Her Last Wish

Chapter Twelve

Chapter 12

Jane’s new found friends helped her momentarily forget about her condition, but no matter how hard she tries to deny the reality, it will always come to show and slap her with the truth.

“Baby. . .” Kriz lovingly called for her daughter with a smile plastered on her lips. She opened her arms wide, waiting for Jane to come and embrace her. Pansamantalang naestatwa si Jane sa kaniyang kinatatayuan. Paunti-unting gumihit ang pait at sakit sa mga mata ng dalaga ng nakita niya ang pekeng ngiti ng ina at ang bakas ng kalungkutan na pilit itinatago ng kaniyang mga mata.

“M-Mommy.” Jane walked towards her mom, wrapping her arms around her and feeling the warmth of her embrace. Jane bit her lower lip as she tried to suppress the small tears forming on the side of her eyes. Pilit niyang pinipigilang maiyak dahil ayaw niyang malaman ng kaniyang ina na alam niya ang lahat.

Kriz could not stop a tear from falling. Agad naman siyang bumitaw sa yakap at nag-iwas ng tingin para palihim na punasan ang bakas ng luha sa kaniyang pisngi. 

“O-Oh sorry. . . napuling lang ako,” Kriz lied, releasing a sad and fake chuckle. Having to keep the truth from her daughter felt like a big thorn piercing through her heart. As much as she hates keeping secrets, she wants to protect Jane’s innocence. 

“Anyways, are you ready to go home now?” Kriz asked with a small smile on her face.

“Yes. . . ma.” Jane slowly nodded in reply, and smiled. “Magpapaalam muna ako sa mga friends ko, then we can go.”

Kriz smiled and gave her daughter a nod. “Go, hija,” she said. “I’ll just wait for you at the entrance, okay?” She smiled, and Jane nodded.

Jane took a deep breath before bringing herself to face her new found friends. “Pa’no ba ‘yan?” She pouted. “Uuwi na muna ‘ko. I’ll just come visit you guys, then we’ll play another temple run tournament!” she chirped.

Jane let out a small chuckle when she saw the hint of sadness in her friends’ eyes. Within a short span of time, she managed to establish a strong and wonderful relationship with each other.

“Ano ba kayo uy! Don’t worry. I think I’ll be back sooner than expected.” She bitterly smiled, slowly bringing herself to bite her lower lip. 

“Mamimiss kita!” Agad nilapitan ni Venus ang kaibigan para gawaran ito ng isang mahigpit na yakap. 

“H’wag kang masyadong malungkot ah?” She then gazed into Jane’s eyes. “Puwedeng umiyak, pero h’wag munang sumuko. Bilang lang ang oras natin pero hindi ibig sabihin no’n na talo na tayo.”

Dahil sa sinabi ng kaibigan, hindi na napigilan ni Jane na mapaiyak, pero agad din naman niyang pinunasan ang mga luha at nagpakawala ng isang maliit na tawa. 

“Venus naman ‘eh!” Jane chuckled, humorlessly. “Pinapaiyak mo ‘ko!” She then pouted.

“Mas mabuti ngang umiiyak ‘eh. Crying cleanses the eyes and puts a broken heart at ease,” hirit ni Venus.

Matapos magpaalam ay sinumulan ni Jane na maglakad papunta sa exit ng hospital. At sa bawat hakbang na ginagawa ni Jane ay hindi niya mapigilan ang pagkirot ng kaniyang puso. A huge part of her was extremely pained by the fact that she’ll be going home with a ticking clock.

Saglit na huminto si Jane at bumunot ng isang malalim ng hininga, trying to calm her heart as she reflected on Venus’ words — kailangan niyang magpakatatag at lumaban.

-

“Is there some place you want to go to, or do you want us to go home straight?” malambing na pagtanong ni Kriz sa anak na ngayo’y tahimik na nakaupo sa backseat. Pasimple niya itong sinulyapan sa rearview mirror at nakita itong umiling-iling.

“I feel swamped, mommy.” Jane smiled, lightly.. “Let’s go home na, may pasok pa ko sa school bukas,” she said.

“Straight home, it is.” Kriz nodded, honouring her daughter’s request.

The whole car was silent all throughout the ride home — Jane kept herself preoccupied by counting the number of buildings that they were passing by. Pinili ni Jane na tumahimik na lamang sa takot na baka tuluyan siyang malunod sa sakit at maiyak. She then traced the droplets of water on the window with her finger and let out a sad smile. Tila ba nakikiramay ang panahon sa nararamdaman niya — ang mga ulap na lamang ang umiyak para sa kaniya.

Pagkarating sa bahay ay agad na dumiretso si Jane sa kaniyang kuwarto upang makapagpahinga. Agad na ibinagsak ni Jane ang katawan sa kaniyang malambot na kama. Saglit siyang napatingin sa kawalan at ilang ulit na napabuntonghininga, hanggang sa hindi niya na namalayang naguunahan na pala sa bagsak ang kaniyang mga luha.

-

“How do we tell her?” mahinahong tanong ni Arthur sa asawa. “As much as we want to protect her, she needs to know the truth.”

Saglit na tumigil sa pagsusuklay si Kriz para lingunin ang asawa. Dahan-dahan siyang umiling at napabuntonghininga.

“C-Can we just not tell her?” Kriz sadly gazed into her husband’s eyes. “I. . . I can’t bear to tell her.”

Arthur sighed after running his fingers through his hair. He then took his glasses off to massage the bridge of his nose while balling his other hand into a fist as he rested it on his lap. 

Slowly, tears started to form on the sides of Kriz’s eyes. She bit her lower lip and looked down. At the back of her mind she thought, “Out of all the people in the world, why did it have to be my daughter?” 

And so, the night went on to be one of the saddests times for the Garcia Household — Both, Kriz and Arthur, were disheartened as Jane secretly cried herself to sleep.

The following day, Jane woke up early as usual and prepared herself for school. Despite yesterday’s pain, she wants to live her days like nothing ever happened. 

“Everything is going to be fine.” Jane took a deep breath as she looked at her reflection in the mirror before plastering a beautiful smile on her full pinkish lips. Pagkatapos mag-ayos ay maligalig na lumabas ng kaniyang kuwarto si Jane at bumaba patungong dining room.

“Good morning, everyone!” Jane happily chirped, greeting everyone like a beam of sunshine she is.

“Good morning, baby,” nakangiting bati pabalik ni Kriz sa anak. “Come, let’s eat breakfast na,” pag-aaya nito.

Jane nodded and pulled a chair for her to sit on. The whole family ate breakfast together, like how they usually would. Kriz would happily scoop some food and put it on Jane’s plate, while Arthur smilingly watched how his beloved wife took care of their princess, silently wishing that he could somehow stop time. 

“Arthur, my friend!” Isasara pa lang sana ni Arthur ang pinto ng kaniyang sasakyan ng agad siyang sinalubong ng bati ni Alberto.

“Alberto.” Pasimpleng tinanguan at binigyan ni Arthur ng ngiti ang kaibigan. Saglit na nabaling ang atensiyon niya sa kasama ng kaibigan.

“Right.” Bahagyang tumawa si Alberto bago nilingon ang kasamang si Aia. “You might have met her already, but, still, allow me to introduce you to each other.” He smiled.

“Arthur, meet my daughter, Aia Marie Fuente.” For a moment, Aia was stunned by her father’s words. It was the first time he acknowledged her as his own — it brought her to feel her heart flutter. 

“I heard that the boards are planning to look for an teen brand ambassador, so I brought her here to audition. Isn’t Jane going to audition?” In a blink of an eye, the stuttle joy in Aia’s heart disappeared as she realized her father’s motive. 

Aia secretly clenched her fist into a ball. “He’s just using me to satisfy his greed.”

-

“Good morning, Jane!”

“Uy Jane, bakit absent ka kahapon?”

“Looking bright as usual. Hi Jane!” Sunod-sunod na bumati ang mga student na nakakatagpo ni Jane sa school corridor. Nakangiti namang binati pabalik ni Jane ang bawat isa sa mga ito.

As a consistent honor student and student council officer, halos kilala na si Jane sa buong high school department at pati man din ng iilang college students. Likas na palakaibigan si Jane kaya naman ay maraming gustong mapalapit sa kaniya.

“Jane!” Bahagyang natawa si Jane nang marinig ang pag-alingawngaw ng boses ng kaibigang si Lara. Saglit siyang tumigil sa paglalakad at nilingon ang pinanggalingan ng boses nito.

“Hi, Lara,” natatawang bati ni Jane sa kaibigan. 

Agad naman siyang hinila ni Lara para yakapin ng mahigpit. “Na-miss kita!” saad nito. 

“Na-miss ko rin ang kaingayan mo.” Mag-iisang linggo na no’ng huli sila nagkita ng kaibigan kaya naman sigurado si Jane na may pinagkakaabalahan ‘yon. 

“Where have you been lately pala?” pang-uusisa ni Jane na agad namang ikinapula pisngi ng kaibigan. 

“Ano. . . diyan lang sa tabi-tabi,” medyo pabebeng tugon ni Lara habang iniipit ang hibla ng buhok sa likod ng kaniyang tainga. 

Paunti-unting napaawang ang labi ni Jane kasabay ng panlalaki ng kaniyang mga mata nang napansin ang malaking pagbabago sa itsura ng kaibigan.

“Oh em gee, don’t tell me . . .” puno ng excitement na tili ni Jane.

-

Pagkarating sa classroom ay nakahinga ng maluwag si Jane. Sa dami ng ikunuwento ni Lara, muntik pa siyang ma-late sa first class. Nang mapansing bakante pa ang upuan ni Aia ay hindi niya maiwasang magtaka. Aia is never late for class; lagi itong early kaya naman ay nakapagtataka kung bakit mag-aalas nuebe na ay wala pa ito sa kaniyang upuan.

Surprisingly, for Jane, Aia did not come to school until after lunch.

“Aia bestie!” nakangiting binati ni Jane ang kaibigang kakapasok lang sa classroom. “Did something happen?” tanong niya rito.

Bago sagutin ang kaibigan ay umupo na muna sa kaniyang upuan si Aia at inayos ang mga gamit para sa klase. 

“May pinuntahan lang ako kaya hindi ako nakapasok,” maikling saad ni Aia.

Saglit naman na pinanood ni Jane si Aia para pagaralan ang kilos nito. Aia acted like she always did —- stoic face, cold eyes, and did not care about anything around her, but Jane was still not convinced.

“Why do I sense that you’re hiding something?” kuryosong tanong ni Jane. “There’s something off, I just can’t pinpoint it.”

Pansamantalang itinigil ni Aia ang pag-aayos sa kaniyang desk at malamig na tumingin sa mata ng kaibigan. Hindi niya maiwasang makaramdam ng inis nang magtapo ang kanilang mga mata. Muli niyang naalala ang sinabi ng kaniyang ama.

“If you want to be able to flaunt the title of being my daughter, do something to be worth it,” malamig na turan ni Alberto habang diretsong nakatingin sa mata ng dalaga.

“Grow some ambition. Make me proud!” saad pa nito. “Or at least, for pete’s sake, be like the Garcia Heiress!”

Dahan-dahang iniyokom ni Aia. ang kaniyang kamao habang dinadama ang masakit na pagsampal sa kaniya ng katotohanang hinding-hindi siya kailanman mamahalin ng kaniyang ama kung hindi siya magiging kalebel o mahihigitan ang kaibigan.

“For once, Jane. Can you please stop acting like you know everything?” inis na bulyaw ni Aia sa kaibigan. 

“Nakakairita na. Nakakairita ka!” saad pa ni Aia bago padabog na tumayo mula sa kaniyang upuan at lumabas ng classroom.

Jane was taken aback by her best friend’s sudden outburst. Sanay na siyang nagsusungit ang kaibigan, dahil kahit noon pa man ay ganito na ‘yon, pero ito ang unang beses na nagtaas ng boses si Aia.

Napatahimik na lamang si Jane, hindi alam kung ano ang gagawin. Gusto niyang habulin at kausapin ang kaibigan pero alam niyan mas makakabuti kung bibigyan niya na muna ito ng space.

Inis na sinipa ni Aia ang bato sa kaniyang paanan bago naupo sa isa sa mga nakahilerang bench sa mini park. Napasapo na lamang siya sa kaniyang noo at bumuntonghininga. Hindi niya sinasadyang pagtaasan ng boses ang kaibigan; nadala lamang siya ng kaniyang mga emosyon

Sa ilang taon nilang pagkakaibigan ngayon lang nangyari ang ganitong bagay. Muling napabuntonghininga si Aia.

Dahan-dahan niyang tiningala ang asul na langit at ipinikit ang kaniyang mga mata. Dati pa man ay lagi na siyang naikukumpara sa kaibigan. 

“Siguro mas ikabubuti ng lahat kung lumayo na lang ako,” bulong ni Aia sa kaniyang isipan.