Never Be Tamed

Chapter 31: Offer

Chapter 31: Offer

Once the two leaders were done with their discussion, I was brought to the third floor where the room of the daughter was located and was briefed of her condition by Ms. Ivette.

The girl laying in bed had a pale face and light brown hair reaching her shoulders. Tinakpan niya agad ang sarili niya ng kumot nang marinig  ang pagdating namin.

"Hindi niya gusto ng kahit anong ingay," paliwanag ni Ms. Ivette.

Nanatili sa hallway ang dalawang pinuno while Ms. Ivette and I stayed in the room, watching the bundle of blanket and pillow where she was hidden.

"Ilang araw na siyang hindi lumalabas ng kanyang kwarto," buntong hininga ni Ms. Ivette. "All her test were normal and the hospital said everything was fine. But she barely eats and rarely gets out of bed," paliwanag niya.

Makaraan ng ilang minuto, lumabas kami sa hallway. Sumulyap ako sa mag-asawa bago muling nagsalita. "Pwede ko po bang makausap ang anak niyo nang mag-isa?"

The father raised an eyebrow at my request. Pero nagkaroon sila ng kasunduan kanina lang. To treat their daughter, they would let me do  my job without distraction.

Tumango si Ms. Ivette at bumaling sa kanyang asawa. Their were no exchange of words pero tuluyan itong pumayag. They left the hallway first.

Zackary was hesitant to leave me. "Remember your promise, Eleanor," he reminded me, reaching for my hand. "If things get risky, you don't have to do anything."

"Zack, do you trust me?"

Pinisil niya ang palad ko. "Of course."

Ngumiti ako. "Then I'll be fine."

Tuluyan niyang binitawan ang palad ko. "I'll wait in the living room  with the others."

Hinintay ko na makaalis ang lahat hangang sa tuluyang naging tahimik ang paligid. I walked to the room, standing still at the open doorway, watching. Her body moved under the sheets, carefully removing a  blanket from her view to check on what she assumed was an empty  room. Nang makita niyang nakatayo ako sa doorway, muli niyang tinakpan ang kanyang mukha.

"I'm here to check on you," I told her, gently closing the door behind  me.

"I'm not sick," she blurted under the sheet.

"I know."

Silence lingered between us as I approached her bed. I usually know if someone is physically suffering. I could see it from the color and  paleness of their skin, the tint on their lips, or the sunken look in their  eyes. And when I treat them closer, that's when I search for the source  of these things. But the girl in front of me, she isn't sick from the illnesses I normally see.

I sat on the chair next to her bed. "Do you know that struggling with  our thoughts and emotions is a sickness too?" She stayed still under the sheet. Hoping she's listening, nagpatuloy ako sa pagsasalita. "Our mind... it's where everything resides, our health, our well being, our thoughts."

Pinagmasdan ko siya bago muling nagsalita. "Have you seen a boat?" I could tell she was curious of my question. She took a small peak of me under the sheets. "Our body is like a boat. When the ocean is rough and waves crash against us, it could make the boat sink, like the way  illnesses make our bodies weak."

"But when the tide is calm and the weather is nice, do you know boat still sinks?"

Tuluyan niyang inalis ang kumot sa kanyang mukha. "Why?" she asked.

"Because they're broken from the inside," I told her, relieved that she's listening. "No matter how calm and peaceful and comfortable we are, some boats are made weaker than others. But it's not a bad thing. We  just need to recognize what's wrong with us."