Let's Play Pretend

Possibilities

"Stop the car." Utos ni Emma sa taxi driver ng makita nya ang condo kung saan nakatira ang dalaga na ilang taon din nyang iniwasan at pilit kalimutan.

He wasn't supposed to do this but he had no choice. Hirap man syang sulsulan at dikdikin kung saan nakatira si Karylle but she somehow  managed anyway.

Ayaw naman nyang mawalan ng buhay dahil sa pangyayaring ito. They've already sacrificed too much at mas masakit mag-alaga ng pasyente lalo na kung kapamilya mo ito. Nuong unang linggo na maiuwi si Vice mula sa hospital ay binantayan nila ito at taos puso nilang pinagdasal na sana maging maayos ang lahat.

But then the bitter reality slapped them all in the face when they witnessed how much Vice suffered during those times. Mas naging aggressive ang seizures nya at lagi itong nagsusuka dahil sa NGT nito. Sobrang hirap man pero tiniis nila, until they couldn't bear it anymore.

Kaya nagpasya sila na kumuha nalang ng mga personal nurses para magbantay dito, bumalik sila sa America at duon na muli nanirahan. They may left Vice with complete strangers but they made sure that their intentions were clear and their hearts were pure.

Hindi naman sya nagsisi sa desisyon na yun dahil tuwing nag-sesend ang mga nurses sa kanya ng Monthly Check-in and picture ni Vice eh nakikita nya ang improvement ng kapatid. Nawala na ang rashes nito sa likod at sugat sa alak-alakan dahil sa laging pagkakahiga nito.

Their bills may have sky rocketed pero hindi naman sila na because it's all worth it.

Though sometimes, life gives you a knuckle punch that hurts you the most. Emma lost his job as well as Rosa's pension has still to be approved by the US government Kaya naman kinailangan nilang mag tipid.

He had no choice but to get money from Vice's account kahit labag man ito sa loob nya. And even after finding another decent job, he got into the habit of withdrawing money from his brother's account to pay the needed expenses. And sometimes... he does it to please himself.

He really did feel sorry at sobrang nagi-guilty sya because he's not the type of son to talk back to his mother like that.

Nangako sya kay Rosa na hindi nya muli ito gagawin at tutuparin ang pangako sa kapatid na hindi sya magtatanim ng sama ng loob sa dalaga. Mahirap man para sa kanya pero gagawin nya ang lahat para maayos lang ulit ang pamilya na pinangarap nila.

Masaya. Masagana at higit sa lahat... Buo.

Kinakabahan man syang umakyat sa Building kung saan nakatira ang dalaga pero buo na ang desisyon nya na kumbinsihin ito na sya nalang ang sumama kay Vice. Kahit na lunukin man nya kung ano ang huli nyang sinabi bago sila muli bumalik ng New York.

Napalunok nalang sya ng tumunog na ang Bell ng elevator at nagbukas ang pinto nito.

Like his father, hindi rin sya yung klase ng tao na magaling makiusap at makipag-ayos which is why he always lands a marketing head job because of his aggressiveness. Ngayon hindi nya alam kung paano sya magsisimula.

Pinindot nya ang number ng elevator kung saang floor nandun ang Room ni Karylle. As he patiently waits, tahimik syang nagdasal na sana maging maayos ang pag-uusap nila.

For the second time the bell rang and the door slowly opened. Then and there lang nya naramdaman ang gravity of the situation.

No more running. No more anger. Just complete and utter surrender.

Unit 1207

Parang nag slow motion ang mundo nya habang naglakad sa aisle ng Building. At ng makarating na sya sa harap ng pintuan, it took all courage that he had para kumatok dito.