His Secret Wife (Completed)

Chapter 17: Time

Chpater 17: TIME

Sean immediately arranged a flight using Sarto's private plane as soon as I told him that we need to go here in San Francisco because of Daddy's fatal condition.

Napatigil ako nang marating namin ang pintuan ng kwarto ni Daddy sa ospital. Ilang sandali ko rin itong tinitigan bago nanginginig na pinihit ang doorknob.

Hindi ko alam kung maiiyak ba ako o matutuwa habang nakikita si Daddy na kumakain ng orange. He looks fine while eating those oranges, but his body says it all. He's not that healthy anymore.

"Dad..." Gulat namang napatingin si Daddy sa akin. He stopped eating his oranges and focused on looking at me.

"Sandra, you're here..."

"Of course, I'm here, Daddy... Of course," sabi ko at agad na tumakbo palapit sa kanya upang yakapin siya.

I began crying as soon as I hugged Daddy. Bumuhos ang lahat ng pinigilan kong luha bago makarating dito.

"Sean... Lyrae..." rinig ko ring sambit niya habang yakap yakap siya.

"Lolo..." Lyrae began crying too, pero agad naman siyang binuhat ni Sean.

"Why didn't you tell me, Daddy? I was dumbfounded all along. Wala akong kaalam-alam," sabi ko at muling tiningnan si Daddy.

He doesn't look like how I see him before. Parang wala na siyang kalakas-lakas at ang kaya niya na lang gawin ay ang humiga at umupo.

"I don't want you to worry about me, Sandra..." katwiran ni Daddy.

"Do you think I'm not worried right now?" I asked him. "Dad, I'm worried as hell! Sobrang takot na takot ako na baka wala na akong maabutan pagdating ko rito."

"Sandra, ayoko nang dumagdag pa sa mga problema mo. Alam kong ang dami mo ng problema kahit sinasabi mo sa akin na masaya ka na. I don't want to cause you any trouble," he explained.

"Hindi ka dagdag problema, Daddy. Hinding-hindi," umiling iling ako at hinawakan ang kanyang kamay. "I'm your one and only daughter. It's my duty to take care of you. Wala pa akong nababalik sa 'yo, Daddy. You made all my dreams come true... at kahit hindi mo ginawa 'yon, handa pa rin kitang tulungan na lumaban sa sakit mo. That's how much I love you, Daddy."

Napangiti naman si Daddy at bumitaw sa pagkakahawak sa aking kamay para hawakan ang pisngi ko.

"I want you to understand that this is the kind of ending I chose for my life," he told me. "Matagal na akong hinihintay ng Mommy mo, Sandra... I also want to be with her. Alam kong okay ka na at kaya mo na ang sarili mo. When I die, just always remember that your Mom and I will always watch you from above."

"Dad, please don't say that!" mariin kong sabi habang umiiling. "I'll talk to your doctors. I'll make sure that you'll live. Just let me and your granddaughter spend more time with you."

"I don't want to do the therapies. Believe me or not, mas mahihirapan lang ako kapag ginawa ko 'yon. I already knew a long time ago that I have cancer. I didn't do anything to fight it because this is what I want, Sandra. Ito ang gusto kong mangyari at gusto kong maintindihan mo 'yon."

"Dad, I can't... I don't understand. Why do you wish to die when there are medicines and technologies to make you live?" I frustratedly said.

"I already told you earlier... Gusto ko ng mommy mo. She's been waiting for me for a very long time," makasama ang he smiled.

"Paano naman ako, Daddy? Paano po ako?... Iiwan niyo na rin ako? Ako na lang ang matitira dito?"

"You have Lyrae, Sandra," sabi niya at nilingon ang aking anak na ngayo'y pinapatahan ni Sean. "You also have a husband... I can see that Sean's a good father to Lyrae."

"Dad, you know I'm with-"

"Sandra, I want you to be happy," he cut me off. "Pabaon mo na 'yon sa akin. Make yourself happy dahil 'yon ang ginawa ko habang pinapalaki kita. Don't throw away the happiness that I gave you. 'Wag mong pahirapan ang sarili mo. Don't hurt yourself. Be happy."

"Lyrae's my happiness, Dad. At pati na rin ikaw. So please don't leave me yet... Give me more time to be with you. Let's cherish your last moments together. 'Wag muna ngayon... Dad, please..."

Napayuko naman si Daddy at nag-iwas ng tingin sa akin.

"I'm sorry, Sandra... I've already made my decision," he said with finality.

"I won't let you, Daddy. I won't," sabi ko at agad na lumabas ng kanyang kwarto.

Tiningnan ko sa labas ng room ang pangalan ng kanyang doktor at agad itong hinanap para kausapin.

"Dr. Smith..." I called for his attention when I came in to his office.

Nag-angat naman ito ng tingin sa akin at ngumiti. He even stood up from his swivel chair to offer his hand to me.

"I'm Cassandra... Sarmiento," nag-aalangang pakilala ko sa aking sarili at tinanggap ang kanyang kamay. "I'm the daughter of your patient, Freddie Talavera."

"Oh... So you're his daughter. He always tells me stories about you and your daughter," he smiled warmly at me.

Napangiti naman ako at muling nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. This time, I'm already serious.

"I don't want to waste anymore time, Dr. Smith. I know that my father's stubborness and his will to die are not helping him. As his daughter, I don't want him to die yet. I want to prolong his life."

Tumangu-tango naman siya. "I understand all of your sentiments, Mrs. Sarmiento, but I just want to tell you that there's nothing I can do to save him."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's already too late to save your father. If you decided to treat him much earlier, we may be able to do something, but now...it's too late. The cancer cells already spread throughout his body and not just his brain. I mean, I was amazed that he was able to make it this far without any medication."

"My never told me about his illness. I just found out about it yesterday." I reasoned out.

"Didn't you tell him that he needs to have an extensive medication?"

"I actually told him that every time he visits for a check up to check his condition. Your father's a very extraordinary person. Whenever he finds out that he's getting worse, he's getting even happier. I never knew a person who wants to die that much except for suicidal cases."

Napakagat naman ako sa aking labi habang unti-unti na namang namumuo ang luha sa mga mata ko.

"Gaano katagal pa po namin siya makakasama?" nagawa ko pang tanungin.

"He only has few days left," he said and my tears fell.