[Xylandria's POV]
Nung makita ko silang pumasok na ay agad kong pinark ang sasakyan ko sa parking lot ng ospital. Nakakunot ang noo ko at nagtataka kung bakit dito sila pumunta. Nabuntis ba niya yung assistant niya? Iniling ko ang ulo ko. He's disabled, I don't think it's still possible to do any lustful things for him.
Napatingin ako kay Joshua nung hindi siya umiimik. Nakayuko lang siya at kita ko ang paggalaw ng adam's apple niya.
"May hindi ba ako alam tungkol kay Walter, Joshua?" Naghaharumentado ang puso ko nung makita ko ang kaba sa kanyang mga mata nung unti-unti na siyang humarap sa akin.
"M-mas makakabuti kung si Tito ang magsasabi sayo, Xy." Sarkastiko akong napatawa bago bumaba na ng sasakyan.
Mabilis akong naglakad papasok ng ospital habang nakasunod lang sa likuran ko si Joshua.
Is there something wrong with his health? Why would he hide it from me? Malala ba? Kita ko ang assistant niya sa hindi kalayuan, tulak-tulak siya nito gamit ang wheelchair. Napahinto ako nung pumasok na siya sa isa sa mga clinic ng ospital.
Dahan-dahan akong pumunta sa pinto at nakasarado na iyun. Bigla akong namutla nung mabasa ko ang pangalan ng doctor.
Dr. Marino James Agramon
ONCOLOGIST
O-oncologist? Nakaawang ang labi ko at maluha-luhang hinarap si Joshua. Umiwas siya ng tingin at nakokonsensyang napalunok.
"M-may tumor si Walter?" I can't almost say those words correctly. My lips are trembling as I stared at him, he sat down on the bench and pulled his hair out of frustration but I didn't hear any single word from him.
"For how long?" Iniiling-iling lang niya ang kanyang ulo at maluha-luha rin akong tiningnan.
"I-i can't," his voice broke and tears began flowing from his eyes. The sound of his voice reflects pain and suffering, and it made me sob as I sat next to him.
Tahimik lang kaming nakaupo hanggang sa may dumating na nurse na pumasok ng room ni Doctor Agramon, hindi nito sinarado nang lubusan ang pinto kaya dahan-dahan akong tumayo at lumapit doon, sakto lang para marinig ang usapan nila.
"... what you're facing has always been serious, but the choice was yours and I can't do anything about it."
"That's alright, Doc. This is the path i've chosen," dinig kong sabi ni Walter sa Doctor na sobrang seryoso at matigas ang boses.
"Based on the current MRI we've conducted, the tumor... is incurable. You only got 18 months of your life."
Napaatras ako nung biglang bumukas ang pinto. Nanlaki ang mga matang napatitig sa akin ang nurse nung akmang lalabas na sana siya.
Napalunok ako at napatingin sa kanyang likuran. Gulat na gulat na nakatingin sa akin si Walter, ganoon din ang kanyang assistant.
"What the heck is this all about?" I ignored the nurse and went inside the room without any permission.
"X-xylandria," tumikhim si Walter at binasa ang kanyang pang-ibabang labi.
"Ano ang ibig sabihin na 18 months na lang ang meron ka?" Pumiyok ako at napaiyak habang nakatitig pa rin sa kanya.
"Maam Xylandria, mas mabuti pong lumabas muna kayo para makausap nang maayos ni Doc si Sir Walter." Pakiusap sa akin ng assistant niya. Binigyan ko muna si Walter ng matalim na tingin bago tumalikod na at lumabas ng clinic.
I face the wall and I started sobbing. I covered my mouth when my chest starts to tighten. Napahawak ako sa pader at dahan-dahang napaupo.
"Xy," nag-aalalang hinawakan ni Joshua ang braso ko.
"H-he has a tumor and he only got 18 months to live. Tama ba ako, Joshua?" Umiiyak na tanong ko sa kanya habang nakahilig ang ulo ko sa pader.
"Tama ba ako?!" Tumaas ang boses ko nung hindi ito sumagot.
"I-i'm sorry." Mapakla akong napatawa.
He only have few months to live and he didn't even fucking bother to tell me, me who is his fucking girlfriend.
Napatingin ako sa pinto nung bumukas ito. Lumabas si Walter na nakayuko habang tulak-tulak ng assistant niya. Nagtagpo ang mga mata namin at nakita ko ang mga luhang pilit niyang tinatago.
"Mind telling me what's wrong with you?" I asked peacefully with a force smile stitched on my face.
His assistant and Joshua gave us some space on a small garden behind the hospital. My face is still red and my eyes feel sore because of all that crying earlier. I need to hear his reason, his side. I need to give him trust.
"Tell me everything... from the start."
"Two years ago, I was diagnosed with malignant brain tumor. I had a brain surgery twice... but the tumor keeps going back. Regarding with my physical condition, I gave up. I stopped taking medications and attending consultations. My body eventually stopped responding to any treatments." Nananatili akong nakikinig sa kanya habang patuloy siyang nagpaliwanag nang mahinahon.
"The day before yesterday... I had a seizure while I was on my way to Sky Autumn. My assistant had no choice but to bring me to the hospital."
"Ba't hindi mo ako sinabihan nung una pa lang na may brain tumor ka pala?"
"It's no use cause I know you'll leave me eventually." Mapakla akong napatawa dahil sa kanyang sinabi.
"Gustong-gusto kong magalit sayo, it breaks my heart knowing that I can't be with you forever."
"It'll break your heart more if you'll be stuck with me eternally." Kumirot ang puso ko at hindi ko napigilan ang luha ko sa pagtulo.
"Ba't mo ba pinapalabas na ayaw kong kasama kita? If I could just fucking take the tumor away, i'll happily chain you around me!" My voice raised and I looked at him with confusion and disappointment.
"If you could... but the tumor now is unbeatable."
"Let's not lose hope. Let's fight your tumor together. I'll stick with you until the end."
"There's no stopping it. Let's just face my fate. My condition now is something that can't be undone." Napahagulgol ako dahil kung magsalita siya ay parang wala lang. Parang walang time limit ang buhay niya, and it hurts that he doesn't even care what I feel.
"What about me? I'd be lost kung iiwan mo ako. Please, Walter, wala na bang ibang paraan? I can't send you off to the light, I can't." I begged and kneeled while hugging his legs. I shed tears on his lap, I can't stop crying. I don't want to us to end.
"You need to be brave, Xylandria. I love you and God knows that I don't want to leave your side, but there's no going back now. There's no reset."
BINABASA MO ANG
Teardrops on a Sketch Pad
Roman d'amour[COMPLETED] Xylandria Rodriguez, the most gorgeous woman alive who consider things worthy if it possesses beauty. Her ideology took a huge turn after picking up a forgotten sketch pad owned by a world-class athlete, Walter Holloway, who is now stuck...
