My Greatest What If - Moira Gokongwei (Published)

Chapter 6

I was still shaking an hour after what happened. I calmed down a little when Gio said that Duchess was still breathing and that we should take her to a vet.

"Okay ka lang ba?" she asked glancing sideways at me. I was tenderly clutching my puppy to my chest.

"Oo," I managed to reply.

"My lawyer is on the way. S'ya na bahala sa Tita mo."

Oh, God, I thought with terror. I wasn't even sure what I did. I just remembered being so angry and the next thing I knew, I was pounding my father's wife's face into a pulp.

"Sorry, Gio..."

"For what?"

"Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko 'yun nagawa. Pati tuloy ikaw nadamay. I should probably go back and apologize."

"You're doing no such thing!"

She heaved a sigh. "Ano ba, maternal instinct 'yun. You consider Duchess as yours. Kahit naman ako, kung may nanakit sa mahal ko, hindi lang 'yun ang aabutin ng taong 'yun sa akin. Besides, kung babalik ka d'un, kahit magmakaawa ka pa, hindi ka n'ya patatawarin kaya daanin na natin sa legal."

"Baka ipakulong n'ya ako. Natatakot ako. Paano kung magsampa s'ya ng kaso?"

"Gawin n'ya, 'tapos buksan natin 'yung tungkol sa mana mo sa Daddy mo. I am sure she wouldn't risk it. Mukha pa lang ng Tita sobrang gahaman na. And look at you, ang laki ng pasa mo sa mukha, I could kill her for what she did to you."

"Anong laban ko sa kanya? Kahit naman nakita nina Manang Mela 'yung ginawa n'ya hindi nila ako kakampihan. They wouldn't speak against Tita, sobra silang takot sa kanya."

"Baby, stop worrying. I have you. Pababayaan ba naman kita? If your Tita is going to take that route, 'yung magsasampa s'ya ng kaso, our company's legal concerns are being handled by the best law firm in the country kaya wala kang dapat ipag-alala."

"Babayaran kita, I promise."

"Walang naniningil. Walang nagbibilang. Quit worrying."

"Si Duchess..."

"She'll hold on kasi alam n'yang malulungkot ka kapag may nangyari sa kanya. Malapit na tayo sa Vet Clinic."

When we reached the clinic, a uniformed assistant ushered us inside and led us to one of the rooms. Apparently, Gio personally knew the vet and she was exceedingly accommodating.

"I suggest that you leave Duchess here overnight. Gusto ko s'yang obserbahan. She has fractured bones pero kahit masakit 'yun, mas concerned ako sa head and abdominal trauma."

"Pero, magiging okay lang naman po s'ya?" I asked, my eyes getting blurry with tears again. "Hindi naman po s'ya mamamatay, 'di po ba?"

"We will do our best, Ms. Gokongwei."

"Moira, don't worry, magaling na veterinarian itong si Phoebe. She'll take care of Duchess."

"Nambola pa ito si George," the woman replied good-naturedly. "My assistant is going to watch Duchess during the night and we will call you immediately kung may aberya."

I nodded before I groped for my phone on my back pocket.

Hindi ko dala 'yung telepono ko. Nalaglag ko'yata, I thought with a groan.

"Ako na lang po ang tatawag. Nakalimutan ko po kasi ang telepono ko sa bahay sa kamamadali ko kanina."

"Okay, I'll give you my calling card—"

"It's okay, Phoebe, ako na lang ang tawagan mo, I'll give you my number. Tutal naman sa akin matutulog si Moira," Gio offhandedly remarked and I nodded until I realized what she just said.