Pinky Swear, Allyship (Completed)

CHAPTER 25

“Why? What happened?” I feel my heart crashing as I hear loud noises at the background. “Mom, can you please tell me that dad is fine?” 

[Can you go here?] and that’s the cue I waited to let myself run as fast as I could. 

I could even hear them asking what’s happening but my mind is just so busy getting things. My tears are falling and I can’t even compose myself. I feel so fragile that anytime I could break. 

“Hey, calm down. What’s going on?” Raya asked while holding my shoulders. Nakita ko rin si Debi na pumasok and I can see her worried eyes. 

“I have to go. I really need to go,” I get my things and managed to get out of the building. Kung paano akong nakahanap ng taxi ng ganoong kabilis ay hindi ko na alam. Glad that I brought my wallet with me enough to travel to Cabanatuan. I rushed the driver. Kahit siya ay natataranta na because I was begging like a kid crying for help. 

At kung paano akong nakahabol sa papaalis na bus ay hindi ko na rin alam kung paano. I just found myself uncomfortable sitting on the side of the window while silently praying and begging for life. 

I could even feel the vibration of my phone but I didn’t bother to answer it because I was so damn tired of crying. I crossed my fingers while looking at the window. I badly want to see my father. I feel my heart so numb from all the pain and my eyes are just so tired of crying but it won’t stop. Hindi sila tumitigil. Kahit ata yung konduktor ay tinanong ako kung ayos lang ako. But my mind was out of space. 

After hours of travel, I immediately run on the receiving area to ask the room of my father. I wiped my tears and hold it so they could not see me so wasted. I lightly opened the door but I didn’t enter yet because the doctor is talking to my mom. It’s already 1 am. 

“There are really side effects when a patient is undergoing a chemotherapy. It can cause fatigue, hair loss, anemia, nausea and vomiting and bleeding. Bleeding is one of the side effects of the medicine. Cancer cells tend to grow fast and chemo drugs kill fast-growing cells. Side effects are not always as bad as you might expect, but it’s normal to worry about this part of cancer treatment. We will monitor him. I’ll come back tomorrow morning to check him,” yun lang ang narinig kong sinabi niya but it makes my knees tremble. Umalis na rin ang doctor tsaka ako pumasok. 

“Ma,” I hugged her. “Kamusta si daddy? Anong nangyari?” I asked. 

“Side effects daw noong mga gamot na binibigay sa kanya. Nagpanic ako kanina dahil sumusuka at tsaka may dugo. Hindi ko naman gusting pag alalahanin ka kaso nga lang ay nanginginig na ako sa takot kanina,” 

“Nandito na ako ma. Matulog na po kayo. Ako po muna ang magbabantay kay daddy.” 

“Paano yun? May klase ka bukas?” nawala na rin sa isip kong may pasok pa ako bukas dahil sa pagkataranta kong makarating dio. 

“It’s okay ma. Kapag okay na si daddy, aalis na rin po ako bukas ng makapananghali para makapagreport sa klase ko,” I assure her. Pumunta na rin siya sa may mahabang upuan para humiga. 

I looked at my dad. I can feel my heart tightened as I see the condition of my dad. He looks so pale. His hair are already worn out. His eyes were so tired. I hold his hand and caressed it with my thumb. 

Parang nagsasabay sabay lahat ng sakit. Lahat ng problema. Nararamdaman ko na rin ang pagod but I can’t help but to make myself strong dahil wala naman akong ibang choice kung hindi ang maging matatag. 

I felt her hands moving so I compose myself and wiped my tears. 

“Dad?” I called him.