Saving Us

SAVING US - III

III
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               Hindi alam ni Enrique kung tama ba na magpunta sya dito. Sa lugar kung saan sila madalas ni Daniel. Kung saan nila binuo ang mga pangarap nila, sa rooftop ng apartment nila dati ng nag-aaral pa sila sa UST.
               Saksi ang rooftop na ito sa mga pagsigaw nila dahil sa stress sa school o kaya naman ay celebration dahil pumasa sila sa mga subjects nila. Marahang naglakad si Enrique saka nya nakita ang bulto ng lalaking kakatagpuin nya nakatalikod ito at nakatingin sa iba pang mga buildings.

             "Daniel?” mahinang tawag nya dito agad naman na lumingon ito at may hawak na paper bag.
              "Hi.... Thanks at dumating ka....coffee?" Nakangiting alok nito saka inilabas ang mga kape mula sa paper bag at ibinigay sa kanya ang isa.
              "Dito pa talaga." sabi niya saka inabot ang kape. Natawa naman ito.
              "I know. Bad habit.” lumapit sya dito hanggang sa magdikit ang mga braso nila. Walang nagsasalita sa kanilang dalawa hanggang sa naupo ito sa semento, sumunod naman sya.

           "So, talk. I don't have much time... Papasok pa ako sa hospital...kulang sa doctor ngayon." anito napangiti naman ulit si Daniel. He knows the moment that Enrique told him that he wants to be a doctor... Alam nya makukuha nito ang gusto. Huminga sya ng malalim, paano nga ba nya sisimulan?
       "Do you want the truth or...?” Daniel looked at him, unsure.
         “I went here because I wanted to see you. Aalis na ‘ko bukas...mauuna ako kay James...may business yata sila ni Vera na pag-uusapan kaya maiiwan sya."
        “Alam mo bang pwede kang sasakalin ng boyfriend mo kapag nalaman niyang andito ka.”
          "I’ll cross the bridge when I get there.” he answered, Enrique clicks his tongue and collects his legs to his chest.

            "Talk, DJ. We don’t have all night. Gotta save lives and all.” aniya. Huminga naman ulit ng malalim si Daniel saka sya nagsalita ng mahina pero alam nyang madidinig ni Enrique.
             "I really love you, Quen.” He sighs, straightening his back and looking away.
              "I know I’m shit at showing it but.....but I really love you. You were the only one who believed in me and I just... I got caught up in life and I didn’t know how to explain it to you.”
             "If you keep being vague, aalis na lang ako." ani Enrique pero hinawakan sya sa kamay ni Daniel at pina-upo muli.
           "No, teka. Teka lang.” He looks at him in panic and then away again.

          "Quen, alam mo ba ‘yung feeling na walang kwenta? Naka-graduate tayo and I got a job and my dad retired. You know this.
            All of a sudden I had mouths to feed, kaya ko naman. Mahal ko naman sila. Kayod para sa kanila nga di ba.... But mom got sick.”
           “Sick?” takang tanong nito.
           "Not like cancer sick don’t worry but she was sick. She wouldn’t get out of bed and she slept all day and kuya finally got her checked and it turns out she had depression. At fifty-six. Can you imagine?”

          "Daniel...”

         "My dad was sixty-five. Ano bang alam nun sa depress depress? Mekaniko si kuya. Interior designer ako. Yung asawa ni kuya.... Di naman nakatapos namamasukan lang. Anong alam namin sa depression na mga ganyan?
           But what I knew then was that those trips to her therapist was expensive. Six thousands an hour and she was there for three days a week.
           Alam mo yung kadarating mo pa lang sa San Francisco may problema na? May mga utang na agad na dapat bayaran?
           And her medicine, putang ina, her medicine caused me an arm and a leg.” He lets out a bitter laugh.
           "Kaya nga pagdating ko sa San Francisco nagtrabaho agad ako.... Will you believe na nag-day off lang ako nung dumating ka? Pero worth it naman yung pagkakapagod ko sa trabaho, I was making twenty thousands a month there plus food, electricity, mom’s theraphy, meds...”