I Love You, Sir (Two Roads Part 5)

CHAPTER 53

"There's a relapse." sabi ni Sir Neil. Malungkot ang boses niya na nagmamatch sa mga mata niya. Ilang beses ko na siyang nakitang pagod at puyat. Pero ngayon ko lang nakita ang ganoong lungkot sa mga mata niya.

Nasa cafeteria ng hospital kami. Sa lobby pa lang, sinalubong na kami ni Sir Enzo at isinama sa cafeteria - kung saan ay tahimik na nakaupo si Sir Neil at naghihintay sa amin. Kung ako ang masusunod, gusto ko nang dumeretso sa room ni Sir Niccolo at malaman kung ano ang totoong lagay niya.

"There's a what?" lito kong tanong. Hindi ko pa narinig ang term na iyon noon, or nabasa man lang sa mga research ko tungkol sa sakit ni Sir. Kung nabasa ko man, siguro, hindi ko napagtuuunan ng atensyon. "What's that?"

"A relapse, Nathan." Si Sir Enzo ang sumagot dahil hindi kumibo si Sir Neil at kunot noo lang na tumingin sa akin. "It occurs when cancer cells survive the initial treatment."

"Oh my god." sabi ko. "So you mean, lumala ang sakit niya? I thought - I thought you said - the doctor said - you said that he was doing better. I-I mean, he was, right? So what happened?"

Tahimik lang na nakatingin si Tyron sa akin habang nagsasalita ako. Maya maya ay tumingin siya kay Sir Enzo.

"How is it possible? Does it really happen?" tanong niya.

"The tricky part about leukemia is that even if you get really strong treatment like chemotherapy or a successful stem cell transplant, there are often some leukemia cells that manage to stick around in your bone marrow. They can multiply later when certain mutations come into play." sagot ni Sir Enzo.

"Is it common? Does it happen to every cancer patient?" tanong pa ni Tyron.

"The relapse rate is high. Coco was constantly worried. He once mentioned that it felt as though a sword was hanging over his head. We've been worrying about that, too."

"You've been worrying?" tanong ko. "So you knew. You knew about that relapse thing and you didn't even bother to tell me!"

Tumaas nang bahagya ang boses ko. Nakita ko sa mukha ni Sir Enzo na naalarma siya, si Sir Neil naman ay sumandal sa upuan habang nakahalukipkip. Lalong kumunot ang noo niya.

"You don't expect us to discuss it with you when you're with Coco, do you?" tanong ni Sir Enzo. "It's not the kind of topic that we will bring up out of the blue."

"And why should we tell you? Would you be able to do anything about it if we did?" tanong ni Sir Neil, this time ay nakataas pa ang isa niyang kilay.

Hindi ako nakasagot. Hindi ko nagustuhan ang huli niyang sinabi at kaysa may masabi pa ako, mas minabuti ko na lang na tumayo.

"I'm going to him. I want to see him."

"You can't do that." sabi ni Sir Neil, sabay tayo mula sa upuan.

"Why not?" tanong ko.

"We're not allowed inside his room. Not yet. The doctors will not allow you."

"The hell with the doctors." sabi ko. Mainit na ang ulo ko dahil ramdam ko ang hostility ni Sir Neil. "I need to see Sir Niccolo. And I know he needs me to be there with him."

"Pwede ba, Nathan? Will you please shut up?" Malakas at galit ang boses ni Sir Neil. Napansin ko na pati si Tyron ay naalarma na rin at biglang tumayo. At dahil katabi niya si Sir Neil, hinawakan niya ito sa balikat. Tinabig ni Sir Neil ang kamay niya.

"Basti." sabi ni Sir Enzo. Tumayo na rin siya. Hindi siya pinansin ng kaibigan.

"Stop thinking that this is all about you." sabi ni Sir Neil, umadvance pa nang kaunti palapit sa akin. "Stop thinking that you are special. That you are the chosen one. What are you, a superhero or something? You walk around thinking that you could actually be the one to save Coco's life?"