HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 24

ANGELA'S POV

"M-mommy..." I heard my daughter say in a soft voice. Agad akong napatayo mula sa upuan, nakita ko rin namang gumalaw yung maliit niyang kamay na nakapatong sa kumot. Parang biglang bumilis tibok ng puso ko - after two long days of waiting, she's finally awake.

"Doc!" Sigaw ni Kuya Anthony, tumakbo siya palabas ng kwarto para tawagin si Doc Alvarez. Nakasunod naman sa kanya si Xianna, mukhang hindi rin siya makapaniwala na nagising na si Althea.

"Do you feel anything?" I stammered, leaning over her bed and holding her hand tightly. My voice was shaking so bad nang tanungin ko siya - sobrang kabado ko kasi baka masakit pa sa kanya yung katawan niya.

"Nagugutom ka ba?" Tanong ko ulit agad, hindi ako mapakali sa kakatanong. Parang lahat ng tanong na hindi ko nasabi nitong mga nakaraang araw biglang pumasok sa isip ko.

"A-anong gusto m-mong pagkain?" I asked again, my eyes scanning her face for any sign of discomfort. Hindi ko mapigilan mag-alala - I just want to give her everything she needs right now.

Suddenly, Jaiden held my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Napatingin ako sa kanya, at nakita ko yung kalmado niyang mukha.

"Don't panic, love," he said softly, and somehow yung boses niya lang yun parang nagpakalma agad sa akin.

"Dahan-dahan lang sa pagtatanong, anak," sabi ni Daddy, lumapit siya para hawakan yung isa pang kamay ko.

Bumukas yung pinto at pumasok si Doc Alvarez, kasama na rin si Kuya Anthony at Xianna. Agad siyang lumapit kay Althea, kumuha ng thermometer at sinuri yung pulse niya. Pinapanood ko lang siya ng tahimik - basta basta lang ako ng nakatingin sa ginagawa niya, hoping that everything is really okay.

"I'm glad she woke up - your child is fine, Mr. Velasquez and Ms. Hernandez. She just needs some rest and light meals for now," Doc said with a warm smile, and that's when I couldn't hold back anymore. I threw my arms around her and hugged her tight.

"T-thank you, Doc," I sobbed, feeling tears of joy streaming down my face. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ibabayad yung tulong niya - she brought my baby back to us.

Doc patted my back gently. "It's okay, and it's also my duty to take care of patients like her. Now, let's just make sure she gets enough -" Hindi pa natapos ni Doc ang sasabihin niya nang biglang hinatak ako ni Jaiden palapit sa kanya, napasubsob ako sa dibdib niya.

"F*ck," Jaiden softly cursed under his breath - only I could hear it. I looked up at him, confused bakit bigla niya akong hinila.

"Don't hug her," he said seriously to Doc Alvarez, his jaw tight and his eyes fixed on the doctor. Ano daw? Bakit naman niya sinabi yun?

"What's mine is mine," he added, and I felt my cheeks burn bright red. Anong what's mine is mine naman yan - I'm not some object you can just claim like that, right? Pero deep inside, medyo kinilig ako kahit papaano.

"M-mommy... I-I w-want food..." Althea said again, pulling my attention back to her. I quickly pulled away from Jaiden and went to her side.

"I'll buy it," Jaiden said immediately, grabbing his jacket from the chair. Tumango na lang ako sa kanya - alam kong alam niya kung ano pwede kainin ni Althea.

Lumabas na si Doc at nagpaalam na muna, sinundan naman siya ni Jaiden para bumili ng pagkain. Ako naman ay umupo sa gilid ng kama ni Althea, hinaplos ko yung mukha niya.

"M-mommy..." she said again, her voice still shaky. Nginitian ko siya ng mahinahon.

"Thank you, baby," I said, tears welling up in my eyes again.