LORENZ
I am surrounded by my family and friends. Worry are all over their faces and relief at the same time. "H-Hello." Ang hina ng boses ko.
"Baby," mom said with tears in her eyes. "Tell me what you're feeling right now? Do you want something? Come on, tell mommy."
Sa tuwing nagigising ako ay ganyan lagi ang bungad ni mommy. My body feels numb. I can't feel any pain, only the tiredness and the pain inside. 'She did shoot me . . . ' That was so painful in my part that I feel sorry for myself.
The operation was a success. The bullet's been removed from my body and luckily no damage has been done inside. Do I have to be thankful that Zoo missed! She missed hitting my heart with her gun. I've been awake for three days and still rooted to bed for fast recovery.
"I am hopelessly inlove and even married to my own cousin," I uttered with a smile of bitterness but no one dared to answer. From the very first time, I saw Lola shade tears right in front of us after hearing that Zooey is her lost granddaughter. Though I didn't ask for further explanation but her actions answered it all. "H-How's the searching operation going?"
Everyone is clueless on what's really going on. No one ever dared to open a conversation about the incident while the Linksys had keep on coming back and forth, contacted us every now and then. May nagbabantay rin na mga pulis sa labas ng silid ko.
Ilang beses ng nagpabalik-balik dito si Wayne pero hindi ko siya matyempuhan dahil tulog ako at parang nangingilag siya sakin.
"Mom . . . where's dad?" Simula nong magising ako ay hindi ko pa nakikita si Daddy. "M-Mom?" Bigla nalang humagulgol si Mommy at inaalo ni Lark. Si Lola ay tahimik na nakaupo sa sofa at naghihintay na maghimala ang sahig mula sa kakatitig dito. "W-Why? Anong nangyari kay daddy? Mom?"
"He's h-hiding. He's w-wanted."
"Why?! I can't recall daddy doing something against the law!" I can't believed this! Sa pananatili ko rito ay marami na pala ang nangyari.
"Same goes here," ani Lark. Si Mommy hindi na nagawang makapagsalita na lumabas ng silid. "But we're all wrong. Sangkot si Tito sa isang sindikato and--"
"What?!"
"Hindi detalyadong sinabi ni Wayne ang tungkol sa kaso hanggat hindi nahuhuli ang lahat ng sangkot. Kaya may mga nagbabantay sa labas dahil kung sakaling dumating si Tito dito ay--"
"That's ridiculous!"
Narinig namin ang pinipigilang hikbi ni Lola sa tabi. Nilapitan ito ni Lark. I'm used to this for three consecutive days. Bigla-biglang iiyak si Lola at iisang pangalan lang ang sinasabi.
"Zooey . . . " I can see guilt in her eyes. "Don't mind me, Lark. Y-Your sister, look for h-her, Lark . . . please!" Pinainom ito ni Lark ng tubig na may pampatulog. Ilang segundo lang ay tumahimik na ito.
Lark cleared his throat. "T-There's more, bro," hesitated he said. "Zoorenz--"
Ibinagsak ko ang kamao sa kama. "They'll pay!" Mahabang katahimikan. Lahat nalang ng malalapit sakin ay wala! "The one that's the root of this should pay! She'll pay for coming into our lives. Everything's turned to a mess since she came."
"Don't talk like that to her in front me. She's my sister."
"Tsk! And she's my cousin--that's absurd!" I blurted out. I heard him heaved a loud sigh. "What happened to your left eye?"
