THE 13 GOOD BOYS' STORIES

3. BEAUTIFUL

Beautiful Part 6

"You're being so quite.. Answer my questions bitch!" The police officer yelled at me.

Hindi ko pinahalata ang pagkagulat ko sa pagsigaw niya sa akin, I remained quite and cool.

Napasapo sa noo ang police officer at napasandal sa upuan niya. Tiningnan niya ako, pagod ang kanyang mga mata.

"We'll have our second and last investigation kaya magsalita ka na!" Sabi niya sabay padabog na tumayo sa kanyang upuan. At tuluyang lumabas sa interrogation room.

I took a deep sigh at ibinagsak ang tingin sa kamay ko na mayroong posas. My heart suddenly felt heavy, I remember my sister again. I hope Joshua's taking care of her.

I just met Joshua and I am asking him to do this favor. I really have the guts.

I was about to went back to my cell when another police officer came;

"Robertson, you have a visitor." Sani niya at sabay nun ang pagkita ko kay Joshua. I suddenly felt happy seeing him.

"I'll give you 30 minutes to talk to yourselves"sabi niya at agad kaming iniwan sa nakalock na interrogation room.

Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko sa kanya. I took a sit at tahimik lamang. Umupo siya sa harap ko at nakatingin sa akin. I did not bother to look at him. I'm so ashamed of myself, I didn't realize that this routine would give me a shame.

"If you wanna cry, then cry.." I heard him say and I let out a chuckle and looked at him. He's serious and instantly, my fake smile has gone.

"You're hurt a lot. You've suffer a lot that's why you should cry somehow"he said with no emotions. Muli kong ibinagsak ang aking mga mata sa kamay kong nakaposas.

"Jenny was crying the whole night because she was hurt...emotionally hurt" sabi niya ulit. 

"She said, she doesn't want you to suffer but you were so hardheaded. You won't listen to her" nagsimula nang mag-init ang aking mga mata hanggang sa naging blurry ito. My hands turned into fists, sinusubukan kong hindi mapaiyak but I was just so stupid.

"You have to cry it all Jane para hindi mabigat sa puso, hindi puro galit sa sarili at pagsisi" tuluyan na akong napahagulhol. He stood up para lumapit sa akin and then isang yakap ang ibinigay niya sa akin.

"You can lean on me, Jane" he whispered. Patuloy akong umiyak hanggang sa narealize ko na kakaonti lang ang oras namin. I wiped all my tears that were scattered on my cheeks.

"Joshua, please take care of my sister while I'm here. I promise makakalabas din ako agad." I said to Joshua as he nod and looked at me seriously.

***

The next day, pinatawag nanaman ako para sa last interrogation ko. Nakaupo ang police officer at nagbabasa sa case ko. I swear, I'll get outta here this day.

I sat in front of him without any emotions. He looked at me and clear his throat. He started to ask questions again at gaya kahapon, hindi ako sumasagot. This is the only way to get out of here. My sister needs me.

He asked and asked the same questions, he yelled and yelled as my eardrums were almost broken but I didn't answered even just a nod until two hours had already passed. Nakaramdam ako ng kaunting ligaya, ikalawang araw ko na ngayon at wala parin silang nakuha, it means I can go out of this place.

The police went out, I know alam naman jila na naisauli ko ng ang pera at impossible naman akong makulong dahil nadungisan ko lang ang mga kasamahan nun, it was too over reacting.

I walk out of the interrogation roon at tinanggalan ng posas.

"You can go now Ms. Roberson" sabi ng pulis. I nod at him without any emotions at dali-daling lumabas para makapunta na sa hospital.

I was half-running when I saw Joshua running on my way too. Yes! It was him.

"Jane!!how did you got out ?" Bungad niya sa akin. With his emotion, there's something that happened.

"I'll tell you later, I wanna see my sister kamusta na siya? Kumain na ba siya?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong sa kanya. His facial expression turned to a very sad one.

"She's in the operating room, something happened this morning" malungkot niyang sabi. Agad akong tumakbo papuntang hospital. Rinig ko ang pagtawag sa akin ni Joshua pero hindi ako huminto sa pagtakbo. All I have in my mind is mapuntahan ko ang kapatid ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko kung mawawala ang kapatid ko, she's the only family I have now at ang tanging nagbibigay kulay sa buhay ko.

I ran and ran until I arrived at the operating room. Sumilip-silip ako sa glass-sliding door doon at napagulo ako sa buhok ko. Mytears started to fall again. Joshua held my hand at pinakalma niya ako. Hindi ko din maintindihan ang sarili ko dahil everytime Joshua's gonna comfort me agad akong nakakaramdam ng magandang pakiramdam. That feeling na napapanatag ako kapag kasama siya. He hugged me tightly habang marahang hinahagod ang likod ko.

"Calm down Jane," bulong niya habang yakap-yakap ako. I hugged him back, mahigpit ko siyang niyakap habang humahagulhol na ako.

I never thought na ganito pala ang feeling kapag umiiyak ka, I never cried like this before even noon iniwan kami ng mga magulang ko.

We waited for almost 14 hours for the surgery to finish. Iniwan ako ni Joshua dahil bibili daw muna siya ng makakain namin. Hindi ako mapakali sa kinalalagyan ko ngayon, hindi ko matanggal sa isipan ko ang pag-aalala sa kapatid ko na nag-aagaw buhay.

"Jane" it was Joshua. May dala siyang isang supot na may lamang pagkain.

"Kumain ka muna" sabi nito. Umiling ako.

"No, Wala akong gana. At ayokong magpakabusog kung ang kapatid ko ay nag-aagaw buhay sa loob" sabi ko at sabay nun ang paghila niya sa akin paupo.

"You need to eat para magkaroon ka ng lakas. Jenny's strength is you, Jane" napatingin ako sa kanya sabay abot niya sa akin ng isang burger. Tinanggap ko ito at kumain ako.

"You know, there's one person na maaari nating lapitan..." he said to break the silence. Napatingin ako sa kanya.

"He's above. Watching us and waiting for you to approach him" sabi niya. Hindi ko siya agad naintindihan.

"Ano ibig mong sabihin?" Sabi ko sabay kagat sa burger.

"God is waiting for you" sabi niya at ngumiti.

God?