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__________
MATT
I spent the night in Victoria's bed. Holding her while she sleeps and holding her hand everytime na may papasok na nurse o orderly to check her vitals.
Nagpapasalamat naman ako at wala namang significant findings buong gabi.
Pagdating ng umaga ay dumalaw si Jason to check on her.
She smiled the moment she laid eyes on him. Aray naman. I was with her the whole night and she didn't give me a smile. She was civil at best.
'What were you expecting Matt,' there was this voice in my head, 'he was the one who was always there for her. Especially when you threw her out of the house.
"How's my baby?" Tanong sa kanya ni Jason.
'Lord, bigyan nyo po ako ng haba ng pasensya na hindi mapatay si Jason.'
"Loko ka. Ikaw ang doktor di ba? Kailan mo ako papakawalan dito?"
"Wanna go home na?" Tanong ni Jason sa kanya.
"I want to see my baby."
"Maya maya you can visit her again. In a few days, if she continues to get better, baka puede ka ng magpa-breastfeed."
"Promise?"
"If she gets better ha. No promises. At ikaw mommy," sabi ni Jason kay Victoria na may kasama pang pagkurot sa ilong nya, "kailangang magpalakas ka. Alam mo namang mahirap mag alaga ng baby, mas lalo pa ang preemie."
"I know. Been there remember?"
Oo na. Sila na ang may history at mukhang ako na ang outsider dito. Lord, sana po talaga nakakabili ng pasensya sa drug store. Iinom ako ng maraming marami para lang ma-tolerate ko itong pananadyang ginagawa ni Jason.
"But wait, ano nga pala ang name ni baby?"
"Sky," sagot nya kay Jason na may kasamang ngiti. Tagal ko ng hindi nakikita ang ngiti nyang iyon. Yung ngiti na para bang may naaalala sya na masaya.
I'll tolerate Jason's presence if only to see her smile like that.
Tapos nawala ang ngiti nya ng dumako ang tingin nya sa akin. Parang may pag aalinlangan.
"Sky? Yun lang? Me ibig sabihin ba yun?" Tanong ni Jason sa kanya. Kitang kita ko ang pamumula ni Victoria sa tanong na yun.
"Sophia Karessa Ysabelle," sagot ko bago pa siya muling makapagsalita.
Para bang nagulat si Victoria sa sinabi ko. Hindi nya siguro akalain na naalala ko pa rin yung usapan namin dati na kung magkakaanak kami ay yun ang ipapangalan namin.
Sky.
Para lagi naming maaalala yung first time namin sa eroplano on the way to Greece. Dami naming pinagpilian na combination. Yung isa pa nga Syna Kaethe Yalena. Parang sobrang paka-Greek naman nun. And then we settled with Sophia Karessa Ysabelle.
At least yung Ysabelle is a somewhat French – Italian.
Pero nung una ko syang pinagtry na magpregnancy test, a month after Greece, at negative, I lost hope that she got pregnant that first time na ginawa namin yun.
I would have wanted that. Turns out, she was already pregnant. Mali lang yung PT. Should have relied on my instinct. Pero pinangunahan na ako ng takot na baka mayroong iba at iwan na lang nya ako. Takot na mawala sya sa akin.
Titig na titig sa akin si Victoria habang nag iisip ako, para bang tinubuan ako ng dalawang ulo.
"Sophia Karessa Ysablle Gonzales." Ulit ni Jason na para bang iniinis ako dahil this time kasama na ang apelyido ni Victoria at hindi Valdez gaya ng nararapat.
"Ang haba nun Sweetie. Kamusta naman si Sky sa bar exams?"
Natawa ng malakas si Victoria, "bar agad? Puedeng lumabas muna sya dito sa ospital?"
"Ano ka ba? Ako na ang pinakamagaling na doctor na makikilala mo. In no time, tignan mo, lalabas na sya dito."
Hindi na ako kumontra kay Jason. He is actually the best neo-natal and maternal and child care specialist in the country. I know Victory and Sky are both in good hands.
__________
A FEW DAYS AFTER
Ito yung araw na binigyan na ng go signal ni Jason si Victoria na maka uwi. Nagfile na ako ng indefinite leave sa opisina para maalagaan sya at masamahan sya tuwing dadalawin si Sky.
Nagpapasalamat na din ako at nandoon si Hans to take over in my absence. Even if it meant na kailangan naming i-postpone yung pag aayos nya sa bagong company.
Hindi ko alam kung bumabawi o sadyang sinusuportahan nya lang kami ni Victoria. Either way, na-appreciate ko yung andyan sya. Hindi ko pa din kasi sinasabi sa pamilya ko ang mga nangyayari. Baka lalo lang gumulo.
Lalo pa ngayon at nagkakaproblema si Daddy kay Marco sa property sa Greece. Marco is blackballing us at hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit. This couldn't be about Victoria dahal ang alam ko ay nagkaintindihan na kami na hindi ko gagawan ng masama ang anak nya.
At wala rin akong balak kausapin si Marco about that property. Much as it would be profitable for all of us, I wouldn't risk what very fragile relationship I have with Marco at the moment for business.
Baka tuluyan nyang ilayo sa akin si Victoria at si Sky. That property in Greece is not worth it. Let the elders deal with it.
I looked at Victoria na nakaupo sa bed nya. Nakabihis na sya at nag aantay na lang sa discharge papers nya.
Nilapitan ko sya at hinalikan sa nuo. Di naman sya umiwas. Halos magdaddalawang linggo na din kami dito sa ospital.
She doesn't object to my presence. Sumasagot sya pag kinakausap. Pero hindi sya nagstart ng conversation.
"You want to go visit Sky bago tayo umuwi?" I asked her. Hindi ko alam kung alam na nyang sa akin sa uuwi.
And no, hindi sa condo. Too many memories for both of us and I can wager that she'll only remember the last hours that she spent in that condo.
"Sige."
I held out my hand and she took it.
"Can you walk?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Worried pa din ako sa tahi nya. "You want me to get a wheelchair?"
"No. I want to walk."
Sabi naman ni Jason puede na syang lumakad lakad. Inilagay din sya sa room kung saan malapit lang ang neo natal ICU para madalas nyang puedeng bisitahin si Sky.
Inalalayan ko na lang sya sa paglalakad. This is possibly the closest that we can get right now.
Pagdating sa ICU ay bahagyang nakangiti si Victoria. Tinggal na kasi yung kung anong mga nakasaksak kay Sky. Dextrose na lang para sa gamot nya at from time to time, yung ventilator para tulungan syang huminga.
Nakakapagpa breast feeding na din si Victoria. And Sky is such a fighter. Hindi sya nahirapan to latch on Victoria's breasts for the milk.
The first time na ginawa nagpa breastfeed si Victoria, it was surreal. I was watching her feed Sky and I knew na sila ang buhay ko, that I would do everything just to keep them there.
From time to time, Victoria would breastfeed. Pero madalas nag pump lang sya ng milk tapos yun ang pinapainom kay Sky.
Kinuha nung nurse si Sky from the incubator and placed her on Victoria's arms. She's still too small but she's gaining weight every day.
This is really happening. We have little girl who needs us together and the sooner we sort everything out, the sooner that she gets a happy family.
________
20 August 2015
Rev. 19 October 2015
BINABASA MO ANG
Taking Chances
ChickLitRich Boy. Poor Girl. Two worlds apart. Yan ang drama nina Victoria at Matthew. Si Victoria, poor but extremely intelligent. She is also beautiful in that unconventional way. She could have been perfect if only she didn't have a child at 15...
