Holding on to His Promises

Chapter 5: Dylan's Influence

"Have a long sleep," Dylan said when I got out of the car with his help.

"You too," tila bangag na sabi ko. Napaface-palm pa ako sabay pikit ng mariin. "Inaantok na talaga ako." Inalog ko ang ulo ko bago muling tumingin sa kanya. "Just see you later. I really need to sleep now."

It was now five in the morning, and our JS Prom Night just ended earlier.

"Okay, I'll wait for you," aniya bago sinara ang windshield ng kotse. Sumulong ang kotse patungo sa bahay ng mga Hunt hanggang sa pumasok ito ng gate.

I unlocked the gate of our house and came in. Darkness welcomed me when I opened the main door. Kinapa ko ang switch ng ilaw sa pader, then I turned it on.

Dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko at hinubad ang gown ko. Nagsuot ako ng panjama at maluwag na t-shirt para komportable ako sa pagtulog. Binuksan ko muna ang air-condition bago pikit-matang binagsak ko ang katawan ko sa kama, hanggang sa tuluyan na akong nakatulog.

Alas-tres na ng hapon nang magising ako. Binuksan ko ang bintana para pumasok ang liwanag sa kwarto ko. Pinatay ko ang air-condition bago ako lumabas ng kwarto ko. Naamoy ko kaagad ang napakabangong samyo ng Sinigang. Tinungo ko ang kusina, at nakita kong si Auntie Jessie ang nagluluto. All of a sudden I felt sad, because I'd missed seeing Auntie Rona doing that thing.

"Hi, Auntie Jessie," I greeted her. Therefore, she turned around to face me.

"Oh, Demi! How's your Prom Night?" she asked me with a sweet smile on her lips. She was different from Auntie Rona who was very strict and cold.

"It was fun," I said and smiled a little bit. "How about Auntie Rona?"

"Naroon siya sa kwarto niya. Hinahanap ka niya kaya puntahan mo siya roon."

"Okay. But . . . Auntie, what is the sickness of Auntie Rona?" They never told me about the real status of Auntie Rona, while they always went to hospital since then.

She stared at me for a while before she heaved a sigh and spoke, "She has a breast cancer."

My lips parted in surprise. I knew about that sickness, and it was dangerous. "B-but is she okay now?"

"I can't tell."

Imbis na magtanong pa ako muli, tinungo ko na lang ang kwarto ni Auntie Rona na katabi lamang ng kwarto ko. I opened the door, and there I saw her lying on her bed. She was awake but her eyes were just looking at the ceiling. Lumakad ako palapit sa kanya. When she noticed my presence, only her eyes moved to look at me.

"Auntie, are you okay now?" I asked her and sat on her bed.

She didn't answer. She just looked at me still. I bit my lip because I worried about her condition. I thought she wasn't okay. I just looked at her. I didn't know what to say, but my eyes were now starting to water. Auntie Rona closed her eyes, but after a while she started moaning like she was in pain.

I fastly went out of the room and called Auntie Jessie. We both went back to Auntie Rona's room. Every moans and whimper of her made my chest tighten.

***

Pinuntahan ko si Dylan sa bahay nila at naabutan ko siyang tumutugtog ng drums niya sa kwarto niya. He stopped when I came up to the view. He stood up and dropped the drums stick on the table.