Only You

Chapter 3: Skies

"You know, if you fixed your walk you can cosplay as my wife." Mr. Ajero added in our conversation.

I wanted him to remember her in a way he won't be in such harm.

"Really? What else do we have difference in?" I asked and he smiled as we folded some paper rings.

"For starters...the mole on your face is misplaced. May nunal siya sa kabilang side ng face pero above the lip pa rin naman." Sagot nito at natawa. "I wish I had a picture for you to see. Magegets mo na din kung bakit gusto kong ikaw ang nurse na nagbabantay sa akin."

"Some say I do a good job in the facility." Sagot ko.

He shrugged and chuckled a bit. He gave me a little paper ring, it was in the color of sky blue. Instead of a heart, it had a little diamond.

"No. It's because I want to see a copy of my wife everyday." Sagot nito kaya napangiti ako.

He was really in love with his wife.

"Do you think she still thinks about me? Kung asan man siya..."

I stared at him as he walked towards the window to sit on the chair and stare at the sky. Tumayo ako para sundan siya at binigyan din ng paper ring.

He smiled and kept it inside his palm.

"Sigurado ako, Sir. Kung nasaan man si Mrs. Ajero...sure ako na parati ka niyang iniisip."

"That's all I wanted...to be with her for the rest of, well not her life anymore." He stopped to laugh a little. Ang dark naman ng humor nito. "I was pretty sure I'd die before her...we promised. I begged her..."

"You weren't mentally ready for her departure?"

"I was never really ready for the things she did. She decided all on her own."

I sat on the floor, listening carefully to him.

"I didn't knew how to cope."

"Are you ready to talk about that night?"

Tumango siya at bumuntong-hininga. He got up and sat on the floor with me. Weird gesture but okay.

"I came home from work. Napagod ako at wala akong ibang gustong gawin kung hindi ang masilayan ang maamo niyang mukha. She was an angel from the skies. Marami akong naging kaagaw sa kaniya pero nanalo ako sa puso niya."

I smiled. I wonder what type of relationship they had. "Did you ever cook for her?"

"Yes...every morning and night. Hindi kasi marunong." Natawa siya while grasping on the paper ring I gave him. "Sabi ng parents niya ay nakakahiya daw na hindi siya marunong kahit sa prito."

I observed him very well. "Pero hindi naman nakaabala sa'yo." He smiled and nodded.

"It was cute that she was just starting. Kasama niya naman ako." Sagot niya at nagpatuloy. "Sometimes I called her Cierra but when I get excited...I call her Pat."

"Was she a good wife?"

"She was the only one I had. I'm not complaining...she was clumsy, moody, observant and strange." Natigil siya saglit at pinunasan ang namumuong luha sa mga mata. "But I loved that about her. She loved my imperfections as well."

I got up and helped him up. He was also clumsy. I guided him to bed and told him to rest. I was surprised he didn't refuse. He never wants to rest.

I went out and saw Ken with two boys behind him. I was about to leave when the tall guy screeched.

"Cierra!? Buhay ka?!"

Nahampas naman siya nung isang lalake.

"Hindi si Cierra iyan. Nailibing na si Cierra." Sabi nito. "Clearly may bayag iyan, Cierra doesn't have that."

"Ah oo nga."

I looked at Ken who just shrugged. Who were these two? Why are their topics so...so bold?

"Kumusta si Stell?" Tanong nung matangkad.

"He is resting for now. If you want to stay you can wait in the garden or pool side."

"Pool? Bakit may pool? Baka makatalon ang mga pasyente ninyo." The smaller one said in curiosity.

"The pool is 3 feet, I doubt even a 12 year old would drown."

"Para kang si Cierra. Parating galit sa akin."

"I think she has a reason." These two were so annoying but they must be a close friend of Mr. Ajero. "I will call you if he wakes up."

"Salamat, Kamukha ni Cierra na lalake!"

Ken was just laughing behind me and patted my back.

"Goodluck. Try to keep cool."