Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Aaliya

Dinala ko si Elya sa isang ice cream shop malapit sa hospital. I texted Alvin to standby sa emergency station for more minutes. Since ako ang naka-duty sa ER, I need to be there but my child needs me right now. 

Kanina pa tahimik si Elya at walang balak na kausapin ako. She just scoop her vanilla ice cream slowly, as if she’s thinking something. My girl grew up too fast. Hindi ko akalain na matapos ang anim na taon ay may anak na ako na maaasahan sa maliliit na bagay. 

I didn’t hire her a nanny dahil una wala pa akong budget at pangalawa, she can handle herself. I don't want my child to grow knowing nothing about basic house chores. But I made sure that she will not do strenuous activities that may harm her.

 I did promise her na kapag nakaluwag-luwag na, I’ll get her one. Since she was diagnosed with hemophilia, dalawang beses siya nadala sa ospital for small wounds and nose bleed. At hindi na naulit ‘yon, at hindi ko na gugustuhin pa. 

“Aren’t you going to talk to Mumma?” I plead using my soft voice to get her attention. But, just like him, she’s hard. 

Nanatili pa rin itong kumakain ng ice cream at hindi ako pinansin. She doesn’t like running away. Simula no’ng nagkaisip si Elya, she becomes harder to please and understood. And days go by, she’s becoming the replica of his father’s attitude. 

“Sayang naman. I have a ticket pa naman sa recital ni Angela Shin.” Pinaypay ko pa ang two tickets I got galing sa pinag-ipunan ko. Angela Shin is infamous of being the youngest ballerina to get a recital internationally. Elya loves ballet so much, pero kahit kailan ay hindi ko pinagbigyan na mag-enrol since it’s expensive. 

Nagliwanag ang mukha ni Elya nang bigkasin ko ang recital pero naglaho rin ‘yon. 

“Why? Ayaw mo ba?” tanong ko na nagtataka. 

“Can you promise me to never run away again?” Parang hinaplos ang aking puso sa sinabi ni Elya. “I’ll be a good kid. Kahit hindi mo na ipapakilala Papa ko,” Elya begged her fingers clasped to one another. 

“Elya…” Hindi ko alam ang isasagot sa anak ko. All her life, she’s been asking about her father. She wishes for her birthday to be able to know him. Pero ‘di ko alam kung magandang ideya ba ‘yon. 

“Okay, fine. I won’t.” I surrendered. “Come here. Finish this one."

“Really, Mumma?” Sumilay ang ngiti sa labi ni Elya at bumalik siya sa inuupan niya. “You’re the best!”

Elya reaches my nose and let it touch on hers. “You tricked me! You’re not really mad at me, are you?” I facepalmed and shrugged. This girl really!

I fixed the little strands of hair blocking her face. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya nang ngumiti siya sa ‘kin.

“I love you, Mumma,” she said.

“I love you, my nuggets.” I retorted which makes her face wrinkles in annoyance. I just laughed at it. 

Third Person POV

Dumating ang dalawang investigator sa Mortem Pharmaceuticals upang mag-imbestiga sa nangyaring pagsabog sa laboratory. They were sent by Emilia, Keos' mom, to properly investigate the cakse since she felt it has something wrong. 

"Wala ba kayong alam kung sino ang pupuwedeng gumawa no'n sa inyo?" Agent Ruiz asked as he prepares his pen and small notebook to take down notes. 

"Like I said, I have numbers of adversaries since I'm a businessman. Maraming may inggit sa natatamasa kong yaman kaya marahil ay nais nila akong pabagsakin," pagkukuwento ni Keos as he played with his swivel chair, thinking about something. 

"Kung may maalala po kayo, tawagan niyo kami. Baka makatulong sa case niyo," singit ng isa pang agent na si Manuel. 

Nakatayo lamang si Ria sa gilid at inoobserbahan ang nangyayari. Para sa kaniya ay may itinatagong impormasyon si Keos mula sa mga investigators. 

Nagpaalam ang dalawang imbestigador at nagpatuloy sa pagtatanong sa ground floor. May mga staffs at guards na in-interview ngunit parehas lamang ang mga sinasabi. 

"Marami ho na kalaban si Sir Mortem lalo na ngayon at nakasalalay ang pangalan ng kumpanya sa kaniya," isang babae sa reception ang nagsalita. 

"'Di ba malaki ang galit ni Manong Arturo kay Sir Mortem?" tanong na palihim ng isa pang kasama sa reception, at narinig iyon ng dalawang investigators. 

"Ang guwardiya ba na iniligtas ni Keos mula sa panganib ang tinutukoy niyo?" tanong ni Agent Ruiz. Naging alisto na rin si Agent Manuel. 

"Ah wala po 'yon. Matagal na' yon," alanganin na sagot ng unang babae. 

Nagkatinginan pa ang dalawang babae bago ipinagpatuloy ang sasabihin. "Si Sir Mortem kasi ang dahilan kung bakit nakulong ang panganay na anak ni Manong Arturo. 'Yon na po. Ayoko na magsalita. Baka mawalan pa ako ng trabaho. 

Dali-daling inayos ng dalawa ang kanilang ginagawa nang namataan nila si Keos na paparating sa kanila kasama si Ria. Tiningnan lamang ito ng dalawang imbestigador at sumilay ang ngiti sa labi ni Ruiz. 

"Prepare yourself. Malaking isda marahil ang dadamputin natin." 

Aaliya

After our ice cream date ay umuwi kami sa apartment na tinutuluyan namin. Nakatulog na si Elya sa cab at hinayaan ko na lang. I ushered her to her bed and fixed her stuffs. Hinaplos ko ang kaniyang maamong mukha at kinumutan. 

Lumabas ako nang k’warto nang narinig kong umuwi na pala si Ria galing sa trabaho niya. She becomes Keos secretary and deals with company schedules. Ria chose to work at offices because she was forced back then by her parents to study medicine. No’ng nag-abroad ang mga ito ay parang ibong nakalaya si Ria at ginawa ang kaniyang matagal na gusto. 

"How are you? 'Di ka ba nasaktan?" I checked her with my own eyes. "Pasensya ka na. Hindi na kita nakamusta since the explosion."

“I'm fine. It was Sir Keos who has injury but he can manage. How was Elya? Nakatulog na ba?" I gave Ria a glass of water. 

“She’s fine. She asked me not to run away. Ria, I don’t know what to do.” I shut my head on the table across her at bigla na lamang tumulo ang aking luha. Ria rubbled my arms to hush me. 

“Sir Keos didn’t mind what happened earlier. ‘Di ka rin naman niya nakita when you escaped with Elya,” Ria told me. “This time, I have to agree with Elya. Stop running away. Remember what cost you when you ran away after you saw them at the countryside, ‘di ba?” 

Once, Keos have a business meeting sa countryside kung nasaan kami. Dahil sa takot ko na makita niya si Elya, tinakbo ko ang aking anak at tinakas mula roon at nagtago kami sa isang abandoned na bodega. That’s how Elya got her fear—fear of tight spaces. 

“Why did he show up before me again?” Ang dami ko ng problema. 

“Gaga ka ba?” Ang talas ng bibig ng babaeng ‘to. “Of course, his wife went to an accident. Alangan naman sa simbahan siya pupunta?” 

I motioned her to stop being sarcastic but she rolled her eyes. Napangiti na lamang ako sa kaniya. 

“By the way, how did your date with Rocco?” tanong ni Ria na parang excited na marinig ang sagot ko. 

“Date? Walang nangyaring date,” sabi ko naman. “Speaking of, may nililigawan pala siya tapos ayaw sa kaniya. May jowa raw. Sinabihan ko nga na agawin.” 

Humahalakhak si Ria sa aking kinuwento at napahampas pa sa mesa. Hindi na ako nagtaka pa. Alam kong baliw siya. 

“Pinaglihi ka ba sa anesthesia?” Hindi pa rin matapos-tapos ang tawa ni Ria. "You sure you aren't worried about him?" 

"Sa 'yo na rin galing, he's fine. May babae nga ulit sa office,' di ba? I don't want to associate myself with him again." 

"Sabagay. Anyways, ang gulo sa office ngayon," Ria shares. "Sir Keos might be in tight spot dahil sa precautionary measures ng laboratory. Dahil lamang sa isang employee na nailigtas naman, magiging alanganin ang posisyon niya."

"Why? Is there something wrong sa management?" tanong ni ko. "Keos is not someone who's careless when he decides on important matters."

Napangiti si Ria sa gilid and I saw that but I bushed it off. 

"Kahit na. You know how media addresses issues. They can make a non-issue an issue because of lies."

Napatango na lamang si ako pero deep inside I'm worrying. 

"Itutulog ko na lang siguro 'to. Wake me up early." 

"Oh!" was all I replied. 

Third Person POV

Kinagabihan, hindi mapakali si Aali kaya lumabas muna siya ng bahay at naglakad-lakad. She wasn't supposed to be outside since Elya might look for her. 

While embracing the coldness of the night, an unregistered call appears before her eyes. The urge of accepting it is high since she felt it's important. 

"Who is this?" Aali asked after saying 'Hello!' 

But the other line did not speak. All she hears is a deep and unsteady breathing. After she hang up her phone, dinala siya ng kaniyang mga paa sa Mortem Pharmaceuticals.

"Ma'am, bawal po kayo rito." Hinarangan siya ng guard upang hindi makapasok ngunit isang lalake ang lumapit sa kanila at sinabing papasukin siya.

Nakita na ni Ria ang lalaking ito. It was Kevin, Keos body chief guard. 

"Kevin, how's Keos? Is he okay?" tanong niya rito. She knows Kevin since she was college dahil ito lagi ang kasama ni Keos kahit saan magpunta. Even in their dates, nagbabantay lamang ito sa malayo. 

Ngunit hindi man lamang nakakuha ng sagot si Aali mula rito kaya hinayaan na lamang niya hanggang sa tumuntong siya sa harap ng opisina ni Keos. As she enters, it was all dark. Walang makikita ni isang ilaw na maaaring magliwanag sa paligid. Sa isip niya, "He is still Keos."

"Keos?" loud but soft voice escaped her lips. 

Nilibot ni Aali ang kaniyang mata ngunit hindi niya makita si Keos sa loob. Kaya nagpasya siyang lumabas na lamang at magtanong kay Alvin. Akmang tatalikod na siya ay may nabasag sa loob ng comfort room inside the office.  

Aaliya rushed through the door at nakita niyang nakahandusay ang isang Keos Mortem sa sahig. Wala na itong malay at mataas ang lagnat. Naliligo na rin ito ng sariling pawis. 

"Keos, wake up. Keos!" Niyugyog ni Aaliya si Keos at pinakinggan ang hininga nito. Natataranta na siya at 'di alam ang gagawin.

"I-Im o-okay…" Keos murmured. Aakmang tatayo ito pero kaagad din na babalik sa pagkahiga. 

"Bakit ka kasi tumakas ng hospital? Kaya mo bang tumayo?" Kahit galit si Aali ay nagawa pa niyang mag-alala. 

"Let me sit." 

Inalalayan ni Aali si Keos upang makaupo. She let him sit up, leaning on the bathroom wall. Keos exhales sharply after that. 

As Aali stands up, Keos grabbed her hand. She felt a current runninh through her veins. Malamyos na hinawakan ni Keos ang kaniyang palad. 

"Where are you g-going?" tanong nito. 

"I'll ask for help. Nasa labas lang naman si Kevin," sagot ni Aali. 

Keos shrugged and slowly breathes. But when his forehead creased, Aali leaned to him. 

"What is it? Are you in pain? Is it your head?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Aali. 

Keos just stare at her bare face and examined her. And he smiles, Aali felt something celebrating in her stomach. And just like that, Aali didn't see it coming. 

"Please stay."

When Keos calms down, inalalayan ito ni Aali palabas ng bathroom at pinahiga sa couch. Aakmang tatanggalin na ni Aali ang long sleeve ni Keos ay napaigtad ito sa simpleng paglapat ng balat nito sa kaniya. 

"Why? Shouldn't I not change you?" tanong ni Aali na nagtataka. "Are you uncomfortable?" 

It was first time for Keos… that someone asks if he's uncomfortable or not. That someone validates his feelings and personal space. 

Aali receives a shrug from him dahil sa hirap ito na magsaita pa. It was his head that's keep him from talking to her. As if there's something nibbling inside. 

Dahan-dahang inalis ni Aali ang sleeves nito at binihisan ng spare shirt sa drawer. She gave him medicine for headache and lessen the fever Keos has. 

Hindi namalayan ni Aali na nakatulog na siya sa tabi ni Keos while in sitting position on the floor, hands holding his. Si Keos din ay hindi alintana ang pangyayari. 

Nang mamulat ang diwa ni Aali dahil sa text mula sa phone niya ay nataranta siya ng nasa ibang lugar siya. She remembers how did she get there and calms down when she saw Keos in deep sleep. 

On the table were files that's scattered at isang eyeglass na naka-steady sa ibabaw ng glass table. Her curiosity wakes her up and manages to slip her hand from Keos. Binuklat niya ang naka-cover sa isang papel at binasa iyon. 

"Hemophilia Project… Proposal… Mortem Pharmaceuticals," basa niya rito. Habang kinokolekta niya ang papel na nakakalat sa sahig ay nabasa niya na nakakapanghina ng loob niya.

"Rejected."