Brave the Storm (La Familia Series #1)

Chapter 30

I woke up with my friends surrounding me; Cove and Nixx were also there. Agad kong hinanap si daddy sakanila pero tahimik silang lahat. Pinilit kong tumayo pero pinigilan nila ako. I asked them... no... I begged them.

I begged them to bring me back to the OR. Huli kong nakita ay nung nireresuscitate nila si daddy and after that nawalan na ako ng malay, but I was certain; I heard the flatline sound. And so I want to prove it wrong. Kasi hindi hahayaan nila Dr. Torres na mangyari yun.

He still got a chance to be saved.

He can still live.

He will live.

I was so sure of that...

"Kirsche anak, tara na. Your dad doesn't want us to be late." Agad kong pinahid ang luhang tumulo. I need to be strong, especially on this day.

Mom... I haven't seen her cry kala ko iiyak siya but she didn't. Ni isang patak ng luha wala akong nakita sakanya. Kahit katiting na panghihina hindi ko siya nakitaan. Ibang-iba siya nung hinahatid namin si daddy sa OR.

Nakangiti akong humarap kay mommy, "Okay, mommy. Let's go." Agad din na sumilay ang ngiti sa mga labi ni mommy. I looked at Kaisley, she was smiling... but it didn't reach her eyes.

Kaisley... she was well behaved, alam ko na alam niya ang nangyayari since she is a bright child but she didn't speak a word. Habang nagwawala ako at umiiyak, nanatili siyang nakamasid. Hindi siya nagtanong kay mommy kung bakit, nakatingin lang siya. The past months changed our little girl. She was the joy of this family, she is our angel. She deserves nothing but happiness and love, pero kahit 'yon hindi namin maibigay. Sa murang edad kailangan niya agad maranasan ang mga bagay na 'to.

Yumuko ako para magpantay ang taas namin. I looked at her in the eyes and smiled, "Kais baby, I know this is hard but Ate needs you to be strong, can you do that? For daddy's sake?" Nakita ko kung paano kumibot ang mga labi niya. She was holding Laa-Laa, her teletubbies doll that daddy gave her. For a 9 years old kid to be holding such doll, it was very unusual. Sinabi kong wag niya na dalhin yun dahil malaki na siya but I didn't expect her reply to me, "But daddy gave this to me."

I was rendered speechless after that. I didn't know that that doll has such value to her.

"Of course, Ate. For daddy, always." This time, what she gave me was a genuine smile.

It didn't take us long to reach the hospital. Naunang kaming maglakad ni Kais nang mapansin ko na wala na sa tabi namin si mommy. I looked back and there she was, frozen on her spot and gripping tightly on her bag. Agad kong nilapitan si mommy.

"Mommy," I called her pero nanatili siyang nakatingin sa harap, and only then have I noticed that she was trembling. "Mom!" mas malakas na tawag ko and she breathed heavily.

"I-i'm sorry. Let's go," she said like nothing happened.

Nang asa harapan na kami ng kwarto ni dad ay siya namang labas ni Cove. He smiled at mom bago siya tumingin sa akin at tipid na ngumiti. He looked like he wanted to say something but he kept his mum.

I was just about to ask how dad was when we heard a retching sound. Agad akong napatakbo sa loob ng kwarto ni dad, and there I saw him vomiting; he looked lifeless. Nang magtapo ang mga mata namin matamlay siyang ngumiti sa akin.

"Gustavo," my mom uttered in between sobs. Dad opened his arms at agad na tumakbo si mommy sakanya. Mom is all curled up in dad's chest and she was murmuring words. Dad hushed her.

The surgery was a success and all he need to do is chemotherapy, and I know the risk of it. I told myself na magiging okay din ang lahat after, that this will be the final step to dad's recovery but seeing dad right now gusto kong pagsisihan na pinilit ko siyang mag-chemotheraphy.