We Might Lose Her

*Charm's POV*

I didn't have the courage to face anyone after what happened kaya umuwi muna ako sa'min. Pinaalam ko agad kay Kuya para hindi siya mag-alala.

I received missed calls from Erica. Both Ken and Vin even texted me. Hindi siguro sinabi sa kanila ni Ry yung nangyari.

Gising ako buong gabi. Umiiyak. Halong takot at lungkot yung nararamdaman ko. I blamed myself for what happened to Theia. Hindi ko makaila na kung di ko lang sana siya iniwan, hindi mangyayari lahat ng yun.

I'm on my way to her now.

"Charm, hija." Si Manang agad yung nakita ko.

Amoy na amoy yung niluluto niya kaya nakaramdam ako ng gutom.

"Good morning, Nang!" Ngumiti ako ng pagkalaki laki nung makita yung nasa mesa.

Bacon, eggs, fried rice, apple juice, hotdog.

Parang fiesta.

"Good morning." Ngumiti siya pabalik. "Gutom ka na ba?"

"Hindi pa naman po."

*brrrr*

O___O

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at parehas natawa. Pesteng tiyan to. Binuking ako.

"Kaya ko pa naman po maghintay. Hehe."

Napatingin ako sa niluluto ni Manang.

*_____*

WAFFLES.

"Saglit nalang ha. Malapit narin akong matapos."

"Sige lang po."

Waffles, my love. Babalikan kita mamaya.

"Gising na ba po si Kuya?"

"Ah, oo. Dumating kanina si Dra. Ella." Sagot niya. "Nandun sila sa kwarto ni Theia."

Si Tita Ella?

"Nagising na ba po siya?"

She shook her head. Halata sa mukha niya yung pag-aalala. Lumaki kasi silang magkapatid na siya yung nag-aalaga.

"Nang, don't worry." Sabi ko. "Magigising rin po si Theia. Maamoy niya lang po yan, nako."

Napangiti siya. Favorite kasi namin ni Theia yung waffles na luto niya.

"Nang, akyat lang din po ako." I said. "Puntahan ko lang po siya."

"Sige. Patapos narin ako." Sabi niya. "Tawagin ko kayo kapag pwede na kumain."

"Thank you, Nang!"

Nagmadali ako paakyat ng hagdan at nakahawak na yung kamay ko sa doorknob when I heard them talking. Nandito nga pala si Tita Ella.

"How about operation?"

Operation? Para saan??

I decided to open the door.

I needed to hear more. Nakatalikod sila parehas sa'kin. Rinig ko yung pag-iyak ni Kuya.

"It's not possible now, Alec." Sabi ni Tita. "Theia's body is at it's weakest point. We might lose her habang inooperahan siya."

We might lose Theia???

"This is the second time she fainted." Sabi niya. "If this happened again, I can't guarantee that heart can take it. It will be fatal for her, Alec."

"Kuya?"

They both turned to look at me.

"Charm..."

******

*Alec's POV*

"Kuya?"

We both looked at the door and saw Charm.

She's crying.

Mukhang narinig niya lahat.

"Charm.."

"Anong ibig niyong sabihin??"

"Charm, calm down.."

"Bakit kailangang operahan si Theia??"

None of us answered.

I don't even know what to tell her.

"Tita, we're not.. we're not losing her, diba?" She cried. "Theia's not going to die, right?"

"Charm, she's going to be okay.." I said. "We'll do everything.."

Hindi ko kaya.

Hindi ko siya kayang kumbinsihin kung pati sarili ko, hindi ko rin makumbinsi.

"This was all her fault." Sabi niya. "Kung hindi lang niya kinausap si Theia, edi sana.. edi sana.."

Kinausap?

"Charm, what do you mean?" I asked. "Sinong kumausap sa kanya??"

"Sabi ni Ry, n-akita niya daw na magkausap sila ni Ivy.." She answered. "Siya y-ung huling k-asama ni Theia bago siya mawala..."

"Sinabi niya ba kung anong pinag usapan nila??"

"H-indi, Kuya. I don't think narinig yun ni Ry.."

My eyes darted to Theia.

Anong sinabi ni Ivy??

Anong sinabi niya at ganyan yung nangyari sa'yo??

***

"What happened?? Kahapon pa kita hindi ma-contact, love."

"I'm so sorry, love." Sagot ko. "Ang dami kasing nangyari."

"What's wrong?" She asked. "May ginawa bang hindi maganda si Nathan??"

"No. It's.. it's not that.."

I don't know where to start.

"It's just Theia." I said. "Hindi parin kasi siya nagigising hanggang ngayon.. tapos..."

"Oh, love.." She whispered. "Sana nandyan ako. I'm sorry, sobrang busy ko din kasi."

"It's okay, love. Naiintindihan ko. I should've told you pero ang dami ko lang talagang iniisip ngayon.."

"Do you need anything?" Tanong niya. "How can I help?"

"Pwede mo ba ko samahan?"

"Of course, love. Where to?"

"Gusto ko sanang kausapin si Dra. Guevarra." I answered. "I wanted to confirm something about Nathan. May ginawa kasi siyang hindi ko inasahan."

******

*Naomi's POV*

"So what are you saying, Dra. Guevarra? What is happening to my son?"

We went directly to her office after Alec explained what happened. Mama wanted to come as well kaya sinama namin siya.

"I got his test result the night he requested for discharge." Dra. Guevarra opened her drawer and pulled out a folder. Nathan's name was written on it. "Your son has Lacunar Amnesia."

It's the first time I heard it. Pero hindi ko na agad gusto yung tawag dun.

For me, naming his condition would only mean na malala yun.

"Lacunar Amnesia is the loss of memory about one specific event." She said while looking at us. "Sa lahat ng taong nakilala ni Nathan, sinong hindi niya naaalala?"

"Si Theia."

She nodded. "That's what Lacunar Amnesia does. It leaves a gap in a person's memory. Because of the accident, she doesn't exist in his memories anymore."

"He is either living on the time he haven't met her or nakalimutan niya na may Theia sa buhay niya."

"I think it's the last one." Sagot ko. "He didn't forget that we lost our little sister."

"I agree, love." Alec said. "Hindi niya man maalala si Theia, his expression changed nung nakita niya si Manang and he met her dahil kay Theia."

"That's not good for him." Napatingin sa kanya si Dra. Guevarra. "He might be wondering who that person is. Baka isipin niya kung paano sila nagkakilala kahit alam niya sa sarili niyang kilala niya naman."

"So what do we do?" Tanong ni Mama. "There's got to be some way para makaalala ulit siya."

"Therapy is the best solution that I could give him, Mrs. Go." Sagot niya. "Without it, he will continue to be bothered by the memories he doesn't know."

"But he refused." Mama said. "Are there other ways?"

Umiling siya. "That is the only way we can help. I'm really sorry, Mrs. Go."

"No, Dra. Guevara. You've done everything that you could for Nathan." Sabi ni Mama. "We are very grateful for that."

"We can try and persuade him again, Ma."

"You can't."

"Why?"

"Do you remember what happened the day he woke up or when you left him with Theia?"

"Then his headaches.."

"Yes. It's too much for him." She told us. "The more we push him, the more his mind resists. The more he wants to forget."

"But it's the only way for him to remember."

"I know."

"And if we let him do what he wants.."

Hindi niya maaalala si Theia.

Dra. Guevarra nodded. "You have to understand that he controls his mind. Nasa kanya parin kung gusto niyang makaalala. Hindi natin sya pwedeng pilitin."

"And if he doesn't want to remember?"

"His decision matters. If he doesn't want to recover those memories.." She looked at us. "Then he'll lose his memories of her forever."

******