Milan's POV
Today feels so hard at kinakabahan pa ako sa pagharap ko kay Ethan. Today is our court hearing, nakaupo lang ako sa kama habang pinagmamasdan ang sarili ko sa salamin. Alam kong after this, ooperahan na ulit nila ako and I'll get back to what I used to be. A slight tear fell down my cheek na hindi ko maintindihan kung paano kusa nalang pumatak, maybe my experience was traumatic but I'd been strong enough and now napapaiyak nalang ako because of fulfillment.
I wiped my tears away nang sumilip si Derick sa pinto ng kwarto ko.
"Come on, this isn't worth remembering." Lumapit sya at itinalikod ang salamin sa unahan ko at umupo sa tabi ko.
"Ihahatid kita mamaya." He continued at sumandal lang ako sa balikat nya.
"Don't watch, wag kanang manood." I told him in double language.
"But Cheryl and Jerome can be there, bakit hindi ako?" I know may tampo parin sya na hindi ko sa kanya iniaasa ang mga ganitong bagay. He have a problem now kung bakit sya palagi ang huling nakakaalam, when he knows me more than anyone else.
"I know you more than you know yourself Derick, you've known enough, after the hearing baka pwede nadin nilang operahan ulit ang mukha ko." I explained to him.
"Then I wanna be there for you." Sa operasyon, I'm not sure of letting him be there.
"Derick look at me." Inialis ko ang pagkakapatong ng ulo ko sa balikat nya and I just stared at him.
"Bakit?" He indeed looked at me.
"Do I look like a stranger?" Tanong ko dahil hindi ko naman maiiwas na maramdaman nya yun.
"You don't feel like a stranger, kung nakapikit ako, alam ko ikaw padin yan. There's a familiarity when I stare at you but not the same." I know at mahirap para sa kanya na parang may katabi syang babaeng ngayon nya lang nakilala and I know that he misses Milan still.
"Look at me, mas maganda ba 'ko?" I asked again.
"Hindi mas maganda si Milan." Sabi ko na nga ba.
"If I'll stay like this forever, mamahalin mo padin ba 'ko?"
"Yes, of course at saka alam ko naman na magiging successful ang operasyon mo at kung hindi, I don't care what your face will be."
"Then look at me." I said.
"Hmm?" He looked at me intently pero ang mga mata nya, kung saan saan padin pumupunta.
I sighed then I said.
"Halikan mo 'ko." He looked unsure for a while.
"You don't sound like Milan saying that." He just smiled it off.
"No, just kiss me." Sabi ko pa
For a moment, he looked at me for so long para bang nag-iisip with his eyes in worry. Tinitigan nya lang ako, then he tried, he grabbed my face and lean in bit by bit. But when he was so close, he just pulled away and looked at me, blanko ang mukha.
"Derick you can't!" That's what I just can say. Cause he is a loyal man.
"I feel like I'll be kissing another woman." Sabi ko na nga ba, I understand the frustration he feels, he knows I am Milan, the woman he loves but still, he can't fully convince himself that with this face of mine.
"We don't know how the operation will turn out to be. Kaya give me time to process this bago 'ko magpakita sayo, I'm fine. If you can't kiss me with open eyes, find me when you're ready."
"Bakit, san kaba pupunta?" He asked
Hindi ko sya sinagot.
"Pero mas pipiliin ko na maging ako kesa kahit sinong babae. Will you love me still?"
"When I found you Milan, I'll always will." He smiled at alam ko na nahihirapan kaming dalawa.
Hinatid na nya 'ko sa korte and Cheryl was there waiting for me. Hindi na nya ko hinintay, as promise, I want him to go and find his Dad at magpatawad. Then I'll give him the chance to carry himself without me.
"Milan, are you fine?" Salubong ni Cheryl kasama si Jerome.
"Sobrang saya Cheryl, thank you sa inyong dalawa. I wouldn't be here kung hindi dahil sa inyo." I almost tear up again.
"Well, I immediately asked na operahan kana, I made a few calls pati sa Mama ni Ethan and she said your face can be ready. Kaya mo 'to." She hugged me by then.
"Tara na." Yaya na ni Ethan sa loob.
We were just sitting and I was just composing myself to not get any trauma kapag nakita ko si Ethan mamaya.
"Selestine!" Then he arrived, nakaposas at sinisigaw ang pangalan ng ex nya. "Mom! Ano bang ginagawa mo, why am I here, help me!" Doc. Vivian was right in front para magbigay ng statement nya.
Naupo na kami to face this dahil saan pa nga ba hahantong ang lahat ng ito but to his end.
And then Doc. Vivian started to tell us everything she know.
"It is hard for me to be saying this statement today pero alam ko na we had made so much trouble to keep silent." She was crying while saying that.
"Sorry Melanie, sorry also in behalf of Ethan." Tiningnan nya ko and I also broke down into tears at parang yun nalang ang gagawin ko buong hearing.
"That night, it was after the party sa villa namin sa Batangas, Ethan called me and he said "Ma I need your help." Pinapunta nya ko sa Hospital. And when I got there I saw a lady, that's Melanie, her face was covered in blood. Tanong ko kung sino sya, Ethan said it was Selestine. I saw those depressed eyes of my son and these sinful hands of mine made that face of Selestine Villanueva." She continue.
"I could have made her look something more like her real face for the pre operation bago yung totoo nyang mukha but Ethan refused to give me a photo of her."
"So I said I'll agree and I'll fix everything kapag pwede na which is now at umabot yun sa ganito. I'm sorry kasalanan kong lahat, I could have not agree but I did for my son." Patuloy padin ang pagpahid nya sa mga luha nya.
And then I stand up from my seat to tell her while still I'm crying.
"Doc, wag nyo pong akuin ang kasalanan ng anak nyo dahil kung ganoon lang po ang nangyari, pwedeng pwede ko kayong pagbigyan at patawarin, just fix everything back to normal. But your son manipulated me, abducted me, ikinulong nya ko, sinaktan and muntik na nya kong mapagsamantalahan. Yun lang po ang kasalanan nyo, I forgive you ayusin nyo lang po ito please."
I felt so crushed na naman, patuloy lang akong umiiyak, she also helped me, at handa ko pa syang patawarin dahil wala na akong ina and she's also a mother na katulad ng taong pinaka pinahahalagahan ko. This is my way of saying thank you, I am still grateful na niligtas nila ako.
YOU ARE READING
I'll Find You In Milan
Romance"She's long dead!" As people remind you. But you're still hoping that she's there. Your best friend for 15 years, and you didn't got the chance to tell her how much you love her. Then you realised, she's here all along and you met her with a differe...
