Chapter 20
Douce
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"Pumunta ka na," pamimilit ni Kuya Amari sa 'kin habang nasimsim ng kape niya.
"Hahabol nga ako, Kuya. Unahin ko muna si Leane," sagot ko.
"Ako ng bahala," aniya.
"Ayoko nga. Papakainin mo lang nang papakainin 'yon ng matatamis, e! Sakitin kaya 'yon!" Sumimangot ako.
Sumimangot din si Kuya Amari nang marinig ang sinabi ko. Maya maya pa ay inirapan na niya ako pero pinilit ulit na sumama na sa reunion namin bukas ng hapon. Sabado bukas kaya alam kong igagala na naman niya si Leane kung saan-saan habang wala ako. Bibilhan niya ng kung ano-ano kahit hindi naman alam ni Leane kung gusto niya ba 'yon. Papayagan niya ring kumain nang kumain si Leane ng matatamis na talagang paborito niya kahit ilang beses ko ng sinasabi na hinay-hinay lang dahil mabilis siyang magkasakit.
Kapag wala ako, kung ano-ano ang pinaggagagawa ng dalawang 'yon. Kaya hindi na talaga nakakapagtaka kung bakit palagi na lang nagkakaroon ng sakit ang anak ko sa tuwing naiiwan silang dalawa. Palaging ubo o sipon na mapupunta sa lagnat.
Puta, 'di naman si Kuya 'yung halos mamatay sa pag-alala no'ng akala ko mamamatay na si Leane no'ng apat na taong gulang pa lang siya. Nasa ibang bansa siya no'n, abala sa trabaho. Naambunan lang saglit si Leane no'n pero nagka-lagnat agad siya ilang oras matapos no'n. Sobrang taas ng lagnat niya at hindi ko na makausap ng maayos kaya dinala ko na sa hospital. Sinugod ko na.
Crying for her son's pain, I carried my son towards the nearest hospital from our home. Leane was unconscious when a doctor checked him. Nagkakagulo sa loob ng hospital sa hindi ko malamang dahilan. Hindi ko na rin inalam dahil mas nakatuon ang atensyon ko sa anak kong sobrang init.
I shouted at the doctors running at the emergency room because no one was paying attention to my son. Somehow, a doctor checked him and told me that Leane's gonna be fine. I felt relief, but upon realizing the bills that I must pay for my son's treatment, I started to lose control of myself again.
"Fuck," I mumbled a curse as tears kept on falling from my eyes.
I tried to dial my brother's number, so I could ask for money for Leane. Meron pa naman akong natitirang pera pero kulang pa 'yon. I know my brother will help me if I ask, but I know I couldn't ask him for so many times. Pero sa mga oras na 'yon, siya na lang ang nag-tatanging pag-asa ko.
I stared at my son for a minute while waiting for my brother to answer my call. Leane seemed relaxed unlike earlier, so I felt comfortable a bit. My eyebrows furrowed out of frustration when Kuya didn't answer me. Then I realized that he must be sleeping since it's already night out there.
Alam kong hindi lang si Kuya ang pwede kong hingan ng tulong kaya panandalian kong iniwan ang anak ko sa may emergency room. Nag-bilin naman ako sa isang nurse na lalabas lang ako para mag-hanap ng pambayad kaya alam kong ayos lang si Leane do'n. I asked for a cab to our apartment to get my remaining money. Kahit kulang, dinala ko 'yon pabalik ng hospital.
I already contacted Amanda and Kheerah to ask for some money they can lent. I made sure that I told them clearly that I will pay for it. Susunod na lang daw sila sa hospital. Both of them have steady works, so they are the ones that I called when I couldn't contact my brother since he's having his rest for that day.
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