I'll Be Back

34

Mikha

As soon as I received her text, I rushed to the hospital without a second thought. I brought along her favorite ice cream, her comfort food, hoping it might offer her a small sense of relief. The hallways were eerily quiet, the dim lights casting shadows that made the atmosphere unsettling. But I wasn’t bothered. All I could think about was Aiah. Despite the lingering hurt from our last conversation and my own need for space, I knew I had to be here. She was going through one of her darkest moments, and she needed me.

When I reached her room, I knocked gently twice. The sight that greeted me when I stepped inside broke my heart. Aiah was asleep beside her daughter’s bed, her nose red and her eyes swollen from crying. She looked utterly exhausted and vulnerable, and Jane was still resting peacefully. Seeing them like this stirred something deep within me, a need to protect, to comfort.

Quietly, I placed the ice cream aside and found a blanket, carefully covered it over Aiah’s sleeping form. The room was cold, and I didn’t want her to feel even more discomfort. I settled in a chair nearby, my eyes occasionally drifting to the both of them, worry gnawing at me.

I tried to distract myself with a book, but my thoughts kept drifting. I couldn’t focus. Everything in my life felt like a mess at that moment, and I wasn’t even sure what the real problem was anymore. But I knew I had to stay strong for Aiah. She needed me now more than ever, and that was all that mattered.

A small rustle broke the silence. Aiah stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. She blinked a few times, clearly disoriented before she realized where she was. Her gaze fell on Jane first, and then she noticed me sitting nearby.

“Mikha..” she whispered, her voice hoarse from sleep. She slowly sat up, adjusting the blanket around her shoulders. “What time is it?”

“2 a.m” I replied softly, keeping my voice low.

She gave me a tired smile, but her eyes were still clouded with worry. “Thank you for coming… and for staying.”

“Nandito lang ako palagi” I said gently. “You know that.”

Aiah looked down at her hands, her expression heavy. “'Di ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko, Miks. I feel so helpless.”

I moved closer, sitting beside her. “Everything will be okay. Wag mong kalimutan mag pray, hm?”

Aiah broke down into tears, her sobs shaking as she clung tightly to me. All I could do was hold her, hoping that my presence gave her some sense of comfort. I rested my chin on her head, closing my eyes and squeezing her gently, wishing there was more I could offer.

Moments later, the door creaked open, and the doctor entered the room. We quickly pulled ourselves together, sitting up straight, bracing ourselves for what she had to say.

"Good morning, Ms. Arceta" the doctor began, her voice soft but serious. "We’ve assessed your daughter’s condition, and it appears we’ll need to monitor her closely every day. Her heart function is declining. It’s not pumping as it should, which is extremely rare for a child her age. We may need to consider a donor if her condition worsens."

Aiah's face fell even further, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "Please, doc." she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Do whatever you can for her. I’m begging you."

The doctor gave a sympathetic nod. "We’ll do everything we can, Ms. Arceta. I’ll be in touch with updates. For now, please take care of yourself, too." With that, she excused herself and quietly left the room.