"If tomorrow comes and I forget about this, and I forget about you, will you still love me?"
Yesterday. Love. Nothing else matters to Lee Gabriel than Odyssey Lee. If love was a manifestation, iyon ay ang pag-ibig ni Lee. At unti-unti rin yong naram...
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November 19, 2019
It was Tuesday when Lee was officially discharged from the hospital. Maraming paalala mula sa doktor at mga gamot to manage her symptoms pinayagan din siyang lumabas.
Nalaman na din ni Odyssey that the diagnosis came after the doctor saw through Lee's medical history, gawa na rin ng ikinamatay ng ina nito, and the considerable decrease in her temporal and parietal lobes. Even with her Lee's statements of losing time, gaps in her memory, naging candidate si Lee para sa PET-CT scan which shows build-up of beta-amyloid plaques in her brain— a clear indication that she is really developing the disease. Even earlier than her mom.
Walang nagawa si Odyssey kung hindi magpakatatag. Dahil kahit nagiging emosyonal na siya, kung nahaharap ito ni Lee ng matapang at hindi umiiyak, dapat kaya niya rin.
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Mahigpit na yakap ang ibinigay nito kay Dani bago sila umalis noon.
"Patingin nga niyan." Kinuha ni Danielle ang kamay ni Lee para tignan ang singsing. Suot niya na ito.
Although there was still some painful helplessness in her eyes dala ng pagaalala sa desisyon ni Odyssey na tanggapin siya sa buhay nito sa kabila ng sakit niya, Lee is obviously happy despite everything.
"Hindi ba at kasal na kayo?"
"Kumuha na kami ng marriage license noong birthday niya. Pero hindi pa namin nabalikan." Si Odyssey ang sumagot.
Tumingin si Dani kay Odyssey at hinila ito palayo kay Lee na ngumiti lang sa kanila.
Nang makalayo, Dani starts to chastise Odyssey.
"Odyssey. Umayos ka ha. She needs you now. You need to grow up and be mature enough to take care of her. To face everything that comes with this."
"I know."
"It's not enough that you know. Huwag mo naman sayangin pagmu-move on ko dito kung magkakasira lang kayo." She jests.
"Don't worry. I will take care of her hanggang sa huli." Odyssey felt his sinuses hurt. Hindi pa rin niya tanggap ang lahat. Gusto niyang umiyak ng umiyak.
"Oh. Huwag mo ipakita na ganyan ka. Magiging matatag ka for her. Nagjo-joke na nga ako para maging light lang itong pag-alis na ito."
"I will..."
"Huwag mo nang sayangin 'yang isa pang pagkakataon na binigay niya. Kasi mahalaga na ang bawat oras. 'Yung sinasabi niyong sukob-sukob dahil kamamatay lang ng nanay niya? Hindi na 'yun mahalaga ngayon. Her time's running out. You should remember that, and if she accepted your ring, it means she wants to get married to you, too."
Naalala ni Odyssey ang bucket list ni Lee. Oo nga at pangarap nitong makasal sa kanya.
"Oo..." He becomes more decided to fulfil all her wishes fast. "I will."
