BORROWED TIME

16

"Jho tara?"

It was kuya Loel who is quickly going upstairs.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at tinawag yung dalawang nurse na dumating from Stanford para tulungan kaming dalhin si Bea at tsaka sumunod kami kay kuya Loel.

Today, we will bring Bea to Stanford. Whether she like it or not, dadalhin namin siya. It's what kuya Loel and her parents wanted.

Yesterday, Tita and Tito called me and asked me to bring Bea there immediately. I wanted to disagree pero sino ba naman ako? Doktor lang naman ako na pinadala sa US para magamot si Bea. Ang pamilya pa rin naman niya ang masusunod sa mga ganitong bagay.

I opened the door using my spare key at naunang pumasok sa kwarto ni Bea.

As usual, naabutan ko na naman siyang nakatulala lang ng tingin sa bintana niya.

I signed kuya Loel and the two nurses to not enter the room yet. Baka kasi makita sila ni Bea and she'll react violently.

"Hi Bea." I gently said.

Lumingon naman ito sa akin pero hindi gaya ng dati, she didn't bother to shout at me or even show me an angry facial expression. She's just in her plain poker face mode.

"Ahm, I... I have something to tell you." I said and totally went near her at bahagyang lumuhod sa harap niya.

She said nothing so I continued what I am saying. I've been practicing these for two days para hindi talaga siya magulat sa sasabihin ko. I need to be careful in my words and actions para di niya ma-misinterpret. Mahirap na dahil baka magwala siya.

"Ahm, do you remember when you last went to a hospital--"

"You'll bring me to the hospital?" she replied calmly but firmly.

Agad naman akong napatigil at kinabahan. Bakit alam niya?!

"Are you going to force me to have an operation?!" kalmado pero nakakatakot na tanong niya sa akin.

"No no, Bea. It's... We-we're going there but you won't take an operation okay? We're going there, just for a check up. It's just a check up Bea. No operation."

Tumitig lang ito sakin na para bang nag-iisip kung papayag ba siyang sumama or hindi.

"Bea," I held her left hand and I guess it's a wrong move because I'm starting to feel again what I have felt when I first touched her hand.

Nakatingin lang din ito sa kamay kong nakahawak sa kamay niya kaya agad ko naman itong tinanggal dahil baka nagagalit na siya sa kaloob-looban niya dahil hinawakan ko siya.

"Hmm, it's... It's just a check-up Bea. Nothing more, nothing less. I swear." I even raised my right hand as a sign of a promise.

"Okay."

My eyes went wide with her answer.

"T-talaga?" di ko makapaniwalang tanong.

Pero tinitigan niya lang ako at nag-taas ng kilay.

"Sa-sabi ko nga. Talagang-talaga." I supressed my smile and stood up to call the two nurses.

"Ahm guys, could you help me?" I shouted and kuya Loel and the two nurses went inside her room.

Papalapit pa lang yung dalawang lalaking nurse but Bea was surprised.

"What are they doing here?!" nag-panic naman ako agad dahil sinigawan niya yung dalawang nurse.

"A-ahm, Bea... Bea.. They are here to help bringing you downstairs and to the hospital. Nothing more. Okay? Tumutulong lang sila." I explained to her.

But she just glared at me. Taray ni ate mo girl. 🙄

"Jho's right, Bea. They'll just help us to bring you to the hospital." kuya Loel added pero tinitigan lang siya ni Bea and immediately looked away.

Hindi yun napalagpas ng paningin ko. Akala ko ba close na close sila? Pero bakit parang may galit sa kanya si Bea?

"Okay, ma'am we'll bring you downstairs slowly, don't make unnecessary movements okay?" the other nurse asked. Pero tumango lang si Bea na nakatingin lang sa sahig.

"Let's go." the other nurse said tsaka nauna na silang bumaba habang bitbit ang kinauupuang wheelchair ni Bea.

Kami naman ni Kuya Loel ay nakasunod lang sa likuran nila.

"Jho, paano siya pumayag?" napalingon naman ako kay kuya Loel.

"Hindi ko rin talaga alam kuya. I just asked her kung pwede siyang pumunta ng ospital and then she agreed immediately. I don't know." I told him.

"Wow. I didn't knew madali na siyang kausap. Hey! Take care of my sister!" he said tsaka naunang naglakad sa akin to look after Bea.

Napa-isip rin ako sa tanong ni Kuya Loel kung bakit nga ba ang bilis napapayag ni Bea na sumama sa ospital. Eh sa doktor pa nga lang, ayaw na niya. Sa ospital pa kaya?

Pagdating namin sa labas, naka-ready na ang sasakyan ni kuya Loel that will bring us to the hospital.

"Bea, diyan ka lang muna okay? We'll just fix the car para hindi ka mahirapan mamaya." kuya Loel said then all of us even the two nurses decided to help kuya Loel quickly in costumizing his car a little to make it comfortable for Bea. While we left Bea at the back of the car.

"Okay! It's done! Bea let's... Go? BEA?!!"

Napalingon naman kami nang biglang sumigaw si kuya Loel.

"Kuya? What's happening?" I asked with urgency.

"Si Bea." balisa niyang sagot.

"An-anong si Bea? Tara na. We have to bring her to the hospital no-- BEA?!!" napa-sigaw na rin ako ng makitang wala nang Bea de Leon sa likuran ng kotse.

What the heck!!

"Oh my gahd. Bea? Bea nasan ka?!" hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya hahanapin. Paano siya nakaalis ng tahimik at ng ganon kabilis?!

"Bea?! Bea?! Where are you?!" all of us tried to find her.

But I decided to go farther from the house and what I saw made my heart pound.

"Fck. BEA!!!!"

I screamed so loud when I saw Bea in her wheelchair and is slowly crossing the other side of the road.

"Bea!!! What are you doing?! Comeback!!!" kuya Loel shouted because Bea is already far from us.

"Bea!!" I ran as fast as I could para maabutan siya. Hirap na hirap siyang pagulungin ang gulong ng wheel chair niya and she's already in the middle of the road.

"Bea!!!!" I shouted once more pero lalo lang akong natakot when I heard...

*BEEEEPPP!!! BEEEPPPPP!!!!*

A car is approaching fast at malapit na niyang mabangga si Bea.

"Shit. Bea!!!" I automatically ran twice faster but the honk of the car went louder and louder. Meaning malapit na siya.

*BEEEPPP!!! BEEEEPPPPP!!!!!*

"BEA!!!!!"

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I have to cut it because the next chapter is where it all begins.

Ps. Bea might have her own Point Of View soon 😉