"Pablo, Mr. Ajero asked for you." Napatingala ako kay Micha. "Can you place your hair down? Gusto ka daw makita ni Mr. Ajero as his wife."
"Ha? Kamukha ko ba ang asawa niya?"
"Yes. You look exactly like his wife." Sagot nito at hinatak ko sa room ni Mr. Ajero.
He was looking out the window. Tinawag siya ni Micha at mabilis naman siyang tumugon. When he saw me he smiled as tears fell down his face. I nervously looked at Micha.
She guided me to sit beside Mr. Ajero and talk to him. He was staring at me and smiling like I was somebody he knew.
"Mahal..." Sabi nito at kinuha ang kamay ko. "Cierra...andito ka nga. Sinabi ko naman sa mga kaibigan natin na hindi ka patay. Alam kong buhay ka."
I worriedly looked at Micha and she just bowed her head.
"Mahal, uwi na tayo. Ayaw ko na dito. Natatakot ako."
"Pero kailangan mong manatili dito. Para gumaling ka." I said then tried convincing him to stay.
"Will you be here, Love?" Tanong nito kaya napatango ako.
If it meant pretending to be your dead wife...fine I will do it para lang mapagaling si Mr. Ajero.
"Beautiful, My Love, Baby." Pang-aasar sa akin ni Ken dahil narinig niya ang mga sweet endearments sa akin ni Mr. Ajero.
"Shut up." Sabi ko at nginitian si Micha habang tinutulak ang wheelchair ni Mr. Ajero.
"Pat!" Sigaw ni Mr. Ajero sa akin. "Kakain na daw ako ng lunch sabi ng mabait na babaeng ito. Ikaw ba? Sasabay ka na ba sa akin?"
"Actually hindi pa eh. May gagawin pa ako." Please let me leave.
"Ganon ba? Sige dinner na lang tayo mamaya. I'll be waiting for you, Mahal."
Nakangiti siyang kumakaway while Micha pushed him away. Nakakaawa naman siya, still longing for his wife after 3 years of her being dead.
I felt Ken nudge me on the side so I looked at him.
"Hanggang kailan kayo magpapanggap? Naaawa ako kay Mr. Ajero." Sabi niya sa akin. "We want the patients to heal...not make the situation worse."
"Tama ka...aamin ako mamayang gabi. This facility is for healing, not making them want to kill themselves." Sagot ko.
Kinagabihan ay hinahanap na raw ulit ako ni Mr. Ajero. I nervously approached him...knowing that his condition will worsen if I told the truth. Either way, masasaktan siya.
"Mahal!" Sigaw ni Mr. Ajero, causing Micha to look at me. "Mahal, kumain ka na? Sabay na tayo."
"Kuya, anong ginagawa mo dito?" Tanong ni Micha.
"Can you give us time? I need to speak with Mr. Ajero."
Tumango si Micha at umalis. I sat in front of Mr. Ajero who was eating dinner. He gestured me to open up so he can feed me but I politely refused.
"Ayaw mo ba? Mahal...nagtatampo ka ba dahil akala ko iniwan mo na ako? Mahal patawarin mo na ako, hindi ko naman sinasadiya. Sabi kasi nina Justin ay bitiwan na raw kita."
"Mr. Ajero...your wife is dead." Sabi ko. "Tatlong taon na siyang wala."
"Mahal, nagbibiro ka ba? Ikaw lang ang asawa ko, hindi ka naman patay ah?"
"I'm not your wife, Mr. Ajero. Nurse ako sa mental facility na ito. Ako si John Paulo Nase, hindi ako ang asawa mo."
"H-Hindi...Mahal alam kong ikaw iyan. Stop playing games with me." He begged.
"Hindi ako si Mrs. Ajero, sorry Mr. Ajero but I am not Cierra."
"HINDI SABI! ALAM KONG IKAW NGA SI CIERRA!"
I got scared when he stood up kaya napaatras ako.
Ken and Micha rushed in and injected a sleeping concussion to help Mr. Ajero sleep. He was fighting it off to run towards me but he quickly fainted to sleep.
"What the hell happened?" Galit na tanong ni Micha.
"I admitted everything. Na hindi ako ang asawa niya."
"I made him do it." Sabat ni Ken.
"Ha? Bobo ba kayong dalawa? Sobrang heartbroken ni Mr. Ajero and you both chose to make it worse."
"Mahihirapan tayo if he wants to perform intercourse." Sabi ni Ken kaya nahampas ko siya. "All I'm saying is Mr. Ajero is in his late 20's, he has needs you know."
"That won't be a problem anymore." Micha said. "Anong gagawin natin kapag nagising siya?"
"Hindi ko alam. I just can't lie anymore, okay?"
Nang nagising siya kinabukasan ay hinanap at kinausap niya ako.
"You're really not my Cierra Patricia?" Tanong nito sa akin.
"Pasensya, Mr. Ajero. I'm not."
He cupped my face then smiled while tears fell from his face.
"You look exactly like Pat. You talk exactly like her. You...you decide exactly like her. You hurt me exactly like how Pat did."
I frowned then bowed my head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ajero...hindi talaga ko ang asawa mo."
He chuckled lightly and removed his hand from my face.
"Thank you for telling the truth."
I smiled and left him with Micha. I turned around and saw him smiling at me kaya nginitian ko siya.
"Anong balita?" Ken asked as we scoped through our patients.
"He accepted defeat but his wife is still somwhere there. I know he can never let her go."
"Lalo na ngayon na may kamukha ang asawa niya na parati niyang makikita." Ken said then gave me my next schedule. "Permanent nurse ka na ni Mr. Ajero, he requested it."
"Bakit daw?"
"Some say he wants to see his wife's face...even if it meant he's with you."
YOU ARE READING
Only You
FanfictionPablo works in a mental facility, as one day he came across a patient looking at him from the window of his room. Pablo kept seeing the man staring at him everyday and decided to ask about his profile. He was Stell, a new patient who just came in tw...
