Turn The Page

Chapter 82

The next day, June woke up with something heavy on her chest. She squinted as the hospital lights blinded her. She blinked a couple of times so her eyes could adjust to the light. "Good morning," a familiar voice greeted her. "Louie," June said. Then she stopped moving. She looked at her chest and smiled. Her not-so-baby girl slept soundly on top of her. Louie had to smile at the picture perfect image in front of him. "I could stare at you guys all day," he said to June who smiled at him in return. "Ba't ang aga mo?" June asked. "Sorry, I had nowhere to be. Hindi rin ako mapakali na malayo sa inyo kaya I stayed at a hotel nearby. Di na rin ako makapaghintay, I wanted to check on Page," Louie replied. "To see if she's still alive?" June asked. Louie nodded in response. "Honestly, yes," he admitted. "Ako rin eh. I kept waking up last night just to see if she's still breathing. Nakakaparanoid," June said. Louie nodded. "I know. I couldn't sleep din," he admitted again. "Well, I brought breakfast," he told her. "Hm?" Page said as she slowly lifted herself off of her mother. She squinted and wiped the saliva by the side of her mouth. "Mama, sorry," she said to her mother lovingly while she rubbed the wet area of her drool on June's chest. "Drool all over me, kid. I won't mind if that means you get to sleep on my chest every night," June said with a smile. "Mama," Page said to her. "Naku, naglalambing dalaga ko," June replied. She showered her daughter with lots of kisses on her forehead and on her face. Page didn't mind. In fact, she loved every single minute of it. Louie couldn't help but smile at the mother and daughter again. "Andito tito Louie mo oh, di ka shy?" June teased while she rubbed her daughter's back and caressed her hair. Page looked back at the man standing by their bedside. "Hindi. Ba't naman ako mahihiya eh sa ganito tayo eh? Bahala sila. Masanay ka na sa lambingan namin ni mama, tito Lou, lalo pa at namiss ko sya ng todo," Page told him. "Oh of course," Louie said as if telling the two to go right ahead with their business. "Mama," Page said. Her head laid on top of her mother's chest again. "Gugutom nako, ma," she whined. Her head rested by her mother's neck. "Gutom na ang baby? Kaya pala nagising ka nung sabi ni tito Lou mo may dala syang food. We'll get the nurse here, let's ask the doctor first kung pwede ka na ba kumain. I don't even remember the last time you had food in you, baka mabigla tiyan mo," June said. "Maya na lang papuntahin yung nurse, ma," Page requested. "Why?" June asked.  "I kind of have to go pee," Page  informed her. "Oh," June said. "Let's go then, 'wag mo tiisin yan. Wait, I'm not even sure if you're allowed to walk yet. Let me call the nurse," she added. Page lifted herself off of her mother again. Louie offered June his hand. June stared at him in return. "Salamat," she said as Louie helped her up. "Meh spark, mama?" Page asked with an innocent but playful look in her face. Louie couldn't help but smile again. "Anak, behave," June warned while she pointed at her daughter and rolled her eyes. Page laughed a little. "He's engaged," June informed her. "Ay, babye tito Lou, di ka na welcome dito," Page joked. "Ay, gusto mo kami na lang ng mama mo? I'll be your papa Lou," Louie offered jokingly. "Anong papa Lou? Papa Lou-in kita dyan eh," June threatened which made the two laugh. June sighed. She couldn't help but think of the similarities in her daughter and Louie.

As June headed for the door, Page tilted her head at Louie who smiled back at her in return. "What's on your mind?" Louie asked as he sat next to her. "Sure ka po di ka si papa Dez?" Page asked curiously. "Unfortunately, no," Louie replied. "Bakit 'unfortunately'?" Page asked again. "Kasi if I was Dezmond, I'd be married to that awesome woman right there," Louie said as he pointed at June who was flagging a nurse down at the hallway. "Sayang," he added. "Sumbong kita kay mama. Multohin ka sana ni papa," Page told him. Louie laughed in response. "Ang weird, para akong nakikipagusap sa multo," Page admitted. "Well—the feeling is mutual," Louie replied. Then he gave her a warm smile as he swallowed. "Bakit?" Page asked. "Because you kind of died yesterday, Page, then you came back to life. If that doesn't give you the chills, I don't know what could," Louie explained. Page smiled. "Si papa God lang kayang gumawa nun. Eh sa hindi pa siguro tapos yung mission ko sa earth, baka kaya ako pinabalik," she told him. "Malay mo, mission ko pala na i-pair up kayo ni mama," she added. "Ay ang bad ko, may fiancé ka na nga pala. Sorry," she apologized. "Eh—I don't know if that's working out for me," Louie voiced out. "Oh, tell me more," Page replied curiously. "'Tell me more' of what?" June asked as she led a team of nurses towards her daughter's bedside. "Mama, naman. Iihi lang ako, basketball team pa dinala," Page commented. The nurses laughed in response. "Welcome back, miss Page," one of the nurses said to her. "Ay salamat," Page replied with a smile. "She has to go pee, I'm not sure if she's allowed to get up yet, so I called you guys. I don't want to risk having her to stand up on her own tapos hindi pala pwede," June informed the nurses nervously. The nurses went towards Page, they tried to help her up. "How's that, sweetheart? Are you okay? Can you breathe?" June asked worriedly. Page couldn't help but smile. "Love you, mama. Kayang kaya," she assured her. "Please, please, please, anak ko, magsasabi ka even with the slightest change sa nararamdaman mo, please lang. If something doesn't feel right, tell us right away," June reminded her. Page smiled at her in return. "Yes mama," she said to her. "How does it feel?" June asked as Page took her first steps since the accident. "Weird," Page admitted. "Weird in what way?" June asked. "Parang walang pakiramdam yung paa ko, ma," Page answered. "Ha?" June asked with a frown. "Parang lang, eto naman si mama eh. Nakakagalaw ako oh, si mama talaga," Page replied. Then she put her one arm around June who took a deep breath in return. "Page, please mag-sabi ka," she said worriedly. "I'm okay, ma. Kaya," Page reassured her. "Do you want me to come with you in the bathroom?" June asked. Page smiled. She could tell her mother wanted to accompany her inside so she nodded her head. "Handcuff days," she said. She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Who could forget?" June said. She couldn't help but giggle, too.