Hush Louder

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

#HLHuLingYugto

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Part One

"WELCOME to Fleur's Blossoms!"

Carrying a basket of pink peonies, I welcomed my first customer for the day. My free hand was wearing a gardener's glove when I waved hello to a young couple who entered my newly-built florist shop.

We turned Dr. Xalvien's front door, which used to be the entrance to his clinic, into a small flower boutique. It looked really pretty, especially with the floral garden leading towards the shop, complemented by the wisteria vines hanging on the walls of the doctor's white mansion.

"Naghahanap sana kami ng mga bulaklak na bagay sa wedding namin," panimula ng lalaking customer na kasama ang kaniyang nobya. "Purple ang motif namin."

Yumakap ang babae sa braso ng kaniyang nobyo at nagdagdag pa ng mga detalye. "Itong si Yugo ang first love ko. Childhood sweethearts kami!"

Their sweetness made me smile, and that short story gave me an idea. "Bagay sa inyo ang Lilacs! They symbolize the first feelings of love."

Sabik ang aking pagkakasabi, na tila ba sarili ko iyong istorya. Umatras saglit ang ngiti ko, may kaunting kirot akong naramdaman nang maisip iyon. Umiling na lamang ako para hindi ito bigyan ng pansin.

Pinakita ko sa kanila ang isang palumpon ng lilac flowers at nagustuhan nila ito. Nag-order sila ng isang daang sets na gagamiting palamuti para sa kanilang kasal. We discussed the designs and agreed on the final orders before they waved goodbye.

After closing the store in the afternoon, I made a simple flower arrangement and wrapped them in a small handcrafted bouquet. Dinala ko ito papasok sa loob ng mansyon. Nang makita ang doktor na payapang natutulog sa malaking kama ng kaniyang kuwarto ay napangiti ako.

"Here are some fresh lavenders!" magiliw kong sabi habang pinapalitan ang mga bulaklak sa vase. "It's October 23, and you guys turned 31 years old today. Happy birthday, Doctor Xalvien. Happy birthday, Attorney Xalvenge."

Lumapit ako para hawiin ang ilang hibla ng buhok na tumatakip sa kaniyang noo. Napansin kong humahaba na pala ang kaniyang buhok kaya nagsalubong saglit ang mga kilay ko. "I think you guys need a haircut again. Ang bilis humaba ng buhok niyo!"

I took some scissors from the drawer and turned his body towards the side so I could have a better look, carefully fixing the tubes around his body. Inipit ko ang ilang hibla ng kaniyang buhok sa pagitan ng aking mga daliri at nagsimulang maggupit.

Doctor Xalvien has been in a psychogenic coma for three years now. All the mental stress that he has suffered starting from the childhood abuse inside the asylum, the repetitive experiments he has done to himself to create an amnesiac potion, the lobotomy performed on his fusiform gyrus that caused his Capgras syndrome, and the traumatic experience of losing Xalvenge—the immense amount of psychological pressure has caused his mind to shut down and become unresponsive.

"You've been through a lot, Vien," tahimik kong pag-usal habang ginugupitan ang kaniyang buhok. "And you've been very strong."

Umangat ang aking paningin para silipin ang electrocardiogram machine kung saan ipinapakita ang kundisyon ng doktor. It's continuously beeping at a regular pace. "And until now, you're still fighting." My lips gave a quick smile. "Malakas ka, Vien. Lahat iyon kinaya mo. Kaya alam kong kakayanin mo rin ito."

Pagkatapos linisin ang aking pinaggupitan ay ginawa namin ang aming daily routine. Minamasahe ko ang mga braso't binti niya para masiguradong maayos ang daloy ng kaniyang dugo. I also make sure that his legs and arms get their daily exercise by stretching and bending his limbs. Palagi ko ring sinisigurado na malinis ang kaniyang katawan hanggang sa kuko.