*Alec's POV*
"Love, gusto mo ba sundan ko na sila?"
Nag-cr lang daw si Theia pero after 10 minutes, nung wala parin siya, Charm suggested to go after her. Malapit na matapos yung game pero ni isa sa kanila, wala pang bumabalik.
"Let's go." Nauna nang tumayo si Tita. "Baka kung anong nangyari kay Theia."
"Pero yung game, Tita.."
"It's okay, Alec." Sabi niya. "Mas importante ang mga bata."
Nasaan na ba kasi sila?
"Charm!"
Si Naomi yung unang nakakita sa kanya. Tumakbo naman siya papalapit sa'min.
"Nakita mo na ba siya??"
"Hindi pa, Kuya." Sagot niya. "Wala siya sa cr."
"Maghiwalay nalang tayo para mas mabilis nating mahanap si Theia."
"Alec, I'll come with you."
Humiwalay na sila Naomi at Charm sa'min.
"Theia?? Aletheia??"
Nasaan ka na ba??
Please, Theia.. Wala naman sigurong masamang nangyari sa'yo diba?
Napatingin ako sa may garden. May tatlong taong nakatayo. Is that her??
"Tita!"
Napatingin siya sa tinuro ko at agad akong tumakbo papalapit sa kanila.
I was right. Si Theia nga. Yung dalawa pang tao, sina Ivy at Nathan.
"THEIA!" I pulld her away from them. "Anong ginagawa niyo sa kanya??!"
"Bakit hindi mo tanungin yang kapatid mo kung anong ginawa niya kay Ivy??" Sagot niya pabalik sa'kin.
I looked at Theia. Her eyes were red. Umiiyak siya.
What did they do to you??!
I couldn't think straight. Punong puno na ko sa ginagawa nila sa kanya.
Hinarap ko si Nathan and my hand automatically punched him. Na-out of balance siya sa ginawa ko.
"Oh my god!!"
I was about to punch him again nung hinawakan ni Theia yung braso ko.
"Kuya, tama na." She pleaded. "Please don't hurt him."
Tinignan ko siya ng maigi. Baka may sugat siya.
"Are you okay?? Sinaktan ka ba niyang gagong yan??"
"Kuya, look at me."
She held my face and I finally looked at her in the eye. Tumigil na siya sa pag-iyak.
"I'm okay. Please, umalis nalang tayo."
"James, umuwi ka na ng bahay ngayon na!" Tita shouted.
"Ma naman.." Nakatayo na siya ulit.
His lower lip was bleeding. First time ko lang sumapak. I didn't know na magkakasugat siya.
Tumingin si Tita kay Ivy.
"At ikaw babae ka, please lang. Leave us alone!" She said. "Leave my son alone! Ayaw ko nang makita kahit kailan yang pagmumukha mo."
"Ma, won't you listen to me?? Please."
"Just go, Nathan." Sabi niya. "Alam mo ba kung anong ginawa mo?? I can't even deal with you right now. Ni hindi ako makatingin sa'yo kahit sarili kitang anak.."
She approached us and held Theia's hand.
"Halika na, hija. Uuwi na tayo."
Paalis na kami nung bigla siyang huminto.
"Siguraduhin mong pag-uwi ko, nasa bahay ka or else.." She said. "I swear to god, Nathan. Hindi talaga ako magdadalawang isip na kunin lahat ng sa'yo."
***
"Pasensya na po sa ginawa ko, Tita."
I still couldn't look at her.
Alam ko namang mali yung ginawa ko.
But who will protect her?
Ako lang naman diba?
I'm her brother. She's my responsibility. Dapat lang ipagtanggol ko siya.
"It's okay, Alec. Please sit down." Sabi niya. "Nathan deserved that punch. Dapat nga nakarami pa siya. He should be thankful na pinigilan ka ni Theia."
Yakap yakap niya parin si Theia kahit nasa bahay na kami. She hasn't stoppped crying.
Awang awa na ko sa kanya.
"Sige lang, hija. Iiyak mo lang lahat."
Paano kung sa'kin siya umiyak ng ganyan?
How can I handle her if she couldn't even handle the pain?
Yung tubig na kinuha ni Charm at nilapag sa tapat niya, nandun parin. Hindi pa siya nagsasalita simula kanina.
I don't think any words can even comfort her right now.
Seeing her falling apart like this hurts too much..
"I'm really sorry, hija." Sabi ni Tita. "I don't understand what was happening to Nathan.."
"Tita, hindi niyo po yun kasalanan.."
"Can you tell us what happened?" Naomi asked.
She shook her head. Ayaw niyang sabihin sa'min.
"Pero, bessy.." Charm started to complain so I touched her shoulder to stop her.
I know she'll tell us kapag ready na siya.
Theia wiped her tears and sat up straight.
"The truth is.. alam ko na po yung tungkol sa amnesia ni Nate bago niyo sabihin sa'kin." She said. "Ivy told me."
"Ivy? But how?" Tita asked. "She wasn't supposed to know. Kahit si Nathan hindi alam yung nangyayari sa kanya."
"Tita niya daw po si Dra. Guevarra."
"Tita???"
What??
Theia nodded.
"But that's not an excuse. She shouldn't disclose a patient's condition to anyone. That's private. I could sue her dahil sa ginawa niya."
"Ma, hindi pa naman natin alam kung sinabi niya ba talaga kay Ivy." Sabi ni Naomi. "We should ask first."
"I'll talk to her."
"I'm sorry hindi ko po sinabi agad. She asked me not to tell anyone para hindi madamay yung tita niya.." Sabi niya. "Pero kasi.. she lied to me, Tita.."
Theia was starting to cry again.
"Sabi niya maaalala ako ni Nate kahit walang therapy. Naniwala ako sa kanya and she lied.." Sabi niya. "Sana hindi nalang ako naniwala.. I should've asked you first pero hindi.. I'm sorry, Tita..."
"Hija.."
"I want him to remember me, Tita. Please help me.." She cried. "Wala na ba po talagang paraan?"
We all feel the same way, Theia..
Gusto rin naming maalala ka niya.
Pero paano kung siya mismo yung may ayaw??
"Therapy was the only way.."
"Pero tinanggihan niya po yun.."
We're running out of options..
"I can pushed that through. Wala siyang magagawa kung ipilit ko yun."
"But it's dangerous for him.." Sabi niya. "Ivy told me the same thing. I can't risk his life, Tita.."
Natahimik kaming lahat. We were all thinking kung ano nga ba talagang tama na gawin.
Kung pipilitin, delikado para kay Nathan.
Kung ititigil, paano na si Theia?
"Tita, kahit ano naman pong desisyon ko, ayos lang po sa inyo diba?"
She finally broke the silence.
"Of course. What's your decision, hija?"
"Hayaan nalang po natin siya."
"Hayaan?" Tanong ni Naomi.
"Theia.."
"Bessy..."
"I know you're all worried. Pero hindi po natin pwedeng pilitin si Nathan sa bagay na hindi niya gusto."
"Theia, if this is about Ivy, we'll do something about it. Ang gusto lang namin, maalala ka niya."
"Pero tinanggihan niya na po lahat ng paraan para maalala ako.."
"I can ask him again, Theia.."
"But he's not happy with me anymore at lalong hindi po siya sasaya kapag pinilit natin siyang maalala ako. I don't want him unhappy, Tita."
"How about you, Theia?" Tanong ni Tita. "Paano ka na magiging masaya?"
Lahat kami nalulungkot sa sinasabi niya. Nakakapit sa'kin si Naomi at umiiyak. Charm was holding her face between her hands.
What about your happiness, Theia??
"Mas sasaya po ako kung masaya siya." She smiled. "If I need to let him go, if he really loves Ivy and if that will make him happy, kakayanin ko po lahat yun."
Theia was smiling while crying.
It was too painful to watch.
"Theia.." Niyakap siya ni Tita. "What am I supposed to do kung pati ikaw humihiling ng ganyan? Parte ka na ng pamilya namin pero paano naging ganito??"
"Whatever happens, pamilya parin po tayo." Sabi niya. "Hayaan na po natin si Nate kung anong gusto niyang gawin. Ayaw ko na pong ipagpilitan yung sarili ko sa kanya."
"..."
"I love him so much, Tita. Hindi ko po siya minahal dahil mahal niya ko. Kaya kahit hindi niya na po ako mahal, kaya ko parin po siya mahalin ng hindi niya nalalaman."
"If he really wants this, ibabalik ko na po siya sa nagmamay-ari sa kanya."
But what if he doesn't belong to her?
******