Seen There, Done That (Sensara Series 1)

35

“Uh… oo, s-sige,” nataranta kong sagot.

My left knee is on the bed and it turned wobbly. Mabilis akong kumilos para matapos na.

I lighlty dab the cotton balls with essence on the dried scars.

“Close your eyes, Kuya…” 

Napahinga akong maluwag noong sinunod naman ako ni Kuya Maddox. I felt like suffocating when his gaze are around me. He couldn’t see me but it made me shift on my knees.

“Are you going to leave?” he started.

“Leave? Saan?”

“You’ve graduated already and will be working?”

Kinausap na ako ni Tita Chona patungkol do’n. Nakikiusap sa akin na huwag munang umalis ng mansion. Si Tito Mateo ay kinausap din ang kapatid na balak sanang kumuha sa akin sa company nito. They are willing to offer me work from home but Tita Chona objected.

“You can stay here, Achie. After all the years of studying, why not take a rest? Dito ka muna sa mansion. Your Kuya Maddox too…”

Alam ko na agad iyon. I only smiled as she laid out her plans.

“Don’t worry too much about your family. Ako na rin ang bahala sa kanila.”

“Tita, I’m willing to help. Hindi po ito trabaho para sa akin.”

Mariin siyang umiling at tumayo na para iwan ako. “Ako na ang bahala, hija. Can you look after your Kuya Maddox? Baka gising na iyon.”

My eyes panned out to Kuya Maddox who looked so curious and dejected.

“I’m still looking for work,” tanging naisagot ko.

Pumilig ang ulo niya at umangat kaunti ang labi.

“You’ll stay here… as you search for work? You can stay here.”

Tumango ako gayong hindi naman niya ako nakikita.

Silence enveloped us for minutes until he spoke again. I tilted his head by his chin as I cleansed some of his scars.

Marami ang galos at kaunti lang naman ang malalalim na sugat. I wondered if it leave a blemish or not.

“Where do you want to work anyway? Manang said your course is related to biology?”

“Oo, uh, kahit dito lang sa probinsya, Kuya Maddox. Masagana naman dito at may mga laboratory rin.”

“That would be nice. Malapit lang dito at gamay mo na rin ang lugar.”

“Yes,” inahon ko na ang tuhod sa higaan noong matapos sa paglalagay ng gamot.

Kasalukuyang nagliligpit ay hindi pa rin nagpatigil si Kuya Maddox.

“I heard my resto is in Manila. Puwede ka ro’n? O ayaw mo?”

Agad bumaling ang ulo ko sa kanya. That sounds like him before the accident.

He shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe if I recover soon enough, I can take you there and we can work together.”

“P-pag-iisipan ko iyan, Kuya. Marami pang panahon para pag-isipan iyan.”

His brows rose up together. “What are you implying? Hindi ka naniniwalang makakarecover agad ako?”

“What? That’s not what I meant, Kuya Maddox!”

Humalukipkip siya at hindi na kumibo. Ang ulo ay hinarap muli sa bintana niya kung saan nandoon ang nakakasilaw na liwanag.

“Kuya…” tawag ko. “I want you to recover soon enough. Ang pag-iisipan ay… ang trabaho. Iyon lang.”

He nodded slightly without looking back at my direction.

“Thank you for today, Achie.”

Bumuka at sara ang bibig ko. He shut down completely the conversation.

Tita Chona called that night. Hindi muna sila makakauwi ni Manang at sa akin binilin si Kuya Maddox hanggang kinabukasan.

I knocked on his door early in the morning. Pumasok ako at natanaw siyang nasa bingit na ng higaan at nakaupo.

“Good morning, Kuya…”

He somewhat panic at my voice. Nagsalubong ang mga kilay at iritable ang tanong.

“Achie? What are you doing here?”

“Hindi nakauwi sina Tita at Manang kaya ako muna. Tatayo ka ba?”

I tried holding his hand but he took it away from my grasp.

Napasinghap ako at sinilip ang mukha niya. He’s biting his lip hard and his brows are furrowed together.

“Just leave, Achie.”

Umiling ako. “Binilin ni Manang, Kuya,” I look at the clock. Oras na ng paligo ni Kuya Maddox ayon kay Manang.

Mabilis na bumaling sa akin si Kuya Maddox. His chest heaved as he breathe.

“I’ll help,” ani ko pa.

He tried standing up. Sinubukan ko muli siyang hawakan para alalayan pero tinabig niya lang ang mga kamay ko.

“Kaya ko, Achie!”

I took a step back because of sudden shock. Natameme ako at nanigas sa kinatatayuan dahil sa narinig.

Kuya Maddox lifted his hands in the air to sense what’s around him.

Lumunok ako at tahimik na sumunod sa kanya sa kabila ng gulat.

“Mahirap bang intindihin iyon, Achie?”

“Kuya…”

He snapped his neck to look back at me. Frustration is evident on his face. Namumula ang mukha dahil sa siguradong inis sa akin.

“Alam ko naman na kaya mo. I know. I know that. You can and you always will. Pero nandito naman ako… what do you need? It’s time for your bath, right? What can I help, Kuya Maddox?” sa huling tanong ay tunog nagmamakaawa na ako.

Ilang beses niyang sinuklay ang buhok dahil sa pagkayamot.

“Kuya Maddox, please…”

Nakailang buga siya ng hangin at kung saan-saan dumadapo ang tingin. When the rays hit his face, I saw his eyes glistening before bowing his head.

Napasibi ako at umawang ang bibig. Nag-init ang gilid ng mga mata ko at napatango sa sarili.

“I… need clothes, Achie.”

“Okay. Clothes. Kukuha ako,” nagmamadali kong sabi.

Tumungo ako sa shelves at kinuhanan siya ng susuotin. Hindi naman ako nahirapan dahil mukhang sinalansan ni Manang ang madalas niyang gamitin. From his shirts, shorts, and underwear.

Sininop ko ang mga kinuha sa bisig ko at bumalik kay Kuya Maddox na nakatayo pa rin at hindi umalis sa puwesto niya.

I held his right arm lightly and guided him towards the bathroom. Hindi na ako nakarinig ng ano man na apela galing sa kanya.

I readied his toothbrush with toothpaste. I filled a cup with water.

“Ito, Kuya Maddox,” hawak ko sa kamay niya at inilagay ang sipilyo.

He started brushing his teeth. Yumuko sa lababo at inabot ko ang baso ng tubig.

I wiped some bubbles away from his chin.

Nanginig ang mga labi ko noong makita ang pagbabago sa itsura niya. A tear quickly escaped from his unfocused eyes.

I took a deep breath and wiped it away. Nagsunod-sunod ang patak ng luha sa pisngi niya na patuloy kong pinupunasan.

“L-leave, Achie. You can’t… see me like this…”

“No. It’s okay. It’s all okay, Kuya Maddox,” mahina kong tugon. Lumapat ang maliit na ngiti sa labi ko. “You can let me down too…”