Once Upon A Tale

Manila Encounters: #04

It's been a month since Ahne confined in the hospital and today is our hight ball.

"Sky ngayon yung ball right?" she asked

"Yeah bakit? Don't tell me... "nagdududa kong saad pero tumango sya at alam ko na ang sasabihin nya.

"Punta ka mamaya para kahit papaano mag-enjoy ka naman" nanghihina nyang sabi pero agad akong umiling

"No, no ayoko nga wala ka naman doon kaya di rin nakaka-enjoy dito nalang ako bantayan nalang kita." pag-apila ko kaya napailing nalang sya

"kulit mo eh noh? Sige ganito nalang, mauna ko na night ball susunod nalang ako. Okay?" nakangiti nyaang saad.

"baka may mangyari sayo doon Ahne, hindi kapa magaling." Nag-aalala kong tono

"Hindi, ayos lang ako. Pinayagan din ako ng doktor." Wala akong nagawa dahil masyado akong marupok sa kanya.

Agad akong naligo at nagbihis hang makuntento na ako ay bumaba tsaka nagpaalam na ako umalis. Pagkarating ko doon ay marami ng tao pero hinintay ko sya at umupo ako sa gilid. Nagsisimula na ang program pero wala pa rin sya.

Hanggang sa may kumalabit sa akin kaya napatingin ako, magagalit na sana ako ng makita ko Ahne suot ang puting bestida na pinarisan ng bulaklak na crown sa ulo at sandals.

"Hey you look like beggar sa tabi." she laughed a little. Anyway may I dance to the beggar?" biro nya tsaka ngumiti.

Mukha syang anghel. .

I chuckle at her and nod. Mabagal na tomutog ang kanta ni Ed Sheeran na Photograph na paborito nya.

Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes, But it's the only thing that I know. When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes

Her breathing began to raged. I know from the start that her illness is not just simple, a normal disease doesn't need chemotherapy and that time I learned that she has Acute Myeloid Leukemia, alam ko na rin na wala ng pag-asa dahil may taning na ang buhay nya.

Inchilig nya ang kanyang ulo sa aking dibdib. "Let's stay like this for a while, hmm? Napapagod na ako eh" nanginginig na kumapit nya sa balikat ko

"You know that I won't last right? I'm sorry if leave you alone Alam mo ba? Not that I'm scared of dying but you know, but I'm afraid of what will you do if I am gone." basag ang boses nya at nagsimula na syang humagulhol.

Natapos ang sayawan ng gabing iyon at nang gabing you Ahne is dead. At the hospital, no longer breathing. Kinaumagahan natagpuan.

My Lover,

To Ahne, I'll never forget you. You are my bestfriend and a lover All your sufferings are my suffering too. It hurts, the pain is still here after all the years pass. At first hindi ko alam kung paano are babangon mula sa pagkawala mo. But eventually I recovered and know to accept all. Nakakiala ako ng babaeng halos katulad mo. She's amazing and I love her so much. Nagkaroon ako ng pamilya. And now I'm already 65 years old with contented and happy life with my wife. Thank you for all the things you've thought to me. Fly high my first love.

-Sky