What Went Wrong (to the love that once was strong) [Caius & Celestine]

Kabanata 10

I stayed beside Gabriel for a couple of minutes more. After promising me that he would not make me worried of him ever again, he closed his eyes and rested, and he probably was still groggy and his body I assumed was still tired from all the procedures that were done to him inside the Emergency Room, he passed out immediately.

Niyakap ko nang mas mahigpit sa katawan ko ‘yong coat na ibinigay ni Davin sa akin at saka nilingon ‘yong bumukas na pintuan.

“Celestine, hija, sige na, umuwi ka na muna at nang makapagpahinga ka,” Atty. Castiel Carvajal told me. “Kami na ang bahalang magbantay sa kaniya.”

“Dito na po muna ako,” giit ko. “Gusto ko pong naririto ako kapag nagising na siya.”

Gabriel’s mother walked to me. Inabot niya ang ilang mga buhok na nalaglag at kumalat sa mukha ko saka buong ingat na inayos iyon sa likod ng tainga ko. Meanwhile, I closed my eyes at the warm and gentle act.

“You should go home and rest, hija. The doctors told us that there is nothing to worry about Gabriel now,” she reassured me. But I really still did not want to leave yet. I wanted to be right beside him when he woke up. At isa pa ay kasalanan ko kung bakit siya naririto ngayon.

“Babalitaan ka na lang namin kapag nagkamalay na siya,” paniniguro ni Atty. Castiel Carvajal.

I sighed and tilted my head back to Gabriel on the bed. I planted a kiss on his forehead before leaving and was brought home by their family driver. Nang makapagpalit ng damit ay hinang-hina na sumandal ako sa headboard ng kama at saka niyakap ang mga tuhod habang nakatulala sa kawalan, nilalamon ng madilim na kuwarto ‘yong puso at isipan ko.

Bago umuwi ay may pahabol na sinabi pa sila sa akin. They said that the next meeting would be on Monday. And since Gabriel could not represent for me with his condition now, si Atty. Castiel Carvajal na raw muna ang pansamantalang papalit. Also on that same day, she said that we would talk about Kisses’s custody.

Pinilit ko ang sarili na matulog ng gabing iyon, with my mind filled with thoughts of my daughter and about what would happen on Monday.

Sunday the next day, I spent it with Sally, the manager of my café, the two of us talking and sharing ideas about the problem our café was facing right now.

“Ma’am Tin,” biglang pagtawag niya.

Inalis ko ang ballpen sa bibig na kinakagat ko ‘yong dulo at saka wala sa sariling bumaling ng tingin sa kaniya.

“Bakit, Sally?” kunot-noong tanong ko.

Umayos siya sa pagkakaupo at huminga nang malalim bago ako tinugon.