Forgotten Heartstrings

Prologue

Will you lie for the sake of the best life of your loved one even if it’s his or her last two years of living?

Magsisinungaling ka pa ba sa taong mahal mo kahit alam mong bilang na lang ang taon ng kaniyang pananatili rito sa mundo? Some might say no but for a mother like Mrs. Menchavez, she thinks that lying was her best resort to give the best life for her son that is dying from a terminal illness.

She always wanted to give him the best life he deserved since then, but due to some instances, she had to work abroad making her sacrifice the family she has.

Ika nga nila, mothers know the best for their child or children, but mothers are liars.

Ang mga katagang iyan ang pinatunayan ni Mrs. Menchavez nang malaman niyang may dalawang taon na lang ang kaniyang anak para mamuhay sa mundo. Sad to think but it was the truth. For the sake of the remaining two years of her son's life, she has to put herself in a situation where her son might think that all these times, her mom is lying to him. It’s a matter of breaking the trust of her son towards her for the sake of the best and peaceful yet memorable last two years of living.

Bakit nga ba ipagkakait ng isang magulang ang mapayapa at masayang pamumuhay para sa kanilang anak?

Mothers are liars because they always want the best for their children. Magkukunware silang okay lang kahit masakit na. Magkukunware silang kaya pa kahit nahihirapan na. Magkukunware silang malakas pa kahit pagod na pagod na sila para lang maibigay ang magandang buhay na kanilang pangarap para sa kanilang anak.

The hospital room was dimly lit, and the heavy silence hung in the air as Dr. Thornfield finished speaking. His somber eyes were locked on the face of Mrs. Menchavez, a mother grappling with the incomprehensible news that her son had terminal cancer. "Mrs. Menchavez, I'm sorry to break this devastating news to you. Your son has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Given the progression of the disease, he has at most two years left to live."

The words hung in the air, heavy and cruel.

Dalawang taon na lang?

Hindi halos masikmura ni Mrs. Menchavez ang mga narinig. Subrang sakit para sa kanya na malamang dalawang taon na lang ang natira para mabuhay ang kanilang nag-iisang anak. Para sa kanya, kailangan niyang punan ang mga pagkukulang niya sa kanyang anak bago ito mamaalam.

Pipiliin mo bang mamuhay ang iyong anak sa masalimuot na dalawang taon kapalit ng pagsisinungaling para mabigyan siya ng magandang buhay? Buhay na kailanman ay hindi mo naibigay no’ng mga panahong hindi pa nasa delikado ang buhay niya.

“He has at most two years left to live.”

Tila kantang nasa sirang stereo ang mga sinabi ng doctor na paulit ulit na nag p-play sa isipan ni Mrs. Menchavez. Mugto na ang kanilang mga mata ng kaniyang asawang kailanman ay hindi napapagod kakadasal na sana ay gumaling parin ang kanilang anak sa kabila ng sinabi ng doctor na bilang na lang ang taong pananatili ng kanilang anak dito sa mundo.

Some of them are holding onto hope, unwilling to give up, while others are acknowledging the need to accept reality and to stay strong for the sake of their son. Mahirap sa kanila na tanggapin iyon pero kailangan nilang magpatuloy tulad ng gusto ng kanilang anak.

Mrs. Menchavez felt her knees weaken, the weight of the diagnosis bearing down on her like an unbearable physical burden. Tears blurred her vision, and she struggled to maintain her composure, nodding with a sense of numbness as the doctor softly uttered a few more words before departing, leaving her enveloped in the hollow silence of the room.