Beauty and Death

Chapter 7

Chapter 7
Beach

I fell to a long deep sleep after consulting Doc Yshan. Talagang lumipad pa siya papuntang Cagayan para personal akong matignan. I was told that I have been sleeping for more than 24 hours pero kahit ganoo'y nagawa ko pa ding matulog ulit dahil sa pinainom na gamot sa akin. This time though, to my disappointment, I did not have any dreams.

"What are you going to do now, Alistair? If Amary wants to see Ivor, you should let her." Narinig ko ang boses ni Andre sa sumunod na gising ko. I was still very tired so I stayed still, without opening my eyes. Mabigat ang mga mata ko at pakiramdam ko lutang pa ang isip.

"He's still her fiance. Upon their family's agreement," dugtong ni Andre.

"Those were all words," I heard Alistair say in a cold voice.

"Kahit na. You will be in so much trouble when the police knows you're hiding their main suspect. And not to mention, the murder weapon! Kapag nalaman ni Ivor ang tungkol rito, maaari ka din niyang kasuhan ng illegal detention, hindi ba? It's been weeks."

"Amary did not kill her father. And Ivor...he'd understand why I kept her here."

"But the murder weapon is with her, pare! Her fingerprints are all over. There are blood in her clothes when you found her. Hindi ba kinumpirma nga ni Adalius na ang dugo na naroon ay talagang kina Gov. Madrigal at Senator Villanueva?"

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang i-rereact doon. That's a very new information for me! No one told me about it. Kung ganoon malaki ang ebidensya na ako nga ang pumatay kay Daddy! Then, why are they hiding me?! At sino si Senator Villanueva?!

Pumintig ang sentido ko dahil sa biglaang impormasyon na nalaman. In my memories, my father and I are very close. He is very good to me and is the sweetest of all. If I did kill him, something might've happened in between that my last resort is to become a murderer.

I asked myself again. Kaya ko ba talagang gawin iyon? Sa sarili kong ama? And does my mother know? My Lola and Lolo? What does Ivor think of me now?

Tinigil ko agad ang pagtatanong sa aking isip sa takot na baka mag-collapse akong muli. I can't stay in the hospital for too long. Malaki ang gagastusin nila. And I have a feeling Alistair will not tell me how much the bills cost lalo na't alam niyang iniipon ko ang mga resibo.

"Let's not talk about it here. She might hear." Matigas na sabi ni Alistair. Hindi nga nadugtungan ang usapan.

Ilang segundo ng katahimikan ay unti-unti kong minulat ang aking mga mata. Mabilis na tumingin sa akin si Alistair na may pag-aalala habang si Andre ay may pagkamalamig ang tingin. Andre sighed and went outside. Napatitig ako sa pintong nilabasan niya bago nilingon si Alistair.

"How are you feeling?" he asked matapos akong alalayang bumangon. Gusto kong itanong sa kanya ang tungkol sa narinig but I doubt he will tell me now.

"I feel okay..." mahina kong sagot. It's true that I feel fine. Though there's a slight pain in my head, it's bearable. "Are we going back to the rest house today?"

Binigyan niya ako ng tubig at tinanggap ko naman iyon. Tahimik akong sumimsim doon habang nakatanaw sa akin si Alistair. "Today. Yshan will be coming with us..."

Tumango-tango ako. Umawang ang labi niya tila may gustong sabihin pero pinili munang itikom ang bibig. I want to ask him about Ivor but I think there's a right time for that. Nasabi ko naman na sa kanilang gusto kong makita ang kaibigan. Hindi ko lang sigurado kung ano ang plano nila doon. Ayaw ko ding pangunahan sila sa desisyon lalo na't nakikituloy lamang ako.

"We will be flying back to Pangasinan tonight." Nagulat ako nang mag-salita siyang muli. Akala ko'y hanggang mamaya ay babalutin kami ng katahimikan. "People here knows that you are here. It will only be a matter of time that you will be found. Pinakiusapan lamang namin ang may-ari ng ospital na gawing pribado ang pamamalagi mo dito."