Love Transplant [Under PaperInk Publishing House] (✔️)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Talk

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"SO, sa tuwing tumatakas ka sa nurse mo, nagpupunta ka rito?"

Kaswal kong tanong kay Gael habang inaayos ang pagkaka-upo ko sa sahig. Pareho naming ginagawang upuan ang malamig na sahig ng footbridge habang nakatanaw sa labas.

"Minsan," tipid niyang sagot.

"Well, I can't blame you. This place is indeed pretty comforting."

Muli akong napalingon sa kanya nang umangat ang mga kamay niya patungo sa tapat ng kanyang dibdib. Bahagya pa siyang pumikit na parang dinadama kung ano man ang hawak niya roon sa dibdib. Bigla akong nag-alala.

"May problema?" kinakabahan kong tanong.

"No. I was just checking my pacemaker."

I looked at the part where his hand was placed. May hinahaplos-haplos siya roon pero hindi ko makita kung ano dahil sa hospital gown niyang suot.

"You have a pacemaker?" I queried.

Hindi siya sumagot. I took his sigh as answer. Well, what can I expect from someone whose heart is working irregularly?

"It helps my heart to work normally, at least, make my pulse generate like the normal rhythm. So... yeah, this pacemaker helps me live," he said.

"How long have you been carrying that?"

"Two years. Running three."

"So, you got DCM after you graduated College?"

He turned to me before he bobbed his head.

"Life must've been hard for you," I stated, barely audible.

"Life has always been hard on me even before I was diagnosed with this condition," he sarcastically laughed and bowed his head while looking at his hand linked with the intravenous.

I didn't want him to think that I was being nosy. I just met him and I don't think it's best to ask for his life story right now. I thought he was thinking the same but it happened differently. He just started talking about it.

"It's getting worse everyday. Minsan kahit wala akong ginagawa ay umaatake ito. That's why I have this little generator implanted in my chest," he explained.

"What else did the doctor suggests? May ibang paraan pa ba para bumuti ka?" I quieried again.

He looked at me before he plastered a short smile. "Heart transplant," he responded.

My lips parted slightly. Napakurap ako nang dalawang beses at hindi alam ang isasagot. Heart Transplant. The term alone sounds so complicated.