One Lost Summer (Brave Series #2)

Chapter 47: Grale

Ashton Grale Buenavista

"I'm afraid to say this, but she needs to have another heart transplant, Kiel. Immediately. Maja... her condition isn't getting any better."

The news was like a bomb dropped meant to wreck him alive. Nanigas ang buong katawan ni Grale at pakiramdam niya ay tuluyan na siyang tinakasan ng bait. Paulit-ulit ang mga salitang 'yon na umiikot lamang sa isip niya at hindi alam kung papaano ipo-proseso ang kahit na isang salita man lang galing kay Doctor Venson.

Ayaw 'yon tanggapin ng utak niya. Ng puso niya. At ng buong sistema niya.

"But, how do we convince her, Tito? She doesn't want another transplant," he said, voice flooded with desperation.

Hindi sumagot ang ama ni Majarlika at nanatili lamang na nakatungo sa sahig ng hallway ng ospital, marahil pinoproseso pa rin ang rebelasyon ng Doktor. Hindi nila kasama ang asawa nito dahil nasa loob ito ng private room at binabantayan ang natutulog pa rin na si Majarlika.

Nagpaalam na ang doktor at naiwan silang dalawa ng ginoo sa hallway. Naupo si Grale sa isang mahabang bench. He ran his fingers through his hair just to end up palming his face. Dalawang gabi na silang diretsong walang tulog but somehow Grale couldn't find the urge to sleep, to rest, thinking that Majarlika is suffering and any moment her life could be at stake.

"Iho, hindi ang pagkumbinsi kay Majarlika ang iniisip kong magiging problema," the man heavily sighed. "I could beg her, kneel down at her just to convince her. And I know my daughter, Grale, she's naturally born soft and kind and loving. Hindi niya ako matitis..."

His eyes remained on his Girlfriend's father. The lines in his face could tell how much everything going around them stresses him out.

"Pero ang pinaka mahirap ay ang paghahanap ng donor. Back then it took us a year of waiting para lang sa donor. It was a sheer luck dahil hindi match ang isang receiver sa ibang ospital at nagkataon na si Majarlika ang nasa pinakamalapit na ka-match ng donor. And now... now I don't know if we will gonna have the same luck again."

"We can't give up now, Tito Kiel. Ito ang oras na pinaka kailangan tayo ni Majarlika. If we have to go abroad to find the best hospital for her then so be it. We need to show reasons to keep holding on. We love her, tito. And we don't give up on people we love," he said and dropped a consoling hand on the man's shoulder.

Isang anino ang pumampan sa kanilang ulo kaya't sabay silang napatingala ng ama ng nobya. Hindi man lang nila napansin na nakalapit na pala ang ina ni Majarlika.

"Nasa rooftop na ang helicopter," anito na nakatingin sa kanya.

Grale nodded as he stood.

"Are you sure you already found it?" There was a doubt in her voice.

"Found what?" Her husband chimed in with a questioning look, totally no idea what they're talking about.

She turned to her husband. "I'll tell you everything later," her gaze went back to him, waiting for an answer.

He took a deep breath. "I'm not one hundred percent sure, Tita. But I need to try. I need to find it. If it's the only thing that can make a difference to everything then I have to do something."

She stared at him till she nodded her head. "Mag iingat ka."

"What do we tell her when she wakes up and looks out for you?" Tito Kiel asked.

He smiled. "She won't look for me, tito. Because your daughter knows in her heart that I will always come back to her."

Bumalik muna si Grale sa kwarto para bigyan ng isang halik sa noo ang natutulog na nobya. Umakyat na siya sa rooftop pagkaraan at ang malakas na hangin ay pinasayaw ang damit at buhok niya.