Breathe Again [MEDICAL MYSTERY #1]

CHAPTER 09: First of Many

"STOP fighting!"

Halos habulin ko ang paghinga ko matapos kong sabihin ang dalawang salitang 'yun. My chest feels heavy, as if may hollow blocks na nakapatong dito. I closed my fist in anger and I felt my lips trembling.

"Angel, anak," my mom said as she tried to come near me.

I looked at my mom who's now a meter away from me, at unti-unti akong kumalma. I bowed my head. "You're the reason why I'm still believing in a fairy tale kind of love. As I grow up, I saw the love igniting between the two of you. Na kahit ilang taon ang lumipas, hindi pa rin nawawala 'yung pagmamahal niyo sa isa't-isa."

I'm on the verge of tears. "Pero ano 'to? Bakit kayo nag-aaway? What's with the cold shoulders? What's this war all about?"

I heaved a sigh of sadness. "I'm sorry po for shouting." Tinalikuran ko na sila at pumunta na sa kwarto.

Ibinagsak ko ang katawan ko patihaya sa malambot kong kama at pumikit. I spread my body like an eagle. That was my first time shouting at my parents; I never talked back like that before.

I opened my eyes when I heard Usher barking. Agad ko siyang kinuha mula sa floor and petted him. He then rested on top of me as I continue to pet him. Ipinikit ko na rin ang mga mata ko hanggang sa unti-unti na kong nakatulog.

MABILIS akong napabangon dahil sa gulat nang tumahol na naman si Usher. He's now on my door barking ceaseless. Anong tinatahulan niya sa may pinto?

"Usher? What's the problem?"

He's barking non-stop kaya medyo kinabahan na ko. He's barking like this only if there's a stranger in our house gaya ng mga employee ni Daddy.

"Usher, stop."

Napalunok na ko dahil sa kaba. Tatayo na sana ko para kunin siya pero bigla akong natigilan when I saw shadow on the footstep of the door and Usher suddenly stopped from barking.

I quivered when I heard a knock on the door and my mom calling me.

Si Mommy lang pala, grabe naman makatahol 'tong si Usher.

"Bukas po 'yan," sagot ko.

My mom slowly entered my room. She petted Usher first before sitting right next to me. Inilapag na rin niya ang gamit ko. Hindi ako makatingin ng diretso sa kanya.

"Angel..."

Tinignan ko siya with guilt in my eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry po kanina. Hindi ko po dapat kayo sinigawan dalawa. I was just carried away by my emotions."

"I understand, hija." She caressed my hair with her hand. "I should be the one apologizing, kami ng Daddy mo. I know you are hurt right now."

I fell into silence.

"But your Dad and I are not on good terms already." I looked at her, she's smiling but her eyes are filled with sorrow. "Our relationship is not healthy anymore."

"How come?" nalilitong tanong ko. "Everything was great before, ni hindi ko kayo nakikitang nag-aaway."

She looked on different direction as if she's looking back to the past. "There were quarrels you did not see, Angel. A lot actually; but we managed to get through it dahil napag-uusapan. Kaya lang, those are just silly little quarrels," she looked at me, "but now it's different. Hindi ko alam kung mapapatawad ko ang Daddy mo dito."

Inipon ko ang lakas ng loob ko para magtanong. "Is there another woman?"

Hindi sumagot si mommy, instead she just cried in front of me and I think my heart became so fragile that it easily shattered into pieces. My mom is the strongest woman I've known and now she's in front of me, crying her heart out.