Through the Nights

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Catching Up

"What happened?" Francine asked when Nicco went back to her room.

Pagkatapos kasing mabasa kanina ni Nicco 'yong message ni Dr. Ocampo, agad siyang nagpaalam kay Francine para lumabas.

A breath slowly escaped his lips when he shook his head. "Nag-code 'yong isang patient namin kanina."

"Code?"

"Cardiac arrest."

"Oh . . ." Napatango-tango si Francine. "Hindi ba siya na-revive?"

"Gusto namin siyang i-revive kanina. Pero pumirma kasi siya ng DNR kaya kahit gusto namin, hindi p'wede." He sighed, sitting down at the foot of her bed.

"I see," she said. Not knowing what to say next. Wala rin namang sinasabi si Nicco.

They remained silent for a while.

Francine was just watching him and Nicco kept heaving deep breaths while staring at the blank wall. He looked distraught. Gusto naman siyang tanungin ni Francine. But at the same time, she doesn't know what to say either.

So she allowed the silence to linger instead, thinking that maybe that's what he needed.

"Sorry."

Medyo nangunot ang noo ni Francine. "Sorry? For?" she asked confusedly.

"Hindi ko alam."

"Are you okay?"

He sighed. "Hindi ko rin alam."

Francine chewed on her inner lip. If this was before, I'm pretty sure sasabihin niya agad sa akin. We used to tell each other everything. Kahit wala na sigurong sense minsan. He used to tell me how his day went, he used to confide with me and I was the same to him. There was a point where I knew him better than anyone else.

And I hope we were still the same right now. Because he looks really sad, and I wish I could do something for him.

Francine blinked when Nicco stood up, walking towards her. Marahan siyang napabangon sa kama.

"Bakit?" she asked. She also noticed the pooling at the edge of his eyes.

"P'wede ba akong mag-request? Isang beses lang promise."

"Yes? Ano 'yon?"

"P'wede bang ano . . . payakap?"

Medyo natigilan si Francine sa narinig niya.

"Ha?"

Tama naman narinig ko 'di ba? Payakap daw?

"'Wag na, okay—"

"I said yes, 'di ba?"

A faint smile drew on her lips, she opened her arms for him. "Halika na dito."

Nicco sat down beside her, claiming the hug he asked for.

The long and heavy sigh he let out didn't escape her ears. And maybe she was assuming things. Hindi niya rin naman kasi kita ang mukha ni Nicco. But it seems like he was crying. Naririnig niya rin kasi 'yong maliliit ng singhap.

But Francine didn't have the courage to ask why. Kasi kung gustong sabihin ni Nicco, kanina pa siya nagsalita.

"Sorry," he said. Still locked in her arms.

"It's okay."

"Hindi ko lang kasi maiwasan. Favorite patient ko kasi si Ma'am Reyes."

"Oh . . . I see. Kaya pala."