhang Tanong ko SA kanya na ikina tingin Niya sakin ng seryuso..

"Balak ka niyang patayin... P..pati Ang papa mo.."

Bigla akong nanigas sa sinabi nito..

"Let's go, Zhy Reil.." - Clayden

"Ma'am... mag ingat kayu..." - Manang Matilda.

~ ~ F. O. R. W. A. R. D ~ ~

Pabalik na kami ngayun sa Bahay..

Subrang dami kong Tanong sa isip ko..

Pero.. Ang importante!..

NAITAKAS KO NA SI PAPA..

Nilingon ko ito sa side mirror ng kotse..

Napangiti nalang Ako nang Makita itong tulog na..

"Thank you, Clayd.." Saad ko Ritu habang nakatingin parin SA naka tulog na si papa..

"For what?.." Sagut nito na ikina lingon ko sa kanya..

"For helping me na maitakas si papa.. kahit na.. subrang delekado ng ginawa natin kanina.. Hindi ka nag dalawang isip na tulungan Ako.."

"No big deal!.. Even if what I do ruins my name and reputation... but as long as it's for you – I won't regret it, and I'll never think that any of it was a waste!"

HETO NA NAMAN SIYA..

PAPAIYAKIN NA NAMAN AKO...

"Clayd.. gusto kong makabawi sayu kahit kunti.. tell me.. Anong pwedi kong Gawin?.."

"You don't have to do anything at all..

Because just seeing you?.. That's already enough to make me happy..

I mean.. to make me and Clara happy..

When you're happy?.. We'll be happy too..."

"Heh!.. You always say things like that...

I really don't know what to say..

Thank you, thank you, so much Clayd!.. I know that a simple 'thank you' can never fully repay you for all the help you've given me.. but.. you've always refused to take anything in return... so... This is all I can offer you.. these words straight from my heart." Saad ko habang naka tingin sa kanya..

"I truly and wholeheartedly accept your thanks...

Your welcome, Zhy Reil..." - Clayden

I immediately smiled back at him as a response..

~ ~ ~ ~

Kalaunan.. nakarating rin kami..

pag baba palang.. sinalubong agad kami ni Clara..

Nakikita ko sa mga mata nito Ang saya at takot..

"Kuya!.. ate Zhy.. ayus lang ba kayu?..."

Kinakabahan nitong Tanong..

Nginitian ko ito at hinawakan Siya sa balikat..

"Everything is fine, Clara..."

Napa hinga Naman Siya ng maluwag ng Sabihin ko iyun..

"I thought.. you guys got caught by that mean villain Bianca!"

Anito at ngumuso..

"Don't worry Clara.. Hindi Niya kami Nakita..

Naitakas namin si papa.."

Agad Naman namilog Ang mga mata nito sa sinabi ko..

Lumingon Ako sa likod.. at Nakita si Clayden na tulak tulak Ang naka wheelchair na si papa..

"Clara... this is papa..

Papa.. She's Clara.. Clayden's little sister."

Saad ko Ritu at lumapit sa kanya..

"Nandito na tayo, Papa."

Hinawakan ko siya sa kamay, nagulat nalang ako nang biglang pumatak ang mga luha nito.

"Don't worry, Papa..

Hindi magtatagal.. Gagaling ka.. Okay?..

Kaya wag ka nang umiyak. I'm here.. Hindi Ako aalis sa tabi mo.."

He couldn't speak a word.. but I could see it in his eyes.. I could read what he was trying to say..

"Stay strong, papa.. Fight hard, okay?.."

Pinunasan ko Ang mga luha nitong tumutulo..

"Pasok na tayu..." I said..

I used to burn with rage for papa, every memory of how he hurt me cut deep, sharp and unforgiving.. But now, all that anger has softened into something else. Even though the pain he caused me runs so deep it'll never truly fade.. he will always be my father.

I know I have to forgive him, because holding onto this anger is like carrying a stone in my chest that only weighs me down. His failures as a father are real, they've left scars that will always be part of me.. but blood runs deeper than pain, and he will always be the man who gave me life. Nothing, not the hurt, not the mistakes, can ever change that truth.

~ ~ ~

"Pa?.. do you like here?.." I ask him, habang tulak tulak Siya sa wheelchair..

Nasa garden kami ngayun.. pinasyal pasyal Kona muna ito para makalanghap ng sariwang hangin..

"Lagi akong nag mumuni muni ditu tuwing gusto kong mapag-isa.." I said, at yumuko sa harap niya..

"Papa.. I need to tell you something..

That Bianca is not my..."

"Zhy Reil!..."

Napa lingon Ako sa likud ng marinig ko Ang tawag nito..

"Yeah?.. b..bakit?.."

Nagtataka kong tanong sa kanya..

Lumapit ito sakin..

Napansin kong may hawak hawak itong envelope..

"The evidence is already here!"

Naguguluhan akong tumingin sa kanya..

Hanggang sa inabot nito Ang envelope na bit-bit Niya kanina..

Agad ko namang binuksan iyon at binasa..

I've been saying it this whole time!

Bianca really isn't my sister!..

Only 1 percent came out on the DNA test!.. So that's it!.. she's definitely not my sister!..

"So my hunch was right all along!"

I clenched my hands in anger..

Napatingin Ako Kay papa..

I was about to tell papa the truth..

but Clayden stopped me..

He held my hand..

so I immediately turned to look at him..

"This isn't the right time to tell him this..

You need to think about his health first..

He's still in critical condition right now..

If you tell him this now.. it'll only make things worse for him..

He'll end up hurting even more from worrying.."

I nodded at him when he said that to me..

He was right..

Clayden was right..

Dad's condition will only get worse if I tell him about all this now..

He'll get stressed out thinking about everything that's happening..

"You're right... salamat sa pag papaalala.."

I looked down at my hand, which he was still holding..

He must have noticed I was looking, because he immediately let go..

"Let's go inside.. I've already prepared dinner.."

Saad nito..

tinanguan konaman agad Siya bilang sagut..

Why do I feel different whenever I'm with this man now?

Whenever I'm with him.. everything feels lighter.. all my anxiety just fades away..

"Papa.. pumasok na tayu.."

I said, at Sinimulan itong itulak papasok..

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nang Maka pasok na ay natanaw Kona agad Ang dalawa sa kusina..

si Clara at Clayden na masayang nag kwe kwentohan sa kusina..

"Ate Zhy!.. Kumain na tayu!.. look!.. nag luto kami ni kuya ng Pancit!.." - Clara

"Ahem!.." - Clayden

"I mean... Si kuya pala...

Nag luto si kuya ng Pancit.. hehehe.." - Clara

Napatawa nalang Ako sa sinabi ni Clara..

Lumingon lingon Ako sa paligid para hanapin si..

"Btw?... umuwi na pala agad si Doctor Kiro?.."

I ask.. Hindi sila umimik.. ni pati si Clara ay napahinto at tumingin Kay Clayden..

"He's left already.. he said he has something important to attend to.." - Clayden

"Ganon ba... sege.." Sagut ko at tumango-tango..

~ ~ ~ ~

"I'll be preparing my medical supplies and equipment later on. I'm going to thoroughly evaluate your dad's stroke – run the necessary assessments to understand exactly what we're dealing with..

My first priority will be getting his condition stabilized, making sure his vital signs are steady and that no further damage is done..

I promise you, I'll move heaven and earth if I have to – I'll push every boundary and use all my expertise to help him regain his health completely.."

"Thank you Clayd..." Saad ko Ritu at nginitian Siya..

"I don't think I have anything left to worry about anymore.. because I'm certain now.. that Dad will get well under your care..

You're such a great doctor after all.."

I said, and he let out a soft laugh in response..

"Anong nakakatawa?.. tutuo Naman diba?.."

kunot kilay kong Sabi sa kanya..

"I'm just happy..

because..

at first, you were so hesitant to trust me.. but now?.. you've come to trust me so much..

And honestly, it means more to me than you could ever know.."

"You've gone out of your way for me time and time again – you've stood by me, taken care of things I couldn't handle on my own.. every single thing you've done has built up to this moment.. that's why my trust in you runs this deep.." I said..

He looked at me right away, and after a moment..

he smiled..