My First Summer (Completed)

Prologue

"Mitchie, hold on. We're already near to the hospital. Please, don't close your eyes," Mom pleaded, crying.

My breathing was heavy and my chest tightened. I'm catching my breath difficulty right now. It feels like my air will cut-off and I'm going to die.

"Mang Isko, drive as fast as you can but safely," Mom commanded to our driver, still in tears.

My eyelids are half-close. I can see my Mom's face that full of teardrops. Even though I felt weak and my hands are shaking, I still manage to wipe those away. I don't want to see her in pain while watching me agonizing.

When I was five years old, I was diagnosed with a CHD or so called Colonary Heart Disease. My doctor said this disease was incurable, but Mom told him that he need to do anything to make me better. She can pay how much they want. Then the doctor did that. Of course, I was treated.

When I was discharged from the hospital after recovering from my operation, my life has been changed. Everything changed.

Since that day, Mom won't let me out from the house. She let me play, but don't move too much. She won't let me overstrain and get swelter. I drink any kind of medicines. Everyday, I drink 4 to 7 capsules of my meds to ease my heart from the pain.

She even hired a school instructor for my study. I'm like an inmate for fourteen years in our house. Because of my situation, I didn't socialized with other people, only Mom, our maids and Mang Isko, in short, only people inside the mansion I always to talked to.

I didn't also have friends, except to my childhood friend, Nate. He understoods my situation and he stays on my side. We rarely meet if he have a spare time, he do visit our house to know my condition. He like a brother to me.

God don't gave Mom and Dad a chance to have another child, because my father passed away before I was diagnosed with this disease. He was experienced a car accident, and didn't survived. Mom was drown, experienced anxiety and depression.

"M-mom," I said while breathing heavily.

She didn't answered me, because we're already infront of the hospital, wherein I so called my second home. I'm always here everytime my illness attacks. I'm already nineteen and as I grow older, my heart also becoming weak.

After the nurses guided me to lay on the bed, I don't know what happened next since I was fainted. I only woke up when I heard two persons chit-chating.

"Mrs. Garcia, she needs to know this. Para maging aware siya sa kaniyang kalagayan."

I slowly opened my eyes. I thought I was already dead because I saw my surroundings are all white and think that I'm in heaven, but I saw oxygen, dextrose and many apparatuses hitched on me. Probably, it's my second home, the hospital.

"Pero doc, baka hindi niya kayanin malaman," Mom answered my personal Doctor, crying, again. Is she didn't stop?

"She will understand," Doctor Ramos replied.

"M-mom," I called her in a gently voice, trying to gain my energy.

Two heads turned around to see me. Napatungo kaagad silang dalawa sa akin na nanatili paring nakahiga.

"Mitchie, how are you feeling?" he asked.

I forced a smile, "fine doc, I'm fine."

He nodded and averted his gaze on me to look my Mom who's now kissing the top of my head.

"Mrs. Garcia, if you can't tell her, I'll do it."

Pabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa kanila, naguguluhan ako. "What's it doc? Is it about my disease?"

Tumango siya. Bigla akong kinabahan, kung ano man ang sasabihin niya, tatanggapin ko.

"I need to be honest with you Mitchie. Prepare yourself," after Doctor Ramos said that, parang alam ko na ang sasabihin niya.

"Go on doc," I responded bravely. I need to face this.

"Anak," Mom held my hand. I smiled at her to give her an assurance.

The Doctor hemmed before speaking, "Mitchie, sana hindi ka magugulat. But base on our findings, your heart really can't take it anymore. It becomes weak as you grew older. Hindi siya tulad noong bata ka pa na pwedeng malunasan, pero ngayon, I can't say if I can treat you as I did before," he said honestly.

My tears are starting to roll down on my cheeks. I know that this day will come, pero bakit ayaw mag proseso sa utak ko? Bakit hindi ko kayang tanggapin na may posibilidad na...

"and your heart have only two months to beat. You will die, Mitchie," he added, making my world stops from rotating.

Humagulhol ako. Ganoon din si Mommy at niyakap ako. May taning na ang buhay ko. Why would this happen to me? Akala ko gumagaling na ako dahil sa dami na ng gamot ang nainom ko mula noong limang taon pa lang hanggang ngayon na disinuwebe na ako. Bakit ganoon?

"Doc please, do everything to save my daughter from dying. Siya na lang ang meron ako. Hindi ko kayang mawawala siya sa murang edad," Mom pleaded.

He nodded, "yes Mrs. Garcia. We'll do everything to save her. She deserves to live longer in this world," he smiled. "Please excuse me for a while. I have something to do."

Medyo nakahinga ako ng maayos at nagkaroon ng pag-asa na madudugtungan pa ang nalalabi kong oras dito sa mundo.

"Thank you doc," I thanking him.

"Magpahinga ka ng mabuti, Mitchie," that was his last sentence before leaving my room.

Lumabas muna si Mommy para bumili ng makakakain namin. Pinabantayan niya lang ako sa isang nurse.

Kung sakaling mangyari ang sinabi ni Doc Ramos, I must be prepare for it. Gagawin ko na ang lahat ng hindi ko pa nagawa habang nabubuhay pa ako sa mundong ibabaw. I want to experience Summer.

Because of this disease, I haven't experience what I want to do for once, I didn't feel what really Summer is.

I was in the middle of thinking when the door opens.

It's Mom.

"Anak, ang lalim yata ng iniisip mo?" tanong niya habang pinapatong sa mesa ang lahat ng mga pinamili niya.

I sighed. "Mom, what if I'm going to die early?"

She stunned and immediately get near me, "anak! Huwag ka ngang magsalita ng ganiyan," she scolded me, but I saw a tear fell from her beautiful eye.

I held her hand, "if it's going to happen, Mom. I want to experience first my dream before leaving this world," mapait akong napangiti.

She cried. "Mitchie naman! Alam mong hindi makakaya ni Mommy na mawala ka diba? Ikaw na lang ang meron ako anak,"

I smiled, trying to hide my emotion. Hindi ako sanay na umiiyak sa harap ko si Mom.

"It's okay, Mom. We have two months. Panghahawakan na lang natin ang sinabi ni Doc. Sa ngayon gusto kong makaranas ng maging malaya," pagpapakalma ko sa kaniya.

Napabuntong-hininga siya saka pinunasan ang pisngi. "Sige anak. A-ano bang gusto mong g-gawin?" nauutal niyang tanong.

Umiwas ako ng tingin at ngumiti. Iniisip ang gustong-gusto kong gawin simula pa lang noon na hindi ko pa nagawa.

Summertime. It was a song. It was a season. I wondered if that season would ever live inside me forever. So I want to...

I looked Mom, "I want to experience Summer for the first time."