Bessy

*Theia's POV*

"Tita, may hindi ba po kayo sinasabi sa'kin?"

"Bakit Theia?" Tanong niya. "May problema ba?"

"If everything else is okay, bakit hindi parin po siya gumigising?" Tears started falling. Lumalabas na naman sila mula sa mata ko. "I kept waiting pero bakit hindi parin siya bumabalik sa'tin, Tita?"

Habang tumatagal, nahihirapan na kong maghintay.

Bumisita sila Ry at yung iba pa naming kaklase para makita si Nate. Nagdala sila ng fruits and flowers. Ivy was there. Hindi ko rin napigilang yakapin siya. Tulad ko, umiiyak siya.

I coundn't care more about anything else other than Nate.

He's all that matters to me.

I patiently waited for him to wake up. For 3 days, I stayed beside him.

Hindi ko inaakalang ganito kahaba yung tatlong araw kapag may hinihintay ka.

I took a bath, eat and do other things sa ospital. Neither Mommy nor Daddy complained. Hinayaan lang nila akong gawin yung gusto ko.

Walang araw na hindi ako umiyak.

I would cry while eating, taking a bath or habang tumutugtog ng piano. Kahit bago ako matulog, umiiyak ako.

They said he's getting better but why haven't he regained consciousness?

It was too hard to see him lying on the hospital bed with no signs of waking up.

"Theia..." She hugged me.

"Tita, babalik pa ba po siya? Isang linggo na po yung lumipas."

"We already talked his doctor, Theia." Sagot niya. "I already asked her a million times kung mawawala na ba yung anak ko pero ganun parin ang sagot niya."

"Ayaw ko pong tanggapin isang araw na wala na siya." Sabi ko. "I don't want that to happen.."

"We'll wait for him." Sabi niya. "Gigising rin siya. Naniniwala akong gigising siya."

Mio, gigising ka pa naman diba? Hinihintay ka namin.

Naghihintay kami, bumalik ka lang.

***

Habang tumatagal, mas lalo akong nawawalan ng pag asang magigising pa siya.

Those three days, turned into a week.

Waiting was too hard.

Hindi ko alam kung magigising pa ba siya o hindi na.

Kung babalik pa ba siya o tuluyan na siyang mawawala sa'kin.

"Baby, please.."

Mommy and Daddy came everyday after letting me do what I want for three days. They've been trying to persuade me to come home pero ayaw ko.

"Babby..." Mommy held me. "You know how much I love you right?"

I nodded while crying.

She hugged me so tight kaya mas lalo akong naiyak.

"Please come home with us."

"Paano si Nate, Mommy?" I asked. "Ayaw ko pong iwan siya."

Ayaw kong mawala siya sa paningin ko.

"Baby, you still need to go to school." Sabi ni Daddy. "You need to live for him. Do you think magiging masaya siya pag nakita ka niyang ganyan?"

"You've been here for a week, baby." Sabi naman ni Mommy. "We don't want to take you away from him pero please, alagaan mo rin yung sarili mo. Ang putla putla mo na."

"Please baby, come home with us."

"When will I come back kapag umuwi po ako?"

Unti unti narin akong tumigil sa pag iyak.

"You can come again after school." Sagot ni Daddy. "You can stay here on Saturdays tapos mag overnight ka. But you need to be home by Sunday kasi may klase ka kinabukasan."

"Is that true, Mommy?"

I want to make sure I can see him again.

"Of course, baby." Sagot niya. "I told you we're not going to take you away from him. Kailangan mo lang rin ayusin yung sarili mo. One week ka na absent sa school. We can't make excuses for that long, baby."

"You need to be strong for him, okay?" Sabi ni Daddy. "You can come back here kung kailan mo gusto pero hindi ka na dapat mag-stay ng ganito katagal."

"Yes daddy.."

"Thank you, baby." They both hugged me.

"I don't want to leave him.."

Ayaw kong nag-iisa siya dito.

"Don't worry, Theia." Sabi ni Kuya. "Naomi and I will stay with him. Sasabihan kita kapag may balita na tungkol sa kanya."

"Thank you, Kuya."

Kahit papaano, gumaan yung pakiramdam ko.

Lumapit ako kay Nate.

"Mio." I caressed his cheek. "Babalik ako ulit agad. Wag ka munang bibitaw. Lumaban ka okay? I love you. I will always love you."

I kissed him on his lips and left with them.

***

"Bessy." Naluluha ako. "You're back!"

When we got home, I saw Charm.

She was standing outside the gate. Paglabas ko ng kotse, tumakbo agad ako papalapit sa kanya. Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit.

"Hey, don't cry." Sabi niya. "I'm here."

I finally let go of her.

Baka hindi siya makahinga sa higpit ng yakap ko but she kept her right arm on my shoulder.

"Charm, ikaw munang bahala kay Theia okay?" Sabi ni Mommy. "Kailangan naming dumiretso sa Tagaytay ngayon."

"But why..?"

"We need to be there for the school we're planning to build, baby." Sagot ni Daddy. "Don't worry we'll try to be home as soon as we can."

"Mag iingat po kayo." I kissed them both.

"Mag iingat rin kayo." Sabi ni Mommy. "Call us if you need anything, okay? We love you."

We waited for them to go bago kami pumasok ni Charm sa bahay.

"I'm sorry ngayon lang ako dumating." Sabi niya. "My flight was cancelled and I took a detour para lang makauwi. I did everything I could to be here."

"Sorry hindi ako nakapunta sa ospital. Kakadating ko lang at dito ako pinadiretso nila Tita."

"No, it's okay." Sagot ko. "Thank you for being here, Charm."

"I couldn't contact you at all, bessy." She frowned.

"Sorry. I haven't really been in touch with anyone since the accident." Sabi ko. "Ni hindi ko na nga alam kung nasaan yung phone ko."

"I know. But you made me worry!" Lalo siyang sumimangot. "Please don't do that again!"

Nagbakasyon kasi siya ng one month sa America para bisitahin si Gabby. Her boy friend and my best friend.

"Kamusta naman si Gabby?"

"Ayun. Nag-aalala." Sabi niya. "Si Kuya yung nagbalita sa'min ng nangyari."

"Sorry, Charm." Sabi ko. "Napauwi ka tuloy ng wala sa oras. Dapat kasama mo parin siya ngayon pero dahil sa'kin, nandito ka."

"Bessy, naman." She hugged me. "Don't say that. Pinili kong umuwi dito. He also wanted me here. Dapat lang na nandito ako sa tabi mo."

"Thank you, bessy."

Charm is my childhood best friend. Silang tatlo nila Ry at Gabby. Lagi silang nasa tabi ko.

"How is he?" Tanong niya. "The last time I heard, nasa surgery pa siya."

"He's okay. Successful daw yung operation."

"But you don't look sure. Parang nagdududa ka dun."

"Halata ba?" Tumango naman siya. "Hindi parin kasi siya gumigising."

"Do you trust him?"

"Of course, I do."

"Then do you trust the doctor who operated on him?"

"Yes."

"Then wala ka nang dapat ipag-alala." She smiled at me. "He's strong."

"Alam ko."

"You should continue trusting him, Theia." Sabi niya. "Gigising si Nathan. I believe in him. We all do."

"I believe in him too."

"Very good, bessy." Sabi niya tapos medyo lumayo siya sa'kin. "I won't ask you if you're okay, Theia. Kasi alam ko namang hindi. Pero what happened? You don't look so well."

"I'm trying.." I slowly said. "Ginagawa ko naman lahat para maging okay. Nahihirapan lang talaga ako."

"Kumakain ka pa ba?" Tanong niya. "You look really thin, Theia. Pumayat ka lalo. Mukha kang may sakit."

"I know." Sabi ko. "Pinagsasabihan rin nila ako."

"They should. Kasi kahit ako, nag-aalala sa nakikita ko." She shook her head. "I know it's hard pero kailangan mo parin alagaan yung sarili mo. Gusto mo ba pag-gising niya buto't balat ka nalang? He'll get mad at you. Alam mo namang ayaw niyang pumapayat ka."

"I know."

"Puro ka I know." Sabi niya. "Alam mo naman pala pero ginagawa mo parin."

"Charm, I.."

"Theia, hindi ko man alam kung gaano kasakit yung nararamdaman mo, naiintindihan kita." She said. "Mahal mo siya. Sobra talaga tayong masasaktan kapag mahal natin yung tao."

Nakatungo lang ako habang nagsasalita siya. Naiiyak na naman ako.

"Pero bessy, hindi ka pwedeng maging mahina ha?"

I nodded while my tears kept falling.

"It's going to be okay." She said. "Mahal ka ni Nathan. Lalaban siya at hindi ka niya iiwan. Hindi niya tayo iiwan, Theia."

She wiped away my tears.

"Maligo ka na tapos matulog na tayo."

"Matutulog ka dito?"

"Yup."

"Pero may pasok bukas."

"Oo nga." Sagot niya. "May mga damit kaya ako dito."

Nakalimitan ko na.

May sariling room siya dito sa bahay.

"At kung kulang pa yun.." Tinuro niya yung maleta sa harapan namin. "Ayan yung sagot."

"So, dumiretso ka talaga dito pagkagaling mo sa airport?"

"Oo naman."

"Paano sila Tita?" Tanong ko. "Nakita mo manlang ba sila?"

"Theia, they were with me for 2 weeks in America." Sabi niya. "They knew what happened. Atsaka kailangan mo ko. Hindi nila ako pwedeng pigilang pumunta sa'yo."

"Alright. I won't complain."

"You really shouldn't." She said. "Now go ahead and take a bath."

"Ito na ho."

***

"Bessy??"

"Yes?"

"Tapos ka na ba?"

"Oo. Pasok ka."

She walked inside my room.

"Ngayon ka lang yata kumatok sa kwarto ko."

"Wait." Kinuha niya yung suklay sa kamay ko. "Let me."

Naalala ko bigla si Nate dahil sa ginawa niya.

He will always dry and tie my hair.

"Ayan, ang ganda mo na."

"Gaga. Maganda talaga ako no."

"Oo naman. Nagmana ka kaya sa'kin diba?"

Nagtawanan naman kami dun.

"Oo nga pala, bakit ka nandito?"

"Kasi...." Sabi niya. "May itatanong sana ako.."

"Ano yun?"

Ngumiti siya.

Mukhang alam ko na kung ano.

"Oo na." Sabi ko habang tumatango. "Pwede kang matulog sa kwarto ko."

"Yayyyy!!!" Tumalon talon siya sa kama.

"Ano pa yung isa?"

Alam kong may gusto pa siyang sabihin.

Napahinto naman siya at bumaba sa kama.

"Kilala mo talaga ako.."

"Syempre kaibigan kita."

"You caught me." Sabi niya tapos lumabas ng kwarto.

Pagpasok niya, may dala dala siyang malaking box na nakabalot ng silver gift wrap tapos may white ribbon.

"What is that?"

"Open it."

Hindi ko maintindihan yung itsura niya.

Halong saya at lungkot yung ngiti niya.

"Is this supposed to be--"

"Just open it, bessy." Sabi niya. "Hindi mo naman malalaman kung ano yung laman hangga't hindi mo binubuksan."

I slowly unwrapped the box and opened it.

Inside was a picture frame holding a photo of me and Nate.

"I know I shouldn't have---"

Before I could even control myself, I hugged Charm and tears started to fall.

"Thank you so much, bessy.."

I heard her crying with me.

"I'm glad you liked it."

Nagpupunas rin siya ng luha tulad ko.

"I know I shouldn't have--." Sabi niya. "But you have to receive this. Ito yung gift namin nila Gab and Ry for you."

I kept crying while looking at the photo.

They were collage photos of me and Nate making one large photo of us.

"You know how Nathan loves to take pictures." She explained. "He was with us on this. He sent us copies of your pictures. Pictures he captured of you. Special moments you had together."

"This was supposed to be one of his surprises for you that day, Theia."

"Ihahanda ko pa yung surprise ko sa'yo."

Yun yung sinabi niya bago siya umalis sa bahay.

Oh, Nate...

"I showed this because I wanted you to know how much he loves you." Sabi niya. "Nathan loves you so much, Theia. Mahal mo rin naman siya diba?"

Nate.. why?

Bakit kasi ikaw pa?

"So don't give up the person who loves you, bessy. Please don't give up on him. Not yet."

I love you so much, Nate.

My heart keeps breaking.

Hindi kayang tanggapin ng puso ko yung sakit kapag tuluyan ka nang nawala sa'kin.

******