Regret

Kapitulo veinticinco

Irene's POV

Pagbalik namin mula sa Batangas, lahat kami pagod pero fulfilled. Ang sarap ng feeling na after all the trekking, bonfire, and memories we made, there's this sense of satisfaction kahit physically drained. Pero grabe, yung trekking! It was so exhausting, parang gusto kong mag-backout halfway, pero siyempre hindi pwede. I had to be strong for my daughter, Ely. Nakita ko na kahit siya, parang gusto nang sumuko—pero tuloy lang kami, one step at a time.

Hiking isn't my thing, you know? I mean, I love nature and all, pero I would rather enjoy it from a nice spot with a cool drink in hand. But when you're already halfway up the mountain and you see the view slowly unfold beneath you, grabe, it's breathtaking. The higher we climbed, the smaller the world seemed. The sea in the distance sparkled, and the air was crisp and cool.

Ely was struggling, though. Alam ko 'yun, kasi naririnig ko ang malalalim niyang hininga sa bawat hakbang. Medyo bumabagal siya, pero tahimik lang ako, walking beside her, cheering her on subtly.

"Alam mo, anak, kung hindi mo kaya, we can rest muna," sabi ko sa kanya habang naglalakad kami sa isang part ng trail na puro bato at halos vertical na. Tumango lang siya, nagpupumilit pa ring magpatuloy kahit alam kong pagod na siya. She's always been like that—strong, determined. But I knew na ako, bilang mom niya, kailangan ko siyang gabayan.

That night, sobrang lamig ng hangin habang nag-bonfire kami. It was one of those perfect moments—everyone was laughing, telling stories, and roasting marshmallows. Well, trying to, at least. Ely kept burning hers. Tawang-tawa si Elijah.

"Anong klaseng marshmallow roasting yan, Katherine?!" Elijah shouted, half-mocking her. Ely, of course, wasn't going to let that pass.

"Paki mo!" sagot ni Ely, rolling her eyes. Napatawa kaming lahat. Those two, asot-pusa talaga, pero deep down, alam kong they care naman for each other.

I sat back, watching them bicker like that, feeling both proud and melancholic. Ely was growing up so fast, but at the same time, I could sense something...off. Hindi ko ma-pinpoint, but something was bothering her. As a mother, you just know when something's wrong.

The next night, nag-bonfire ulit kami. The crackling of the fire and the cool breeze made it a perfect setting for some real talk. Naghanap ako ng pagkakataon na kausapin si Ely ng masinsinan. I sat beside her, hoping to get through.

"Kumusta ka na talaga, anak?" I asked gently. She just smiled, and without missing a beat, binaling ang usapan sa ibang bagay. Alam kong may tinatago siya, pero hindi ko siya mapilit. I don't want to push her too hard, baka lalo siyang lumayo.

It's frustrating sometimes, kasi gusto mo lang maging open siya sayo, pero alam mong hindi ganoon kadali. Ely's tough exterior makes it hard for her to show vulnerability. Pero I'm her mom, I just need to wait for the right moment.

"Hello, Ate Patricia?" tanong ni Greggy, my husband, as soon as sinagot niya ang call. We were just having lunch at home, and I wasn't really paying attention until narinig ko kung anong pinag-uusapan nila.

Oh no, this sounds serious.

Greggy switched the call to loudspeaker so I could listen too.

"Hi Greggy. Pumunta kayo sa St. Luke's Hospital. Nakaconfine si Mommy," sabi ni Ate Patricia, her voice unusually calm.

What? I thought, panic slowly creeping in.

Greggy and I exchanged worried looks. Anong nangyari kay Mama Emma?

Then, her next words hit me like a ton of bricks.

"May cancer siya. At ayaw na niyang magpagamot pa."