More Than Words

Chapter 7

Tila paulit-ulit na sinasaksak ang gilid ko dahil sa patuloy na pananakit ng sugat. I woke up feeling groggy na tila punong-puno ng tubig ang utak at hindi ako makaisip nang maayos.

It took me a while before I managed to recognize where I was.

May malaking TV sa kaharap na dingding ng aking kama. Batay sa amoy ng lugar ay nasa ospital ako. It took me another second before I remembered what happened.

Panic consumed me kaya agad kong iwinaksi ang comforter at nakahinga lamang nang maluwag nang makitang wala na roon ang kutsilyo.

"How do you feel?"

I closed my eyes tightly, pinapakalma ang sarili bago bumaling kay Joaquin. I could recognize that deep voice anywhere. As if on cue, bumalik sa akin ang ekspresyon niya noong gabing iyon.

A side of the bed stooped down kaya nilingon ko siya nang tuluyan nang makaupo sa tabi ko. He was in casual clothes already, nakakapanibago dahil suits lang naman ang palagi kong nakikitang suot niya.

Maluwag ang sweater na suot niya but the sheer size of it hinted at his well-built body.

May pag-aalala sa kanyang mga mata na hindi ko na nakita sa mga nagdaang taon mula nang nagsimulang magkawatak-watak ang pamilya namin. I choked back a sob that threatened to form into tears at dahil doo'y napunta ang aking tingin sa TV.

On the top right corner was the word "LIVE", the camera panned to cover the Congressmen who were in the middle of a meeting at kitang-kita ang isang upuang hindi okupado. The caption read:

[LIVE: House of Representatives deliberate Regulated Speech Bill on its second reading]

Muling nai-focus ang camera sa bakanteng upuan at sa pangalang nakapatong sa mesa.

Congressman Joaquin Fagundez
La Huesca Representative

Umawang ang aking labi nang nagkatagpi-tagpi na ang lahat ng nakikita ko.

"How are you feeling?" pag-ulit niya.

Palipat-lipat ang tingin ko mula sa kanya pabalik sa TV. Bakit siya nandito? He should be in Congress! Mahalaga ang bawat boto and I was still hoping he'd change his mind about it!

"Anong...Anong ginagawa mo dito? Joaquin! You should be wor—"

"You think I can still work and think properly when you've been unconscious for three days?"

Pagod ang kanyang boses at ang mga mata'y nangungusap. Malayong malayo sa nagbabagang tingin na mayroon siya nung gabing iyon.

I shut my eyes once again trying to make sense of everything that was happening.

Hindi pa ako patay. I've been unconscious for three days. I missed three days of monitoring his activities. Second reading na nung kontrobersiyal na bill and Joaquin's here instead of working.

Pwedeng isa-isa muna?

I took a deep breath at the same time I felt him fix my hair a bit with one hand. Na-conscious naman ako nang naalalang tatlong araw na rin akong hindi naliligo.

I made sure I wasn't internally panicking anymore before I opened my eyes. Tulad kanina'y mapungay pa rin ang kanyang mga mata, there was worry there, the type I've been yearning for in the past years.

"How are you feeling?" he asked once again.

Inilayo na niya ang kamay at sa paraan ng pagtingin niya'y hindi niya ako hinahayaang bumaling sa ibang bagay.