CHAPTER V
Leonard’s POV
I had lost everything. I’ve been miserable for two years long now. I don’t know how to live without the person whom I loved the most, whom I dedicate all my achievements, whom I get all the inspirations I had before. All the things that good for me had gone so fast but the pain remains and still lingers in my mind.
I drank every night as if tomorrow never comes. I always stay alone. I don’t want to talk to anyone. Aside from drinking liquors I spent my time mostly to work to forget for awhile. And when I am tired, I go to my favorite place, the tree above the hill. I always find comfort there, seems like everything is okay, everything is fine. In this place I always reminisce the past. The past that makes me feel good and happy even for a while.
Until one day, I woke up late so I rushed preparing things for work even preparing my personal belongings. I go immediately to my car and drove as fast as I could. A long the way there was a child who unexpectedly crosses the street so I turned my car into right to avoid hitting the child but I accidentally hit a young lady who just being out to the cab. I quickly go near to her at the back of my car. I looked to her eyes, I saw pain on it. I don’t know what to do in that time. I called an ambulance and rushed her to the nearest hospital.
Hindi ako pumasok muna sa loob. I stayed outside. I don’t know pero iba ang nararamdaman ko noong mga oras na iyon lalo na ng ilagay na siya sa stretcher. Iba ang nakita kong nakahiga doon. The tears fall to my eyes hanggang sa di ko na nakayanan at ako ay napahagulgol na. I remembered everything. Lahat ng nangyari dito two years ago.
The policemen investigated me to what had happened and I told them the truth. They found contacts to her bag and they called one of the numbers listed on her small notebook, maybe it should be the number of her parents.
After a few minutes, I saw somebody panicking in the front desk of the hospital. I knew parent yoon ng girl na nasagasaan ko. Hindi sila mukhang naghihirap based sa suot ng quite old na ginang sa front desk. She looks worried. Sino ba namang magulang ang hindi mag – aalala kung malaman nilang nasa hospital ang kanilang anak. She immediately rushed herself sa emergency room. I saw tears in her eyes ng makita niya ang kalagayan ng kanyang anak. Mas lalo pang lumala ito ng lumabas ang doctor. I heard everything he said.
“Sorry ma’am, but your daughter must be moved sa ICU. And we need to cut her left leg. Durog na durog ito at wala na pong magagawa para maayos pa or else if we don’t do it as much as possible mas magiging dilikado siya lalo pa’t may namumuong dugo na sa kanyang ulo…”
“Doc… Do the best thing to save my daughter…hu…hu…hu…! You know the best for her… Please…!!! Doc…!!! Save my child…!!! She’s only my daughter and I can’t afford to lose her…hhhuu….huuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh….!!! I can’t….!!!”
“Please ma’am calm down. I will do my best to save your child but for the mean time just pray for her.”
Nilabas na nga ng doctor ang pasyente. Napakadaming tubes na nakalagay sa katawan nito. I felt so cold. Naawa ako sa kalagayan niya at ng parents niya. I knew it’s my fault at handa akong pagbayaran ang lahat na maling nagawa ko. Besides wala naman nang magandang nangyayari sa buhay ko.
Lakas loob akong lumapit sa mother ng girl na nasagasaan ko.
“Ma’am, I am really sorry to what I did to your daughter… I knew it’s my fault and I am willing to do anything… Handa po akong makulong kung iyon po ang gagawin niyo…”
“And who are you…?” in her calm tone. Still she’s crying but she manage herself na kausapin ako ng formal.
“I am Leornard Jhursen Delos Angeles po. I hit your daughter accidentally. There’s a child unexpectly crosses the street. Pinili ko pong huwag matamaan ang bata kaya po ang anak niyo ang aksidente kong nabangga. And I am willing to suffer sa nagawa ko pong pagkakamali. I am sorry Ma’am…”
“Bakit ang anak ko??!!!huhhhhh….huhhhhh……… How can I tell her about what had happened sa binti niya????!!! Just tell me!!! I do understand you that it was an accident but how can I comprehend that the dream of my daughter will never be came true….!!! Oh… God… Why?!!!?hhhuuuuuuuhhhh….hhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuu….”
I tears for what I did. I messed up. Dinamay ko pa ang walang kamuwang – muwang na tao.
“I am sorry Ma’am… I am willing to suffer for what I did…”
She looked at me to my eyes. As if she is studying my whole being and afterwards she went to the policemen na nagiimbistiga. She talked to them seriously. And she made a phone call.
Ilang saglit pa ay may dumating ding isang lalaki ng medyo nasa mid 40’s na ang edad. He hugged the mother of the girl who I accidentally hit. He also talked to the investigators and after that he turned to the seats near to mine.
“Mr. delos Angeles can you sit and talk to me for a moment…” in his firmed voice.
Kinakabahan man but I chose to sit beside him.
“Sorry sir… Okay lang po sa akin kung ipapakulong niyo ako. I knew it’s my fault kaya nararapat lang po na pagbayaran ko ang nagawa kong kasalanan sa inyo lalo na po sa anak niyo sir.”
“Actually when my wife told me na nasa ICU ang nag-iisa kong anak at puputulan ito na binti dahil sa accident, I started to feel angry sa taong nakasagasa sa anak ko. She is my beautiful and kind daughter. She has a lot of dreams that she wants to achieve. Isa na nga doon iyong pagiging flight stewardess. Even though I want her to manage my family business dahil nga nag – iisa lang siyang anak ko na tagapagma ng lahat ng mayroon kami mas pinili niyang sundin ang sariling kagustuhan ‘cause according to her being flight stewardess makes her happy. I let her do what she wants to do because I know she’s responsible enough to handle those things…”
He paused. Tears falling from his eyes. Alam kong sa part niyang iyon nahihirapan din siya. Pilit niya pinipigil ang emotion na gustong kumawala sa kanyang damdamin.
“But now, you wipe out her dream…! You devastated her ambition…! As her father I want her to have justice! I want you to put into jail! I want you to feel and experience the same thing na nararamdaman at nararanasan ng anak ko…”
Lalong tumulo ang luha niya sa mga mata. Sobrang habag na habag na ako. Ano ba itong nagawa ko? Mukha naman silang mababait na tao pero bakit sila pa ang naperwisyo ko.
“But when I heard the reports of the investigators that you chose not to hit a young child who crossed the street I’ve changed my mind. Because if I am in your position I’ll do the same thing. I don’t want to kill a child too. But you must take the risks kung may masagasaan ka man pagbaling mo. Don’t worry I will never put you into jail but I am going to ask you a favor…”
“What is it sir? I am willing to do anything?”
“Please let my child accepts these things. Help her to recover to this accident… Please help us…!”
“Yes sir… I will… Thank you sir!”
“Ok… Thank you too…”
After hours of waiting finally the operation is done and the doctor came out.
“Doc, what happen?” asked the mother of the patient.
“We successfully cut the left leg of you daughter ma’am at nakuha na rin namin ang mga namuong dugo sa kanyang ulo. But the patient is in coma… Let us hope na magising siya as soon as possible. Maiwan ko po muna kayo…”
Lahat kami nabigla sa balita ng duktor. What would happen next? Parang masyado atang pamaglaro ang tadhana sa akin.
“Bakit nayayari ito? God… Please let her survive in this tragedy…! Please… I can’t let her go… Pleasssssssssseeeeeeeee……. Goddddddddddddd…. Help ussss!!!Huhhh….Huhhhh.Huhhhh!
