Boss Lady #4: Laws in Love

IX. Rescue Song

OLIVE's throat felt so dry and itchy. Parang napakatagal na simula noong huli siyang uminom ng tubig dahil sa sobrang tuyo ng lalamunan niya. Dahan dahan niyang minulat ang kanyang mga mata at agad na nasilaw sa liwanag ng ilaw.

She raised her right hand to cover her eyes, but was surprised to see a dextrose injection on the back of her hand. Hindi niya matandaan kung ano ang nangyari bakit siya napunta sa sitwasyon na ito.

"Olivia? How are you feeling?"

Nang masanay ang kanyang mga mata sa liwanag ay nilingon niya ang pinanggalingan ng boses at laking gulat niya nang makita roon si Atty. Hidalgo.

"W-Water..." bulong niya. The attorney quickly got up and disappeared from her vision, then went back with a paper cup filled with water in his hand. He then touched a button on the hospital bed that made its upper bedding elevate, her upper body following its movement.

Agad naubos ng dalaga ang laman ng baso pero pakiramdam niya, kulang pa rin 'yon. Hinayaan na lamang niya at umikot ang tingin sa paligid.

Why am I here?

"A-Anong nangyari? Why am I in the hospital?" kabadong tanong niya.

Atty. Hidalgo, who is silently standing beside her bed, sighed. "You were unconscious, Olivia. Don't you remember what happened to you? The reason why you called me?"

"N-No... I-I can't remember..."

"I'm not entirely sure what happened, pero bigla mo akong tinawagan noong mismong araw na nagkasalubong tayo sa mall. You only called for my name then there was silence in the call. I had your location tracked by a good friend of mine, and we found you in your car in the middle of the highway. You were unconscious, so the police and I took you here. Do you remember now?"

Olive thought long and hard about what Axel just shared to her, then all of a sudden, her memories before her blackout came rushing.

She panicked, immediately gripping Axel's forearm. "P-Please... don't let Gio know where I am! B-Baka patayin ako ng asawa ko... please, Axel! A-Ayokong mahanap ako ni Gio!"

"Olivia, please breathe and calm down. Your husband won't find you here," he assured her. "Let me just call for the nurse so they can check up on you."

Tumango siya sa kabila ng kaba na nararamdaman. Axel pressed the call button for the nurse and they both waited in silence. Ang tanging maririnig nga lang na ingay ay ang malalim na paghinga ng dalaga.

Sabay silang napalingon sa bumukas na pinto at doon ay pumasok ang dalawang nurse at isang doktor. Agad na dinaluhan siya ng mga ito. Axel sat down on the chair to give way.

"Good evening, Ms. Lozano. How are you feeling?" tanong ng doktor habang mino-monitor ng mga nurse ang kanyang vital signs.

"I-I feel tired," mahina niyang sagot. "And hungry too... ilang araw na po ba ako rito, Dok?"

"Two days. You've been unconscious since you were taken here. Hindi mo ba naaalala?"

"At first, she didn't remember what happened, Doc. But I already told her what happened based on my understanding, and I think she remembered it now," sagot ni Axel.

The doctor looked at her again, pity and sympathy seen in his gaze. "I understand that this might be a sensitive matter but we have to bring this up with you since your lawyer here already mentioned it to us, though we need to confirm it with you. Is this your husband's doing?"

Olive looked away, tears brimming her eyes, then slowly nodded. Mabilis niyang pinunasan ang mga luhang nag-unahan na malaglag sa kanyang mga pisngi nang maalala ang mga pangyayari. Ayaw niyang makita ng iba ang kahinaan niya. She wants to be strong in the eyes of others because she is afraid to be judged.