Journey With You (Completed)

Chapter 24: Cognitive Dissonance

Journey With You
Chapter 24: Cognitive Dissonance

Pag sinabi na kasi ni Doc na bawal, wag na kasi matigas ang ulo.

Look at me. I wasn't supposed to be drinking beer, but every time I got stressed out, iyon ang naging defense mechanism ko— ang uminom.

"Serves you right!" Sabi ng kunsensya ko. I know, I know. Manahimik ka na!

"Punta na tayong ospital," saad ni Sven. "Kaya mo bang maglakad? Whatever, I'll just carry you."

Needless to say, I ended up in the emergency room. Kaya naman sana ng gamot, kaso yung bibig ko. Ayaw magsalita! Wala na akong nagawa nung dinala na ako sa ospital. Pero hindi na rin masama, because what the doctor said was something I needed to hear.

After some tests, Sven insisted that I be transferred to a private room. Doon na ako kinausap ng doktor nung lumabas na ang mga resulta.

Bukod sa alcohol na dahilan kung bakit na- irritate  umano ang aking stomach lining, na naging  sanhi kung bakit naging mas vulnerable ang  stomach ko  sa digestive juices, stress  was apparently a culprit, too.

A bit of stress can be good, yeah, to prompt you to do something. But excessive stress... is another thing.

"Basically anything that is excessive... sobra... is not good for you," paliwanag pa ng doktor. "Kahit pag-ibig pa 'yan..."

Luh si Doc. May pinagdadaanan. His point, however, is clear. Sadyang naging matigas lang ang ulo ko.

Sinabi niya rin yung mga bawal kainin, tulad lang din nung sinabi sa akin noong una akong dinala sa ospital ni Mama noon. Acute pa lang ang gastritis ko noon, hindi gaya ngayon na severe na.

Kung hindi ako pasaway, sana hindi na ako napa-second trip to the hospital. Pero nagmana ako ng kapasawayan sa nanay ko eh. O baka sa tatay ko din, posibleng namana ko rin sa kaniya, dahil pati si Nix eh naambunan ng pagkapasaway.

I thought Sven was going to be like, "ayan, sabi ko kasi sayo wag ganito... wag ganiyan..."

But he was just silent. Pagkaalis ng doctor ay pumasok siya sa en suite toilet and bath, at medyo matagal siya doon. I hope he's not doing anything stupid in there... such as crying and blaming himself. That's just... lame.

"Akala ko na-flush ka na doon." Sabi ko pagkalabas niya. Naglagay siya ng sanitizer sa kamay tapos umupo sa tabi ko. Tahimik pa rin, tinignan niya ako gamit ang mga mata na animo'y... humihingi ng tawad.

"What's with those eyes?!" Kumunot ang noo ko. Nakakahabag! "Okay lang ako, uy..."

"I must have put you through so much stress..." His gaze dropped to the floor.

Eh?!

"Stop it. Hindi lang naman ikaw ang tao sa buhay ko. Can't I be stressed because of Mama? Chairman? Si Lloyd? Si Pinky? Kumusta naman si Serenity? She might as well kill me. Nababaliw ako pag naiisip ko siya." And I don't mean that in a romantic way...

"Si Serenity?" He asked, puzzled. "Bakit?"

"Hani! Oh my god!" The door flew open and Denzel came rushing in. Kasunod niya ang kaniyang asawa, tapos sina Yuri at Dylan din.

"Kumusta? Pinag-alala mo kami!" She added.

I just smiled weakly. I hope I didn't interrupt their process of making their firstborn...

"Anong sabi ng doktor?" Tanong ni Dylan, and Sven did all the explaining on my behalf.

"Madidischarge na siya mamaya, kung hindi na daw ulit sasakit yung sikmura niya."