Mistakes We Can't Laugh About (Loser #2)

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

After everything that happened, I was at a loss for action.

Dr. Talavera came forward as a witness, too. He said he wanted to tell the truth because the guilt was eating him up. He also admitted to writing a book about it, that book of confessions about confidential scientific methods that I'd been reading in the library.

Miski ang pamilya ng mga pasyenteng nadamay ay nagsampa ng kaso laban sa firm. Percy and Valeen tried to use an insanity plea, but that wouldn't work because the public wanted them to be held accountable and because they knew exactly what they did. Kahit pa may medical record na ipinakita si Percy, nag-testify ang mga scientists na wala namang episode si Percy nang isagawa ang krimen.

Alam kong matatagalan ang proseso ng paghuhukom sa kanila pero wala na akong pakialam. I was happy enough that they were in jail and that, with all the evidence gathered, they would stay there until they were convicted along with all their accomplices.

I was so dumb for thinking so highly of them. Akala ko ay matalino sila at mababasa nila ang mga galaw ko. Valeen could see right through me, but she was so full of herself, and from what I saw while working for them, she didn't really care about the firm. Lagi siyang wala, at kung nandoon man, tagapakinig lang siya ng proposal ideas. She seemed to be there purely for show. Hindi na rin nakapagtatakang galit sa kanya si Percy lalo at hindi naman talaga siya tumutulong kapag may problema roon.

All the things fell into place, yet I still didn't want to celebrate my life because there was someone who should have been celebrating with me but . . . couldn't.

"Psyche, gising na . . ." bulong ko habang hawak-hawak ang kamay niya. "Everything is okay now. Natapos na natin. You don't have to live in fear anymore."

I looked at her calm, sleeping face. The marks from being punched and beaten were less visible, but the bruises on her jaw and cheeks were still there. She reportedly suffered four stab wounds, the one to the lungs being the most serious.

"I stood in court . . . you should too. You should see their funny faces." I tried to chuckle. "Marami na tayong kakampi. Hindi na lang tayong dalawa ang lumalaban."

Her odds of waking up were slim. She was unresponsive and making no progress. Maraming tubo ang nakakabit sa katawan niya at hindi ko kayang panooring ganito siya. Her body had been through a lot already. She didn't deserve this.

Iniisip ko na lang . . . baka nagpapahinga siya. Baka ito 'yong paraan ng mundo para makatulog siya nang walang takot at pangamba. In this room, she was calm and at peace. She could sleep as much as she wanted without worrying about being beaten up or being seen as less important than others. Hindi niya kailangang magpanggap. Hindi niya kailangang magsungit para ipakita sa lahat na wala siyang kinatatakutan.

She said we weren't sisters . . . but in my heart, we were.

"I'm very, very, very proud of you, Psyche. Your younger self must be too."

Kinausap ko ang tatay niya. He was so hands-on, and he regretted being so blind to Psyche's suffering. Wala ako sa lugar para ikwento sa kanya ang pinagdaanan ni Psyche sa kamay ni Valeen, pero alam kong sapat na ang mga sugat at peklat ng babae para ipakita sa kanyang naabuso ang anak niya.

"Bakit hindi niya sinabi sa 'kin?"

Hindi ko masagot ang tanong niyang iyon. Maybe Psyche did . . . maybe she didn't. Nanirahan sa takot si Psyche. Having the courage to tell someone about her abuse experiences must be a horrifying thought for her. She might have had signs of being beaten up, but people were too busy with their own lives to dig deeper.