Through Secrets Unveiled

Chapter Sixty-Three - Wish Come True

JUST like what Derrick said, Stacey was discharged from the hospital the next day.

It was spring season in Ireland, but Stacey was warmly wrapped up in her red puffy windbreaker jacket zipped up to her neck and black jogging pants. Her hands stayed inside the front pockets of her jacket and she wore a thick, wool black beanie on her head. Meanwhile, Derrick wore a pair of gray pants and gray turtleneck shirt with long sleeves.

Inside the living room of her father's apartment, everything is minimalistic gray and white. It looked clean and neat, there are very few furnitures, no decorations, and everything seemed to be in place. Outside the window, the view of colorful apartments lined up. They were painted green, red, green, and a few are in neutral colors, but most of them are in orange. There were shops across their apartment, people and cars passing by, but the streets were not noisy.

"Just place them here," Derrick pointed to a spot beside the open door. Yumuko ang taxi driver at ibinaba roon ang bitbit na malalaking mga bag. "Thanks." Her father pulled his wallet out of his pants' back pocket and handed the driver their payment with tip. The driver looked at her father in confusion at first, but when Derrick nodded, he alreay understood that he could keep the change.

Pagkaalis ng driver, isinara na ni Derrick ang pinto. He pushed the lock button as well before he joined her.

"Have a seat," alalay nito sa kanyang siko. Iginiya siya ng tatay sa puting leather sofa at dahan-dahang pinaupo rito. "How are you feeling?"

"Hindi na masakit ang katawan ko, pero parang ang bigat."

He nodded. "At least, you're not bleeding anymore." Tumuwid na ito ng tayo. "I'll make you some milk."

She groaned. "Huwag gatas, Dad. Ayoko no'n."

"You need to drink something warm."

"Kahit warm water na lang. Please, anything but milk." She just didn't like the taste of warm milk. Her father would know if he wasn't absent in her life.

He sighed, looking more concerned than irritated at her for being a little demanding. "Warm water then."

Nang umalis ang kanyang tatay, muling inilibot ni Stacey ang tingin sa paligid. She bet, Renante would love this place. Ganito ang taste ng binata pagdating sa interior design. Kitang-kita niya iyon sa kung paano nito inayos ang condo unit na tinitirahan, gayundin ang opisina nito sa VVatch.

The very thought of Renante suddenly brought the memories back. Especially what happened during their flight.

Fortunately, the airline company will shoulder their medical expenses in exchange of their silence about the incident, but she didn't really give a damn about expenses. Stacey was not also interested in suing that company, since in the first place, she wasn't in her seat during that accident, and Renante chose to be uncooperative with the flight crew just to search for her. Ang tanging inaalala lang niya ay ang kondisyon ni Renante. Tiyak na matatagalan ito sa paglabas sa ospital, dahil kailangan daw nito mag-undergo sa isang surgical operation. His legs got injured critically, especially his right leg. Stacey didn't know the specifics, dahil ibabahagi lang daw iyon ng mga medical staff sa kamag-anak ni Renante na darating para rito sa Ireland. But, based on what her father found out, it sounded like Renante would not be able to walk for a long time. The thought of that crushed her deep to the soul. Before they left the hospital, she wanted to see him. She wanted to tell him that everything will be alright. Na malakas ang kutob niya na pansamantala lang ito hindi makakalakad. Sadly, he was still in the Intensive Care Unit and unconscious when she and her father came to see him.

Inilipat niya ang tingin sa pinto. Sa oras na maka-recover ako agad, promise, I will visit you, Renante.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Derrick sit beside her. Hindi na niya natuloy ang paglingon dito dahil napukaw ng isang mug ang kanyang atensiyon. Inilapag iyon ng kanyang ama sa ibabaw ng puti at oblong na wooden coffee table. Medyo umuusok pa ang tubig na laman ng mug na iyon.