BORROWED TIME

2

"So you're not going out of my room?!"

She moved her wheelchair near me at dahil may katangkaran ito, naabot niya ako. Or more on, naabot niya yung tray na hawak ko.

Hindi ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko sa gulat ng marining ko ang tray na nahulog na kanina'y hawak-hawak ko lang.

Tumunog ito ng napakalakas at nabuhos ang pagkaing laman nito sa sahig.

I just looked at her face and saw angry eyes. She really doesn't want anybody in front of her.

"What happened?!"

Doon lang ako nakagalaw ng biglang bumukas ang pinto at nakita kong nagmamadaling lumapit sa amin sina tita Det at Tito Elmer.

"Beatriz?! What did you do?!" nagnga-ngalit na sabi ni tito.

"I told you I am full and I don't want to eat! And what is she doing here in my room?! Why is she even here in the first place?!"

"Bea! Calm down, can you?!" tita Det said frustratingly. "She's your new doctor. She is here to help you in any possible way she can. Wag mo naman sana siyang ipagtabuyan anak." she added.

"I don't need another doctor here mom! I just wanted to be alone! Why can't you understand that?! I am fine now and even if you hire three more doctors, I'm not gonna go back to what I was before! Paalisin niyo na siya, dahil kagaya lang siya ng ibang doktor, wala lang din siyang maitutulong!" Bea said firmly while looking straight in my eyes.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero parang sumikip ang dibdib ko sa nakikita ko. She doesn't want to recover anymore. She's hopeless.

"Bea wag ka ngang bastos!"

Nagulat naman kaming lahat ng sumigaw na si tito Elmer.

"You don't have the right to tell us you're fine because you are not fine!-"

"And you also don't have the right to tell me I need a doctor because I am not going to be healed anymore!!"

Napahawak si tita Det sa braso ni tito Elmer when we saw that he is forming his hand into a fist.

"So pwede ba?! Just go out of my room now! The three of you! I don't need any help from you! And you!" she pointed at me. "I don't need you!"

Tsaka niya kami tinalikuran at buong lakas niyang pinaikot ung gulong ng wheelchair niya pabalik sa pwesto kung saan ko siya naabutang nakadungaw kanina nang dumating ako.

Bigla akong hinawakan ni tito Elmer sa braso. "Let's go iha. I'm really sorry." he whispered and they led me out of Bea's room.

Inutusan nila yung maid nila na linisin yung kalat sa kwarto ni Bea, while tita Det gave me a glass of water.

"We're so sorry Jho, sa inasal ni Bea. She's really--" hindi ko na pinatapos si tito Elmer.

"It's okay tito. I know she had emotional distress. Masyado pa rin siguro siyang nasasaktan sa nangyari sa kanya. Hindi niya pa matanggap na nagka-ganon siya. Every car accident survivor actually experiences that."

"I'm just so sorry iha. We actually didn't expect she'll be rude like this. She's not the Beatriz we've known. We didn't raised her like that. At hindi ko na alam kung paano namin siya maibabalik sa amin."

Tita Det suddenly cried and Tito Elmer just rubbed her back. Napa-tabi na lang din ako sa kanila at hinagod rin ang likod ni Tita Det.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hi Ate! We missed you!"

Agad akong napangiti ng makita sa screen ang mukha ng kapatid ko.

"Missed you too, Ja. Sila mama?"