The Lollipop Project [Gen L Society #1]

Chapter 19

Hope

I was never a perfect daughter. There were times I would answer my dad back, ditch him during dinners and pretend I didn't see his messages whenever he wanted to spend time with me.

I was that kind of daughter.

But as they would say, one would never realize how important a person was to someone's life unless that person was gone.

In my case, I still had time to change that. I was given a chance to spend another day with my dad.

The doctors said he was still alive, or at least his brain was. He could still hear things, but he couldn't open his eyes nor speak. In other words, he was just sleeping, but couldn't wake up on his own. He might get another stroke within the next few years, months, or even days, but I didn't want to focus on that. I wanted to focus on what I could do to help him regain his mobility and speech.

There was still hope.

"Koleen, anak." isang boses ang bumasag sa katahimikan sa loob ng kwarto. Napatingin ako sa babaeng papalapit mula sa likod ng pintuan.

Huling beses ko siyang nakita nung dinala ako ni Jalen sa rehab center. Hindi ko pa rin lubos maisip na mali ako. Buong akala ko iniwan niya kami ni papa. Ang totoo pala niyan, ako ang nang-iwan sa kanya. I left my mother in the dark, alone and scared.

"Ma..." Mahina kong sagot sabay tayo sa kinauupuan ko. Hindi ko alam kung paano siya nakapunta dito pero wala na akong pakialam. Ang mahalaga ay nandito si mama.

"Anak, kumusta-"

Hindi ko na tinapos pa ang sasabihin niya. Agad ko siyang binalot ng mga kamay ko at niyakap siya ng mahigpit. "I'm sorry, ma..."

Tinapik niya ang likod ko. "Okay lang, anak. Nandito na ako."

Sa mga salita niyang iyon, bumuhos ang mga nakatagong luha sa mata ko na naipon simula noon.

"Tutulungan natin ang papa mo. Kakayanin natin ito," she encouraged.

"Sorry po..." I paused, gasping for air. "Kasalanan ko ang nangyari."

"Sshhh... wala kang kasalanan, anak. Huwag mong sisihin ang sarili mo."

I sucked a breath. Hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko kung tuluyang mawala si papa.

Bago pa may makapagsalita ulit, may kumatok ulit sa pintuan.

"Sorry, am I interrupting anything?" A guy in black shirt peeked from behind the door, glancing at me.

"Jalen," I mumbled.

Napatingin naman si mama sa lalaking pumasok sa kwarto. "Hijo, ikaw pala."

"Tita, how are you?" Bati ni Jalen sa nanay ko na para bang close sila. Mukhang mas close pa sila kaysa sa amin.

"Salamat, hijo at sinamahan mo ako dito ngayon," sagot ni mama.

Napatingin ako kay Jalen. Siya ang nagdala kay mama dito?

"I brought food po." Jalen held his hand up, showing a paper bag. He turned to me with a thin smile.

"Naku, hindi ka na sana nag-abala pa, hijo," mama spoke again.

"I have to feed her, tita. Otherwise, she's going to die of starvation," the guy explained.

I squinted at him. "Hindi nga kasi ako gutom."

"Anak, tama siya. Kailangan mong kumain," my mother spoke, breaking my gaze from the guy.

Hindi nalang ako nagsalita ulit. Kakaayos lang namin ng nanay ko. Ayaw kong makipag-argue sa kanya.

"Ano ba yang dala mo, hijo?" Usisa ni mama sabay upo na rin sa sofa.

Binuksan ni Jalen yung mga containers na dala niya. Naamoy ko agad yung paborito kong dinakdakan.

Nagulat ang nanay ko at napatingin kay Jalen. "Dinakdakan? Paano mo nalaman ang paborito ni Koleen?"

I glanced at Jalen. Gusto ko ring malaman ang sagot niya.

The guy smiled. "I asked tito before."

Bakit naman niya tinanong sa tatay ko?

"Here." Inabot ni Jalen sa akin ang disposable na plato na may kanin at dinakdakan.

Umiling ako. Usually, gutom na agad ako kapag naaamoy ko ito, pero ngayon, wala akong maramdamang gutom o kahit na ano. "Thank you pero hindi ako gutom."

"Konstant, you haven't been eating and sleeping. Please..." Jalen paused, letting out a deep sigh.

I glanced at the old man still lying motionless in bed through the glass windows. Ilang araw na siyang nakahilata. Sabi ng doktor any day ay pwede na siyang magising.

"Your dad will want you to take care of yourself first, so please..." Jalen begged, still offering me the plate from his hands.

I swallowed hard, looking at my mother. She flashed me a small smile, encouraging me to take the plate, so I finally did.

Jalen smiled, his gray eyes speaking to me. "Thank you."

"Wala ka bang duty ngayon, hijo?" Tanong ni mama habang nagsusubo na rin ng pagkain niya.

"I have duty po tomorrow," Jalen answered, flashing a smile.

Pinilit kong isubo ang kutsara sa bibig ko. Napakaliit lang ng nilagay ko pero ang tagal kong nilunok. Iba ang lasa nito. Hindi ko alam kung saan ito kinuha ni Jalen, pero hindi ko gusto ang lasa.

"How is it?" Jalen looked at me, waiting for my answer. "I tried to follow the recipe online."

I choked in the air. Buti nalang wala ng laman ang bibig ko.

"Ikaw ang nagluto, hijo?" Gulat na tanong ni mama.

Jalen nodded, turning to my mother. "I hope it tastes okay."

"Kaya pala," I mumbled.

Jalen snapped his head at me. "Is it that bad?"

"Iba ang lasa," I admitted. Mas mabuti nang sabihin ko ang totoo. "Pero na-appreciate ko naman ang effort mo, so thank you."

He nodded. "I promise to cook it better next time."

A continuous beeping sound of a machine suddenly distracted me from my thoughts, making me remember the person struggling the most right now.

"Papa!"

Gusto ko siyang lapitan pero hindi pwede. Kitang-kita ko ang pagyanig ng katawan ni papa na para bang may seizure siya.

Hindi ko na rin napansin na pinindot na ni Jalen ang emergency button. Nakita ko nalang na nagsidatingan na ang mga nurses at doktor sa kwarto ni papa.

Now, I could only hold on to the tiny hope that I would still be able to have a meal with both my mom and dad.

🍭

A/N: 🥺🥺🥺