The Royal Series 01: The Royal Agreement

Chapter 42

VICTORIA

"No, stay here." Pigil ko kay Clinton at hinawakan s'ya sa kamay.

Kita kong lumingon pa sina Mom at Kuya bago sila tuluyang lumabas. Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga habang nililingon yung kama kung saan nakahiga si Dad.

Seeing everything that's connected to his body, made me tear up. I didn't want to tear up, not when the doctor is here so I squeezed Clinton's hand to stop myself. That's also when I felt a hand on my lower back.

Feeling him rub my back somehow soothed me so I looked at the doctor and nodded.

I tried to focus on every word coming out of his mouth.

"Is it possible that my Dad will wake up?" I asked.

Which lead to the Doctor pausing for a while.

"Brain dead patients—"

"Brain dead? The news said comatose." I asked and I felt Clinton nudging me.

Tiningnan n'ya ako na parang tinatanong n'ya kung ayos lang ba ako kaya tumango ako. Binalingan ko na rin ng tingin yung Doctor na nagpeke ng ubo.

"The head trauma that General Sparks had caused a bleeding called acute subdural hematoma. A craniotomy was scheduled to drain the blood after bullet that hit General Sparks was taken out."

"Can you please go straight to the point?" I impatiently asked.

"Too much blood has built up which put a lot of pressure on General Sparks' brain which eventually lead to drain death... I'm sorry but he's gone, Your Highnesses."

"He can still wake up, right?"

"General Sparks won't wake up anymore, Your Highness."

I didn't buy what he said so I kept on asking more questions until Clinton was holding me back and telling me to calm down.

When the Doctor left the room, I felt my knees give up but it didn't hit the floor as Clinton had his arms around me.

"No." I croaked. "No!" I said.

Clinton held me tighter and closer as tears began streaming down my face. And no matter how much he rubbed my back and tried to soothe me, I couldn't stop crying.

More tears came when I found myself being hugged by my Mom and brother.

"His heart is still beating." I cried with disbelief. "He's—"

"Tori, Dad's gone."

Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal akong umiiyak don pero sa bandang huli, pumayag din ako. At akala ko hindi na ako maiiyak pero nang marinig ko yung pag-flatline at pag-announce ng time of death, I bawled my eyes out again.

*~~*

"Tori, humarap ka sa akin."

Napasinghal ako sa narinig kong sinabi ni Clinton pero humiga pa rin ako paharap sa kan'ya.

"Sabing 'di ako umiiyak eh." Reklamo ko.

Akala ko talaga may sasabihin ulit si Clinton pero natigilan ako nang inilusot n'ya yung isang braso n'ya sa ilalim ng leeg ko at ipinatong yung isang braso n'ya sa bewang ko. Dahil don napakagat ako sa ibabang labi ko bago idinikit yung noo ko sa dibdib n'ya.

Sinubukan kong kontrolin yung paghinga ko para hindi ako maiyak. Pero kusang lumabas yung mga luha ko.

Nanghihina ko naman s'yang hinampas sa balikat pero hinigpitan lang n'ya yung yakap sa akin. Hinahagod pa n'ya yung likod ko kaya lalo akong naiyak.