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Epilogue

A few hours ago

"Mrs. Torres?" Ruth, Tina's nurse, shook June's shoulder. June sat up. She had fallen asleep by Tina's bedside. She immediately pulled her hand away when she realized it was resting on top of Tina's arm. Then she looked at her. Tina was sound asleep. "Mrs. Torres, ready na daw po yung result. Nandun po sila sa sala naghihintay," Ruth informed her. "Sorry, I fell asleep," June said. Then she looked at Tina again. "Is she okay?" She asked. "Okay lang po, hindi pa po sya nagigising since nakatulog sya kanina before din po kayo naka-idlip," Ruth informed her again. "Okay," June said. "But she's okay right?" She asked again to make sure. "Okay naman po," Ruth answered. "Is there a restroom for the guests? I know the bathroom's right there, but I don't feel right using it. Master's bathroom kasi yan," she asked Ruth. "Ay opo. Paglabas nyo po ng kwarto, unang pinto po sa kanan nyo," Ruth instructed. "Okay, thank you. Pakisabi na lang sa kanila na I'll be out in a minute, please. I just need to use the restroom," June requested. "Okay po. Gisingin ko ho ba si ma'am Tina?" Ruth asked. "No, you don't have to wake her up. I'll place the papers by her table. She can read it when she wakes up. For now, let her rest," June instructed. "Okay po," Ruth replied. Then June stood up. She glanced over at Tina then she sighed. Her heart hasn't stopped beating rapidly since the moment she woke up. The thought of the results being out made her feel nervous. Then she went to the bathroom. She let the water run on the sink. Then she washed her face. Breathe, she told herself. Then she stood straight. She looked at the woman staring back at her from the mirror. "This is it," she told her reflection. "I guess our lives will either remain the same or be changed forever," she told herself. "Lord," she called out to Him. Then she tried her hardest to get herself together. "Thy will be done," she whispered. She took a few paper towels and wiped her face dry. Then she straightened herself out and took a couple more deep breaths before she went out and faced the people that had the results for her and Tina's test.

"Hi," she greeted them when she walked into the living room. As always, she stood with poise. Not one inch of her revealed just how intensely nervous she was. "We have the results here po, Mrs. Torres," the man told her. "Okay. Great, let's see them," June told him. Then he handed her the envelope. "I like this. Very concealed. Thanks," she told them. The fact that the papers were neatly tucked inside the envelope made it even more suspenseful for her. The people who did the test watched as she took the papers out. She scanned through every detail. Right before she reached the bottom of the paper, the numbers made her feel woozy. At the bottom, the number that mattered the most was underlined and bolded:

99.7%

June swallowed. When she put the papers down to her side, the smiling faces of the people that did their test were revealed. "Congratulations po," they told her. June blinked a few times. "Th—thanks," she told them. "Here is a copy for your sister po, we put it in separate envelopes just in case," the woman said to June. Sister, the word kept echoing in June's head. "Salamat," she said to them. "Is there anything else we could do for you, Mrs. Torres?" The man asked. "At the moment, no. Salamat," June told them. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mrs. Torres. Salamat din po at congrats po ulit," the man replied. Then he shook June's hand. The woman did the same. After they left, June stood frozen at the living room. It was as if her feet were glued to the floor. She stared long and hard at the papers. She stared at the percentage again. She stared at it for quite a while when she heard someone clear their throat from behind her. June looked back. It was Ruth. "Ma'am, gusto nyo po gisingin ko si ma'am Tina?" Ruth asked. "No, it's okay," June said. She tried to get her head cleared before she went to Tina's bedroom. "I—um—I'm going to go soon," she told Tina's nurse. "Ay sige po. Sure po kayo na ayaw nyo gisingin ko sya?" Ruth asked again. "I'm sure. Tell her nauna nako. It's getting late," June instructed. "Sige po, ma'am. Mag-ingat po kayo," Ruth said. "Thank you. Mag-ingat din kayo. Tell her I left the documents by the table," June replied. "Okay po," Ruth said. Then June nodded her head. She looked at Tina for a while. She felt as though something was squeezing her heart from inside her chest. Then she sighed and left.