Howling Your Name

Chapter 32

I take a deep breath, forcedly smile my lips as I stood and scanned the whole detail of a familiar place I've been. Sobrang lawak pala ng Hospital na 'to, ngayon ko lang napag-tanto.

Welcome back Maliah.

I welcomed myself to the place where will become my home for almost 2 months. Masyadong malakas ang kapit ni Papsi kay Doctor Sabier at gagawin nya talaga lahat ng magagawa nya for me to be healed as soon as possible. And I wonder if we don't have money enough for this, maybe. . . I'll choose to stay in our hose waiting for Him to get the life He let me borrow for a while.

"Mal," Kaagad akong napasunod sa paglakad ni Papsi ng tawagin nya ako dala dala ang dalawang maletang laman ang mga bagay na kinakailangan ko.

Nurse Angelo assisted us again. Ngumiti pa ito sa akin at bumati sa muli kong pagbabalik which I do the same to him as I don't want to ruin the smile on his face.

Nasa ika-apat na palapag nitong building nakaassign ang magiging kwarto ko. Kasama ang ibang pang nagte-therapy.

"Dapat ay solo muna ang kwarto na naka-assign sayo ang kaso, nagpalipat si Gabi ng kwarto noong nakaraang araw kaya may kasama ka," Nurse Angelo said.

"Lalake?" Tanong ni Papsi. Marahang tumango ang Nurse. Nag elevator lamang kami papaakyat sa pang-apat na palapag.

"Don't worry the guy doesn't like to have people around him anyways. He barely talks to others even to his nurses-me," He said it as if he really memorize the attitude of the guy named Gabi, very well.

Nang makarating sa nasabing kwarto ay kaagad na bumungad sa 'min ang katulad ng kwarto ko noong naoperahan ako. Kaibahan nga lang ay may kurtina ito sa gitna at may dalawang bed hospital pero gayunpaman, mapapansin mo parin ang pagiging malawak nito.

"This will be your room for 2 months!"

He gestured his hand pointing the half side of the room to us. Dad started examining the place, making sure it is safe. That I am safe! Gayon din ako. I even tried to take a glance at the other half of this room and got startled by the guy who had just risen from the bed. Agad ko namang inalis ang tingin sa kanya when he's about to turn his annoyed gaze to us.

Nagkunwari akong nagmamasid sa paligid. And at the corner of my eyes, I saw him peeking staring at us for a second annoyingly at muling humiga. I tried to see his whole face but I failed. Is he sleeping? Did we awaken him? Mukhang galit.

Nurse Angelo positions himself on the edge of the curtain and pushes it aside for us to see the whole other side of this room and a guy who's lying annoyingly at the other bedside. His forehead was in a pucker state and shows that he doesn't like the idea of having a roommate. He must probably be the Gabi that Nurse Angelo mentioned earlier.

"Hi," I greeted him and even waved my right hand but he only rolled his eyes and looked away.

I chuckled.

Ang sungit ah.

What he did reminded me of someone I know. Someone I missed. And someone I didn't see before I entered this dungeon of sick people like me.

Kamusta na kaya sya? Anong balita sa kanya?

I smiled, so bitter while erasing the thought of him. He really didn't remember me and just left without proper words. Nice, Senrid! Malupit kang manakit ng damdamin. Ang galing galing mong manakit.

"Be nice to your roommate, Gabire!" He patted the head of the guy. 

"I'm not informed that I'll be having a roommate. I said I want to be alone! Sobrang hirap ba noon?"