BORROWED TIME

56

"Hey, babe? Hoy!"

"H-ha?" I immediately went back to my senses when I heard Nico shouted.

"Ahm.. What is it again?" napakamot ako ng ulo ko.

I heard him sigh and evident in his face that he is a little bit dissapointed because I did not listen to him.

"I am asking you what if I'll follow you there?" I looked at the screen of my laptop.

"Hmm? Ba-bakit pa?" I stuttered.

"Maybe after you finally finished your job right there, I can go there tapos let's have a little vacation kahit for two weeks lang muna together with your family. Para before you go back in our country, atleast nakapag-pahinga ka muna at nakapag-relax diba? I'm pretty sure Saint Anthony wouldn't mind if you atleast enjoy US even for just two weeks."

"A-after I finished my duty here?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's better if I go follow you pagkatapos na lang ng trabaho mo. Kasama sila tita. Right now kasi, I'm busy because dad wants me to help in our family business. So hindi ako makakapunta. But when you are finally done serving your patient, your family and I will go there. Don't worry kasi my uncle has a vacation house in San Francisco. Sabi niya we could stay there."

I heaved a sigh of relief.

Grabe namang imagination yung kanina Jhoana Louisse.

"S-sure. It's fine with me."

"Really? Okay that's good. I'll tell Jaja about this. Ahh babe? I gotta go na ha? Someone's calling me. Baka si dad na yun. I'll talk to you again. I miss you. And I love you."

He waved his hand so I waved back. Then he ended the call.

Napapaypay ako gamit ang sarili kong mga kamay pagkatapos. Hay naku Jhoana. Masyado ka na atang nag-iisip ng kung anu-ano. So what kung bibisita si Nico ng biglaan diba?

Jowa mo naman yun.

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

"I'm happy to announce to you, that starting tomorrow, Bea's therapy session will begin." sabi ni Rex na mukhang excited na rin para kay Bea.

"That's a good news." tito Elmer said and everyone agreed.

"Kaya Bea, you should prepare yourself tomorrow. Based naman sa check-ups mo from the previous months, you are healthy and this is the right time to execute your therapies. Just make sure that you are consistently eating healthy foods especially yung mga nirerecommend sayo. Tomorrow were gonna start with your training to stand up and taking steps."

Then tito Elmer and tita Det started chitchatting with Rex still about Bea's therapy.

Ako naman, nilapitan ko si Bea ng mapansin kong wala itong imik.

"Oy, Bea. Ayos ka lang ba?"

Nginitian niya ako ng tipid. "Yah. I'm okay. I just can't believe we're down to this."

I bended my knees to level her face. "Well, we're down to this." then I raffled her hair.

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

"Your therapy is called Gait Training. It involves treadmill walking and then some sort of muscle strengthening activities. You may wear harness to support you from walking and for other exercises. And you can also do stepping from objects, lifting your legs and of course, we will start from standing up and sitting down exercises. Since you've been immobile for more than a year already, it will be difficult for you to relearn walking. It's a challenge for you mentally and physically. Pero don't worry. We will help you. Shall we start?"