Accident

Mabilis akong nag book ng flight kahit na posibleng hindi ako umabot sa oras. Ngunit ng makatanggap ng email mula airlines ay wala na akong sinayang na oras.

Mabilis kong nilisan ang condo unit at mabilis na pumara ng taxi na walang lingon-lingon.

Mabilis akong sumakay sa loob ng taxi ngunit nakaramdam ako ng inis dahil medyo may katandaan na ang driver ng humarap ito sa akin.

I'm not against the driver's age but I'm in a hurry and I don't know if this old man driver could drive me fast to my destination. I sighed slightly in so much frustration.

"Saan ka ne?" tanong ng driver ng maikarga lahat ng bagahe.

Napakamot ako ng ulo. Gusto ko man na gamitin ang sasakyan ko ngunit walang kukuha nito sa airport. Tumitig ako sa matanda at hilaw na ngumisi.

"Tay... nagmamadali po kasi ako. Uh, baka pwede po na ako ang magmaneho?"

"Ano?" nangunot ang noo ni tatay at tinitigan ako mula ulo hanggang paa. He was about to utter a word but suddenly, I cut him.

"Magbabayad pa rin po ako, dudoblehin ko po. Kailangan ko lang po makahabol sa oras ng flight ko..."

"Abay, marunong ka ba magmaneho? Baka naman maaksidente tayo at mawalan pa ako ng hanapbuhay, Ineng..." alinlangan na sinabi niya.

Mabilis akong lumabas ako ng backseat at lumipat ss driver seat saktong lumabas si tatay doon. "Ineng-"

"Hindi po 'yan, ako ang bahala..." inabot ko sa kanya ang libong papel na bayad at napansin ko agad ang pamumula ng mga mata niya.

"S-Sobra na 'to, Ne..."

Tipid lang kong ngumiti. "Okay lang po, Tay..."

Lumapad ang ngiti ko ng tuluyan ng tumulo ang luha ni tatay. Napailing na lang ako at sumakay na sa loob ng driver seat, mabilis naman na sumakay si tatay sa sa likod sa back seat kaya inumpisahan ko na ang magmaneho.

"Ay santisima ka! Ne... bagalan mo naman para tayong nililipad!"

"Pasensya na tay, kapit lang po kayo." Sinilip ko pa siya sa back seat habang nakahawak sa dibdib.

"Tay, may sakit po ba kayo? Sa puso o hika?"

Tumawa si tatay. "Wala naman, malakas na malakas pa ako, Ne..."

Tumango ako at nagpatuloy sa pagmamaneho kahit na panay ang suway ni tatay. Hanggang sa lagpas lang treinta minutos ng makarating sa airport.

Mabilis akong bumaba at kinuha ang dalang mga gamit. Sinilip ko si tatay sa backseat na nakahawak pa rin sa dibdib.

"Tay..."

Nakatulala ito sa kawalan. "Mukhang mas aatakihin pa ako sa bilis mong magpatakbo, kaysa sa asawa kong shopee ng shopee..."

Napahagikgik ako dahil sa sinabi ni tatay. "Salamat po, Tay..." sabi ko at tuluyan ng pumasok sa airport hawak hawak ang dalawang maleta, ngunit napahinto ako sa paglalakad ng malakas na tumunog ang cellphone.

I immediately glanced at my wrist watch and I still have fifteen minutes before my flight.

I went straight to the waiting area while answering my phone. I smiled a little when I saw that it was Zylea's calling.

"Zy..." I uttered.

Napakunot ang noo ko ng marinig ang maingay niyang background sa kabilang linya. Naudlot ang usapan namin kanina at ngayon lang ulit natuloy.

Dahil hindi ko na hinintay pang malaman kung anong lagay ni mommy at nag-book na agad ng flight pabalik ng US.

"Shan, did you hear me? Shan?"

I sighed. "Yes,"

"Where are you?" she asked in a hoarse tone and there's another loud voice interrupted.

"Emergency! Emergency!"

Gulong-gulo na ako sa nangyayari at hindi ko rin makausap si Zylea ng maayos. I was about to cut the line when she speak again. "Shan, come here to the Crimson Medical Hospital."

"Zy, I can't. It's time for my flight to check my mom..." I looked at my wrist watch again and it's almost five minutes left. The time is fast.

"Shan, Tita is here, she got in an accident while she was in the NAIA. I'll wait for you here, I'll just fill up some patience form..."

Napanganga ako sa narinig at hindi alam kung anong gagawin.

"Paanong nandito si mommy, eh simula ng mamatay si daddy ayaw niya na tumapak ng pilipinas." bulong ko sa sarili.

Lumingon ako sa paligid hanggang sa marinig ang kaka flashed lang na balita sa malaking screen na TV.

NEWS:

Just in. Mrs Yanson, the wife of the famous businessman Serento Yanson, got into an accident just this afternoon. She was immediately rescued and brought to the nearest hospital, Crimson Medical Hospital. The incident happened is already under investigation-"

Hindi ko na pinatapos ang bumungad na balita ng makita ang actual photos na pinangyarihan. I saw the expensive branded car merchandise by the Humilton company.

My heart tightened when I remembered the calls for him when we were talking.

Mabilis akong lumabas ng airport dala-dala ang mga luggage. Pumara ako ng taxi at saktong namataan ko si tatay na na nandoon pa rin nakapila at mukhang naghihintay ng pasahero.

I walked fast straight to his line. He slowly opened his taxi door and he quickly rubbed his head. "Ne, i-ikaw na naman?"

"Tay, pwede po akong magmaneho ulit?"

Alanganin siyang tumingin sa akin at nagkakamot ng ulo. "Ne-"

"Please po, nasa hospital ang mommy ko.. "

Namilog ang mata niya sa gulat at tumango. "Halika! Bakit hindi mo sinabi agad!"

Mabilis na bumaba si tatay sa driverseat at lumipat sa backseat. Napangiti ako at mabilis na sinakay ang bagahe bago diretsong nagtungo sa driver seat at agad binuhay ang makina ng sasakyan.

"Ne, dahan-dahan lang ha?"

I chuckled. "Susubukan ko ho, Tay." Sabi ko at pinaandar na paalis ang sasakyan.

Napatingin ako sa front mirror and I saw tatay closing his eyes while holding his chest.

Ngumuso ako at binagalan ang takbo ng sasakyan kaya dahan-dahan bumukas ang mga mata niya at parang nakahinga ng maluwag.

"I miss my dad..." I suddenly mumbled to myself and I went back to concentrate on driving.

Pagkarating sa hospital, dumiretso ako sa emergency waiting area na tinext ni Zylea.

Ang daming tanong sa isipan ko kaya gustong-gusto ko na siya makita. Hanggang sa makarating sa area na 'yon napansin ko agad ang balingkinitan na pangangatawan ng pinsan ko.

"Zylea!" tawag ko na ikinalingon niya sa gawi ko.

Mabilis siyang naglakad palapit sa akin at malungkot na ngumiti. Mugto ang mga mata niya at bahagya pang namumula.

Binitawan ko ang dalawang maleta at sinalubong siya ng mahigpit na yakap. Yumakap siya pabalik sa akin at malakas na humagulgol.

"Shan... si Tita, I'm sorry..."

Naninikip ang dibdib ko. We are not on good terms but I never wished that she would be encountered in an accident like this. She's still my mother and I may not be showy to her, but I still love her even though she was always controlling my whole life since daddy died.

"Nasaan si mommy?" kinakabahan na tanong ko.

"N-Nasa emergency room na. I'm sorry Shan... I should've driven more carefully..."

Niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit at hinagod-hagod ang likod. She kept blaming herself for what happened to mommy and I kept on saying that it's not her fault.

After a couple of minutes. Zylea finally stopped crying so I have a chance to ask more.

"What really happened, Zy?" I ask softly.

I pulled her to sit down in the waiting area. She dried her tears and breathed out heabily before she glanced at me.

She smiled sadly as she slowly held my hands. "Tita keep on calling me, asking me if you were with me. If you're okay and safe. She's every day asking me. Halos pigain ako ni Tita sabihin ko lang ang totoo. Shan..."

Napatitig ako sa kaniya. I never thought that my mom would do that. She never cares for me. She only cares about the company... kaya nga wala siyang oras sa akin.

Kaya okay lang din na naka-off ang phone ko dahil walang mag-aalala aside from Melissa at tsaka, sa ilang buwan halos kay Alex umikot ang mundo ko.

I sighed. "Bakit daw ba?

She shook her head. "Hindi ko alam. I kept on contacting your social media accounts yet, you deactivated. I sent you an email but you didn't respond. I can't contact you so I don't know how to say it to Tita, until..."

Zylea bowed down her head. "She fled here in the Philippines and she asked me to fetch her in the airport. I saw Tita there looking nervous and frightened. And in the middle of our way... someone car bumped on us-"

"What? Nasaan na 'yong driver? Anong dahilan?!" agap ko.

She breathed out. "The car is newly released and branded but according to the driver he didn't expect that the car's brakes were broken."

"They should check it first before driving the car!" I bursted in annoyance.

I closed my eyes tightly and I blew out a loud breath because of a bit of a furious feeling.

Zylea clasped. "The accident that happened is already under investigation... but the Humilton company is already involved in the incident since they thought the company was composing cheap quality cars for an expensive amount that caused large damages."

My eyes widened a bit. Is that the reason why when I was talking with Alexander his phone kept on ringing... oh shit! Maybe that would be the reason why his friend keeps on calling his name outside my unit.

Muli kong tinitigan si Zylea na nakatingin sa pintuan ng emergency room.

H-Hindi naman siguro mag release ng mababang kalidad ng produkto sila Alex... I've witnessed how he has worked hard working just to make sure every part of their materials is in good condition. He's a mechanical engineer and he'd been careful about their products.

And he always makes sure of the welfare of every single and tiny detail before exporting.

I licked my lips as I spoke again. "Ano sa tingin mo ang totoo?" seryosong tanong ko.

I know Zylea is good at driving too. I teached her better before. Kaya posibleng simpleng aksidente lang ang nangyari...

"Hindi ko alam, Shan. Pero parang-"

Naputol ang sinasabi niya ng biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng emergency room. Sabay kaming napatayo ni Zylea at lumapit sa doctor na kalalabas lang.

"Who's the family of the patient?"

Napatitig ako sa doktora dahil sa mahinhin niyang tinig. "I'm the daughter,"

She glanced at me and nodded. "She needs blood as soon as possible. It's type O." sambit ng doctora.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Zylea dahil type A kami pareho. "I will find-"

"I'm type O, Doc."

Sabay na napalingon ang doktora at si Zylea sa likuran dahil sa boses na umalingawngaw. Ngunit nanatili akong nakatalikod at bahagyang natulos sa kinatatayuan ng marinig ang baritono niyang tinig.

"Oh, Alexander..."

Napapikit ako ng mariin at napakuyom ang kamao ng banggitin ang doktora ang pangalan niya.