After Forever (Galvez series #5)

31: Forgotten

"Yung anak ko natutulog, 'wag muna kayong maingay, Dad," I said while looking at my baby's beautiful face. Buhat ko siya habang sinasayaw ko nang bahagya para lalong makatulog. Her name is Serena. She's my baby. Anak naman siya ni Lucas.

"Milana, magpahinga ka na," Lumapit sa akin si Mommy at niyakap ako. I looked at Mom who's crying right now. "Matulog ka na, Anak. And tomorrow you will be fine," Sabi ni Mommy at hinawakan ang mukha ko.

"Hindi po muna ako matutulog, Mommy. Hihintayin ko po muna na umuwi si Lucas," I said and smiled at Mom and Dad. Dad was also teary eyed.

"Lana, sleep ka na muna, okay?" I was stunned when a Doctor entered my room. May kasama siyang dalawang lalaki na nurse. "I'm Doctor Alliah from Saint Luke's Mental Institution, and we're going to take care of you..."

"M-Mental Institution?" My brows furrowed. "I don't get it," I shook my head, confused.

They didn't answer. Instead, Dad hugged me and I heard him sobbing. "I love you, My daughter... Daddy loves you so much," Dad said crying. I saw Mom crying so hard too.

"Are they going to take care of my baby too, Dad?" I asked Dad. 

"We're going to take care of you and... your baby," Doc. Alliah smiled at me.

"And then, it's fine. You don't have to worry about me, Dad. They're going to take care of me and my baby Serena. Everything will be fine, Dad," I gave a comforting smile to my parents. "But Doc, uuwi rin po ako agad kasi kailangan ko pong mag review dahil 2nd year na po ako sa med school. Kailangan ko na pong pumasok bukas," Sabi ko.

Nagkatinginan sila Doc at sila Mommy. Doc faced me and smiled at me. "Uuwi ka rin, I promised," Sabi ni Doc.

Malaya akong sumama sa dalawang Nurse. Habang tinitignan lang ako nila Mommy at hinahatid ng tingin palabas ng mansion namin. Walang tigil sa pag-iyak si Mommy at si Daddy naman ay nakayuko. Kumaway ako sakanila at binigyan sila ng matamis na ngiti. 

"'Yang putanginang pangarap mo sana hindi mo matupad!" 

I covered my ears when I heard Lucas' angry voice again. Paulit-ulit, ayaw maalis at ayaw akong tigilan. Segu-segundo at menu-menuto na ume-echo sa utak ko. Ayaw niyang umilis. Kahit anong pagtakip ko sa tainga ko ay nandoon pa rin. Patuloy ako sa pag-iling at sa pag-iyak.

"Hindi! Hindi ikaw si Lucas! Lucas won't say those words to me!" I shouted back at the voice in my head. 

"The baby didn't survive," 

"You aborted your baby,"

"The operation is successful,"

"You killed your own flesh,"

"Tama na!" Patuloy na sigaw ko. I didn't kill my baby... Hindi ko 'yon ginusto... wala akong pamimilian. Hindi ko kaya... Hindi ko kaya!

"Palabasin niyo ako dito! Kailangan kong pumasok sa med school!" Sigaw ko sa pinto pero mukhang walang nakakarinig sa akin. Tanging sariling boses ko lang ang naririnig ko. Nabibingi na ako sa mismong boses ko.

"'Yang putanginang pangarap mo sana hindi mo matupad!"

Tama na! Tama na, Lucas! Umiling iling ako at umupo sa isang sulok ng kwarto. 

"Lucas, I'm begging you... Please, stop..." I whispered. "Please, stop..." I cried so hard as I begged Lucas to forgive me. 

"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and PostPartum Depression," I heard My Doctor talking to my parents. "Ang Postpartum niya ay malamang nakuha niya sa pag papa-abort ng baby. She's drepressed even before siyang mag pa-abort. Kaya lalo itong naging severe. And nakapag-tataka, hindi ko pa rin ma-identify kung bakit siya nagkaroon ng post trauma. Walang maalala si Milana. She has a Dissociative amnesia."