Pagkalabas ni Tita Ana at ng kasambahay ay dumiretso sa kama niya si Ynex. Sumunod naman ako sa kaniya at nakatingin lang siya sa akin habang naglalakad ako palapit sa kaniya.
I touched his forehead and neck with the back of my hand to feel if he has a fever. He feels warmer than the usual so I guess he has a fever. He is just there, seating like an obedient child, observing me while I'm checking him.
I sighed and looked at him, "See what happened? You catch a cold dahil sa pagpapaulan mo," I said while shaking my head.
He just looked at me like a kid scolded by his parents.
"Masakit ba ang ulo mo?," I asked him softly.
He nodded and my breathing hitched when he encircled his hands in my waist and rest his head in my stomach.
I relaxed in a few seconds and I can't help but to smile with his sweet gesture. His hair feels really soft between my fingers while I'm brushing it.
"Come on, you should eat na. Baka lumamig pa 'yung soup na luto ni Tita tsaka para makainom ka na ng gamot mo at makapagpahinga ka na ulit," aya ko sa kaniya. I tapped his shoulders dahil nakayakap pa rin siya sa akin at parang walang balak na bumitaw.
He sighed and decided to stand but his arms are still wrapped around me. I started to walk kasi feeling ko hindi 'to bibitaw sa akin kahit na anong sabihin ko. We reached his sofa while he is still sticked to me like a koala bear.
Pagkaupo namin ay inayos ko ang pagkakalagay ng pagkain sa harapan niya. I motioned him to eat but hindi pa rin talaga siya bumibitaw sa akin. He is now hugging me sideways while his head is resting in my left shoulder with his eyes closed.
I shrugged my left shoulder para imulat niya ang kaniyang mga mata. Our eyes met when he opened his eyes. Naiilang ako sa paraan ng pagtitig niya kaya ako na ang umiwas ng tingin, "Kumain ka na," sabi ko sa kaniya.
Muli akong tumingin sa kaniya ng hindi siya umimik. I raised my eyebrows at him and gave him what-are-you-waiting-for look. He just shook his head and pouted. Parang gusto ko na lang sapakin 'to. Bigla na lang kasing nawalan ng boses noong magkasakit.
"Come on, you should eat na. Paano ka gagaling niyan?" sabi ko sa kaniya.
He reached the spoon and hand it to me. I looked at him and raised my eyebrows, "You want me to feed you?"
He nodded. "Ano ka? Bata?" I asked him jokingly.
Tumalim ang titig niya sa akin dahil sa sinabi ko. I laughed a bit. "Oo na, sige na," I said and sighed, "May kamay naman siya pero ayaw kumain mag-isa," mahina kong sabi pero alam kong narinig niya.
I started to feed him with the soup made by Tita Ana.
Nasa kalahati na ang kaniyang kinakain ng bigla siyang nagsalita, "Ayaw ko na. I'm already full," he said in a low voice.
"Kalahati pa nga lang nakakain mo, busog ka na agad? Dali na, ubusin mo na 'to para makainom ka na ng gamot at magkalaman ang sikmura mo."
Iniumang kong muli ang kutsarang may lamang pagkain sa kaniya. He looked unsatisfied with my answer but still opened his mouth to take his food.
After I fed him, I handed him his medicine for his fever. Sinabihan ko siyang bumalik na sa kaniyang kama upang makapagpahinga na siya and I will just take the dishes to the kitchen.
Noong una ay ayaw pa niyang pumayag pero sabi ko ay baka langgamin ang pinagkainan namin sa kaniyang kwarto kaya kahit labag sa loob niya ay pumayag siya. Iniwan ko siyang nakaupo pa rin sa sofa habang nilalaro ang kaniyang pusa. Noon ko lang napansin na may pusa pala sa gilid ng kaniyang sofa.
