Status: Married

Chapter 14. Bruises

I don't know what time I woke up, but I'm quite sure na madaling araw na at dalawang oras lang ako nakatulog.

May dextrose ako sa kamay, plaster sa lips pati bandage na rin sa noo. I feel so helpless. I scanned the room looking for that one person I want to see right now.

Nakita ko si Chloe nakaupo sa harap ng mesa sa gilid ng hospital room na ito, may katext siya baka naman si Dexter. Hindi niya pa napapansin na gising na ako.

Nandoon din si Skylar na natutulog sa isang bed, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako na dumating siya kanina. I cringed from that thought, kamuntikan na Shiny. Kamuntikan na. I was so close, I never want to feel what I just felt noong kasama ko ang tatlong lalaking nanakit sa'kin.

I knew them as Louie's friends. Hindi ko alam na aabot sa ganoong sitwasyon.

I breathed heavily, napatingin naman sa'kin ni Chloe and gushed towards me. She quietly sobbed, "Don't cry, Chloe." I weakly muttered.

Nagising naman si Skylar sa gilid.

"Shiny? May masakit ba?" I could hear the panic in his voice.

Alam na kaya nila Mama? Ni Kuya o si Papa man lang?

Umiling ako para sagutin si Skylar, bruised body and everything accompanied with it, nothing felt like unusual or anything.

"Wh-where's L-Louie?" I felt a pang on my chest ng sabihin ko ang pangalan niya, of all people I thought he'd be here when I wake up. Siguro naman maiiwan niya kahit sandali lang si Sarah. Just for a minute would be fine.

I just want to see him, marami akong gustong itanong sa kaniya. Why didn't he come to get me? Masyado ba siyang na-busy sa presence ng mahal niyang Sarah?

"He's fixing up things, Shiny." Sinagot ako ni Chloe with so much worry. Things. What could that be na nakaya niyang iwan ang asawa niya dito sa nakakarinding kama?

I can't help it, pabigla-bigla na lang tumutulo ang luha ko.

A distorted image of a naked Carl, Lin and Matt flashed in my mind, they were grinning at me like I was really helpless. Wala si Louie doon.

"Stop crying sweetheart, everything is going to be fine." Skylar tried to fix the uncomfortable feeling.

Pero kahit nandiyan siya something is just missing.

I tried to calm myself down ng biglang may narinig kaming pagbukas ng pinto.

"Shiny..." I saw Kuya Jester swiftly coming towards my bed. Niyakap niya agad ako and then I started sobbing in his shoulders. Natatakot ako na maulit ulit yun, "Please don't leave me Kuya."

"I won't Shiny." He patted my back reassuring me like he always do.

"K-Kuya..." I don't know what to tell him. He looked at me with a worried expression, yung mukhang una kong nakita sa pirmahan ng marriage contract namin ni Louie.

I tried touching his face, "K-Kuya." Again, I am lost for words.

Napansin ko na lang na umalis si Chloe at Skylar para na rin siguro makapag-usap kami ni Kuya Jester.

"Pupunta dito si Papa, he scheduled an early flight back home. We are going to burn them down."

I could not stop myself from crying. I don't know what's more painful, yung alam kong halos lantang gulay na ako o ang makita ang pamilya kong nag-aalala.

And then I remember him, "K-Kuya...W-Wala siya." I know alam ni Kuya kung sino ang sinasabi ko. The thought of him, na hindi man lang kasama sa mga taong nag-aalala sa'kin. Shiny! Nakaka-inis ka!