Echoes of the Bridge

Chapter Seven

I let the time pass before my eyes.

"Good morning, Ms. Pia!"

Sa bawat sandaling lumilipas, pakiramdam ko'y unti-unti ko nang nakakalimutan na may kakayahan akong pumunta sa ibang panahon noon, gamit lang ang mga pinagsisisihan kong ala-ala ng nakaraan.

"I got the highest score in my art class po, but as promised, sa'yo na po 'tong drawing ko, hehe!"

Hindi kaya'y ilusyon lang talaga ang lahat? O panaginip lang, pagkatapos ay gising na ako ngayon?

"Thank you, Sophie... Ako ba talaga 'tong magandang babae sa drawing mo?"

"Yes po!"

The next thing I knew, it's already been six months.

"Good morning, Pia.. Hi, Sophie!" Bati sa'min ni Denise pagkapasok niya sa kwarto, sabay lapit at pisil sa malobong pisngi ng bata. "Ooohh, ikaw nag-drawing nito?" Tanong niya habang pinagmamasdan ang drawing na hawak ko.

"Yes po, Ms. Denise. I got the highest score po kasi ang ganda ng model ko hehe!"

Nangingiting tiningnan ako ni Denise saka bumaling sa'kin para bumulong, "'Tong batang 'to, 'di na lang sabihin na gusto ka niyang maging Mommy."

"'San mo naman nakuha 'yan." Nanlalamlam na nasabi ko.

"Ohayu g-gusaimazu, mina-zan!" At narito na rin si Shaina. "May bagong model na Japanese akong ka-work! He's teaching me some Japanese words, and I think he's really... k-kawari... o kawaii? Basta cute! What do you think guys?" There she goes again.

Umiling ako. "He's not the one." Matiim na sabi ko, na parang akala mo naman nakita ko na ang hinaharap ng buong buhay niya. Kahit nauna lang naman ako ng 5 years sa kanila sa panahong 'to.

"Oh, I see. So you're still in that delusion huh?" She sulked. "Kung totoong galing ka sa future, bakit 'di ka tumaya ng lotto!"

"Kung alam ko lang na makakapag-time travel ako, minemorize ko pa mga results araw-araw!"

Tinulak ang pagmumukha namin ng mga kamay ni Denise para pigilan kaming magsabunutan. "Really guys, sa harap ng bata mas isip bata kayo?"

"Huh? What is it like to time-travel, Ms. Pia?" Nagtatakang tanong bigla ni Sophie. It is so genuine it made me smile.

"It's unbelievable. Like a dream, where you can do anything."

I saw her eye pupils dilated. She really is a cute and curious child, isn't she?

"Good morning, what did I miss?" Pagdating sa wakas ni Clara. Who's obviously busy dahil nag-tytype pa rin siya sa phone habang kausap kami. "Ugh, hindi ko ba talaga maiwan sa kanila ang office kahit isang oras lang?" She's referring to her subordinates again. Hanggang sa tinawagan na nga niya ang mga ito.

"I don't like her." Bulong ni Sophie na rinig ng lahat.

"Me neither." Paggatong ni Shaina, saka umupo ng patingkayad para pantayan ang tangkad ni Sophie. "She's scary, no?"

"I'm not afraid of her." Sagot ni Sophie sa kaniya. "She's just too busy, like Ma."

Nagulat ako ng bahagya. "Aren't you so young when you last saw her, Sophie? Naaalala mo pa rin?" Tanong ko sa bata.

"Of course, Ms. Pia! I still remember everything since 1 year old po ako."

"What???" Our jaws dropped.

"Hi, everyone! I'm a bit late, binalikan ko lang 'yung lunch ni Sophie sa bahay." Napapakamot ang ulo na pumasok si Sir Rey dala ang pink na lunch box ni Sophie.

"Rey, napa-IQ test mo na ba 'tong si Sophie? She can still remember things nung baby pa siya!" Shaina exclaimed. Pero ang umigting sa pandinig ko ay ang casual na pagtawag niya sa kaniya ng walang Sir.

"Ah, haha. Ganun ba?"

Wala lang. Hanggang ngayon kasi ay pormal pa rin ang tawag namin sa isa't-isa. Not that I want to be casual with him too. We're still colleagues.

"Kumapit ka lang sa'kin. I promise, I won't let go."

Just colleagues.

------

"Good work, Ms. Sanchez. With your progress, by the end of the month pwede ka na ma-discharge." My physical therapist, Ms. Ramos, pointed out after reviewing my results.

"Thanks, Doc." Naunang pagpapasalamat ni Sir Rey para sa'kin.

Ms. Ramos asks for help from Sir Rey to assist me from time to time during our sessions. It was every Monday to Wednesday. Hindi ko naman kasi alam sa physical therapist ko kung bakit mas matangkad at mas mabigat pa ako sa kaniya kaya kailangan pa tuloy namin ng aalalay ng iba sa prosesong ito. I mean, hindi ba dapat 'pag nasa profession ka na ito primary requirement ang physical physique? She's weak as---

Then one day, habang namamasiyal ako sa corridors mag-isa, on my wheelchair, nadaanan at nasilip ko siya sa isang stock room na nagbubuhat ng mas malaki pa sa kaniyang lamesa para ilipat ito sa isang sulok. I was astounded. That table could be even heavier than me!

"M-Ms. Sanchez?" She gasped. "You got me, hehe."

And that's when she told me everything. That she's actually a black belter in Jiu Jitsu, and can lift things five times heavier than her. That basically, it was all a lie.

"Bago ka magalit sa'kin, let me explain..."

She did it for Sir Rey. She said, the trauma doesn't only affect the person who physically experienced it, but also those who are around them.

She was quite aware of his past about his wife as well. She was confined in the same hospital. Ms. Ramos was one of the witnesses of his grieving when the time of death was announced.

"It's heartbreaking to see someone who wants to help, in a hopeless situation."

Hindi naman ako maka-symphatize sa sitwasyon matapos malaman ang katotohanan.

"So you used me for closure?" Tanong ko na hindi nangangailangan ng sagot.

And that question was not even meant for her, but for Sir Rey. He used me for closure.

Nothing made me more motivated to get better since that day, nang ma-discharge na kaagad sa hospital at humayo na sa sarili kong buhay. Away from all the people, who are not even a part of my true past, in the first place.