"Matatanda na ang mga anak natin, may mga apo na rin tayo..." Tiningnan ni Grayson ang kanyang asawa na ka-hawak kamay niya. Mahigpit ang hawak nito na tila ba ayaw nitong mawala sa kanya. He wanted the time to stop and savor the moment they have now. He kissed her forehead and tightened the grip on her hand.
"Mahal kita, Rashiel Laurena Esguerra, you will always be my forever..." he gently whispered.
"Ha? S-Sino ka? Bakit mo'ko hinahawakan?" Halos magimbal na naman si Grayson sa inasta ng kanyang asawa. Rashiel stepped backward. Nanginginig ang kanyang kalamnan at nanginginig naman ang kanyang tuhod.
Tumayo ito at nagsi-sigaw. "H'wag kang lalapit, aswang ka! Sabi ko, 'wag kang lalapit!" Rashiel was hysterically screaming. He tried to reach for her hand but his wife didn't let him to. Natuon naman ang atensyon ng kanilang mga anak sa nangyari.
"Pa, what happened?" nag-aalalang tanong ng panganay na anak nila na si Laura.
Umiling si Grayson at parang pinagbagsakan ng lupa. He knew this would happen again. "Hindi na naman niya ako naalala." His lips were quivering.
Why is life so cruel sometimes?
Kanina lang tuwang tuwa siya nang maalala siya ng kanyang asawa pero ganoon din kabilis ang pag-limot nito.
Rashiel has dementia. She doesn't remember any of her family members. Dementia is a syndrome in which there is a detorioration in memory, thinking behavior and the ability to perform everyday activities.
"Pa, I'm sorry..." Napalingon kay Laura.Nasa balcony siya at nagpapahangin.
"Why are you sorry, anak?"
"Because... of Mama's condition. I miss her, Pa. Kanina, habang hawak siya ng nurse, para akong sinasaksak pa, kasi doctor ako pero wala akong magawa..." her voice broke. Kinagat nito ang kanyang labi upang pigilan ang pag-hikbi.
"It's no one's fault, Laura. Tanggap ko ang kondisyon ng mama mo, kahit na ganoon mahal ko pa rin siya. Mahal na mahal. Masakit, oo. Pero, kailangan ko lang tanggapin. I can bear the pain, ang ayoko lang 'wag lang siyang mawala sa akin. Hindi ko kaya nak..."
The couple had been married for 35 years. Laura has witnessed how sweet they were when she was still a child. She couldn't get rid of the memory of them together. Even when she agot married, they were still supportive. Kaya nga, hindi niya maiwan ang magulang niya. Ang kapatid niya naman na si Lorenze ay nasa ibang bansa at doon nanirahan kasama ang bagong pamilya nito.
Her parents were her anchor. She remembered how she would always cry to her mother over a boy. She remembered how pissed she was whenever she saw her parents fight over simple things, how her mother cursed when someone hurt her, how her father guided her when she was pursuing her career, how her mother was proud of her when she pursued medicine.
That's the good thing about memory. They are wonderful even though they were just fragments of past.
Karga karga ni Laura ang kanyang anak nang pumasok ang kanyang ina kasama ang personal nurse nito. Isang taon pa lamang ang kanyang anak kaya mas masakit sa parte niya na hindi man lang makilala ng kanyang ina ang panganay na apo nito.
"Ma, saan ka pupunta?"
"Hindi ako ang Mama mo. Bakit mo ba ako tinatawag na Mama? Pagagalitan ka ng Mama mo, sige ka," saad ng kanyang ina. Laura heaved a deep sigh to calm herself. Sinenyasan niya ang nurse na bantayan ito. It was painful for her to see her mother on that condition but what could she do? Nothing. She tried to refrain herself from crying.
Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ito sanay sa kundisyon ng kanyang ina. If she could do anything for her mother, malamang ay nagawa niya na ito pero wala siyang magawa.
While Grayson was preparing his surprise for Rashiel, one news broke him.
Rashiel died.
After Rashiel died, Grayson changed. He was still a great Father but there was no hint of happiness that could be seen in his eyes.
He was like living but with an empty vessel.
Umuwi lahat ng kamag-anak ni Rashiel para makiramay. Even her friends who were with her through thick and thin were mourning over her death.
Sadyang ganoon ang buhay. People leave unexpectedly.
Ever since Rashiel died, Grayson never cried. Not even a single tear drop was released.
BINABASA MO ANG
Caught On Fire (WAKAS)
Romance"You're the only fire I played and enjoyed with, Esguerra." Grayson Padua "All the characters, places and events in this work are not existing and not related to anyone having the same name or names. This is purely a work of writer's imagination and...
