A Flower for Alice

18

DARIO

After all the confrontations, I decided to rest. To just sleep again. Hoping that, the dream will continue. That I will live my life together with Alice. But I didn't have the chance, but at least I rest.

Nagising ako at kaagad akong tumingin sa paligid, nanatili pa rin ako sa kuwartong ito.

"Anak, you're awake. Gutom ka na ba?" salubong ni Mommy sa akin na hindi ko namamalayan na nasa tabi ko pala.

Ngumiti lang ako sa kaniya. "I'm okay, Mom. Don't worry."

Bumuntong-hininga siya. "Dario, alam kong hindi ka okay. You don't need to pretend like you can endure everything. Nanay mo ako, alam kong nasasaktan ka. It's okay to cry. Huwag kang mahihiya sa akin."

"I am not pretending Mom, I just cried earlier, remember? Huwag na po kayong mag-alala, maayos lang po ako." I said for her to calm.

Umirap na lang siya. "Bueno, anong gusto mong kainin? Hindi pwedeng hindi ka gutom, kailangan mong kumain para lumakas ka lalo."

"Just some vegetable salad Mom, tsaka po apple juice. " sagot ko para matigil na siya sa pag-aalala sa akin.

"Sige tatawagan ko lang si Flora para ipaghanda ka at ipasabay sa Daddy mo papunta dito." she said at lumabas siya para kausapin si Nanay Flora.

Napaisip ako sa nangyari sa Batanes. We visited some of the place's tourist destination. Masaya lang lahat but not today. Naalala ko din ang mga kinuha namin sa lugar na iyon as a souvenirs. Then, Alice beautiful face came to my mind. Her Spanish features really enveloped her face. Her blue-green eyes, her pointed and proud nose and her pink cupid- shaped lips, that made me smile like an idiot. I am really lucky to have her in my life but because of my dumb action, she is suffering. The hell is that.

I look at the window to see what the sky looks like. It is not sunny but it is not raining. The sky is gloomy. This is life, I just need to accept everything.

I breathe slowly and remove all of the negative ideas in my mind.

I spent the time waiting for my food thinking happy memories with Alice, staring at the window, or talking to the air.

Mom's talking pull me out from reverie announcing that the food is here.

"Ubusin mo iyan, Dario. Para mas lumakas ka." paalala ni Daddy na kadarating lang.

Bago ako kumain ay nagtanong ako. "Paano kayo Mom, Dad, nakakain na kayo?"

"Don't worry about us. Alalahanin mo ang sarili mo." bored na sagot ni Mommy.

I sighed. "Mommy, hindi porket nandito ako sa ospital, hindi ko na kayo iintindihin. You need to take care of yourself too."

"We know what we are doing, Dario. No need to scold us." sagot ni Daddy. Tumigil na ako sa pag-sasalita at nagsimula na ako kumain.

Habang kumakain ako, bumisita ang doktor.

"Ano ng nararamdaman mo, Mr. Santiago?" salubong ng doktor.

"I'm doing fine, Doc. How about Alice? Is she doing okay?" pag-iiba ko. I need to be updated.

Ngumiti siya. "Since lagi mo ng binabanggit si Alice, simula bukas I will give some updates from Alice's assigned doctor. Pero kahit na nag-aalala ka kay Alice, kailangan mo din alagaan ang sarili mo."

"I am okay now, what concern me the most is Alice. She is still not waking up until now." saad ko.

"She is in state of coma now. Hindi natin alam ang oras kung kailan gigising siya. Let's pray for her, that's what we can do this time." anito.

I gasp because of that. "I know she will wake up. I have a question."

"Ano iyon?" tanong niya.

"In my dreams, I hear someone calling me. Who is that?" I discussed.

Tumayo si Mommy at Daddy, lumapit sa amin. "What do you mean someone calling you?"

"There's a weak voice calling me out, absolutely she is a girl. She wants me to comeback." I explained.

"I am always calling you out nung hindi ka pa nagigising, how can you hear me?" pagtataka ni Mommy.

The doctor smile again. "His brain is responding sometimes and it gets in, in your dream. Your brain is receiving it, meaning the injury in your brain is not that severe kaya may naririnig kang boses kahit you are in the state of coma too."

That clarifies everything.

"Mabuti naman kung ganoon, mas madali kang makakalabas dito at mabibisita mo na si Alice." singit ni Daddy. But I am not that happy that I will heal faster hangga't hindi pa gumigising si Alice, hindi ako mapapanatag.

"That's right. Kaya kailangan mong mas alagaan ang sarili mo, Mr. Santiago. Mauna na ako. May aasikasuhin pa ako." paalala ng doktor at inihatid siya ni Daddy hanggang labas habang nag-uusap sila.

I looked at my Mom. "Hindi pa din po ba nagpapakita si Alice ng signs na malapit na siya magising?"

"Kakakausap ko lang kanina kay Cynthia, hindi pa daw. Pero tinatanggap naman daw ng katawan ni Alice ang gamot at walang pinapakitang abnormalities, kaya alam kong magiging okay din ang lahat." My Mom illustrated.

This frustrates me. "Kailan pa po ako makakalabas dito? Gusto ko na siya makita, Mommy."

She kissed my forehead. "Ilang araw ka na lang daw mananatili dito, makikita mo din siya. For now, continue eating your food."

Ipinagpatuloy ko ang pagkain ko hanggang maubos ito.

I use my time looking at the window, thinking of happy memories with Alice and staring and talking to the air. Binisita kami ni Melissa pero hindi ako ganoong nakipag-usap dahil nilalamon ako ng pag-iisip.

"Kuya, earth to Darius Emmanuel." dinig kong sabi ni Melissa kaya hinarap ko siya.

"Ano?" tanong ko.

Umirap siya. "I am just talking to air. What I am saying is that I visited Ate Alice earlier and I heard the doctor talking and she said Ate will be okay soon because she's showing some sign like she was able to move her fingers. Sabi din ng doktor na narereceive na daw niya ang mga information sa paligid niya dahil kanina nang tinanong siya ng doktor, she groaned like she understands it."

Napaupo ako sa tuwa. "She's awake now? Kilala niya ba ako? Sabihin mo Melissa, maayos na siya?"

Melissa tsked. "She's awake now, but she needs to recover more. But she is okay now. Napaiyak pa nga si Tita Cynthia kanina sa tuwa." she stopped talking and looked at me heartily. "And you're the one who is crying too. Don't be a gay." Napahinto si Daddy sa pagbabasa ng diyaryo at si Mommy ay lumapit agad. Niyakap ko si Melissa na pilit naman akong tinataboy.

"Thank you for that information. It made me feel like I am on the top of the world." maligaya kong saad. She and Dad just chuckled while Mom hug us too. Someone save me from drowning in sadness, it is my queen again, Alice.