"....how many times have you fainted since this last one?" the doctor asked Maine. Coleen, who was seated beside her replied, "....pangalawa na po ito....the first time was also at the park..."
"....was there anything unusual or different happening?"
".....wala naman po....nung first time, sabi nya, may ringing in the ears sya tapos bigla syang napalingon dun sa may sumigaw sa may playground.....this second time, dalawa lang ata sila ni Rj ang magkasama...."
Maine nodded. ".....walking home...." Maine signed.
"....naglalakad lang daw sila pauwi..."
"Did you see something or hear something unusual?"
Maine did not reply for a while then she signed, "....dark...."
"Dark daw"
"Dark as in madilim?"
Maine nodded. ".....dark.....evening...."
"Hmm...." the doctor noted this down. "....based on your tests, there's really nothing wrong with you other than your vertigo episodes and ringing in the ears.....we'll manage your vertigo with some medication....."
"I noticed po Ma'am, na di po nagsasalita si Maine?" the doctor asked Nanay as Maine, Coleen, and Rj waited outside.
".....selective mutism..."
"I see....I think her vertigo is also caused by her anxiety....it's a form of an anxiety attack....yung parang nagugulat sya sa mga nangyayari sa paligid nya and her body reacts by a headache and sometimes she faints...."
"Ganun po ba?"
"....hmmm.....we'll manage her vertigo with some medicines to try to avoid the fainting spells....it might happen still.....but hopefully not as often...."
".....what did the doctor say?" Rj signed.
"....vertigo...." Maine replied.
".....yun lang?"
"Yes..."
"Good....at least it's nothing serious...."
"Yes...."
"Nay....can we celebrate?" Coleen asked Nanay in the evening after Maine's doctor visit.
"Celebrate?"
"Opo.....with cake....spaghetti....hotdog...."
"....children's party?" Ate Niki, who was also in their parents' bedroom working on some papers, turned and looked at Coleen who was on the bed.
"....hmm...pwede.....pero, tayo lang....and si Rj...."
"Bakit?" Nanay asked.
"....kasi.....kasi...."
"ANO?" Ate Niki raised her voice.
"....kasi, nakita ko si Meng kanina.....kausap si Rj....."
"....nagsalita?" Ate Niki became curious and stood up from the desk and sat on the bed.
".....nag-s-sign language sila ni Rj...."
"Marunong si Rj?"
"Oo....nagloloko lang sya dati na di daw sya marunong.....eh isa ata sa requirements sa school nila yung pag-sign...."
"....ahhh.....oo nga Nay...Tay....this calls for a celebration....diba matagal na natin gusto na makapag-interact si Meng sa iba?"
"....party?.....may lobo?" Tatay put down the book he was reading.
"Hmm....sa weekend na....Coleen, tanungin mo si Rj kung free sya sa Saturday or Sunday...."
"Opo...."
"Ate, sabihan mo sina Nico....."
"Yes po...."
"....surprise party po ba?" Coleen asked.
"....pwede.....sabihin nalang natin kay Meng na may handaan sa weekend....ganun lang...pero yung reason, dun nalang natin sasabihin....."
"Okay..." the girls agreed.
"....seryoso ka ba talaga kay Menggay?" Nico asked Rj as they hung out just outside the gate of Maine's house.
"Oo" Rj replied.
"....wag mo lang saktan o lolokohin..."
"Oo naman....ayokong masaktan sya...."
"Good...."
"Nyx, pwede magtanong?" Rj spoke after a while.
"Ano yun?"
"....anong nangyari kay Maine......I mean, bakit sya nagka-SM?"
"....di ko rin masyadong sure....i think naging masyadong conscious sya nung bata sya para magperform at mag-recite sa school....alam mo yun, yung sa recitation at mga program....ganun...."
"....so parang peer pressure?"
"....parang ganun.....eh before that, sobrang mahiyain na sya....as in pipilitin talaga mag-hello kahit sa mga tita at tito lang namin......umiiyak yan pag pinipilit.....nung mga grade three sya, di na sya nagsalita sa ibang tao...."
"I see...."
"...kaya natuto kami mag-sign language kasi nung mga grade four sya, napansin nina Nanay na mas madalas na magturo si Meng sa mga bagay na gusto nya...tapos parang nag-s-senyas sya for other things...so, yun, kumuha sina Nanay nung tutor....kaaway ni Meng....galit sya dun....pero natuto naman mag-sign...kami din, natuto mag-sign....mula nun, pag nasa labas kami, nag-s-sign si Meng sa amin....sa bahay lang talaga sya nagsasalita....."
".....pero sa inyo lang, no?"
"....ahh oo....at kay Pepe....yung yaya namin..."
"Hmm...."
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