Bad Times at Sunrise (La Fortuna Series #3)

Kabanata 28

Kabanata 28

"Ico? Anong ginagawa mo?"

Kinusot ko ang mga mata ko bago pilit na ihinilig ang sarili sa headboard ng kama. I was sore down there but I didn't expect my back to ache like a motherfucker as well. I groaned a bit before looking at Ico. Nakaluhod siya sa sahig habang may sinusulat sa papel na nakapatong sa paanan ng kama. I blushed when I remembered what we did in this exact same bed last night.

We had sex!

And I kinda want to do it again!

"What's that?" I repeated in a leveled tone because it seemed like he didn't hear me.

"Mornin'," aniya bago inayos ang suot niyang specs at inangat ang tingin sa 'kin. Biglaan siyang ngumisi kaya bahagya akong nagtaka. "I have big news for you!"

"Huh?"

Nilibot ko ang paningin ko at napagtantong nagkalat ang iba't-ibang dokumento sa kama at sa sahig ng buong silid. I grabbed a piece of said documents and squinted my eyes when I read the title. Puta. Ang aga-aga tapos medical jargons agad ang mababasa ko?

"Natulog ka ba?" mapang-akusa kong tanong. The eyebags under his eyes answered my question. "You can't do this to yourself, Ico! 'Di ka ba napagod kagabi? Ano, gusto mo bang knock out-in kita para naman makatulog ka kahit papaano?"

"I was researching!" he exclaimed, still with a wide grin on his face. He sounded like a mad scientist! "Here, look!"

Lumapit siya sa 'kin at saka inokupa ang espasyo sa gilid ko. He showed me a document, which of course, I didn't understand! Masyado naman atang matayog ang expectations niya sa 'kin!

"What's that?"

"I've been researching about Sab's condition," he said. "Dr. Raj is her attending oncologist and since I'm just an intern, I couldn't really get any information about her case, but I found a way somehow and here's—"

"Ico! You know you can't snoop around other patient's documents! 'Di ako doktor pero common sense naman siguro 'yan?!"

"I had to, okay? Napalapit na siya sa 'kin at hindi ako makakatulog sa gabi kapag ganitong alam kong puwede ko siyang tulungan ngunit wala akong impormasyon tungkol sa kaso niya. I'm a doctor, Sunny. I know what I'm doing."

Hinilot ko ang sentido ko, problemado na. "Gosh, I don't know what to feel. Alam ba 'yan ni Dr. Raj?"

"No, but—"

"Ico!"

Umirap siya kaya mas lalo lang akong nainis. I was excited about his findings but it's not like I could disregard the method he used to get those documents. As far as I knew, mahigpit ang LFU sa mga dokumento ng mga pasyente nila. Ico could easily get away since he's the governor's son, but still...

"Listen," he said while staring at me intently. His eyes had a hopeful glint in them. "Sab's illness might not be osteosarcoma. It's just a chance but we won't know until we try."

Ilang segundo bago tuluyang pumasok sa isipan ko ang sinabi niya. Right after it did, my heart hammered against my chest in the most unadulterated and hopeful way possible.

"T-totoo ba 'yan?" wika ko.

Biglang nangilid ang mga luha ko. I couldn't believe it but, at the same time, I could also already imagine Isabel at her debut, or at her graduation, or at her first official job. I could imagine her being alive and healthy 20 years from now. The hope surging inside me was too much to handle.

Sinunggaban ko si Ico ng isang mahigpit na yakap. Nang yakapin niya 'ko pabalik ay napalakas na ang mga hikbi kong tahimik na mga luha pa lang no'ng una. Hope. Hope was all I needed.