Broken Hearts RX: Book II: Crestfallen (TAGALOG)

Chapter 3

Tabitha woke up at one of the hospital’s private rooms with an IV inserted on her left hand. She felt fine except that she is hungry. If she could diagnose herself, she would be having Hyperemesis gravidarum. It’s a pregnancy complication that makes the patient nauseated, faint and would vomit.

Natatakot siya sa sitwasyon niyang iyon lalo pa at mag isa lamang siyang nakatira sa siyudad na iyon. Her family actually lived two hours away from the city. She lived alone in her apartment, wala naman kaso iyon noon, pero nag iba na ang sitwasyon ngayun. She needed someone to take care of her, lalo pa nagiging komplikado ang kaniyang pagbubuntis. And telling Tristan about it was not in her list of options.

She calculated her pregnancy and she just entered her fourth month. Dapat tapos na ang pagkakaroon niya ng morning sickness. She looked to her right and found her step mom asleep holding her hand. “Andrea.” She said in a whisper, bagay na nakapaggising sa madrasta niya. Kulot ang buhok nito at maputi, hindi niya masisi ang ama dahil napaganda naman talaga ito. At kahit nagkaroon na ito ng limang anak pagkatapos itong pakasalan ng ama niya, balingkinitan pa din ang katawan nito.

“Tabi,” ngumiti naman ito. “Ako muna ang nagbantay sayo dahil busy pa sa farm ang daddy mo." Pinisil nito ang kaniya kamay ng bahagya. "Bakit hindi mo sinabing ilang buwan ka nang buntis? Hindi ka man lamang namin naalagaan.” Ang boses nito ay puno ng pagmamahal at pag-aalala para sakanya. Iyon ang nagustohan niya sa kaniyang madrasta. She was never a judgmental person. Pinipilit niyang unawain ang bawat tao sa abot ng kaniyang makakaya. The only time that she could see her monster-mom side would be when she is rounding up her boys for dinner.

Napapikit siya. Bakit nga ba hindi niya sinabi kay Andrea na buntis siya. She knows that her stepmom would always be there for her. She grew up with her. Andrea was her baby sitter. Anak ito ng katiwala ng pamilya nila, and they have been working for their family for decades. She would come and play with her when Tabi was just a toddler and she was in her late teens. Tabitha's parents married and had her pretty early, kaya naman di gaano kayo ang mga edat nito sa isa't isa. Ever since Andrea never really hid her huge crush on Tabitha’s father. Kaya naman masnaging masaya pa si Tabitha na si Andrea ang pinakasalan ng kaniyang ama. Looking at her so hurt because she chose to hide her pregnancy made her want to throw up again.

“I’m sorry. It’s just,” she paused weakly, thinking of a good excuse realizing she doesn’t have one. She actually had this scenario in mind, but she did not expect it to happen that early. “I think I just got reckless.” Yun nalang ang nasabi niya. Mind you Tabitha was raised in a very conservative way. Kaya naman her pregnancy was really a surprise. And she’s already twenty-five at that.

Andrea gave her a smile and signed, reassuring her.“Ayus lang yun. Ang importante maayus ka. Sabi saakin ng doctor dala daw ng pagsusuka kaya ka nawalan ng malay. At advice pa niya na kailangan mo ng pahinga." hinawi nito ang buhok sa nood ni Tabitha habang nagsasalita. "Ayus lang ba sayo na umuwi na muna sa bahay habang ikaw ay buntis?” Sabi nito sakanya. “para maalagaan kita ng maayus? Alam ko kung gaano kahirap ang pagbubuntis, ngayun pa at mag-isa ka lang na nakatira sa apartment mo.”

Tabitha suddenly looked anxious. “Does dad know?” Tanong niya. Ngumiti naman ang madrasta niya at tumango. “I’m sorry you had to know about it this way.”

“Gusto din naming malaman mo na kahit anu pa ang pinagdadaanan mo nandito kami bilang pamilya mo." Nakangiting sabi nito. "Lalo pa ngayung maselan itong pagbubuntis mo. You can always depend on us you know. Kahit naman twenty-five ka na baby ka pa din naming ng Daddy mo.” Napangiti si Tabitha sa sinabing iyon ng madrasta niya. Andrea loved her like her own daughter. All she had were sons kaya naman espesyal din ang bonding nilang dalawa.

Napag-isip siya. She need to resign from this hospital and transfer to their province. Malayo sa mga taong pwedeng makapagsabi kay Tristan na nagbubuntis siya. Malayo sa kanya para hindi nito isipin na binibitag niya ito. She doesn’t want him to be forced into marriage. Or was it her that would be forced into something she still not ready to face again? Loving a person who can’t love you back. Masgusto na niyang magbuntis na mag isa kesa naman sa mabagabag dahil ang taog kasama niya ay hindi naman talaga gustong makasama siya. It was reality giving her a check, and she did not like it one bit.

“I’ll rest for the week and settle everything." tugon niya dito. "And I think I’ll have to find another hospital to finish my residency in. Gusto ko po sana umuwi saatin.” She finally said. “If you’ll have me.”

Tumayo ang kaniyang madrasta at hinalikan siya nito sa noo. “We’ll always do. Tatawagan ko lang ang daddy mo. He’d been so worried about you since we received the call that you fainted and got admitted." Sabi nito habang kinukuha ang cell phone sa kaniyang bag. "At ipapahanda ko na din ang kwarto mo. I’ll stay with you here for the time being.” Sabi pa nito at agad nang tumayo upang matawagan ang kaniyang ama.

Tumingin sa malayo si Tabitha. She will be facing motherhood alone from her on out. She will do anything to give this child a bright future. And she will definitely keep the father’s identity to herself, unless of course it’s the right time to tell her child about him.

Mahal niya si Tristan that she would rather see him happy with the right person than to force him into something he doesn’t want. Ultimately this would save the two of them another heart break. She has to be strong, not only for her sake but also for the child that she was bearing. Masakit man pero alam niyang makakaya niya ito ng mag-isa.