Maybe this TIME

XII. The Recovery

Resilient. It's who I am, a woman who always choose to stand up straight and move forward after an adversity.

I learned a lot of things in life, I experienced heartbreaks, pain, hopelessness, unemployment, broken promises and now I have broken bones but despite all of that, I never gave up in life.

Kilala niyo na ako, I am not that kind of person who easily gives up, whether it's love, a job, a dream and most especially MYSELF.

I slept for a day according to my mom, I woke up with stitches and bandages all over my legs.

I have to go through therapy to be able to walk again.

For the first time in my life, I felt worthless. I just cried and cried and I don't want to talk to anybody

I questioned God, why me? after all the hardships just to reach my dreams, bakit nangyari pa ito? Am I that bad person to suffer like this?

After a week of staying in my bed, my mom asked the doctor if we can start with the therapy as soon as possible, my mom knows kung gaano ko kagustong gumaling at bumalik sa dati kong buhay.

There were a lot of tests first if can proceed with the therapy.

The process itself wasn't easy, there were times na gusto ko nalang humilata sa kama at wag mag-isip ng malalim.

But I have this feeling of success after all of this.

At doon na nga nagsimula ang lahat, during my rest time, I started to read stories from a website, stories not different from mine, stories that inspires, connects and gives hope to people.

I tried to write my story but I'm not really good at it, at first, I wasn't able to focus and remember the things happened in the past, the words I used were too shallow and not catchy.

So I stopped it for a while, not until one night...

I had this dream of becoming a writer, I was awarded with a lot of honors and offers from different publishing companies and some asked me if they can feature my stories in a movie and that's when I started to write again.

God will really direct you to a path destined to you, whatever you do, however you do it, you can and will do it in accordance with his will.

I began to reminisce and remember everything from the beginning

And sa wakas, I was able to start this story. A simple love story but it really have a strong impact in my life.

I stayed for a month in a hospital, and I finished my therapy, nakakalakad na ako ng diretso but not that fast and straight, Need parin ng support but at least I can already walk.

I suddenly remembered Mikhael, I haven't checked my phone for a while kasi talagang nakafocus ako sa recovery ko so hindi ko alam kung may message ba siya or wala.

The soon na nakalabas kami ng hospital, my friends and colleagues were waiting in our house, they surprised me and comforted me, I couldn't be happier, I cried tears of joy

Another pain ang nalagpasan ko..

Darlene told me there will be another reunion pero sa aming section lang, it will be sponsored by some of my classmates abroad

"Pagaling ka agad bes, magkikita kita ulit tayong lahat, including Ma'am Toviera."

"Kailan ba bes?"

"Next month bes, punta ka ha?"

"Let's see bes kung kaya ko na, alam mo naman kalagayan ko"

"You're always strong bes, you've gone through a lot. Bessy bilib din ako sayo, hindi ka papabayaan ni God, tignan mo, buhay kapa at nakakarecover na, God is good sis"

At dahil ako yung tipo ng taong hate na hate na masydaong pinupuri ako, I just smirked at her and changed the topic

"Bes, may balita ka ba kay Khael, almost 3 years na hindi parin ba siya lumalabas ng seminary?"

I know four years ang Theology study pero ang akala ko kasi anytime pwede silang lumabas, kapag gusto nilang I igive-up yung kanilang vocation. But I wasn't praying for that, I'm just hoping to see him again. That's it.

"I'll try to contact him sa messenger bes, but for now, focus ka sa pagpapagaling" she said

One night, my mom went to my room, nag-uusap lang kami about sa work when she brought out Khael

"Nak, may hindi ka ata sinasabi sa akin?"

"What is it ma?"

"I know something is bothering you, or is it someone?"

"Alam mo na ba ma?"

"Noong gabing nadisgrasya ka someone called me na puntahan ka sa hospital anak, he told me he contacted that man named Mikhael kasi siya daw yung nakita sa contacts mo, right after that call, nagproceed agad ako sa hospital to check on you, and a nurse gave me your things including your phone"

"Nacontact ba nung lalake si Khael ma?"

"Hindi anak, he just left a message for him and after a day, Khael called you and I was holding your phone that time so I answered it."

I hope mom didn't tell Khael what happened to me para hindi siya madestruct at magworry.

"So mom, what did he told you?"

"He asked me kung nasaan ka and kung anong nangyari sayo, so I told him everything."

"What ma? Bakit mo sinabi?!"

"I think he has the right to know, he was very worried, yung kanyang boses parang mangiyak-iyak upon hearing what happened."

"Ma naman! Please tell him I'm okay now"

"I also told him na nag undergo ka ng therapy and asked me to take care of you habang wala pa siya"

"Habang wala siya? Bakit ma? Did he told you na uuwi siya?"

"He said uuwi siya, and then he suddenly told me na gustong gusto ka na niyang makita, makasama and he asked me one thing and I was surprised with that"

"He asked me for your hand anak, sinabi niyang you are his first at everything, his first love, first kiss and first heartbreak also, he told me you are his childhood love"

I didn't realize habang palalim ng palalim ang kwentuhan namin ni mama, unti-unti ring pumapatak ang aking luha.

I can say this feelings are so real, he's the ONE.

After all these years, after all the pains and missing pieces, paanong ako parin yung nasa puso niya? Paanong hanggang ngayon ako parin ang pinipili niya?

I thank God for making me realize that it's him I really love the most.

My mom asked me if I am ready for marriage and I answered

"Mom he was the only person who stayed by my side through thick and thin, he never made me felt lonely and unloved, he saved me many times, from heartbreak, from pain and from distress. I owe half of my life to him. Ever since we are in high school, I loved him, nadestruct lang ako at nagkamali ng pinili but I liked him ever since, so if God really brought us together, I'll wait for him to come"

Mom gave me advices of being in marriage, she told me

"Anak, alam mo, kapag nag-asawa ka, mawawala na yung taong mahal mo at nagmamahal sayo. Did you get what I'm saying? Hindi na magiging katulad ngayon na merong excitement, there will be no kilig moments, mawawala yung spark, you will begin to change without realizing it, your love will fade and you will be bombarded with a lot of responsibilities, although that's not the case for everybody but these are possibilities you need to consider, are you ready for that anak?"

Mom my asked.

In my my heart and mind I am ready, but she was right I have to consider those things.

Sabi ko naman sa isip ko, ilang taon na ang lumipas but Khael's love for me never fades, never siya sumuko sa akin kahit may minahal akong iba, so I thought that might not be the case for us....