Sightless Love

Chapter 9

Jake

Here we go again. Another nurse. Anong klaseng nurse na naman kaya ang ipadadala nila?

What if it's her?

This stupid voice again! Why do you keep on mentioning that girl? Isn't she the one who put me in this state right now in the first place? I got an accident thinking of her! What now?

Walang sumagot.

Good. Stop talking.

He realized na para na siyang baliw kakakausap sa sarili niya.

But now, it's time for him to think of her again even without the help of the voice in his head.

Every time, she just eventually pops into his mind.

He knows it possibly can't be love. They may say it's 'love at first sight.'

But it's pretty obvious, he's just infatuated with her.

He was mesmerized by her voice. Kahit anong sabihin niya sa sarili palagi niya pa rin naiisip ang babae.

Minsan ay siya din ang laman ng mga panaginip niya.

Ano ba'ng meron sa babaing iyon?

♪♪ Bangin ka ba? Kasi. Nahuhulog na ako sa'yo naman kasi. ♪♪

His phone rang.

Pina download niya ang kanta kay Caloy at pina set as ringtone dahil nagandahan siya sa kantang iyon and it reminds him of her.

"Hello?"

"Hello anak?"

"Mom!"

"Jake, today papasok yung bagong nurse mo ha. Be nice to her."

"Mom-"

"Jake, I know what you're going to say. Please lang naman anak, be nice to your nurse. Di pwedeng papalit palit ka pa ng nurse. And this time I'll make sure na makakausap ko ang nurse mo para alam ko kung ano pinaggagawa mo."

"Mom, wait. You trust other people more than me?"

"Hindi naman sa ganon. You knon I trust you. But I need to know exactly what's going on there. I know naman na hindi mo sinasabi lahat sa akin."

"It's not as if I'm lying."

"It's still kind of lying. Lying by omission..."

"'kay! Fine, mom."

"Okay. Be nice. Love you."

"Love you too mom."

He heard footsteps and voices below.

"Sige, Diane. Pakilala kita sa apo nina Lola Flora. Mabait 'yun. Sigurado makakasundo mo yun. Medyo minsan lang kasi mainitin ang ulo. Alam mo naman kasi, di naman talaga madali ang mabulag."

"Oo nga po eh. Kung ako, baka di ko kayanin. Pag madilim lang nga eh nakakatakot na, mabulag pa kaya!"

"Sige. Tara na sa taas, tawagin ko lang si Jake."

Did he hear it right? Diane? The Diane from that hospital?

Pagkatapos ng isang beses na yun na si Diane ang nag hatid ng gamot niya, hindi na ito naulit. Balik sa dating nurse ang na assign sa kanya.

Then after na ma discharge siya, nagpaiba iba ang personal nurses niya na pinadadala mismo sa kanya sa bahay ng lolo't lola niya.

"Jake! Jake! Nandito nab ago mong nurse."

"Yeah, I heard you."

"Jake, payo lang ha, huwag ka naman masyado masungit kay Diane. Kakilala namin ang pamilya niyan eh."

Between Miguel and Caloy, si Caloy talaga ang mas kasundo ni Jake. Hindi naman may favoritism siya.

Napangiti si Jake. "I'm not masungit, Caloy."

"Basta Jake, pag pinaiyak mo si Diane lagot ka sa akin." Biro nito.

He felt a tug in his heart pero di niya maintindihan ano ang ibig sabihin nito.

"Why?"

"Naku! Selos agad?"

"What?"

"Bro, nasira mukha mo oh! Selos? Ganern? Bakit kilala mo ba si Diane?"

Was that jealousy he felt? Why would he be jealous?

"No. I mean, I'm not jealous. I'm just asking Caloy, c'mon."

"Kasi, ako ang lagot sa pamilya niyan. Siyempre ipapasa ko sa'yo." Tawa nito.

"Sige, saglit lang. Papasukin ko na ba?"

"Wait. Remember, same rules."

"Grabe naman to."

"C'mon! Just do it."

"Okay, okay. Sige na. Sasabihin ko hindi ka marunong mag tagalog. Tsk."

It's one of his consolations, ayaw niyang malaman ng mga nagiging nurses niya na nakaka intindi siya at marunong magtagalog.

*tok tok*

"Isn't the door open?"

"Yes, sir. It is... um..."

"'Umm' what?"

"Sir, do you speak Filipino?"

Naalala niya ang unang pagkikita nila. Ironic though, ang unang pagkikita nila, di niya man lang ito nakita.

He remembered that she talked to him in Filipino.

"I only understand a little."

"Sir-"

"I'd prefer you speak English. It's better so I can understand everything you say."

"Okay, sir."

"So, did they tell you yet why you're here?"

"To be your personal nurse?"

"Are you asking me?"

"No sir. I mean, to be your personal nurse, sir!"

She sounded as if a soldier reporting to his commandant.

Sasabihin niya sana that there's no need to sound military-like, but he got a better idea.

"Good. Good. Like that. Think of me as your commandant. Your job is simple. Very simple... Just do everything I tell you."

~~~~~