City Lights & Country Hearts (SS #1)

Chapter 11: Guilt

Kitang-kita sa kaniyang itsura ang pagkagulat. Saktong dumating na rin ang nga inorder namin. It broke the silence. Everyone who heard my story has the same reaction. I mean, who wouldn't be? Muntikan ko nang mapatay ang kapatid ko.

"Our parents were not around at that time, nasa Dubai sila para sa isang summit. My older sister's in the U.S para sa kaniyang college. Which leaves us with only me and a few of our nannies to take care of Natalia. She really needs attention dahil mabilis siyang dapuan ng mga sakit," pagpapatuloy ko sa sinimulang kong kwento.

My eyes averted to my cup and played with its rim using my fingertip. Pili lamang ang sinasabihan ko nito, alam na rin nila Lionel ang kwento ko. But I don't know why I can't stop myself from telling it to the man in front of me.

"Nag-aya si Natalia na pumuntang park para makipaglaro sa mga friends niya. Umayaw ako but she cried which led me to agree. Kasama namin ang isang nanny, we went to the park. Natalia was busy playing with her friends while I was busy finishing up the poem na assignment ko."

I took a sip from my cup and cleared my throat. A lump is slowly forming in it, marahil dulot ito ng mga alaala ko sa araw na 'yon. If I really could turn back the time, then wala sana akong pagsisisi ngayon.

"Everything's just doing well not until I heard our nanny's loud cry."

Ilang taon man ang lumipas ngunit parang kahapon lang 'yon nangyari everytime I tell my story to someone. Napapikit ako nang marinig ko ang boses ng nanny namin dati.

'Sir! S-Sir! Si Natalia!'

I remembered na maagad kong tinapon ang mga bitbit ko at tumakbo papunta sa mga nagkukumpulang mga tao.

'Hala! Ang bata!'

'Naku po! Nasaan ang mga magulang nito?!'

'May nasagasaan- bata raw."

When I finally reached her, my stomach churned. Napako ako sa kinatatayuan ko't nakatulala na lamang sa kaniyang walang malay na katawan.

"The-There she was, soaked on her own blood. Unconscious and barely breathing," I tried to stop myself from choking on my words pero hindi ko kinaya.

Anim na taon nang nakalipas but the sight of her state at that time's etched on my mind. She was bloody. I was lost at that moment that all I could do was stare at her figure habang niyu-yugyog ako ng nanny namin. She ran towards her unconscious body as the people around us called out for help.

'Sir! Dalhin na natin siya sa hospital!'

I couldn't scream, but my heart was pounding so fast at that time. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang mga sumunod na nangyare't natagpuan ko na lamang ang sarili ko sa labas ng operating room.

A tear left my eye. Kaagad kong pinunasan ang aking pisngi at humigop ng kape. I was hoping that he did not see that but unfortunately, he did.

"You don't have to continue," sabi niya at inabot ang isa kong kamay. Unfortunately, instead of pushing him away- his little gesture gave me the courage to continue my story.

"N-no. Kaya ko pa," sagot ko sa kaniya. Hindi niya binawi ang kaniyang kamay, bagkus ay hinihimas pa ng kaniyang hinalalaking daliri ang likod ng kamay ko.

"I found myself waiting for her outside the operating room. Nang malaman nina Mama at Dad ang nangyari sa kaniya, kamuntikan na rin akong mapatay ni Dad," I said. The picture of my Dad's face popped into my head, his eyes were bloodshot at aligaga siya. Kinailangan nilang umuwi kaagad due to what happened to Natalia.