Chapter 33
2167 Words
Chapter 33
I woke up in a hospital bed and saw my father, Vince, Hannah, and Archer around my room. Hannah’s eyes are puffy and Vince’s are glistening from the tears that are threatening to escape. My foot that was stung by a sea urchin was aided by a hot compress to relieve the pain at least.
But I don’t understand their reactions right now. I’m fine so why are they like that.
“Why?” I pushed myself up and leaned on the headboard.
“Amy.” My dad looks worried and a tear rolled down his cheek.
They all look worried, Archer is sitting down with his head bowed and elbows resting on his thighs, I looked at Vince and he just looked away, Hannah started crying silently.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your. Mom. H-hilda is g-gone. I’m sorry, anak.” Tuluyan ng umiyak si Dad at napaupo sa sahig ngunit hindi magrehistro sa aking isipan ang kanyang sinabi.
“W-what… about mom?” tears started to gather at my eyes and my throat feels like it is clogged.
“S-she had a sudden c-cardiac arrest. I-it was too late when Manang Selya found her in her room.”
Mom. Her heart.
“S-she did n-not make it.”
No.
This is just a dream. Please wake me up. I tried to stabilize my breathing, clutching my chest as it started to constrict. Tears are pouring down and I heard my sobs.
Please wake me up. Please.
“Amira, breathe, breathe.” Vince. His voice is muffled by the ringing of my ears, my vision is blurry from the tears.
I can’t. Mom. No. She’s not gone. No. No please. Wake me up from this nightmare.
“Mom. Mommy. N-no.” I held my throat trying to breathe as I try to suppress my sobs. I whimpered. Archer rubbed my back try to soothe me but it’s not working.
“Mom’s not gone. Please. T-tell me, please. Please Vincent, Archer… Hannah? P-please.” I managed to get my breathing and my sobs just continued to get louder as the tears flowed like a river.
“I’m sorry.”
“No! Shut up! She’s not done!” I shouted at dad who keeps on saying that Mom’s gone.
She’s not. She’s fine. Maybe baking some cookies right now, and… and… some cupcakes… she’s smiling in the kitchen, making cakes for the shop… or… or brewing coffee with a book on the table. She’s fine, she’s laughing and talking to Manang Selya at home.
“Of course, I am the proudest Mom in the whole world. I’m having a daughter nurse.”
“You will walk me up on the stage right Mom? And if I get a latin, I’ll give you my medallion.”
“Promise.”
She will walk me up the stage, she’ll be at my graduation. She promised.
I struggled to move out of the bed, I want to see her. I’m going home. I want my Mom. I can drive. I’m going home. I’m going to Mommy.
Wait for me, Mom. I’m coming home.
“Bitawan niyo ako. I want to see Mom, I’m going home.”
“Rain ---“
“Shut up Archer! Uuwi ako.”
“Anak. W-wala na ang Mom mo. Hindi niya kinaya.”
How dare he tell me, that mom is gone?!
“This is all your fault!” I don’t care now if I’m disrespecting him. He did this to mom.
Mommy. She’s gone.
“Kung hindi mo iniwan si Mommy, kung hindi ka nasa kabit mo, hindi mangyayari ang lahat ng ito! You could have been there with Mom! But no! you are with your mistress! Your f*****g mistress and her f*****g daughter!”
“Rain Amira! Don’t talk to me like that!” I wiped the tears on my cheek and Vince is still holding me to keep me standing.
“What Dad? Totoo naman e. If only you were there, if only you were with her, it wouldn’t have been too late to take her to the hospital. You could have helped her! But you’re here! Having fun with your mistress.”
And if only I was there with her, I could have helped her.
My sobs got even louder when I started to blame myself as well.
“No one wanted this to happen!”
“Really Dad? Maybe you have wished it before so you could be with your mistress.” I hissed. I don’t care kung bastos na akong magsalita ngayon. They did that to my Mom.
“Rain don’t—“
“For the f*****g nth time Archer shut the f**k up! And stop defending them just for your b***h!”
I am mad. I am hurt. I don’t know what to do without my mom. I wasn’t even able to say goodbye. It was even three days ago when she last called me. I wasn’t able to tell her how much I love her, and how proud I am for her. The she’s the best mom in the world. The strongest even after being cheated and hurt by the man she loves. She was able to smile. She was going on with her life.
“Leave. Both of you. Leave.” I was referring to my dad and Archer. But they did not move.
“Alright. I’ll be the one to leave then.” I grabbed my wallet on the bedside table.
“Stay.” Ani lamang ni Archer saka ito lumapit kay Dad at hinawakan nito sa likod at ginabayan palabas ng kwarto.
Really dad? You have the nerve to cry? When all you did for the past years was to make my mom cry.
Isinalampak ko ang sarili sa kama at umupo rin sa magkabilang tabi si Hannah at Vince. Hinahagod ni Hannah ang likod ko para kumalma ako. I feel tired, but the tears aren’t coming to a stop although my sobs got weaker already and my breathing is stabilizing.
“What happened?” tanong ko kay Vince kahit alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako handa na marinig kung ano ang eksaktong nangyari.
“We took you here in the hospital earlier as advised by the nurse in the clinic. We did not bother waking you up anymore. And just minutes when we got here, your dad called and asked us where you are. He came here with Archer and… and h-he said that Tita had a sudden cardiac arrest, she was found in her room… it.. it was already too late when they drove her to the hos…hospital. Tito said to wait for you to wake up, he didn’t know how to tell you.”
Mom was suffering a coronary heart disease, but she was having her meds, I thought she’s doing fine.
“I’m sorry.” Isinandal ko ang aking ulo sa balikat ni Hannah at hinayaan lamang ang sarili na tahimik na umiyak at tu,itig sa kawalan.
She was the only thing I have. But now, she’s gone. He took her too soon.
So sudden... I wasn’t prepared… but will someone be ever prepared for death?
I don’t know how to start over now. Mom was always there for me, whenever I get confused, when I have problems, she was my sister and my bestfriend, my teacher and my mentor.
“Amira? Here’s some water.” Maingat na iniabot sa akin ni Vince ang baso na may tubig at ininom ko rin ito dahil naramdaman ko ang pagkatuyo ng aking lalamunan. The tears are now dry on my cheeks, and surprisingly, the tears stopped pouring. There’s nothing left.
My clothes are now dry but my hair remained wet from the sea.
This is too much for a day. There’s Archer, I nearly got drowned, and just now, Mom.
“Put this on.” Iniabot ni Vince ang kanyang jacket at tinulungan nila akong isuot iyon saka isinara ang zipper. Niyakap ako ni Hannah habang nakasandal ang aking ulo sa kanyang balikat. Vince just looked at us silently. Until his phone rang at agad rin nitong sinagot.
“We’re here at Laurent Medical Center…. Yes Mom… You’re with Tita?... Alright.”
“They heard the news. Mom and Tita Karmina are coming.” He informed us and I just nodded.
“I ordered some food earlier and it just arrived. I’ll go downstairs for a while to get it. Will you both be okay?”
“Go na. Gutom na kami.” Natawa na lang ako ng mahina sa pagpapaalis ni Hannah kay Vince.
I guess at least I still have my friends Mom. Please watch over me. I will make you proud.
A tear rolled on my cheek with my thoughts. I want to see her. I fought myself not to close my eyes because if I did, memories of my mom will just flashed, but just once, even just in my memories, I want to see her smile.
As soon as I closed my eyes, pictures of my mom smiling at me while teaching me how to bake came crashing as well as other memories when we were having fun. I opened my eyes as I started sobbing again. I miss her.
“Shh. You will be fine.” Hannah met my mom before when she came at school for scholar’s recognition, and we three all hangout at my unit for two days during our sembreak. Alam kong napalapit na rin siya kay Mommy dahil tinuring siya ni Mom na parang kapatid ko.
After minutes, I stopped, too tired to cry and I guess I’m running out of tears already, or maybe not.
Vince opened the door and he’s holding two boxes of pizza and paper bags from a chinese restaurant. Behind him are Tita Karmina, Tito Ardent, and Tita Martha, I haven’t met his Dad yet, maybe he’s away for business I guess. Itinabi muna ni Vince ang mga pagkain at pinapasok ang mga ito.
“I’m sorry hija.” Niyakap ako ni Tita Martha at naramdaman ko rin ang mahinang pag iyak nito sa aking balikat, sumunod si Tita Karmina at Tito Ardent.
Umupo ang mga ito at si Vince na ang nagsabi sa kanila kung anong nangyari. I leaned at the headboard and just stare at my fiddling hands.
Nag usap usap lamang ang mga ito ngunit hindi ipinoproseso ng utak ko, hanggang sa tinawag nila ako.
“We will always be here for you Amy. Come to us, talk to us, anything.”
“You will be fine. And I know, Hilda is happy to have a beautiful daughter like you, she’s proud I know.”
“It will pass. Wag kang panghinaan ng loob.”
I said thank you to them before they went out.
“Let’s eat.” Umupo silang dalawa sa aking kama, si Vince sa paanan at sa tabi ko naman si Hannah. Inilagay nila ang isang box ng pizza sa gitna saka inabot saakin ang pagkain na nanggaling sa resto.
“Wag kang baboy kumain, dahan-dahan naman.” Biro ni Vince kay Hannah.
“Hoy. Hindi mo ako pinakain kagabi Hermoso, at hindi pa kami nagbreakfast kanina ni Amy!”
“Hindi ka nabusog sa halik ko kagabi?”
“Putek ka talaga Hermoso! Tabi nga.” Sinubukan niya itong sipain paalis ngunit hindi ito nagtagumpay. Tinawanan ko nalang ang sagutan nilang dalawa. I’m glad I have them.
“Ay kulang ba yon babe? You can just ask me, you know.” Sagot ulit ni Vince habang kumukuha ito ng Pizza.
“Kadiri ka Hermoso. Malay ko ba kung anong klaseng bacteria ang nakuha ng bibig mo mula sa mga babae mo tapos ipapasa mo lang sakin?!”
“Hoy babae, malinis ako. Pinipili ko naman!” Parang bakla itong si Vince.
“Pinili. Sigurado, nakarami ka na naman kagabi. Wag ako Vince, alam ko mga gawain mo.”
“Wala kaya… Selos ka babe?” pilyo itong ngumiti kay Hannah ngunit inirapan lamang niya ito.
They somehow divert my mind from what happened, and I’m thankful. It’s just too much to bear, I need them.
- Writer
