Aubrey (completed)

14. Love is blind

Simula noon, never nag bulag-bulagan si Aubrey pag may mga bagay syang ginagawa o kaya naman sinasabi na hindi maganda. She was always there to put him in his place. She was there to slap him if ever he needed one.

Kagaya noon, nung sinagot-sagot nya ang Mama nya. Aubrey told him to apologize to his Mom. But he said hurtful words about his Mother. And the next thing he knew, dumapo na ang palad nito sa mukha nya. Pinangaralan sya nito. Kung panong dapat irespeto nya ang Mama nya.

Kahit kailan ay hindi ito pumikit para pagtakpan ang mga kalokohan nya. Hindi ito tumalikod para hindi mapanood ang mga walang kwentang bagay na ginagawa nya. Her eyes was always open. She was always watching him.

But he can't do the same thing for her. Hindi nya kaya. Because opening our eyes means seeing something we don't want to see. Nagbubulag-bulagan sya sa sitwasyon ni Aubrey. Inilalagay nya sa isip nya na baka wala naman talaga itong problema.

He wanted to know. But he doesn't know if he can handle the truth. Maybe if he closed his eyes, maybe if he turned his back, mawala na ang problema. But that wasn't the case. Aubrey is getting weak. That is so obvious. Hindi na pwedeng ipagsawalang-bahala ang nangyayari dito. He can't turn his back on her. He can't pretend that he can't see the problem. She's sick. Whether she admits it or not, she's very sick.

At hindi nya makita ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ito nagsasabi sa kanya. Can't she see how painful it is to him seeing her fading slowly? Can't she see how worried he was? Can't she just look at him and see how his world is slowly crumbling down?

Why can't he just look away? Naiinis sya sa sarili nya dahil hindi nya kayang hindi ito tignan. Nakikita nya ang sitwasyon, pero hindi nya alam ang nangyayari. Nakikita nya. Pero kailangan nyang magpanggap na hindi.

Love made us blind. Kailangan na lang natin lunukin ang nakikita natin kahit hindi natin gusto.

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"Aubrey, dadalhin na kita sa ospital. You look so pale." Nag-aalalang sabi nya rito.

"I'm fine, Shawn. Okay lang ako." Sagot nito sa kanya.

"Hindi ka mukhang okay! Mukha kang mawawalan ng malay any minute now! Can't you understand? You need help!" Seryosong sabi nya rito.

"Shawn please. Don't do this." Nagmamaka-awang sabi nito.

"Mukha ka ng nahihirapan, Aubrey. I can't just sit here and pretend that you're okay. I'm not blind, Aubrey. I can definitely see that you're far from being okay. So whether you like it or not, magpupunta tayo sa ospital." Madiin na sabi nya rito. Umiling-iling ito.

"No Shawn. Please. Don't do this." Sabi nito sa kanya. Hinawakan nya ang kamay nito.

"I'll be there. Magkasama tayo. You'll be fine." Kalmadong sabi nya rito. Inakay nya na ito papunta sa kotse nya ng bigla itong mahilo. Muntik na itong sumubsob, buti na lang ay hawak nya ito. Nag-aalalang inasikaso nya ito. Halos mapamura sya ng makitang may dugo na lumalabas sa ilong nito.

"We're going to the hospital. No more excuses." Seryosong sabi nya rito. Paghakbang nila, he noticed that she's swaying. She almost kissed the land. Mabuti na lang at nasalo nya agad ito. Kinakabahang pinagmasdan nya ito.

"Aubrey." Pagtawag nya sa pangalan nito. Masyado na itong maputla. Her nose is still bleeding. Nagmamadaling binuhat nya ito at ipinasok sa kotse.

"Aubrey baby. Wake up." Pero hindi pa rin ito magising. Nagmamadaling nagmaneho sya sa ospital na pinagta-trabahuhan ng pinsan nitong si Mike. Nakatingin ang mga tao sa kanya ng pumasok sya na bitbit ang walang malay na si Aubrey.