Paper Hearts

KABANATA 38

A/N: Hi guys! As of June 6, 2017, (Wednesday) nilagyan ko ng #Wattys2017 na tag ang title ng Paper Hearts. I'm asking for your help to vote, comment and recommend this story to your friends and fellow wattpaders! Thank you so much for taking your time in reading this ❤ Enjoy reading. -struckbytragedy

KABANATA 38

Maria

"Why did you keep things from me?!" Galit na sigaw ko kay Tiya Isadora. Nasa labas kami ngayon ng kwarto ni abuela sa ospital na malapit sa bahay nito.

"You don't raise your voice like that! Hindi ka pinalaki ni mama ng maayos para maging palengkera!" Galit din na utas ni Tiya Isadora saakin pabalik, katabi niya si Tiya Isabel na kanina pa umiiyak.

Tiya Isabel cleared her throat before saying anything, "Mama asked us to hide her condition to you, Maria. Alam niya kasing hindi ka naman makakapokus sa pag-aaral kapag alam moa ng condisyon niya. I'm sorry, Maria but I believe we did what's best for you." Wika nito saakin habang hawak hawak ang mga kamay ko.

My heart was frantically beating inside my chest and my emotions was raging inside. All I could do was heaved a sigh and close my eyes, letting all the emotions sit there.

Nakita ko sa mga mata nila ang awa at sempatya saakin. Alam kong hindi lang ako ang nasasaktan sa nangyayari kay abuela ngayon pero napaka sakit talaga na hindi nila sinasabi sayo ang totoo. They choose to hide the truth and make me believe in their make-believe stories called lies.

"Alam ko po, maybe I'm just disappointed," Wika ko sakanila bago umalis sa labas ng kwarto ni abuela. Tears we're streaming down my cheeks as I stroll down the empty hallways of the hospital. I found myself going inside the hospital's chapel. The walls of the chapel were decorated with images of Jesus as he suffered in the hands of the people whom he offered to save. Jesus love us to the point he managed to offer his life for our salvation without anything in return.

Napangiti nalang ako ng mapait dahil dun, I suddenly remembered my abuela. After the passing of my parents, naging salit salitan ang pagbabantay ng mga Tiya ko saakin. Some days I would be under the care of my Tiya Isabel and other days my Tiya Isadora would be there for me.

Halos tumagal din ang set-up na 'yun ng dalawang taon bago ako kinuha ni abuela. She told her daughters that she'll took care of me instead. Kahit na hindi pumayag si Tiya Isadora ay wala na itong nagawa sa gusto ni abuela. For the past years Abuela took care of me na parang sariling anak na niya. She filled the emptiness that the passing of my parents left and filled it with love and adoration.

"...the patient is no longer healing and her body is no longer responding. The cancer cells have spread all throughout her body. It is sad to say that she has at least a month to live,"

Napatakip ako sa bibig ko dahil 'dun, images of abuela suffering from her medical surgeries and chemotherapies flashed back. Halos hindi ako makapaniwala na unti unting nauupos na nga ang buhay nito. Halos ilang araw lang mula ng sumabak siya sa panibagong chemotherapy pero ito nanaman ang feedback ng doctor. Hindi na gumagaling si abuela. Her condition keeps on worsening as days passed.

They say that the only way to relieve yourself from the pain your feeling is to accept things. To accept that my abuela is passing away is something I would never do.

Natigilan ako sa pag-iyak at pag-isip ng bagay bagay ng may tumabi saakin. I look up, only to find myself face to face with a blue-eyed girl. She was smiling sweetly at me while handling a pack of tissues in her hand, nahihiyang kinuha ko naman ang isa sa mga tissue dun at ipinahid sa mga mata ko.

"Why are you crying?" The girl suddenly asked me, she was facing me now with a gentle smile still plastered on her lips.

Mabilis akong umiling, "N-nothing,"

Her lips parted, "You know what? I'm a stranger and I'm not supposed to concern myself with your problems but then I want to help you and to relieve what you feel, you have to let it out..."

Nanatili akong nakatigalgal sakanya ng ilang segundo bago magsalita, "My grandmother is suffering from colon cancer a-and the doctor already confirmed to us that she's no longer healing and her days are already numbered..." Naiiyak na wika ko sakanya. The stranger offered me some tissue and I wholeheartedly accepted all of those.

"I regret choosing someone over her. I should have been with her during her days if I've known this time will come. Sana pinili ko nalang na makasama siya kaysa ang manatili sa tabi ni Damon 'nun..." Nanginginig na wika ko habang nakaharap sa kulay asul na mata ng estrangherong babae. Walang imik lang ito habang nakikinig saakin.

We we're quietly sitting there when she broke the silence that was building between us, "My mother was diagnose with ovarian cancer a year after I was born," She started with a bittersweet smile on her lips, "My father was depress for years because of it and when I turn sixteen, today, he was involved in a vehicular accident that cost his life..."

Halos hindi ako makapagsalita sa mga narinig ko tungkol sa trahedyang nangyari sa pamilya niya. She lost almost everyone she held dearly. Pero ang ipinagtataka ko lang ay kung paano niya nagawang ngumiti na parang wala lang ang lahat ng yun sakanya?

"How I'm able to smile amidst everything?" Nakangiting wika pa niya saakin, napatango nalang ako dun. She stole the words right off my mouth, "I have my cousins, aunties, bestfriends and of course my cat!" Nakangiting wika pa nito, "I have every right to smile amidst of my loss because I'm still blessed with the people I have."

Hindi ko napigilan ang pag-ngiti nalang din dahil sa mga sinabi niya. What she said caused my heart to swell with so much warmth and images of my family, bestfriends and Archer suddenly flashed at the back of my head. Our conversation went on and on until we finally get to know each other's respective names.

"Maria, I don't want to give you false hope but then, don't ever ..." Wika nito saakin sa pinaka sincere na paraan.

"Thank you so much, Pia." Nakangiting wika ko rin sakanya, "For cheering me up and for your concern about my grandmother,"

"It's no biggie, sis!" Nakangiting wika pa nito, "Come, let me hug you!" She said to me before I was enveloped by her warm embrace.

After that fated encounter with Pia, I chose to come back home. I spend the entire night talking with Archer via Skype, telling him everything that happened this day. And while we stare at each other's eyes for so long, I could finally say that I'm still blessed because I have him.