The Girl who Lived

Epilogue

"Please wake up soon, Lanie."

May humaplos sa aking mukha kaya nakaramdam ako ng init. But this heat was the kind that brings warmth to a cold and wintry night. Nagpatangay ako sa nakakaginhawang pakiramdam at hinayaan kong balutin nito ang aking nanghihinang katawan.

Moving my hands, I can feel the rough fabric beneath me and the wooly blanket covering my body from neck to toe. The beautiful and soft chirping of birds that I was hearing got overwhelmed by the sound of creaking floorboards.

"Tita Mia! Mukhang gising na siya!" A gentle voice exclaimed. Narinig ko naman ang paparating na mga yabag pero hindi ko nagawang tignan ang taong iyon dahil wala pa akong lakas.

But the name, did I hear it correctly? Kung Mia nga talaga ang pangalan ng babae, may tyansa bang siya ang ina ni Qadim?

"This is good news, hija. Pero mukhang kailangan niya pang magpatuloy sa pagpapahinga," rinig kong malumanay na sabi ng bagong dating. She sounded exactly like the woman I had seen in my dreams. I just have to open my eyes to confirm my assumption but I was too weary to try.

"Sleep tight, anak. You've already fought well. Rest for now." Hinele ako ng malambing niyang boses kaya mabilis ulit akong nakatulog.

____

"Huwag ka munang bumangon." I immediately paused when I heard someone speak.

Tama nga ang hula ko dahil nang lumingon ako ay si Klein ang aking nakita. I shouldn't be surprised to see him now because he was the one who brought us to safety after we jumped from the ship.

And I will be forever grateful of him because of that.

Bumukas naman ang pinto sa likuran ng lalaki at nakita kong pumasok ang isang babaeng nakasuot ng dilaw na bestida. May hawak siyang tray na may lamang mangkok.

"Salamat hijo, sa pagbisita," wika niya kay Klein at nang mapunta na sa gawi ko ang kanyang paningin ay napahinto siya saglit.

Klein excused himself after adjusting his black glasses. Nang tuluyan nang makaalis sa silid ang lalaki ay nakita kong kumurba paitaas ang labi ng ginang. I felt a sense of familiarity when I looked at her. But the woman's features really resembled how Qadim's mother looked like in the portrait of her that I had seen.

"Mabuti at gising ka na, Lala," wika ng babae bago tumungo sa silyang nasa gilid ng kama kung na saan ako ngayon. Ibubuka ko na sana ang aking bibig para magsalita pero naunahan niya ako.

"Kailangan mo munang kumain ngayon. Sasagutin ko ang mga tanong mo mamaya," pahayag niya bago ako sinimulang subuan.

I ate in silence for a few minutes. Pero kahit tahimik lang kaming dalawa ay hindi ako nakaramdam ng ilang. At kahit wala man akong nararamdamang lukso ng dugo ay napanatag pa rin ako habang kasama ang babae dahil parang may matibay akong koneksiyon sa kanya.

Being with her made me feel that I still have a parent even though my real ones already passed away.

Pagkatapos kong maubos ang huling kutsara ng lomi ay hindi ko na napigilan ang pagpatak ng aking mga luha. "Mama," my voice came out as a croak as I hugged the woman tight.

I've been denying the memories that I have regained before because I thought that they weren't mine. But being with the woman who was always appearing in my dreams made me finally understand everything.

Sa paraan pa lang ng pagkakayakap niya sa akin pabalik at paghimas sa aking buhok para patahanin ako ay alam kong matagal ko na siyang kilala. Everything about her felt nostalgic and it brought back some of my old memories to the surface.