The Heaven's Wildcard

The Last Card

"Your son has an Impostor Heart Disease," said the doctor beside my hospital bed.

My mother is standing in front of him, hands clasped like praying that the unknown disease was something not life-threatening.

"It's a rare disease. This is the first case to be recorded in the country."

"And what does it mean, Dr. Cruz? May butas ba ang puso ng anak ko? May baradong ugat? May kulang? Ano? What is it?"

I can hear the terror in Mom's voice.

"This can be a very confusing case, Mrs. Suarez. Because his heart's anatomy is normal, but it falls short on the physiological aspect. When you rushed your son here, you told us you barely felt his heartbeats. But when we assessed him, the rate was normal, we could hear it loudly and it looked like there wasn't even wrong about it. We admitted him for observation and one month is long enough to see that his heart can't distinguish its function—Seldom though very dangerous. It'll slow down on pumping blood for no reason, then will continue carrying its function as if nothing happened."

"W-What?"

This heart is an asshole, that's what I think. If I can pull it out for a minute, I'll spend sixty seconds scolding it.

"I know. This is a very complicated case, still under enormous research and studies."

"If you say so, then does that mean . . ."

"It's something that can't be managed by medication or lifestyle alterations. The best way we can help Yuri live a safer life . . . is through transplantation."

"Transplantation?"

I'm gonna have someone else's heart?! I freaked out in my bed at the same time Mom did. I was trying my best not to end my act because I was just faking my sleep to hear their conversation.

Did I hear the doctor say it was the only way? Heck! No! I wouldn't let them install a new heart in my body.

What if the owner of the heart's ghost comes to me?

What if he says, 'Hey, you, that's my heart, give it back before I rip your chest open.'

What will I do? What if he loves someone and I end up loving the same person because it's his heart? Tondemonai! I can't do that.

"H-How . . . I mean, where did my son got this? He has always been a healthy kid. Nito lang siya dumaing sa amin . . ."

"The discoveries about this disease are still limited as of today, Mrs. Suarez. And the fact that you don't have a family history of heart disease makes it more blurry for us to say that it's hereditary."

"If Yuri undergoes transplantation, will he be okay?"

"The first case in Florida was successful. The patient was operated on and is living healthily today. Though
there are things to keep in mind after the transplantation."

"Then we'll do it." Mom's voice rose. She responded quickly after hearing about the success of one's operation.

"However, Mrs. Suarez . . . We have to inform you that the organ shortage crisis is still on the line. We can't just proceed with the operation. Yuri must first make it to the list and so, we'll wait for a compatible donor."

"A-A list . . ." Mom stuttered.

"Currently, we have one person ahead of him who needs a new heart."

So I am second.

How cruel.

Life is unfair.

For so long, we try to look for excuses to prove that it's not, so we can put our struggles in a good light.