Sweet Moments

Chapter 16: Safe

I was running in the hallway and my chest was hurting. Mabilis ang paghinga ko at pilit na kina-kalma ang sarili.

"Light!"

Sinalubong ako ni mama ng yakap, si papa na nasa tabi niya ay napatayo at hinagod ang likod ni mama na ngayon ay humahagulgol.

Kumalas ako ng yakap sa kaniya at napatingin sa likuran. Solene's siblings was there, Aniah and Nathan who's also looking at me with the same worried eyes.

Binalikan ko ng tingin sina mama't papa. "Salamat sa pagpunta ma, pa." Ani ko at niyakap silang dalawa. There presence  made me calm a little pero hindi nito nakuha ng lubusan ang pag-aalala ko sa taong pinaka-mamahal ko.

Tinapik ni papa ang likod ko. "Magdasal lang tayo sa Diyos, anak. Hindi niya papabayaan si Solene." Napapikit ako ng mata at tumango-tango. Papa's right. We need to pray and trust him.

Kumalas ako ng yakap sa kaniya at pinuntahan si Aniah at Nathan na ilang metro lang ang layo sa labas ng operating room.

"Kuya...."

Nathan tap my back and Aniah was almost crying. "What happened, Nath? Aniah? Kamusta ang kalagayan ni Solene? What did the doctor told you guys?" I asked but then they are quite. Naghintay ako ng ilang segundo ngunit ni isa sa kanila ay kapwa tahimik.

"Can you please tell me, what happened? Please?!" Napataas na ang boses ko dahil kapwa silang dalawa nakayuko. I looked at Aniah and saw her looking at the operating room's door, silently crying.

Si Nathan na nakasandal sa pader ay naglakas loob na tumingin sa'kin.

"Kuya, the doctor told us that the operation will be complicated lalo na may isa pang buhay na nasa panganib..." He whispered the last word but I heard it clearly.

Napakunot ang nuo ko lalo na ng madinig ang iyak ni Aniah. She's silently crying a while ago and now she's crying loudly. Mama sat beside her and comforted her gayundin si papa but it's not what I'm thinking right now...

May isa pang buhay na nasa panganib?

Naikuyom ko ang aking kamao ng maramdam na parang pinupunit ang puso ko ng maisip ang posibilid na....

"Nathan, tell me what did the doctor clearly told you?" Diin kong tanong.

He gulped hearing my serious voice. He looked at Aniah asking for help ngunit tila bingi ang kapatid na patuloy paring umiiyak at inaalo ng magulang ko.

Nathan returned his sight to me and he felt weak. "The doctor said Ate could make it......but the baby's life in her tummy is at stake." My eyes went wide wide and my mouth gaped. Tila nakakabingi ang buong paligid bago ko narinig ang sumunod niyang sinabi.

"Ate's pregnant with your baby, kuya."

Nanghina akong napasandal sa pader at dumaos-dos pababa. Putol-putol ang paghinga ko dahil sa sakit ng dibdib. I found myself crying with no sound. Napasabunot ako ng ulo sa mga narinig. What the fuck is this? There's a part of me that was almost fucking happy and thinking that I'm gonna be a father but how could I be happy knowing my baby's life is at stake and her mommy was fighting for the both of them.

Tumayo ako at sinuntok ang pader ng paulit-ulit."Fuck. Fuck. Fuck...."I was punching the wall while my tears was unstoppable.

"Light, anak! Umayos ka!" My father grab my shirt at may diin ang paghawak niya sa kwelyo ng polo ko. He loooked at me with wide eyes. "Imbes na saktan mo ang sarili mo ay mag dasal ka! Walang magagawa kung pati ikaw sinasaktan mo ang sarili mo! Magpapatatag ka! Ano nalang ang sasabihin sayo ng mag-ina mo, ah?! Umayos ka at magpakatatag para sa kanila. Kailangan ka nila!" Tila nabalik ako sa ulirat ng dahil sa sinabi niya.