REMEMBER (R SERIES #1) COMPLETED

P R O L O G U E

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"Will you marry me?"

Napamulat ang kaniyang mata sa nasaksihan, inilibot ang tingin sa paligid at agad na gumaan ang pakiramdam nang makitang nasa kwarto niya lang siya.

She always dreams about that scene where a guy of some sort is kneeling in front of her, asking her for marriage. At first, it was just a normal dream for her but as it keeps haunting her every night, she considered it as a nightmare. A nightmare that wants her to remember something or maybe... someone?

Pakiramdam niya ay nasa mismo siyang pangyayari at tila may nais itong ipabatid sa kaniya.

"Sweetie are you alright?" Hindi niya namalayang nagising niya pala ang kaniyang ina at bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha nito. "I'm okay Mom," she replied, a forced smile was plastered in her face. Her mom went to grab a towel and wiped off her sweat.

Ever since she had those nightmares, she pleaded to her mother to sleep beside her at night so that she can talk to someone if she's having a hard time sleeping. "Is it that nightmare again?" Alam nito ang napapanaginipan niya dahil kini-kwento niya ito dito.

Nandiyan naman palagi ang ina para pagaanin ang kaniyang loob sa oras na kailangan niya ito. "It's okay sweetie, everything's gonna be fine," sambit nito na nakatulong nga naman sa paggaan ng kaniyang hindi mapakaling loob.

Pagtingin niya sa orasan, ala-una palang ng umaga ngunit hindi na siya makatulog dahil sa pangambang mapanaginipan ulit iyon. Kinantahan siya ng ina at hinahaplos ang kaniyang buhok na nakatulong naman para siya ay antukin.

NAGISING siya sa ingay na nanggagaling sa dining room kaya't bumangon siya at naglakad papunta roon. Nasa pintuan na siya ng marinig ang usapan ng kaniyang mga magulang at ng doktor.

"Is there some improvements in her health?" Nag-aalalang tanong ng kaniyang ama sa Doktor na galing pang Amerika para lang tignan ang kaniyang kalagayan. Yumuko ang doktor at ibinalita ang isa nanamang malungkot na resulta, "We've done all possible tests we can but as usual, it all turned out with negative results."

She looked down when she heard the doctor's words regarding the results of observation with her health. She never had the chance to hear any good news because all of them were bad ones. She can no longer afford to smile at her parents when she know that she won't last any longer and die soon enough.

Napatingin ang kaniyang mga magulang sa direksyon niya. Agad na na-alarma ang mga ito sa kaniyang paghikbi kaya kaagad siyang nilapitan at niyakap para patahanin. Instead to be okay, she cried even more because of the pain that she's in. Her body weakened. Wala na siya ngayong marinig kundi ang kaniyang paghinga na napakalakas dahil sa puso niyang bumibigat at sa sakit na namumulupot sa kaniyang dibdib.

She breathed and breathed until everything around her had turn into darkness.

SHE woke up in a white room and saw blinding lights on the ceiling. She tried to remember everything that happened but she remembered none of them. It always happen to her and everytime she tries to remember things, her head would have an excruciating pain which she prays not to happen at all.

She only remember things that has importance to her and of course her nightmares which she wished never existed so she can sleep in harmony at night. Because of problems, our brains are making illusions resulting to nightmares we wish never occured and as we, Filipinos has beliefs that nightmares might come true and that's just hard to digest.

"I know a friend who can really help your daughter. He's a great doctor and my knowledge is just half compared to his'. I suggest you give him a try."

Napalingon siya sa mga magulang niya na kinaka-usap ang kaniyang doktor. Nasiyahan siya ng kaunti sa narinig ngunit agad naman siyang kinabahan sa susunod na magiging resulta ng kaniyang obserbasyon. Basta't ang mahalaga ay mayroong mga taong ginagamit ang Diyos para siya ay maging maayos sa lalong madaling panahon.

"Here's his calling card. Call him if you need his help. I usually bring his card with me if I want to recommend help to patients like you. I'll be going now."

When the Doctor left, there was a deafening silence in the room. Her mother just kept on staring at the calling card that the Doctor gave them and even her father paled. Nagtaka siya sa naging reaksyon ng kaniyang mga magulang kaya naman nagpanggap siyang tulog para marinig ang kanilang pinaguusapan na sadyang ikinagulat niya.

"Hon, ilang ulit na siyang nirerekomenda sa atin. Do you think it's safe to call him now?" Nagsalita ang kaniyang ama sa nag-aalalang boses. Seryoso ito masyado at kapag ganon siya ka-seryoso ay talagang napakaimportante ng pinag-uusapan.

Ngunit ganon ba ka-importante ang doktor na ito? Dahil sa mga nagdaang doktor niya ay hindi naman ganoon ang nagiging reaksyon ng kaniyang mga magulang. Kalmado lang ang mga ito and at the same time sad.

"Yeah, we should call him. Our daughter's life is counting on him. And I hope this choice will be a good one." Bigla siyang nagtaka sa sinabi ng mga ito. Bakit naman hindi magandang choice para lapitan nila ang doktor kung para naman sa ikabubuti ko iyon? They have never been strange like this before.

I'm surprised, she thought.

"I hesitated to call him years ago but I think he's okay now."

Do they already know the Doctor they are talking about? If yes, then why didn't they call him before? Hindi parin ma-process ng utak niya ang naging reaksyon ng kaniyang mga magulang at sa mga sinasabi nito kaya naman hindi niya napigilang dumilat at magsalita.

"Uhm why? Do you know him?" agad niyang tanong sa mga ito na bakas ang gulat sa mga mukha dahil sa kaniyang biglaang pag-gising.

"Uhm, N-no, I mean...uhm—yes. He's kind of highly recommended sweetie but a-ano kasi, ahmm—basta. Are you okay now?" sagot ng kaniyang ina na medyo nag-iisip pa ng sasabihin habang papalapit sa kaniya na kaagad naman nitong iniba ang usapan.

"I-Is there something you need, sweetie? What do you feel right now?" pag-iiba ng usapan ng kaniyang ama nang makalapit ito sa kaniya. Bigla naman siyang naweirduhan sa sariling mga magulang dahil sa inakto ng mga ito.

"You two are acting weird. Is there something I need to know? Any thoughts you might haven't shared to me yet?" she asked, face all eager to know and expecting something from what her parents will answer. Biglang nag tinginan ang dalawa at mukhang pinag-pawisan ang kaniyang ina na ikinatawa niya ng mahina sa huli.

"Nah, I'm just kidding. You don't keep secrets from me, right?"

We've been a peaceful family eversince and since then, they always tell me what is happening or is there something I need to know and they would tell me everything. They say that I, as a part of the family should also know what is happening so that I chould be aware of my actions and such things I do or will do in the future, she thought.

"Of course sweetie. T-There's nothing to b-be kept." She wanted to believe in her mother's words but the way she delivered that phrase had her going nuts of thinking.

There's something unusual around here somewhere. Truth will soon reign, mother.

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