Forget You

6

The whole trip was not too long, 30 mins lang nakarating na kami sa address na binigay ng magulang ni Selena.

"Here we are. Pre? Ikaw na magdoorbell. Tutal mas kailangan mo sila makausap kesa saken. Maiiwan na lang ako dito"

"H-ha?"

"Sasapakin na talaga kita pag ngayon ka pa umatras"

"Hindi yon! Namoka! Bakit di ka pa sumama sa loob?"

"I have no business there. Driver lang ako. Balitaan mo ko pagkatapos"

"Okay"

Bumaba na nga kami ng sasakyan pagkatapos ehh nagdoorbell na ko.

A few seconds passed nang bumukas ang pinto ng bahay nila

"Selena!"

"M-ma?"

Hindi yata ako napansin ng mama ni Selena dahil dumirecho lang siya dito para alalayan papasok ng bahay, but his dad is looking at me as if shocked that I was there.

"M-magandang araw po"

"Hon lika na-" Selena's mom stopped when she looked at me as well. "Jacob?!"

"H-hello po"

"Matagal ka na namin hinahanap iho! Jusko!"

"P-po?"

"Halika na muna sa loob iho. Marami kang dapat malaman" Selena's dad

I looked at Renzo and he just nodded at me at sinenyasan akong sumunod sa magulang ni Selena.

I exhaled deeply bago naglakad papasok ng bahay nila, when I reached her parents sinalubong lang ako ng mama niya ng yakap

"Salamat iho. Salamat binalik mo anak ko."

"T-tita... a-ano ba nangyayare?" Sambit ko when I saw Selena walking straight up her room

Nagkatinginan ang magulang ni Selena bago sila ulit nagsalita

"Maupo ka muna. May kukunin lang kami"

"Okay po"

When her mom came back, may dala dala itong notebook, inabot niya yun saken bago sila naupo sa katapat kong silya

"Ano po ito?"

"Buksan mo iho"

Kinakabahan man ako ehh andito na din tayo. I removed the notebook's strap at pagbukas ko pa lang neto nagulat na ko sa nakasulat

"My love Jacob"

I looked at her parents pero parang gusto pa nilang buksan ko yung notebook... and when I did hindi ko alam ang mararamdaman ko.

The notebook was filled with repetitive words

"Jacob ko... salamat, sorry... I love you"

"Alzheimers" panimula ng tatay ni Selena

"She was diagnosed with Alzheimers a year ago... and she's getting worse"

"P-po?!"

"The day we left for the states para maipagamot siya, sinabi niya samin na nakipaghiwalay siya sayo. We were shocked as well pero ang sabi lang niya samin mas makakabuti yun sayo"

"A-ano?" I felt like my body froze down sa sinabi nila

"We tried to get a hold of you pero nagagalit siya pag hinahawakan namin ang cellphone niya. We can't get your contact details"

"Yang notebook na yan... yan lang ang hawak hawak niya the whole time she's in the hospital. She keeps on writing and writing and writing. Minsan nga umiiyak pa siya. Ikaw lang bukambibig niya Jacob"

"T-teka. Alzheimers?? Ang bata pa niya para magka-Alzheimers!"

"We thought so too. Pero sabi ng doctor, wala naman daw pinipiling edad yung Alzheimers iho. Isang klase ng dementia affecting the brain's capability to remember"

"Hindi. Imposible. Teka lang"

"You were the only one she remembers clearly nung nasa states kami. We decided to go back here nagbabakasakali kami na pag nakita ka niya bumalik ang lahat sa dati kahit pansamantala, but when she went to a mall, inabot siya ng gabi... hindi na din niya maalala ang mukha mo"

"Mall?" Natigilan ako "I-I saw her once inside the mall"

"Talaga?!"

"P-pero nasigawan ko siya. I-I didn't mean to... h-hindi ko alam"

"That answers it... shock and stress triggers more memory loss for her... kaya pala ganun na namin siya nadatnan"

"I'm-I'm sorry"

"Jacob... tulungan mo yung anak namin iho... please... s-she needs you"

"I don't get it... she remembered me at the mall, only as a friend... pero binabanggit niya ako ngayon as her boyfriend?"

Her dad exhaled "things are complicated. Kahit kami minsan hindi niya kilala bilang magulang niya Jacob, you're the only thing consistent. Basta ang alam niya Jacob. Pangalan mo. Boyfriend, friend, baka nga minsan bumabalik sa kanya na nakipaghiwalay siya sayo ehh"

"Alam namin nasaktan ka ni Selena... but you may have understood things by now right? She doesn't want to burden you with her illness that she chose to break your heart unintentionally... kahit na siya mismo nasasaktan"

"C-can I... can I see her?"

They nodded at me kaya tumayo na ko papunta sa kwarto ni Selena

I took all the courage I have to open her room only to see her sound asleep. Napatingala ako at napabuntong hininga. My tears were falling down on their own sa lahat ng nalaman ko.

I walked towards her silently at umupo sa kama niya.

I bit my lips to stop myself from making any sounds of crying... why... why'd did you have to do this alone Selena? Bakit ka lumalaban mag-isa?

I'm sorry... I'm so sorry.

Lumabas na ko ng kwarto niya so that I won't wake her up. Pero pagkasarado pa lang ng pinto nanlambot na yung tuhod ko.

All I was able to do was hug my knees and cry quietly.

I should've known. I should've been with her. I should've been the one she'll hold on to. Pero halos isumpa ko lang siya sa loob ng isang taon.

"Jacob! Anong nangyare?!" Tita Lorie

I looked up at her crying "tita... sorry... I'm sorry I wasn't with her... sorry po..."

"Oh God Jacob... don't blame yourself... wala kang kasalanan"

"Sorry tita... sorry..."

"Tumayo ka na dyan. Baka magising si Selena. Sa salas tayo halika na" sambit ni tita sabay alalay sakin papuntang salas

"Oh anong nangyare?" Tito John

"Nakita ko umiiyak sa labas ng kwarto ni Selena"

"Sorry... I'm sorry..." wala akong ibang masabi.

Her parents approached me. Her mom hugged me for comfort pero lalo lang akong naiyak