One of Your Fans (Completed)

Chapter 13 - B

Baby. Wake up. Baby, open your eyes. Please. Don't leave us. Don't leave me. Lakasan mo lang loob mo. Fight, baby. I won't give up fighting for you. Andito lang kame. Lalo na ako. I love you so much, Chandi.

Lord, wag niyo po muna kukunin si Cha sa amin. Masyado pang maaga. Gagawin ko po lahat. I'll take any risks. Please, keep her alive. Keep her breathing. Keep her heart beating. Nagmamakaawa po ako. Mahal na mahal ko po tong babaeng to. Wag niyo po muna siyang kunin saken. Kailangan ko po siya. Parang awa niyo na po.

"Anak, may dala akong damit mo. Magpalit ka muna." Hinawakan ako ni Mommy sa balikat at inabot yung paper bag na dala niya.

"Salamat po."

"Everything will be alright, son. Maybe not soon. But I know, malalampasan mo din to."

Niyakap ko si Mommy. I know, Ma. Hindi ako susuko.

"Sigi na, anak. Magpalit ka na."

Pumasok na ako sa banyo. Tinitigan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin. Hindi ako pwede panghinaan ng loob. Lalakasan ko ang loob ko para kay Chandi.

Limang buwan na. Limang buwan na ang nakakalipas mula ng mangyari ang aksidente. Limang buwan ng nakaratay at walang malay si Chandi dito sa hospital. Andito lang ako. Gusto ko bawat minuto kasama niya ako. Babantayan ko siya. Babantayan ko bawat paghinga niya. Babantayan ko bawat taas at baba ng aparatong tumutulong sa paghinga niya. Babantayan ko bawat pagtibok ng puso niya. Babantayan ko bawat beep, taas at baba ng linya ng aparato na nagbibigay lakas ng loob saken na tumitibok pa ang puso ng mahal ko. Babantayan ko siya hanggang magising siya. Patuloy akong aasang dumilat ang mga mata niya. Aasang igalaw miski mga daliri niya. Aasang hindi tumigil... Hindi. Hindi ako panghihinaan ng loob. Kailangan ako ni Chandi. Hindi ko siya susukuan. When there's life, there's hope.

*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*

Ano yun!!!?? Cha! Tumakbo ako palabas sa banyo. Tanging diretsong linya na lang ang nakikita ko sa aparato. "Nooooo! Chaaaaa! Wake up. Please! Cha naman! Wag kang susuko. Laban, Cha!"

Nagmamadaling pumasok ng kwarto yung mga nurse at doctor kasunod ni Mommy. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. Nakatitig lang ako sakanila habang sinasalba nila ang buhay ni Chandi. Gawin niyo lahat! Lahat lahat! Buhayin niyo si Chandi! Gusto kong tumulong. Pero wala naman akong alam at maitutulong.

Ang tanging pag-asa ko ngayon ay milagro. Tanging ang diyos lang ang makakatulong saken. Tumingin sa aken yung doctor. Nakatitig. At hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko kundi umiyak.

**********

"Honey, what time will you go home? I've cooked for dinner."

"Tanya, I have many papers to read and sign tonight. So I think I won't be able to join you for dinner."

"Oh. What's new. Okay. Bye."

"I'm sorry, Tan-"

Hm. Hindi ko na alam kung gusto ko pa bang mabuhay kung ngayong buhay pa ako eh pakiramdam ko nasa impyerno na ako. Kung yung buhay ko naman eh hindi ko kasama. Kung yung pinangarap at ginusto kong buhay eh hindi ko natatamasa ngayon. May kapangyarihan at yaman nga ako. Pero hindi ako masaya. Hindi ako kayang pasayahin ng pera. Sana ako na lang yung kinuha. Sana hindi na lang si-

"Sir, Mr. Welsh Sibilyan called. He asked if you will still be going to Philippines tomorrow."

"Call him back. Tell him we will still be going."

Tumayo ako't pumunta sa harap ng bintana ng opisina ko. New York, it seems to be a happy place for many people. But, it serves to be a hell to me. And this office. This building. It feels like I'm behind steel bars.

Hindi ako naging masaya sa pinili kong desisyon. Alam ko naman yun eh. Bago ko pa man gawin. Alam kong eto ang kalalabasan. Pero ayun ang tama eh. Ayun lang ang tanging paraan. Cha, I miss you so much. I wish you are here with me.

"I want to come with you to Philippines."

"Tanya, you don't need to. I will be going with Welsh."

"So, what are you going to do there?"

"Business as usual."

"I don't believe you."

"Tan-"

"Until when!? Until when will you sink into your mind that you are now married to me!? When will you act as a husband to me!? When will you realize that she is now not a part of your life anymore!? Until when will you realize that the girl you are still searching is now dead!!?"

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko't nasampal ko si Tanya. "Take back what you have said!"

".... No. Sink that in, Zaki. Chandi could now be dead."

"You! You took her away from me! You, your dad and my dad! You all took her away from me!"

"You decided to live this life. Now deal with it!"

"I'll find her. I'll give up everything to take her back. If it will take me years to search for her, I will. If it will take me to search the world for her, I will. She will be the only girl that I will take any risks for."

"You can't"

"I can."

"You can't. Because I wouldn't. I wouldn't let you. 3 years in coma. Who would have think if she's still alive? Maybe if you found her, she's still bed ridden. Unconscious. Her mother crying because she now don't know where will she get money to pay for her daughter's hospital bill. Or worst... buried in a cemetery."

"She's still alive. I know that."

"Then go and search for a dead person, Zaki."

"She. Is. Alive."

"Was."

"Still!"

"Go."

"I will."