Isang mapait na tawa ang kumawala sa aking dibdib.
Nakita ko ang kirot sa kanyang mukha, at bahagi ng aking puso ay gustong alisin iyon. Ngunit mas malakas ang bahaging nagtatanong kung bakit siya umalis, bakit niya ako iniwan nang walang paliwanag.
"Pearl, kailangan nating pag-usapan ang tungkol sa iyong kalagayan," sabi niya, sinusubukang maging propesyonal pero bakas pa rin ang pagnginig sa kanyang boses.
"Kalagayan ko?" tugon ko, hindi mapigilang mapuno ng pait ang aking boses. "Alin ba, Mauri? Ang kalagayan ng aking puso sa resulta, o ang kalagayan ng puso kong sinira mo?"
Nakita ko ang pagkagulat sa kanyang mga mata, at sa sandaling iyon, naisip ko kung gaano karaming bagay ang nagbago sa pagitan namin.
"P-Pearl..." ang malambing niyang tawag sa akin.I kept my expression cold and distant.
Kahit na sa loob-looban ko'y nararamdaman ko ang pagkabog ng aking puso.
"There's a blockage in your heart. It could lead to a... heart attack," he said, his final words almost a whisper.
Napalunok ako. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. Ang tanging nasa isip ko lang ay ang anak ko...
"Ciella..." hindi ko namalayang nabulong ko ito.
Mauri's confused expression caught my eye, and I quickly straightened in my seat.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I-I will take care of your angioplasty," he offered.
"A-Are you going to handle my operation?" I asked, my voice trembling. He nodded slowly.
Silence engulfed us again, each of us unsure who should speak next.
"Pearl... about what happened eleven years ago... I didn't want to leave. I was threa—" His words were cut off by the sudden opening of the door.
My heart plummeted as I saw Geniva. "Hon... there you are," she said softly, walking towards Mauri.
He stepped back, away from her. I didn't want to intrude on their moment, so I grabbed my test results and left the room.
I felt Mauri's eyes on me as I walked away in silence.
Outside the room, the world felt heavier than before. I pressed my back against the cold wall, clutching the papers to my chest as if they were a lifeline.
Ciella...
How would she cope if something happened to me? Who would hold her when she cried, who would sing her to sleep?
And Mauri... seeing him again, hearing his voice, feeling the old wounds reopen—it was too much.
My heart, already weak and failing, felt like it was shattering all over again.
Eleven years had passed since he'd left, and yet the pain felt as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.
Did he think he could just waltz back into my life and fix everything with a single gesture?
The pain of his absence, the struggle of raising Ciella alone, the grief of losing Lola—all of it was too much to forgive, too much to forget.
My knees buckled, and I slid down the wall, tears streaming down my face.
I was scared, more scared than I'd ever been in my life. Not just for my health, but for the future of my daughter
Sitting in the hospital garden, I felt a brief moment of peace. The gentle rustling of the leaves, the soft hum of life around me—it was a rare reprieve from the storm of emotions that had been consuming me. But then, I saw the sign.
YOU ARE READING
Love, Pearl
General FictionPEARLS & SCARLET HEARTS You're diagnosed with a serious heart condition-but nothing prepares you for the surprise when your ex-boyfriend, Mauricio, who's now a respected cardiologist, is assigned to be your doctor.
