The Rush

Chapter 21- Truth

Dressed in a new pair of sweatpants, which is too big for me, and an oversized shirt, I sat on a chair inside Dr Persia's office with Dylan and West and the other doctors. I'm ready to hear the truth, yet I know West isn't. We're talking about his Dad here.

Ang papa niya na minsan niyang naging idolo. Ang papa niya na mahal niya. Ang papa niya... Dugo't laman.

"What do you mean it was Don who made the virus? He was the cause of... all this?" Dylan asked, eyeing West carefully.

"That jerk was my ex." Bahagya akong napasinghap sa sinabi niya habang si Dylan naman ay naghihintay lang na dugtungan ng doktora ang sinasabi niya. Si West naman ay tulala lang, pero alam kong nakikinig siya. "Noong mga panahon ng COVID-19, gumagawa na kami ng team ko ng cure. That was the time na marami na ang naglabasang mga bakuna."

She paused, then she also glanced at West. "Do you want to hear this? I don't want you to hate your Dad. Despite of him being a jerk, he's still your Dad."

"I'm okay," West sighed.

Nagpatuloy na si Dr Persia. "He offered to help me and my team sa paggawa ng lunas ng COVID-19. Pambawi niya raw 'yon sa panloloko niya sa akin noon with your mom."

West opened his mouth to talk but immediately close it after hearing what Dr Persia said. Agad kong hinawakan ang balikat niya para iparating na andito lang ako. Naiinis ako kay Don. Hindi. Galit na galit ako kay Don. Ang hirap iproseso ng lahat, pero ang alam ko lang, lalabas ako sa kwartong 'to na may matinding galit kay Don.

"Akala ko talagang tutulungan niya kami, pero hindi." Patuloy ni Dr Persia. "He sabotaged our research. He gave us false data. Dahil sa mga iyon ay hindi namin naperfect ang cure."

"Pero diba nasugpo naman na ang COVID-19? Saan galing ang cure no'n?" Dylan asked.

"It was from Don. Kinuha niya ang lahat ng research papers namin para makapagresearch siya ng sarili niya. Out of that, he made a cure. At hindi lang 'yon, he used his own name kaya lahat ng credit napunta sa kaniya at hindi sa WHO na siyang pinanggalingan at pinagtatrabahuan naming lahat."

"Dad worked for the WHO?" West inquired.

"He did. Anim kaming magkakaibigan, at lahat kami nakapasok sa WHO. Kung hindi man bilang doktor, bilang task force. Ako, si Dr Walter, si Don, your mom, si Anthony, at si Jane."

My brows furrowed. "Anthony and... Jane?"

Dr Persia glanced at me. "You know them? Anthony and Jane Malano?"

Agad akong napasinghap. They were part of the WHO? Hindi lang sila basta survivalist? They were actually part of something big? World Health Organization?

"Knew. They're my... parents." Mahina kong sabi.

Dr Persia put her right hand over her mouth out of shock. "You're a Malano? Oh my God! So, are you one of the triplets? The writer one, I suppose? Sinabi sa'kin ni Jane noon na ang isa sa triplets niya ay magaling sa literature tapos matapang na bata. Ikaw ba 'yon?" She asked.

"Kilala mo 'ko?"

"Of course! I'm one of your ninangs!" She said, smiling now. But then her smile immediately falters. "Wait, did you say 'knew'? You knew them? Are they..." She trailed off.

I nodded my head slowly. "They're dead. First was Aila, my sister, she died during the first wave of the COVID-19. Then, mom. Tapos no'ng nakaraan ay nawala na rin si Dad. Tapos ang bunso namin. And now, Aki's still unconscious."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I didn't know. Matagal na kaming walang contact ng parents mo after they've decided to take an early retirement to get married. I'm sorry hindi man lang ako nakabisita sa lamay. I didn't even know that Jane's... gone." She said, feeling sympathetic. She's also sad, maybe because they were friends, according to her.