*Naomi's POV*
"Ma?"
Naalimpungatan ako at nakita ko silang dalawa ni Papa na nakaupo sa tabi ni Nathan.
"Akala ko po nasa trabaho na kayo."
"Hindi kami mapakali ng Papa mo kaya pumunta nalang kami dito." Sagot niya. "Nag-aalala kami kay Nathan."
"Kanina pa ba po kayo nandyan?" Tanong ko. "I'm sorry I fell asleep."
"It's okay, Naomi." Sabi ni Papa. "We know you're tired."
I stood up and walked toward them.
"Ma, he's going to be okay." I said as I hugged her. "Matapang po yang anak niyo."
"Parehas kayong matapang." Sabi ni Mama. "Mas matapang at malakas pa kayo kaysa sa'min ng Papa niyo. Iniwan na tayo ng kapatid niyo kaya hindi ko na kakayanin pag may nawala pa ni isa sa inyo sa'min."
"Mama naman." I hugged her even tighter. "He's healing. Successful yung operation niya."
"But even the most successful operation had it's flaws." Papa said.
"Pa, wag masyadong negative please." Sabi ko. "I trust him. He's gonna wake up soon."
Pero kahit ako, nag-aalala na.
"Hindi kaya may mali?" Tanong niya. "Kasi kung wala, bakit wala paring improvement sa anak natin?"
"Theia asked me the same question nung bumisita ako dito." Sabi ni Mama. "Kung may hindi ba daw tayo sinasabi sa kanya tungkol kay Nathan."
"Pero hon, we already talked to his doctor right? Sabi niya maayos daw lahat ng vitals ni Nathan." Tuloy ni Mama. "We even made him undergo new tests to make sure na walang maling nangyari."
We did. Countless times.
"Nasaan si Theia?"
"Umuwi na po sila kahapon." Sagot ko. "Sinundo po siya nila Tita Cam at Tito Alex."
"Kawawa naman siya." Sabi ni Mama. "She stayed here for two weeks just to look after Nathan. Paano na siya kapag iniwan na tayo ng kapatid mo?"
"Ma.." Umiiyak nanaman siya.
"Alam mo ba yung sinabi niya sa'kin nung pumunta ako dito?" She asked. "Ayaw niya daw tanggapin isang araw na wala na si Nathan."
"When she said that, I understood how she felt. Hindi ko rin kaya na may mawala pa sa inyo." Sabi niya. "That's why you both need to take care of yourself, okay? Napakaimportante niyo sa'min ng Papa ninyo."
Bakit kasi si Nathan pa?
Bakit yung pamilya pa namin yung kailangang makaranas ng ganito?
"Mahirap para sa'min yung nangyari kay Nicole." Sabi ni Papa. "Tapos ngayon si Nathan naman yung nasa ganitong sitwasyon.."
"Nathan, gumising ka na." Sabi ni Mama. "We're waiting for you. Hinihintay ka rin ni Theia."
"Wag mo kaming iiwan ha?" I said. "Wag mo muna kaming iwan."
We held his hand.
"Ma.."
It moved.
Bumitaw kami parehas.
We watched kung gagalaw pa ulit yung kamay niya and it did.
"Nathan??"
Napatayo si Mama at napakapit kay Papa.
I pushed the nurse's call button. "We need Dra. Guevarra now."
Nathan slowly opened his eyes.
Gising na siya.
Finally, he's awake..
"Ah.."
He touched his head.
"Nathan?" Sabi ni Mama. "Naririnig mo ba ko?"
He nodded.
Naiiyak ako sa nangyayari.
He tried to sit up kaya tinulungan namin siya ni Papa na makaupo.
"Nathan, anak.." She hugged him.
He was confused for a moment pero niyakap rin niya si Mama.
When he let go, tumingin siya sa paligid at sa katawan niya.
"What happened?" Tanong niya. "Where am I?"
"Nasa ospital ka." Sagot ni Mama.
She's smiling and crying at the same time.
"Ospital?"
"You had an accident, son." Sabi ni Papa.
"Accident?" Napahawak ulit siya sa ulo niya.
"Yes. Car accident."
"Where's Ivy?"
Ivy??
Bakit si Ivy ang hinahanap niya at hindi si Theia?
"Don't you remember anything about the accident?"
"No." Napapapikit siya. "Awww.."
"Baby?? May masakit pa ba sa'yo?"
"My head hurts.."
The door opened and his doctor came in.
"Nathan, I'm Dra. Guevarra." Lumayo muna kami to give them space. "How are you feeling?"
"My head keeps on hurting."
She nodded tapos may pumasok na nurse.
"Here. Drink this." Inabot nung nurse yung tubig at gamot sa kanya. "It will help lessen the pain."
It took a short while before gumana yung gamot. When he finally let go of his head, Dra. Guevarra looked at him closely.
"Nathan, do you feel okay now?"
He nodded.
"Do you remember anything about the accident?" She asked again. "Kahit ano?"
"None."
"Anything before the accident?"
"None." Sagot niya ulit. "I don't even know how I ended up in a car. I didn't even know I could drive."
What???
Naguguluhan na kaming tatlo.
He didn't know he could drive??
"Can you identify the people with us?"
"Yes." He answered. "Si Mama, Papa at Ate."
"And your name is?"
"James Nathaniel Go."
"Very good." Sabi niya. "May naaalala ka pa bang iba pa? Can you tell me anything else?"
Nathan kept silent for a moment.
"There's no rush." She said. "Sagutin mo lang kapag ready ka na."
"All I can remember was that, nasa loob ako ng bahay." Sagot niya. "I was getting ready to meet Ivy."
Bakit si Ivy parin?
"And who is she?"
Before we could even answer, nakasagot na siya.
"My girlfriend."
GIRLFRIEND???
"When did you last see her?"
"Yesterday." He said. "We were supposed to have our date because it's our monthsarry."
Monthsarry???
But that's not possible..
"Hindi mo ba maalala si Theia?" Singit ko sa paguusap nila.
I needed to confirm something.
"Theia?"
"Yes. Si Theia."
"No." He shook his head. "Sino siya?"
OH GOD.
Did he just ask us kung sino si Theia?
"Nathan, hindi mo ba maalala si Theia??" Tanong ni Mama.
"I don't understand." His forehead creased. "Bakit? Dapat ba kilala ko siya?"
He looks confused and startled by the way we asked him.
Dra. Guevarra raised her hand to stop us. Parang pinipigilan niya kaming sabihin ang tungkol kay Theia. Pero bakit?
Kinakapa ni Nathan yung hinihigaan niya.
"What's wrong?"
"None, Ma." Sagot niya. "I'm looking for my phone. Where is it?"
"Nasa bahay." Papa answered. "Nasira yung phone mo because of the accident."
"Pwede ko bang hiramin yung sa'yo, Ate?"
"Why? Do you need anything?"
"I want to call Ivy."
Hindi ako nakasagot. I didn't know what to say. Kahit sila Mama, hindi rin nagsasalita.
"Diba may number ka niya?" He said. "Pwede mo ba siyang tawagan at papuntahin dito?"
Napatingin ako kay Mama.
"Ma, please call her for me." Sabi niya. "She needs to know that I'm okay. Siguradong nag-alala siya sa'kin."
Si Theia yung nag-aalala sa'yo.
Yung dalawang linggong nandito sa tabi mo.
Yung iyak ng iyak araw araw dahil wala ka paring malay.
It's all Theia.
Pero bakit si Ivy ang hinahanap mo?
If she's the one you remember, what about Theia?
"Ma, please..."
"Mrs. Go." Dra. Guevarra interrupted. "It's better to call the person he's talking about. He needs to stay calm. Hindi makakabuti sa kalagayan niya yung pag-iisip ng sobra."
"Of course.."
Lumabas ako agad at tumawag kay Alec.
"Sumagot ka please.."
Nakaka limang dial na ko ng number niya pero hindi parin siya sumasagot.
"Hello, love?"
"Love, where are you? Si Theia? Kasama mo ba siya?" Sunod sunod yung tanong ko.
Hindi ko mapigilan. Nag-aalala ako..
"I'm on my way to the hospital, love." Sagot niya. "Kakahatid ko lang kanila Theia sa school."
"Love, turn the car around." I told him. "Balikan mo sila. Kailangan niyong pumunta dito."
"What? Why?" He asked. "May nangyari bang masama kay Nathan? Do I need to tell her-- is he--?"
"No. He's fine." Sabi ko. "He's already awake. He's.."
I stopped.
Ano nga ba yung nangyari?
"I don't know what to say. I--.." I can't even think straight. "Gulong gulo ako, love."
I'm panicking.
Hindi ko masabi sa kanya yung iniisip ko. Baka sakaling mali ako...
Sana nga mali ako.
"Love." He said. "Calm down."
I took a deep breath.
"He wants to see Ivy."
Hindi ko mapakalma yung sarili ko.
"Naiintindihan mo ba love? Si Ivy ang gusto niyang makita at hindi si Theia."
He didn't answer.
Narinig ko lang na lumakas yung tunog ng sasakyan.
"I don't know kung anong problema. Pero love, please hurry." Sabi ko. "Natatakot ako sa nangyayari. Feeling ko--.."
I can't say it.
Natatakot akong magkatotoo yung sasabihin ko.
Natatakot akong tama yung iniisip ko.
"Pupunta kami agad dyan, love. Don't worry too much. It will be okay. I love you."
*toot toot toot*
"Ate!"
Ivy and Ry were running towards me. This was the first time I saw her since they broke up.
"Ate." Sabi niya. "What happened? May nangyari bang masama sa kanya?"
"No, he's okay."
"Then why did Tita call me?"
"He wanted to see you."
"Pero bakit??" Halatang nagulat siya. "Bakit ako?"
Yan rin yung tanong ko sa sarili ko.
"Ivy, I'm really sorry." Sabi ko. "I know I'm asking too much. Pero pwede bang kausapin mo muna siya? He's kept asking for you pagkagising niya and he won't calm down until he sees you."
Tumingin naman siya agad kay Ryan.
He closed his eyes and nodded. "It's your choice, mahal. Hahayaan kita sa gusto mong gawin. I won't interfere. Dito lang ako sa labas."
"I'm sorry, mahal."
I opened the door to let her in and his eyes were automatically on her.
"Ivy." Nakangiti siya.
That smile was the one I saw when he was getting ready to meet Theia before the accident.
Yung ngiting yun, hindi na para kay Theia.
Naninibago ako. I don't want to see this.
"Come here, babe."
BABE..??
Oh no...
Mama nodded when Ivy looked at her. She hesitated for a moment pero unti unti rin siyang lumapit kay Nathan.
"I need to be alone with her."
"Pero, anak.." Sabi ni Mama. "Hindi namin kayo pwedeng iwanan."
"Ma, please. Kakausapin ko lang siya."
"Of course." Dra. Guevarra looked at us. "It's okay. Hayaan natin silang mag-usap."
We had no choice but to leave. Ry was seating on the bench. He doesn't look okay.
"I'm so sorry, Ry."
"Sana panaginip nalang lahat ng 'to."
Kahit wala akong sinasabi, I know he understood what was happening.
Hindi rin namin gusto yung nangyayari pero wala kaming magagawa.
Ayaw ko mang paniwalaan, pero pilit na pinapamukha sa'kin yung katotohanan.
Si Ivy yung naalala niya instead of Theia.
Baka...
Si Ivy narin yung mahal niya imbis na si Theia..
At yung babe..
Tawagan nila yun nung sila pa..
******