THE BAD HABIT (BISAYA)

12

Z.

Gabie na ron. Even though how I badly want to fetch Hickey sa trabaho but I can't leave my mom.

Mogawas rako sa kwarto kung mosulod ang mga nurses. Dili ko kabiya ni mama ug dugay.

But then gibati kog ka gutom. I remembered that I haven't eat lunch earlier.

God. I forgot.

So I decided to go to Hickey's apartment. By that I can cook for us. Bahalag di mi sabay mo kaon basta pareho mig gikaon.

Gituyo nako mo adto sa iyang apartment nga kanang wa pa sya kauli. Kay if ever makita nako sya ron, basin makalimot kog balik sa hospital.

I badly want to stay beside Hickey but right now, I have to be with my mom.

Nag cook ko sa favorite ni Hickey. Majority sa meat nga naa sa iyang ref kay puro beef. So I have no choice but to cook her favorite.

She obviously love beefsteak. Kalami nalang mahimong beefsteak.

“Tada!” ana kos akong sarili pag human nakog garnish sa plate nga naay sud'an.

I want it presentable looking kay mao na akong na tun'an. ‘It's fine if the food tastes bad, atleast it looks good”

Lol.

Nikuha kog tupperware para sudlan sa akong kaonon didto sa hospital. I won't eat here kay basin maka uli nas Hickey.

I missed her but I have to not see her tonight kay lage ma occupy akong utok sa iyang ka lami.

Then pagka human sa tanan, nag drive nako pabalik sa hospital. I called Hickey to tell her nga gikan ko sa iyang apartment.

We talked and she asked me about my mom. She even insisted to come over tomorrow.

I told her she don't have to kay naa s'yay trabaho inig ka gabie. It will exhausted her more.

She suddenly ended the call without proper goodbye. Nasuko sya obviously.

Naa ba koy na sulti nga mali? I was just thinking about her health too.

Mao to ni text nalang ko nga sugtan nako syang mo anhi sa hospital ugma. I didn't call her again kay basin naka tulog na or what.

Nanghupaw ko human sa pila ka message nga akong gi text niya pero wala sya ni reply.

Maybe naka tulog na jud sya.

»

The next morning. Nakamata ko tungod sa familiar nga tingog.

“Hi tita. I'm back. Your favorite girl. Charot. I have chika tita,” yawyaw niyag sugod.

Sa kasaba niya, wa na nuon ko katulog ug balik.

Nibarog ko then nag stretching. Gamay ra ang couch diria maong sakit akong likod. 2 days na kong wala nakatug sa presentabli nga kama.

“Hi Zayd. Mata ka na pala?” she asked, smiling.

Ga unsa maning bayhana diria?

Nanguy-ab ko ayha nangutana. “What brings you here?”

She smiled. “Someone.” tubag niya.

Nag kunot akong agtang kay meaningful kaayo iyang smile.

Gitutokan nako sya. What is up with this girl?

“Uh-huh. Hickey's her name tita. Zayd is so obsessed with her and I'm so thankful she met him. Now ko lang again na see ang smile ni Zayd.” she started telling my mom about Hickey.

Ga storya sya murag kanang naa s'yay ka chika. Where in fact, my mom's in deep sleep.

Nang lingo nalang ko niya. While gapadayun ra syag kwento about sa amoa ni Hickey.

I smiled. I know they're happy for me. I can finally be the person I was before everything turned upside down.

And it's because of Hickey. The person who give me reasons to live. My treatment, my cure.

It's all in one person.

“Bye tita. I'll visit you again po, next time.”

Nahunong kog huna huna tungod sa ni tingog. Nibarog sya kay mo gawas na so akoa syang gi sabayan.

“Mo uwi ka?” Eunice asked.

Nanglingo rako. I checked my wrist watch and 9 am na.

Unsa kaha oras mo anhi si Hickey?

Sabay mi ni Eunice nag huwat sa elevator nga mo bukas.

“So you're with someone right now?” I I suddenly asked her.

She looked at me. “Coming here sa hospital? Yup! I have kasama earlier.” she answered.

“I mean, are you dating someone? I already told you, mo agi na sya sa amoa ni Levin.”

Eunice laughed. “I'm not. I'm busy bothering someone's life.” she kept laughing hantud ni abli na ang elevator.

Wala na nuon ko ka pangutana kung unsay ngalan anang someone nga gina mean niya.

I saw Hickey inside the elevator. She was smiling beside someone.

Eunice went inside the elevator and the man beside Hickey, stilled. It's like he's afraid of Eunice' presence.

Naka poker face rakong nag huwat kay Hickey nga mo gawas na. She was smiling as she teased the two person left in the elevator.

“Good morning” lingi niya sa akoa.

Instead of greeting her back, I tsked and faced my back to her.

“Morning love” tingog niyag usab.

I can feel that she's following me but I keep a cold treatment. Wala ko niya gi replyan gabie tapos karun kauban niya iyang fiance?

Psh!

Nihunong kos gawas sa room ni mama. I waited for Hickey to came in first.

Then suddenly, she run passed the room. Nidagan sya hantud sa tumoy sa hallway.

Nag abot akong kilay ga tan aw niya nga nisud sa isa ka pultahan.

Gisundan dayun nako sya kay basin na unsa na sya.

“Baby, you alright?”

I found her inside a comfort room. Vomiting.

It took her a lot of minutes to fix her self. Ikaduha sya nisulod sa cubicle para mo suka.

That's probably exhausting.

“You're pale..” worried nga niduol ko niya pagka pansin nga luspad kaayo sya.

I was already behind her before she passed out. Nasalo nako sya and I couldn't help but to get more worried.

“Baby, what happened to you?” I asked bisan wala syay malay.

I search for help from the nurses around and they helped me.

I saw a doctor rushing toward me. She was so worried, I could see it on her face.

“I am Hickey's tita. Let me check her.” tingog sa doctora.

Sya na ang ning check up kay Hickey. Like her, I'm so worried too.

This not the first time she fainted. And I remembered, lately she got sick easily.

Naa ko karun sa sulod sa kwarto ni Hickey while iyang tita kay nilakaw to test her blood. Nag huwat sad kos result.

“How is she doc?” pangutana dayun nako after an hour of waiting.

I feel relieved as the doctor smile. ”She's fine.”

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