The Ruthless (Quantum Meruit Series #1)

33. Dead

33.
Dead

━━━━━━━

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Dahan-dahang ngumiti si Mama at ipinatong ang kanyang kamay sa akin saka tumango. "Hindi ba't sabi mo may award kang tatanggapin ngayong gabi? Nag-abala ka pang pumunta rito."

Malungkot kong ibinalik ang ngiti niya. "You're more important than those trophies. Ayaw mo bang nandito 'ko?"

"I rarely see you. Of course, I'm happy that you're here."

Lumawak ang ngiti ko habang lumalalim naman ang abot ng dulo ng punyal sa puso ko.

Isinugod si Mama sa ospital. Recently, her asthma had worsened. She had been frail as she advanced in age.

Tahimik akong bumuga ng hangin habang nakapirmi ang titig sa kamay niyang bahagyang nangayayat.

This wasn't the first time she was brought to the hospital. But this was more severe than the previous ones so I was more worried.

Matanda na nga pala talaga ang mga magulang ko. Sometimes I failed to remind myself that while I did everything as I pleased. Nakakalungkot na dahil busy kami sa kanya-kanyang buhay, hindi na namin sila madalas na nadadalaw.

Should I move in again? I wanted to take care of them.

"You worry too much," she uttered the unspoken worry of mine and caressed my hair. "Okay lang ako. I'll still live until you're old yourself."

I made a face that made her chuckle.

Nag-usap pa kami nang kaunti bago siya humikab dahilan para sabihin kong matulog na siya. When she was already asleep, I stayed for some good minutes before I went out of her room to buy something to drink.

"Mrs. Barrameda is fine, Willow. You need not think too much," masuyong pagkalma sa akin ni Lou, ang doktor ni Mama. "She was just exhausted which triggered her attack. She will be fine in no time. Bukas, baka p'wede na nga rin siya i-discharge."

Humugot ako ng hangin at wala sa sariling ipinaikot-ikot ang plastik na kutsara sa styrofoam na baso. "She's getting older so I understand."

"She will live for the next fifty years."

"Is that how you should comfort a relative of your patient? I don't feel better at all."

Mahina siyang tumawa. "It's really not my strongest suit, so . . ."

Umiling-iling ako saka sinubukan nang inumin ang instant coffee. It tasted shit but I bottomed it up, anyway. Lou seemed to enjoy how horrible it was. O baka kinasanayan lang.

Lou, Sigfred's ex-girlfriend, too, had been a good friend of mine. We were formally introduced a few years back. Doktor na siya noon pa ng nanay ko kaya paminsan-minsan ay nagkikita talaga kami. Slowly, we became friends. Surprisingly, she knew of me, too. That I was also an ex-girlfriend and an ex-fiancée of Sigfred. Hindi raw sikreto dahil malapit sila ni Sigfred kahit matagal na silang hiwalay. She was saddened by the news that we called off our engagement but she told me that what I did was the best thing that time.

"Nasabi sa'kin ni Quintin na panay na naman daw laklak mo," she uttered later on as she filled her cup for that another shitty coffee. "Wala ka talagang awa sa atay mo, ano?"

"Work has been hectic. And sometimes I really need to drink to sleep."

"You should be taking care of yourself more. Celebrity ka pa man din."

"Drinking is taking care of myself," I pointed out horribly.

Mahina siyang tumawa at hindi na nagkomento pa.