Lydia's POV
"She has a lung cancer? Bakit ngayon niyo lang sinabi!?" Naluluha kong tanong sa doktor. May cancer ang anak ko!?
"We don't want to say what we were not sure of. But today is different, nakita namin na may cancer siya sa baga. Marahil sanhi ito ng lakas ng pagtama niya. And tell me, does she has an asthma?"
"Yes, but it can't be! Darling, 'di totoo ito 'di ba? Bakit wala kang imik diyan!?" Sigaw ko kay Kennedy at hinampas hampas siya sa dibdib.
"It doesn't make sense. 'Di ma-sink in sa akin, Lydia." His tears came trickling down continuously like mine.
Nanghihina na ako, mahuhulog na sana ako pero nasalo ako ni Kennedy.
"I'm sorry. We should have told you from the beginning. But that's our rule, we can't say a unsure information. Now, excuse me." The doctor stated.
"Kennedy... This is not happening. I can't lose our daughter." Umalis ako sa pagkakayakap ni Kennedy at lumapit sa anak ko. Hinawakan at hinalikan ko ang kamay ni Ken.
"Ken..." I felt her hand moved.
"Lydia, she's awake!" In-angat ko ang ulo ko at nakitang nakamulat na ang mga mata ni Ken.
"Ken!" Sigaw ko. Hindi ko alam ang susunod na gagawin.
"I called the doctor, Lydia." Saad ni Kennedy at lumapit sa amin. Patuloy pa rin kaming lumuluha ng asawa ko as we hug our daughter.
'Di ko alam kung bakit nagkasabay ang masama at magandang pangyayari?
Paano namin ito sasabihin kay Ken?
Naramdaman kong niyakap din kami ni Ken, tapos bumitaw rin siya.
"Mom, Dad..." Pagtawag ni Ken sa amin. Umayos kami ng posisyon ni Kennedy at nakita naming umiiyak ang aming anak.
"I heard what the doctor said. I have a cancer. Did I hear right?"
No! How can we say this? Kakagising lang niya sa mahirap na comatose tapos ganito sasalubong sa paggising niya. I could not find the strength to look straightly at my daughter. Nor was my husband.
I was glad that we didn't agree to that euthanasia but I was not happy with this another problem.
"Silence means yes. No need to worry about saying this to me. I accepted it."
Ken's POV
Can I really accept it?
I am a bit glad that Chan did that. Because of that, I will no longer worry about telling him. I won't hurt my love.
Umiiyak si Mommy at Daddy sa gilid ko. Alam kong 'di nila masabi sa akin na may lung cancer ako pero gising na ako habang kausap nila 'yung doktor.
"Don't cry, Mom and Dad--"
The doctors arrived fastly. "Ken needs several tests." The doctor that seems like the head doctor said.
My parents look at me curiously, I nodded. They managed to position me into a sitting position by fixing the bed. Then they trailed behind the doctors.
"Ken, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked
"Nanghihina ako, Doc."
"That is because you were in coma for 100+ days. Do you think you can manage for these tests or do you want to take a rest first? Also, you all will be needing strength for this another bad news."
"Please say this bad news now." My mom pleaded.
"Okay," The doctor sighed."
"She has only five months to live."
"May taning ang buhay ng anak ko?!" Then Mom fell onto the floor.
"Mom!" "Honey!"
"Don't worry about her, Ken. Magiging maayos din Mommy mo. Ganito lang siya 'pag nasosobrahan ng tension." Binuhat ni Daddy si Mommy at inihiga muna sa couch. I know this is hard for my Dad as well.
***
The tests were done and Mom was already conscious. Dad is feeding me with soup. "Dad, what happened to Chandler? Have you heard anything from him?" I force myself not to talk about this stupid cancer I have for them, I already know that this is really hard for the both of them, I don't want to worry them even more.
Dad looked at Mom, "Did you call him, honey?"
"I did but he hadn't answered. I wonder what's wrong with him."
"Wait, what do you mean call him?"
"Call him to say that you are awake now. He's waited you all this time. He must know---"
"I thought he was with Ianne now."
"You are wrong about that, my daughter," Dad smiled.
"We had seen how patient and good Chan is. He didn't want that, Ianne was just forcing him. He had meant to buy you a present when Ianne bumped into him, drunk and insane. He took care of you since the very beginning of your coma. We don't know how many times he had cried, he had said sorry, even if he had done nothing wrong."
I gulped, so that means Chan is still with me, if he will know about my disease. I would be a bother to him.
He can't be happy. When he knows, he will suffer, taking care of me.
No, I can't let that happen.
I love him very much, I don't want him to suffer just because of me.
Suddenly, I felt my Dad wiped away my tears, and held my face. My mom's silently sobbing. "Why Ken?"Dad asked.
"Mom, Dad, where's Chandler anyway?"
"We don't know, he hadn't called yet." Mom's phone then rang.
"Is it Chan? Oh, what do I do? I don't want him to see me like this. I will be a bother to him." I cupped my face with my hands and cried. Why is this happening!?
A feeling sprang up within me, and it is longing. I miss him. I really miss Chan. I want to run to him and hug him tightly.
"You have never been a bother to each of us. Would I answer his call?"
"Go ahead Mom, just don't tell him about this yet."
Mom went outside as she talks to Chan. What do I do?
Then, Mom came back inside. "Na-ambun-an si Chan, at hindi agad siya nakaligo so he caught a fever and cold. Chandria was the one who called, she just used his cellphone. Chan wasn't able to move properly, ya know that already. Mahirap magkasakit si Chan. He was not able to go here, he wanted to but Chandria didn't allow. I really felt bad for him," Mom stated but seems like it wasn't done yet.
"He'd waited you, patiently. He has every right to know..."