A Broken Fix (AlDub/MaiChard Fanfic - AMACon2 Entry)

Chapter 10

Five days later...

Maine was staring into space beside Baste's bed. She was withdrawn, out of sleep and out of tears already. Sebastian, her son, her baby boy, her only baby boy – was now in a coma. For four days now. There were tubes stuck to him already, monitoring his heart and brain activity. He could still breath on his own which meant that there was a possibility that he could still wake up. That was what she wanted to believe in even though Sam was telling her not to expect it anymore.

No, my baby boy will wake up. He will live. He is just sleeping. Just like before. They put him in a coma para mag-heal yung brain niya. This is the same. Kaya siya ganito kasi kailangang mag-heal ng brain niya. Gagaling si Baste. Gigising ang anak –

"Maine." She heard someone speak her name from somewhere behind her. She turned her head towards it and saw her husband, RJ, observing her. She tilted her head to the side and stared.

"You look like shit," she commented to which RJ smiled ruefully.

RJ looked like he hadn't slept for a month and bathed for a week. He was pale, had rumpled clothes on, probably still from yesterday with hair unkempt, and what was probably a 3-day old stubble.

"So do you," he answered her back, a bit teasingly. He went to where she was and sat down beside her.

They were silent for a heartbeat. Until RJ broke the silence. "CJD or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease."

Maine turned to look at her husband questioningly, not saying anything.

"Yun ang mukhang meron si Baste based sa mga resulta ng mga testing na ginawa sa kanya pati mga symptoms niya," RJ continued, raking a hand through his hair. "If we are correct, this is his final stage."

"Final stage?" Maine asked.

RJ turned in his seat to stare at Maine. He took her hand in his and took a deep breath. "Final stage. Meaning hindi na gigising pang muli si Baste," he murmured quietly.

Maine removed her hand from RJ's so sudden and stood up. "No."

"Love..." RJ stood up as well and tried to reach for her.

"No. Bawiin mo yan," she continued, avoiding his reach.

RJ slowly approached her, his hands still up, still trying to reach for her. "Meng, love – eto talaga yung diagnosis ni Baste. Although we could only confirm his sickness if we do a brain autopsy which we could only do if he is..." he sighed, not continuing, not wanting Maine to hear the rest of it. "Ang pwede na lang natin gawin ngayon is make sure na komportable siya."

"No. Hindi. Hindi totoo yan," she shook her head, hiccupping, not realizing that she already started to cry. "Gagaling si Baste. Gagaling ang anak ko. Gagaling siya!"

Finally, RJ reached her and was able to wrap his arms around her, stopping her from moving away further. Maine finally let out the sob she didn't realize she was holding until RJ held her close. She buried her head on his chest and wept uncontrollably, soaking his shirt in the process. She felt RJ rubbing her back and shushing her. Then she felt a sudden drop of wetness on her head and realized that RJ was crying with her, which made her cry even harder.

Oh God, why? Bakit po kailangan na sa amin pa mangyari ito? Bakit si Baste pa? Bakit??

//

RJ was now alone in Baste's room. They were successful in pushing Maine to go home for a while to get a change of clothes and to step away even for just a moment. It was a fight, but with the help of his father-in-law, they were able to get her to agree.