Love Grows Where His Camila Goes

14

14

Camila’s POV

“Everything’s going to be alright,” Giovanni assured me as he caressed my back. “As we all know, Gavin died peacefully, without hesitation, he faced his death.”

“He... He was willing to heal.” I muttered as I wiped my tears. “I should’ve done better.”

“It was never your fault,” Alvaro whispered out of a sudden.

I glared at him and smirked "It was mine. I let him die there!"

"It was the disease. You're not a God para alisin yung sakit niya. Tao ka lang." That ended the conversation.

Hindi na ako sumagot. Parang masisira na ang mata ko sa paulit–ulit na pagpunas ng aking mga luha. Walang katapusan ang pagpupunas ko ng luha, dahil wala rin naman itong tigil sa pagtulo. Sumasakit na rin iyon kapag pinupunasan ko, at sigurado akong namumula na nang sobra yung mukha ko sa palagi kong pagpupunas doon. Matapos ang ilang minutong pananahimik ay amy isang nagsalita sa grupo nila.

"Ah, Camila, right?" The guy with brown hair asked. Bahagya akong tumango para um–oo. "I left a voicemail about it on my phone when we asked Gavin some questions, and I have recorded it here. The idea of making you listen to it just dawned on me."

Napaawang ang labi ko at bahagya akong nagtaka sa sinabi niya. Nakatingin lamang siya sa akin, parang hinihintay niya yung magiging sagot ko. Bumuntong-hininga ako bago tuluyang tumango sa kaniya. Then, he brought his phone out of his pocket. He went to an application and open it. I heard so many voices when the voice mail started playing. The surrounding went quiet, and one guy started to ask.

"That was me," the guy with gray hair stated. "Shan is my name if you are confused."

I nodded in response and they all went quiet.

He asked about it in a voicemail. "Do you love her to death?"

Gavin murmured in a pathetic manner. "Speak of her over my grave, and witness how she brings me back to life."

Gavin's response brought within them reactions that were beyond comprehension. Muling nagsalita ang mga taong nasa voicemail, kung anu-ano ang mga tinatanong nila sa boyfriend ko. Sinasagot naman ni Gavin ang mga iyon kahit na nahihirapan na siyang magsalita.

"Last one, bro." There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Giovanni's voice was audible. "Tell us what to do," His tone of voice conveyed a sense of solemnity when he delivered those words.

Nahulog yung puso ko nang marinig yung mahinang pagtawa ni Gavin sa voicemail. Agad akong pinangiliran ng luha at nagbabadya na naman iyon sa pagtulo. "Oh, God.." I attempted to make my voice barely heard, but it shattered my voice.

"I beg you to please look after her, for my sake. Ensure that she is joyful throughout all times, please. It is important that you never cause her to become angry or upset, and especially that you never cause her to break down in tears. Ginawa ko na sa kan'ya iyon kanina. Nagalit na siya nang sabihin ko sa kaniyang susuko na ako. And, allow her to shed tears over my funeral if I ever find myself in a position where I have no other option but to surrender and lose my fight against this illness. All she needs to do is cry her heart out."

Saglit na nanahimik sa pagsasalita si Gavin sa voicemail. Naninikip yung dibdib ko habang pinapakinggan bawat salitang sinasabi ni Gavin. Sobra sobra na yung panghihina na nararamdaman niya, to the point na kahit pagsasalita ay kailangan niya nang maghabol ng mga salita.

"Beyond that, I want Alvaro to accompany her if my burial happens. She gave off the impression that she liked your mannerisms. I was precisely the same person that you specified when we first met. My love for her goes deeper than my love for myself. I simply cannot afford to live a life in which I constantly make her cry just because I am sick.” Saglit siyang tumigil para maghabol ulit ng hininga.