Star & Twinkle (Completed)

Chapter 35

A week has gone by, Twinkle was still in a coma. Star was already discharged by the doctors, but she never left the hospital. "You have to go home, too. Hindi pwedeng andito ka lang palagi sa hospital, Amelia," Vicky said worriedly. "Gusto ko andito ako kaagad pag-gising ni Twinkle, Vicks. I'm more calm and relaxed here in the hospital than I'll ever be at home. Mas makaka-rest pako dito kesa sa bahay where I'll probably just keep thinking about my daughter. I like being here where she is, where I can see her. Maswerte na nga tayo na she was transferred to a room na, at least all of us can be here at the same time hindi katulad nung nasa ICU pa sya. Plus the hospital was nice enough to place us where there's a couch and an extra bed. Pwedeng pwede matulog. Don't worry about me, Vicks," Star said as she held her best friend's hand. "How can I not, Amelia? You've been forcing yourself since the day you got shot. You had to stay longer in the hospital than you should pa nga eh. Di na matutuwa sayo anak mo nyan eh," Vicky scolded. "Vicks, I hope you understand that this is Twinkle we're talking about here. She's fighting for her life every single second that passes by, and I'm sure naiintindihan mo why I'm choosing to stay here with her. Hindi ko naman papabayaan ang sarili ko eh. I'll make sure na I'm following the doctor's orders and that I'm getting plenty of rest pa din. I like that I'm here too kasi at least hindi na kelangan i-split pa ni Alf—ni Al, yung sarili nya. If I'm home, mapapagod lang yun going back and forth from hospital to house trying to take care of me and our daughter," Star explained. Vicky smiled a little. Star looked at Vicky. "Bakit?" She asked curiously. "Anong 'bakit'?" Vicky asked in return. "Eh napa-smile ka kasi bigla eh," Star replied. Vicky smiled again. "Natuwa lang ako nung narinig ko sayo yung 'our daughter', na you're acknowledging na anak nyo pareho si Twinkle," Vicky said. Star took a deep breath and glanced over at Twinkle. "Eh anak naman talaga namin sya eh. Vicks talaga," Star said as she stared at her daughter. "Eh alam ko naman yun. I'm just proud of you na you opened up kaagad sa kanya and accepted na the father of Twinkle is still alive. To be honest, naisip ko at first, baka ipag-damot mo si Twinkle sa kanya. Lalo pa dahil you and her were barely making up for lost time then here comes Al, makiki-share na sya sa oras at attention mo kay Twinkle," Vicky said as she stared at Star. "Hindi ko yun naisip ah. Walang hiya ka, binigyan mo pako ng idea. Vicks naman eh. Hindi. Joke lang. Alam mo, awang awa nga ako sa kanya. Wala naman syang kasalanan sa lahat ng toh. Nabiktima lang sya ng panloloko ng nanay nya. Imaginin mo, having your memories back tapos unang bumungad sayo binaril yung girlfriend mo noon tapos binaril yung batang naging close sayo sa church nun, only to find out na sya pala yung anak na hinahanap mo. Ang sakit sakit nun ah. Then Twinkle was practically dead for an hour. He admitted to me na akala nya talaga hindi na makakabawi si Twinkle. Kasi to him, it was impossible na dahil one hour na syang patay eh. Pero he was reminded by God na wala nga palang impossible sa Diyos. He told me kung nagawa nya yun, kaya nyang gisingin si Twinkle ulit. Imagine what it would be like for him if hindi na talaga gumising si Twinkle. Ang sakit sakit. He would have been so hurt kasi hindi sya nabigyan ng chance makasama yung anak namin. He's already lost thirty years of Twinkle's life. At least ako, nakasama ko si Twinkle kahit papano kahit alam ko kulang pa. It's harder for him, yet mas positive pa sya kesa sakin. Sandali lang nya nakasama si Twinkle, yet he never doubted her like I do at times. Mas malaki pa ata tiwala nun sa fighting spirit ng anak namin kesa sakin eh. Sad to say, but it's true. Kaya sino ako para ipagdamot sa kanya yung oras to be with his daughter? Wala naman syang ginawang masama sa kahit na kanino for him to deserve everything he has gone through. The least I can do is allow him to have a relationship with Twinkle the way you allowed me to establish my relationship with her as my daughter," Star said as she sighed. "You're right. Al has always been positive kahit na this must be really hard for him. I'm glad you're both on the same page with all of these," Vicky said. Star sighed again. "We just need to make sure Twinkle is on the same page as we all are."

Hours later, "Amelia," Vicky said as she sat up and woke Star up. "Why?" Star said sleepily. Vicky turned the volume up on the television. Ericka Martinez, the one who supposedly paid the suspect to shoot Star at her concert, was finally found by the police. Star's breathing grew heavier. Ericka was shown on the television as police escorted her out from a house. She tried to bow down and hide her face from the reporters. Star stood up. "I have no idea bakit nya nagawa yun. I have no idea why she had the intentions of killing me. Pero we have been compared to each other noon pa lang, ever since I started. Her fans were onto my fans because a year after she started, I started na din. I've been told noon na she was intimidated by me, na hindi nya ako gusto because I managed to work my way into joining the shows she was in. They told me she hated me kasi fame came too easy for me. Sabi nila she thinks gaya gaya daw ako because whatever she did, I did, too. Like she joined singing contests, naging singer sya, she worked her way into shows and then into movies and then to judging singing competitions. I took the same path she did. It never occured to me na, 'okay here's Ericka's path, let me take that same path para sisikat din ako'. Kaya hindi ko naisip na totoo yung sinasabi nila na she hated me because fame came easy for me. Which I didn't naman talaga dahil I also worked my way up just like she did. I never entertained that idea. I thought they were all rumors. Alam mo na, they like to spread lies like that about artists lalo na pag nasa same linya kami. They like to compare. Gusto lang nila mag-spread ng gossip kahit hindi naman totoo. She was nothing but nice to me. Sending me flowers, congratulating me on my successful movies and concerts. When I got hospitalized, I got flowers from her sa hospital pa lang. Then pag-uwi ko may fruit basket pa syang pina-deliver," Star explained. "What? Sa kanya pala galing yun? Buti hindi ka nya nilason. Buti hindi nya tayo nilason. Kumain din ako nun eh," Vicky said in disbelief. Star shook her head, not knowing whether to laugh at Vicky or be relieved that Ericka didn't put poison on the fruits she sent to her then. "I never knew talaga na may ganun sya saking nararamdaman. Like I said, she was nothing but good to me every time nag-kakasama kami sa work. I honestly thought she was genuine and warm. I guess she was threatened na mapalitan ko sya. I never thought na ganun na pala katindi yung galit at inggit nya na she was crazy enough to kill me. All these years, she fooled us that she was a saint," Star said angrily. She stared at the screen then back at her daughter. Vicky shook her head. "Well you know what they say, Amelia, a criminal will always need to put on her mask."