BORROWED TIME

44

Agad ko namang kinuha yung purse na hawak ni nanay Tere.

"Sa akin nga po to nay. Buti po nakita niyo. Kahapon ko pa po kasi to hinahanap. Thank you po ha?"

"Walang problema iha. Sige ha? Bababa na ako. Tawagin mo lang ako kung may kailangan ka."

I smiled at her. "Sige po. Salamat po ulit."

I held the purse tightly and breathed a sigh of relief.

I was about to check the inside of it when my phone rang loudly.

*ringgggggggg*

I checked the screen to see the caller ID.

Kuya Loel calling....

I picked up the call immediately.

"Hello? Kuya?"

"Jho, did you have a proper rest na ba? Pinababalik ka na nina mommy at daddy dito sa ospital. Pwede na ba? I'll fetch you."

"Ah ganon po ba? It's okay, kuya. Magta-taxi na lang po ako. Magbibihis lang ako tapos pupunta na agad ako diyan."

"Okay, Jho. Take care." I ended the call after his last words.

It's been two days after Bea's first surgery and luckily, wala pa naman akong naririnig na reklamo galing sa kanya.

She has started to eat a lot every meal. Lalo na at hindi pa totally tapos yung operasyon niya.

*knock knock*

I opened the door after I knocked at si Bea lang ang naabutan ko sa room niya.

"Bea, nasaan sila tito? Sorry medyo natagalan ako. Dumaan pa ako sa grocery store eh."

I said as I put the baggages at the top of her bed side table.

"Kumusta na nga pala? Do you feel pain? Or anything?" I asked her as I wore my white coat and then grabbed my stethoscope from my bag to check her heartbeat.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she weirdly removed my hand away from her chest.

"I-che-check ko lang yung heartbeat mo. Wag ka ngang maarte." I said and then went near her again to put the stethoscope in her chest.

Lub dub lub dub lub dub....

Napa-kunot ako ng noo at tinitigan siya. Which is a wrong move dahil sinalubong ako ng mga nakakalunod niyang mata. Her eyes reflected something that I haven't seen from anybody else before. Even kay Nico. And as I try to check her entire face, ngayon ko lang na-realize na ang ganda pala ng masungit na to. Singkit nga. Matangos ang ilong. Makinis na mukha na parang walang pores. Ano kaya skin care routine nito?

Masyado naman yata akong hinihikayat ng mata mong i-explore ang mga tingin mo, Bea. Why do you have those eyes?

Lub dub lub dub lub dub....

"Ang bilis naman yata ng heart beat mo? Are you okay? Teka, baka nag-kape ka ha!" nasabi ko agad ng mabilis.

"What? You told me not to drink coffee diba? Tsaka lumayo ka na nga sa akin. You have already checked my heart beat. Shooo." she even used her hand to shoo me away from her.

"Ang oa naman Bea. Parang nalapit lang sayo ng bahagya eh. Naligo naman ako ah!" I told her defensively.

"I don't care. Tsaka gusto ko nang umuwi. Ayos na ako, okay?"

Umiling-iling naman ako rito. "Hindi pa pwede, Bea. May isa ka pang operasyon diba?" I told her without looking at her tsaka inalis na yung stethoscope at lumapit sa may paanan nito.