Present day...
Gerald was transferred out of the ICU the following day. When his mom visited, di niya napigilan na mapaluha dahil ramdam niya ang pag-aalala ng ina niya.
“Sorry mommy! I wasn’t careful...”
“Don’t worry anak, the important thing is, okay ka na. Walang nangyaring malala sa ‘yo. Bakit ba kasi hindi ka nagpa-drive kay Kuya Rudy mo? Pero saka na ‘yan. Basta next time, pag mga ganyang lakad, wala nang negotiation ang driver ha? Pahinga ka na Ge..”
“I’m feeling stronger na don’t worry and I’ll do that...ayoko lang na ako pa yung cause ng pag-aalala ninyo....”
Napangiting hinaplos ng mommy ni Gerald ang noo ng kanyang anak.
“Mom, have you seen Sarah?”
“Yeah, nandito siya kanina but you were asleep...tiningnan niya yung swero mo at yung ano...uhm...ano...”
“Ano mommy?” Gerald said impatiently.
“Yung nakakabit dyan...”
“Saan ?”
“Ano bang tawag diyan anak?” Poingting at the lower part of her son’s torso...
“Ha?!!!” Pasigaw na sambit ni Gerald sabay sabi ng ina...
“....catheter mo...”
Biglang nagbukas ang pinto and a middle aged male doctor came in, with Sarah in tow.
“Hello Mr. Anderson! I’m Dr. Cortez, and I operated on you. “ Lumingon si dr. Cortez at nakita ang ina ni Gerald. “You must be his mother. Sarah told me you’re in today. Dr. Cortez po ang pangalan ko.”
Sarah acknowledged both Gerald and his mother but seemed quite shy and timid around the doctor.
Napansin ni Gerald na may kasama pa palang ibang intern si Dr. Cortez bukod kay Sarah.
“Well, you know Sarah here and sya naman...” as Dr. Cortez pointed at the other guy with him “si Dr. John Cruz, co-intern ni Sarah”
Dr. Cortez explained the extent of Gerald’s injuries, which were miraculously very minimal. He said that he had to take out the spleen or the bleeding will worsen. He also spoke with the neurologist and neurosurgeon on board who told him that there seemed no permanent injuries to the brain and Gerald probably had a severe concussion.
In the middle of Dr. Cortez’s spiel, Gerald noticed that John seemed a little hostile towards him. It was in the way he checked Gerald’s IV fluids (Parang padabog ang dating... ) or the way he looked at him (may angas!).
“So Gerald, may questions ka ba?”
“Ahm...doc, I appreciate the clarity of your explanations but..ahm...medyo superficial pero...yung catheter ko ba, hanggang kailan?”
Napatingin si Dr. Cortez kay Sarah, “You take care of the bladder training before we pull it out.”
Tumango si Sarah at napalulon, obviously uncomfortable with the task.
Sumingit si John, “Ah sir, baka kasi...ako na lang po siguro..”
Masungit na sumagot ang doctor habang sumusulat sa chart ni Gerald, “Kaya mo ba John? Sigurado ka? You have 3 burn patients that you have to dress 2x a day remember?”
“Ah...John, don’t worry, I’ll do it....if I have to remove the catheter na, I’ll ask for help. Bladder training lang naman.” Sagot ni Sarah.
Gerald didn’t understand what they were talking about but one thing was clear. He didn’t want Sarah to have to do anything with his catheter. Or anywhere near his vulnerable points.
Nang lumabas na si Dr. Cortez at ang lalaking intern, nagpaiwan sandali si Sarah. Lumabas din ang mom ni Gerald to check the billing.
“Ge, don’t worry...I won’t do ...basta! hanapan ko ng way to keep your privacy”
“Sigurado ka? Para akong walang kalaban laban!”
“ Tse! Feeling mo naman no! Di naman kita cha-chancing-an! Yung tubes mo naman yung chine-check ko and not where it is attached!”
“ Baka lang kase...”
“GGSS ka talaga kahit kailan!”
“You were saying something baby girl?”
“Baby Girl ka dyan!” Sarah said teasingly...” Sige na, start na tayo ng bladder training. It’s really nothing. I just have to use this (pointing to an instrument which looked like a blunt curved scissor) to clamp your catheter tube at certain times of the day, until you have the urge to pee. Tapos, we’ll remove it na”
At doon nagsimula ang simula ng pagpapatuloy ng pagkakaibigan ni Sarah and Gerald. It was an easy friendship if it were just the two of them. They got each other. Isang titig pa lang, they knew each other’s thoughts. Minsan, napapatawa na lang silang pareho since nahuhulaan na ng isa’t isa and kaniIang reactions. It was so easy to slip back to the friendship they once had. Pero at times, napapaisip si Gerald kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari when everything suddenly slipped away. He tried to guard his heart as much as he can pero alam na niya ...alam na niya kung sino ang sinisigaw nito.
He would ask himself, did he give up that easily? Or was he in a fight where Sarah was never on his side?
