BORROWED TIME

37

J H O A N A

"I thought hindi ka pa rin uuwi kahit na sinabi ko na sayo yung nangyari kay tito--"

"Pinauwi ako ng pasyente ko."

"Woah. Really? I didn't knew may puso pala yang pasyente mo." may halong pang-iinsultong sabi ni Nico na hindi ko na lang pinansin because I don't have time to argue with him.

"She advised me to go home. Para kay papa. But as soon as he wakes up and recovers a little, babalik din agad ako sa San Francisco." I told him seriously.

"Hindi mo pa dapat iniisip yang pagbalik mo sa US, Jho. Si tito John muna dapat ang inuuna mo." he said furiously kaya napakunot ako ng noo.

"Kaya nga ako umuwi dahil kay papa diba? I just said that if he finally recovers, babalikan ko yung pasyente ko dahil hindi pa siya gumagaling. Pinaliwanag ko lang naman kung anong napag-usapan namin ni Bea. Anong problema don?" I explained to him.

Bigla siyang natahimik and looked away.

"W-wala. I just think na siguro, hindi ka na dapat bumalik doon. Kasi your dad needs you. At hindi pa siya nagigising, Jhoana. Hindi natin masasabi kung hanggang kailan siya tulog."

I sighed and looked at him. "Heto na naman tayo, Nico eh. Trabaho ko yun."

"I know. I know, okay? And I won't argue about that. Kasi I know how much it means to you. I'm sorry."

Niyakap ko na lang siya ng mahigpit. I know he is starting to be impatient about our set-up but I also know that he's trying his best to understand me.

After that, he told me to go to my condo para makapag-pahinga muna but I refused because I can't leave my father like that especially now that I am here.

Kaya pati siya, nag-stay na rin sa tabi ko. I always check my papa from time to time to make sure his condition is stable and that if ever something happens, I am already beside him.

"Nico, ano bang nangyari? Bakit inatake si papa sa puso?"

"We were in the beach three days ago. Your dad invited me for a family bonding. Then there's this someone who called your dad. Sabi niya there is someone who stole all your dad's savings. Lahat ng pinaghirapan ng dad mo nawala. May empleyado si tito John na nagnakaw sa negosyo niyo. And then after that, your dad just, he just couldn't bear it and had a heart attack."

"A-ano... Y-yung magnanakaw? Nahuli na ba?" I asked him as I looked at my dad who is still unconscious.

Umiling naman ito. "Hanggang ngayon, we are still trying to find that man. Your mom even hired an investigator for it. At ang sabi nila, hindi pa raw nakakaalis ng bansa yung magnanakaw. Kaya I am the one who usually looks out for your dad because your mom is so busy trying to find the man behind your business' almost bankruptcy."

Napatango na lang ako. Hindi ko alam na may ganong nangyayari sa business ni papa. Ang dami ko na yata talagang na-miss.

I sat beside my dad and held his hand. "Gising na pa. Nandito na po ako. I'll take care of you."

Nico and I kept quiet until I remember to ask him.

"Babe?" I called Nico who looked so busy on his phone.

"Yes?"

"How's your tournament? I know it's too late to ask you about that but yeah, sorry I didn't had a time to check on you and your games."