He's My Girl

45

Chapter Forty Five
Tip of the iceberg

Nagising ako dahil may tumatawag sa pangalan ko. Am I back? Why is she calling me Maxi? Where am I? Mukhang hindi naman boses ni Ceci yun.

Iminulat ko ang mata ng makita ko
ang kwarto ni River at mabilis kong niyakap ang katawan ko. "Please don't hurt me." nagmamakaawang sabi ko kung sino man ang nandito ngayon.

"Maxi!! Maxi. It's me your Mom. Calm down, honey shhh... It's me. I won't hurt you." ng hawakan niya ang kamay ako at unti unti ko siyang tinignan.

Mama?

Even for a short period of time I was able to feel the warmth and love of a mother--- even though it wasn't really for me.

"Are you okay? Are you hungry? Do you feel any pain? Do you want me to call the doctor?" sunod niyang tanong sa akin at maingat naman akong umupo saka sumandal sa headboard ng kama.

I took a deep breath.

"I am okay..." bulong ko sakanya, ramdam ko naman na hinang hina ang katawan ko ng makita ko ang kamay kong nakabandage.

So it wasn't a nightmare. It happened in real life and I am just fooling myself that it was all just a dream parang bumalik lahat ng takot at kaba ko nung nakita ko ang bandage sa kamay ko na may dugo.

"I am sorry that you had to go through all this pain--- a pain that it was never meant for you." naiiyak niyang sabi saka niya ako niyakap. "I am sorry... I am sorry, anak." umiiyak niyang bulong sa akin.

What does she mean that it wasn't meant for me?

"And I am sorry for thanking you cause he got to enjoy his life for a short moment while you're suffering here, Maxi. I am so sorry, anak." paghagulgol niya na ikinagulat ko.

She knew that I am not River! But how?

"How... did you know my name?" gulong gulo na sabi ko ng umupo siya sa gilid ng kama. "You keep saying that name whenever you had nightmares and I am sorry for reading your diary." sabi niya sa akin.

"You believe everything that happened there?" gulong gulo ko paring tanong sakanya. Bakit parang ang dali niyang pinaniwalaan at tanggapin ang bagay na to?

"Nung unang araw pa lang na nagising ka nagtataka na ako cause you keep saying that you're not River. Each day you spent with us made me realize that you're not really River so I tried observing you. Mas lalo akong nagtaka ng bigla mong tinuturuan sila Chanel at Aciel ng violin at guitar. River is not into any type of music. He rarely even listens to music." seryosong sabi niya.

So from the moment I woke up she already feels something off? Kaya ba kung makatingin siya sa akin parang binabasa niya lahat ng galaw ko?

"Ibang iba ka sa anak kong si River kaya sinubukan kong hanapin yung nabangga ni River at pinuntahan ko pa yung hospital pero wala na yung katawan niya." dagdag niya.

"I tried getting the information about your body but someone already got it and the only thing they gave me is your first name which is Maxine. I searched every people who named Maxine pero walang kagagaling sa aksidente parang may sumadya na itago ka." pagkwento niya.

My real mother did that to prevent my identity from being exposed.

"Then why didn't you confront me?" naiiyak kong tanong sakanya. "Because I wanna hear it from you without asking you." nakangiting sagot niya sa akin. She slowly caressed my face like she's memorising every bit of my facial expression.

"Do you wanna meet him? I can set up a date and place where the two of you can talk." mabagal siyang umiling sa akin.

"I am pretty sure he has his own reasons kung bakit ayaw niyang pumunta dito at magpanggap man lang na kaibigan mo siya. I'll just wait for him patiently." ngiti niya sa akin at tumango ako sakanya.