CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
It's not her cancer that would kill her.
Ressler
Habang naghihintay akong matapos ang usap ni Tam at Jezra, lumabas muna ako para bumili ng kape at magpahangin.
I sat under the tree, taking a sip of coffee. I wonder how Jez and Zild met. I hope he didn't say anything that could offend her in any way.
Jezra is a nice girl. I'm actually five years older than her, but she always acts as if she's older than me.
Her personality always brightens up my day.
Everytime I saw her face, I could see my older sister who died a long time ago. And everytime I'm with her, I could see the version of Tam when she was still young and free.
I was stunned when my eyes saw a familiar face marching to the hospital's entrance.
Kylo?
Dali-dali akong napatayo at naglakad pabalik sa loob para sundan siya.
Bakit siya nandito?
Ang alam ko, hindi pa sinasabi ni Tam sa kanya o sa kahit na sino ang tungkol sa sakit niya.
Palihim ko lang na sinundan si Kylo. Gumamit siya ng elevator pero gumamit ako ng hagdan para hindi niya ako mapansin.
Nang makita ko siyang lumabas sa third floor mula sa elevator, agad na akong kinutuban.
Dito sa floor na 'to ang office ni Doctora Lagura, ang doctor ni Tam.
Nang sundan ko siya sa paglalakad niya ay tama nga ako. Si Doctora Lagura nga ang pinuntahan niya.
Pumasok siya sa loob at agad naman akong pumwesto sa gilid ng pinto para pakinggan ang pag-uusapan nila.
"Kamusta kapatid ko, Doc?" tanong ni Kylo sa kanya.
"Compared to other patients, she's doing fine. But she needs to stay here at the hospital together with the other patients na may leukemia rin. We'll run some tests, again. Para malaman natin kung ano pa bang treatments ang puwede sa kanya," she explained.
"Thank you, Doc."
"Kylo, when will you tell her about this?"
About what?
"About you knowing about her cancer. About me being your senior when you were still in med school. About everything. She's your sister. You should tell her."
Natigilan ako.
Magkakilala sila? Kailan pa alam ni Kylo? Nauna ba siyang makaalam kesa sa 'kin? Bakit hindi niya sinabi sa 'kin?
Ang daming tanong na nabuo sa isip ko pero nanatili lang akong tahimik para pakinggan pa kung ano man ang sasabihin nila.
"She'll be disappointed if she learns about this. I don't want to give her another hard time. It's too much for her to take," Kylo said, brushing his fingers through his hair.
Hindi ko na pinakinggan pa ang mga susunod nilang pinag-usapan. Umupo lang ako sa may lobby ng third floor at hinintay si Kylo na dumaan dito.
Nang dumaan siya ay agad siyang natigilan nang makita niya ako.
Bakas sa mukha niya ang pagkagulat. Halatang hindi niya alam ang gagawin niya.
Tumayo ako at lumapit sa kanya.
"Ress," sambit niya pero seryoso ko lang siyang tiningnan.
My jaw clenched. "Kailan mo pa alam?"
"Let's talk outside. Not here," kalmado niyang sabi. Hindi na ako pumalag at sinundan siya hanggang sa makarating kami sa rooftop.
"I knew it since the day she was diagnosed with cancer. Doctor Lagura called me, and she told me everything," he stated.
I scoffed in disbelief. "Gano'n katagal mo nang alam? Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa 'kin?"
He's my best friend, for God's sake!
"My sister didn't want to tell you! She even hid it from me, from our parents, from everyone. I wasn't in the right place to tell you that. I respect her decision for not telling us, but I'm against on how she treated you after that. Believe me bro, ilang beses kong sinubukang sabihin sa 'yo pero hindi ko magawa. Ayaw kong mangialam. Ayaw ko siyang pangunahan."
Mas lalo akong nagmukhang t*nga.
Mas lalo akong nagmukhang walang kwenta.
Bakit hindi ko nalaman agad?
Bakit nalaman ko lang kung kailan ang dami nang nangyari? Kung kailan ang dami nang nagbago.
"Remember the day she visited Marcus and Brook's house? That moment we saw her hair like that for the first time? I wanted to hug her! I wanted to tell her that it's fine, that I already know everything. I wanted to protect her, Ress. I'm her brother. But I . . . I just stared at her like an idiot and had to watch her walk away," his voice cracked.
I stayed silent.
I don't even know what to say or how to react.
"That day we saw her like that, Marcus and Brook tried to run after her. You saw that too, right? But I stopped them. I begged them not to run after her because she wasn't ready to tell us. So, I told Marcus and Brook instead. I told them about Tam's condition. They were literally heartbroken after hearing the whole story. They even hated themselves for not noticing she was sick. They wanted to be there for her. They wanted to take care of her. But I told them not to do anything and pretend to know nothing." Sadness was written all over his face.
I still couldn't believe that even my own best friend didn't tell me anything.
"Sa kanila, sinabi mo. Bakit sa 'kin hindi?" mariin kong tanong.
"Kasi gusto namin ikaw mismo ang makaalam," a voice behind me said. Agad akong napalingon sa likuran ko at nakita ko si Brooklyn at Marcus na naglalakad papalapit sa 'min.
"She's your wife, Ressler. You should've noticed even the smallest thing about her being sick, but you haven't," Marcus said, shrugging.
"Wala na, nangyari na. She has a cancer. She made her choice. Pero nalaman pa rin nating lahat. Kahit gano'n, may choice rin naman tayo. Choice natin kung hahayaan ba natin siyang lumaban mag-isa, o sasamahan natin siyang lumaban. Kasi alam niyo, at this point, it's not her cancer that will kill her. Probably, it'd be sadness that could make her lifeless," Brooklyn said, flashing me a half smile.
"We should tell her," sambit ko. Bakas sa boses ko ang pagiging desidido.
"I want her to fight this battle with me, with us."
______
Tiana: Follow me on Twitter @TianaVianne :))
BINABASA MO ANG
Smile For Me, Ressler
Romance|| Published under PSICOM || Tamara didn't want her husband to know that the day he married her was also the same day she was diagnosed with cancer. Disclaimer: This story is in Taglish Status: Completed ***Now available at National Book Store, Expr...
