BORROWED TIME

35

"Ang ganda talaga dito. This place is very refreshing. Right, Bea?" I asked her as I pushed her wheelchair para makagala kami sa park.

I just saw her nodded and after that, she did nothing more but to look from afar.

We stopped in front of the Giant Sequioa Tree that she described to me before.

I sat down on the bench beside Bea's wheelchair.

There's this silence na minsan awkward, pero madalas, sobrang awkward talaga. So I always make sure she doesn't feel what I feel kaya I'm always the one who initiates the conversation.

"Bea, can I ask something?"

She looked at me and her brown eyes were starting to drown me out of my system once again.

"What is it?"

"Since you have told me everything about what happened to you naman, may I ask? What made you decide to take the surgeries?"

She fell silent. Wrong move ata.

"I know you already told me na para hindi masayang yung pinapasweldo sa akin ng mga magulang mo, pero... I know it's not the biggest reason." I added then immediately looked away.

I waited for her to speak but few minutes had already past, pero wala pa rin akong naririnig mula sa kanya.

Instead, it was the wind blowing on our skins that stands out from this ultimate level of silence and awkwardness between us.

"When you decided to leave, it was very familiar to me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Bea? Ready?"

I asked her as soon as I opened her room's door.

She just nodded at me and pushed her wheelchair towards me.

I smiled at her but all that I received was a plain facial expression.

Pero atleast hindi niya ako dinedma diba?

We went out of her room and we were helped by their maid to go downstairs.

"Where are we going?" she calmly asked.

Kaya nilingon ko naman siya mula sa pagkakatalikod ko.

"We're going first to the hospital for your check up and then later you'll decide on wherever you want to go. Is that fine with you?" I asked her with a happy tone which she just responded with a nod.

Ang tipid pa rin chumika ng ate niyo.

It's been a week since she told me everything about her past, and fortunately, she has been responsive to all the preparations we are doing.

Aside from ayaw pa rin niya kumain ng spinach dahil napaka-arte niyang nilalang, wala naman nang ibang problema.

She's slowly turning into the old Bea de Leon based on what her family told me. And I'm happy about that.

Kahit hindi pa siya masyadong nagiging vocal, atleast she knows how to get along with her family na.

"Loel, drive safely, okay?"

It was tita Det who helped us carry Bea inside the car.

"Yes mom. I will." kua Loel then answered.

"Jhoana, please let us know as soon as possible about Bea's check up's results okay?" I smiled at her as we hugged each other then she hugged and kissed Bea's cheeks before going out of the car.

"Yes tita, I will call you immediately."

"Sige na, you have to go now. Mag-iingat kayo." she waved goodbye.