Greed

25

Lia

I found out where Kyle was confined. A lot of reporters were waiting outside the hospital as I went inside. Kinuhanan nila ako ng mga litrato pero nagmamadali akong pumasok.

Sa Rizal nangyari iyong aksidente at doon inoperahan si Kyle pero pinalipat siya nila Tita sa Manila agad agad.

Ilang araw rin akong hindi macontact simula nung nabalitaan ko iyong kay Kyle. I couldn't show my face to anyone. I felt guilty for his accident.

"Where are you? You sound drunk,"

"Somewhere in Rizal. Let's talk when I arrive in Manila. We need to finalize things."

Our last conversation felt like needles poking every inch of my body. Kasalanan ko kung bakit siya naaksidente. If only I didn't call him that night...

"How dare you?"

I received a hard slap from Tita as soon as they saw me walk in. She was different from the last time I saw her. Mukhang pagod na pagod na siya.

"Bakit ka pa nagpakita dito? Everything's your fault!"

"Sorry po..."

Napakagat ako sa labi nang sampalin niya ulit ako. Nakatayo lang ang mga kapatid ni Kyle roon, naiyak.

Hindi ko rin naman gusto na pigilan nila si Tita. I deserve every slap. Alam ko naman na kasalanan ko. Ang tigas tigas ko kasi...

"Ma, that's enough," Carlos came in between us. Kahit si Tito rin walang magawa, naiyak lang siya sa tabi ni Kyle.

It must be difficult for them to see Kyle like this. It's difficult for me pero mas masakit ang makita ang anak mo na walang malay at nakalatay.

"What did Kyle ever do to you for him to receive your bull?" Humikbi si Tita. Hindi ko siya kayang tignan. Kasi kahit ako hindi ko alam kung bakit ko pinahirapan si Kyle.

Ang gusto ko lang naman mangyari nun, maging masaya. Krimen na ba yun? Kasalanan ko naman ito, I will own it up.

"Liandra, please leave us for a moment..." Tito croaked.

Tumungo ako at umalis sa kwarto ni Kyle. Nasa labas lang ako, nakaupo sa bench.

Nasa tiles lang ang tingin ko. I was afraid someone will see me this miserable.

Hindi rin ako pwedeng umiyak. Ayokong panghinaan ng loob. Kyle's strong. He'll wake up soon. And when he does, I'll patch things up... that's what he wanted from the start.

Sobrang lumulutang ang isip ko na hindi ko napansin na nakaupo pala sa tabi ko si Henry.

Umangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. Anong ginagawa niya dito?

"Family matters," he replied.

Tumungo ako at nag iwas ng tingin. Nararamdaman ko na ang pag iinit ng mata ko. Ayokong umiyak. Buhay pa si Kyle. Tatanggapin ko lahat nang ibabato sakin ng pamilya niya, kahit ano pa iyon.

"It's okay to cry, you know,"

And that's when I let myself give in. Umiyak ako nang umiyak kay Henry. Alam ko naman na makakayanan ko to lahat, kailangan ko lang tibayan ng loob.

"There's always a rainbow after the rain," he said, consoling me.

Hindi ako umiimik at nagpapahid lang ng luha. Hindi ko kayang humagulgol, ayokong masabihan ng masama. Katulad lang din naman nila ako, nahihirapan. Asawa ko pa din naman si Kyle kahit papaano.

Henry sat next to me, caressing my back and fixing my hair. Hinayaan ko siya. I need this kind of comfort.

Hinayaan niya akong matapos umiyak saka tumayo. "I'll leave you be. Everything's going to be alright," hinaplos niya iyong ulo ko bago pa umalis.

Tumungo ako. Yes, everything's going to be alright.