“Eloise…”
I whispered as I saw Eloise standing by the door Nurse Bia just opened.

Her eyes landed on Reverie first, before landing on mine. She smiled timidly and uttered,

“Gusto sana kitang makausap, Finn.”
Tumingin ako kay Reverie at nakitang seryoso lang siyang nakatingin kay Eloise.
Why did she appear now of all times?
Reverie just woke up and isa pa talaga si Eloise sa mga nauna  niyang nakita sa paggising.

“I told you already, Eloise. Wala na tayong dapat pag-usapan pa,” sabi ko sa kaniya, ni hindi ko man lang siya binigyan ng tingin nang sinabi ko iyon.

“Please, Finn. Ito na ang huling beses na makikiusap ako sayong kausapin mo ako kahit sandali lang. After that, hindi na ako magpapakita sa ‘yo,” halos nagmamakaawa niyang sabi sa akin.

Reverie then looked at me and gave me a small smile, as if she was urging me to finally give Eloise a chance xto talk to me.
Bumuntong hininga ako at saka tiningnan na si Eloise, at nang nagtagpo na ang mga mata namin ay nakita ko sa mga mata niyang nakikiusap ito, pero may halo itong… takot?

“Please, Finn?”
muli niyang pakiusap sa akin.

“Fine,” I finally said. I saw her eyes lift up after hearing what I said.

“Then—”
“But let’s not talk now. I’ll  just ask Nurse Bia to get you soon once it’s time for us to talk,” I said, cutting her off from what she was going to say.
Unti-unti siyang tumango nang narinig niya ang sinabi ko at saka nagsalita, “Okay.”
Tipid siyang ngumiti ulit sa amin at saka muling nagsalita,

“Nasa room 305 lang ako. Ako rin kasi nagbabantay sa mama kong naka-admit dito.”
Bigla kong naalala ang araw na nakita ko siya rito sa pag-aakalang sinundan niya ako rito para lang makausap ako.

Akala ko gawa-gawa niya lang iyon para kunyaring hindi niya alam na nandito kami.
‘Yon pala, totoo na nandito rin yung mama niya.

I saw Reverie flinched as Eloise mentioned her mother, at pansin kong nakita rin ni Eloise ‘yon.

“Then, I will take my leave now,” saad ni Eloise.

I simpy nodded and didn’t say another word.
Tatalikod na sana si Eloise nang bigla siyang napatigil at muling tumingin sa akin.
“I’ll be waiting, Finn,” usal niya at saka tuluyan nang tumalikod.

Bago siya tuluyang umalis ay nakita kong tumingin siya kay Nurse Bia at saka ngumiti. May sinabi ito na hindi ko na narinig, nakita kong hindi na rin sumagot si Nurse Bia sa kaniya at saka tumango lamang.
Pagkatapos noon ay tuluyan nang umalis si Eloise sa room namin at isasara na sana ni Nurse Bia ang pintuan nang muli namang dumating si Mama.

“Sorry, anak. Natagalan ako sa pakikipag-usap sa papa at kapatid mo,” sabi niya at saka tuluyang pumasok, at halos nanlaki ang mata niya nang nang nakitang wala na ako sa higaan ko at nasa tabi na ni Reverie.

Unti-unti siyang lumapit sa kinaroroonan ko at saka nagsalita,

“Anak! Bakit ka nandyan? Bakit hindi ka nakahiga sa kama mo—”
Tuluyan nang natigil si mama sa pagsasalita nang nakita niyang gising pala si Reverie.

“Oh…” my mother trailed off, still looking at Reverie with baffled eyes.
“Uh, hello po. Tita,” Reverie awkwardly greeted her with a timid smile.

“I-it’s nice to meet you, hija. I’m glad you’re awake,” sabi naman ni mama sa kaniya at saka sinuklian siya ng ngiti.

After that, an awkward silence engulfed the whole room.
“Uh, ma’am, sir, tawagin ko po muna si Doctor Miranda. Excuse me po,” sabi ni Nurse Bia. Tumango naman ako bilang sagot.
Pagkatapos noon ay lumabas na si Nurse Bia para tawagin si Doctor Miranda.
Bumuntong hininga ako at saka tumingin kay Reverie na tahimik lang na nakahiga sa kama niya.

“Reverie…” I called her.
Tumingin naman siya sa akin kaagad at saka hinawakan ang kamay ko.

“Finn?”
I smiled at her, and was about to speak when my mom suddenly interrupted the two of us.

“Anak…” mahina niyang pagtawag sa akin.
Tumingin naman ako sa kaniya, at kasabay noon ay ang paghawak ko sa kamay ni Reverie.

“Ang ama’t kapatid mo, they said they wanted to meet you as soon as possbible, kaya papunta sila dito ngayon… “ she trailed off, as if she’s waiting for me to say something.
But I remained silent, and gave her a nod as a sign for her to continue what she was about to say.

“Okay lang ba sayo, anak?” she finally asked.
To be honest, everything is just too sudden.
The father who didn’t care about me and my brother who I haven’t saw in a long time, suddenly wanted to meet me.
I wouldn’t want to meet them now.
But considering the fact that I don’t have much time left leaves me no choice but to meet them now.

“It’s okay, ma,” I assured her and gave her a smile.

While I still have the courage to face them, then I should, instead of letting my courage slip away.
Napangiti naman si mama nang narinig niya ang sagot ko, pero kahit ganoon ay kita ko pa rin sa mga mata niya na nag-aalala siya para sa akin.
Dahil doon, hinawakan ko ang kamay niya gamit ang isang kamay ko at saka piniga iyon para mas mapanatag ang loob niya na ayos lang sa akin ito.
Pagkatapos noon ay unti unting nabawasan ang pangamba sa mga mata niya.

“Sige, anak. Basta sabihan mo ako kaagad kung sumasama yung pakiramdam mo, ha?”

“Opo, ma,” I answered immediately.
Pagkatapos noon ay dumating si Nurse Bia kasama si Doctor Miranda, at pagkatapos noon ay chineck niya na muli ang kalagayan ni Reverie.
Habang chine-check ni Doctor Miranda ang kondisyon ni Reverie ay inalalayan naman ako ni mama pabalik sa kama ko.

Hindi ko pa sana gustong umalis sa tabi niya, but I needed to leave so that Doctor Miranda can check her properly.

Nang nakaupo na ako sa kama ko ay inayos naman ni mama yung posisyon ko para maging komportable ako.

“Thank you, ma.” I smiled. It’s been so long since mom has taken care of me.

Ngumiti naman siya pabalik at saka umupo na sa upuang nasa tabi ng kama ko.

“Finn, anak. Sino pala yung… Babae na lumabas ng room dito kanina?” mom asked slowly.

She looked at me intently as she asked me that question.
Napabunting hininga naman ako at saka sumagot,
“She’s someone… I used to know.”

Umiwas ako ng tingin nang nakitang parang nagdududa pa siya sa akin.
Napansin niya sigurong hindi ako komportable, kung kaya’y nanatili na lang siyang tahimik at hindi na muling nagsalita.

“Call for me if you notice anything,” rinig kong sabi ni Doctor Miranda kay Nurse Roy na dumating kasunod ni Doctor Miranda kanina.

“Yes po, Doc.”
Pagkatapos noon ay lumabas na si Doctor Miranda. Kung kaya’y dali-dali akong tumingin sa kinaroroonan ni Reverie at nakitang napatingin din siya sa kinaroroonan ko.

“Reverie…”
She smiled weakly and uttered,
“After you settle everything… let’s talk, okay?”
Bumigat naman ang puso ko nang narinig ko ang sinabi niya.
Even though she knows that we… I possibly don’t have much time left, she chose to let me finish the things I need to do first.

Why is she still nice, despite the world being cruel to her?
Because of that, I could not help but love her more.
I slowly nodded and gave her a smile, assuring her that everything will be done soon and that we can get to talk after everything.
And right after that, we heard a knock from the door.
Akmang pupuntahan sana ni Nurse Bia iyon para buksan, nang pinigilan siya ni mama, gesturing her that she’d be the one to open the door.
Tumango naman si Nurse Bia at tumabi.

“Ma, sila na ba iyan?” I asked her.

“Oo, anak. Sandali, pagbuksan ko lang sila,” she uttered and stood up to get the door.

Ramdam ko ang unti unting pagtibok ng malakas ng puso ko sa bawat hakbang ni mama papunta sa pintuan. At nang tuluyang na siyang nasa harap ng pintuan, everything seemed to slow down.
Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan ang pintuan, at nang tuluyan nang bumukas ang pintuan ay ramdam ko ang pagpigil ng hininga ko nang nakita ko ang kakambal kong kamukhang kamukha ko at… ang ama ko.
Pinapasok na sila ni mama sa loob ng kwarta at ginabayan papunta sa higaan ko.
Nakita ko namang napasulyap si papa sa kabilang higaan at ang kakaiba niyang tingin doon.

“I told them a lot of times—”

“Please, no,” mahina pero madiing sabi ni mama kay papa, hindi niya na pinatuloy ito sa dapat niyang sabihin.

Napabuntong hininga na lamang si papa at saka doon na siya napatingin nang tuluyan sa akin.
And when our eyes met, ramdam ko ang pagbigat ng puso ko at saka ng paghinga ko, pero sinubukan kong labanan ang nararamdaman ko dahil hindi ko na gustong ipagpaliban pa ‘to.

“Finn,” pagkatawag ni papa sa akin. He maintained a serious face while looking at me, while Flynn on the other hand remained silent.
Pero nang nagtagpo ang mga mata namin ng kakambal kong si Flynn ay ngumiti ito ng marahan at saka tumango. Sinuklian ko lamang ito ng tipid na ngiti.

“Finn… I know I didn’t contact you for months despite knowing about your condition…” he cleared his throat and sighed deeply before he continued, “and I’m truly sorry. I’ve been a bad father, and I want to make up for it by being… here with you.”

Nanatili akong tahimik habang tinitingnan siya ng mariin.

“And as for me,” biglang sabi ni Flynn. Even his voice sounds like me, but a bit younger.

“I didn’t know your condition was… bad. Akala ko normal na sakit lang, that’s why I—I just… I’m sorry,” sabi naman ni Flynn.

Sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ako na totoong humihingi sila ng patawad o ginagawa lang nila ito dahil alam nilang nasa bingit na ako ng kamatayan.
Pero kahit may pagdududa, pipiliin ko pa ring maniwala.
Dahil sa kabila ng lahat ng nangyari, alam kong may parte pa rin sa kanila na minahal talaga ako.
Si papa, bilang anak.
Si Flynn, bilang kapatid.
Napatingin naman ako kay mama na nasa tabi ni papa, at nakitang nakatingin siya sa akin ng may bahid na pag-alala.
Unti-unti akong ngumiti, at saka tumango sa kanila.

“Okay,” sagot ko naman sa kanila.
“Let’s spend the rest of my days together,” dugtong ko naman.

Flynn smirked as he heard what I said, and nodded in return.
My father, on the other hand, only smiled a little, but I can see his eyes lit up.
And my mom smiled beautifully while her eyes glinted because of the tears.

“Thank you, son. Thank you,” sabi ni papa.

Because of that, I opened my arms, asking them for a hug.
Though my dad and twin hesitated, my mom dragged them both to embrace me.
And with that, the family that I thought didn’t have the chance to be the same as before, finally started to be okay. Bit by bit.
Pagkatapos ng pag-uusap namin, I asked them to leave the room for a bit, which they granted immediately even though they still wanted to stay for a while.

I wanted to give Reverie and I some privacy. Afterall, we didn’t get to talk for days. And God knows how much I want to embrace her in my arms.
Nurse Roy guided me to walk to Reverie’s bed, and when I arrived, Nurse Bia and him gave the two of us some space to talk privately, which I am thankful for. I looked at Reverie, and she immediately met my eyes. Her eyes wich glows, even though she’s suffering as I am.

“I’m so happy for you,” she said, but her voice cracked.
I smiled at her and held her hand tightly.

“I know even though you don’t talk about your family that much, you still wanted to be with them as much as you wanted to be with me. “
I can feel the tears forming from my eyes as I heard the words she uttered.
She read me too well.

“That’s why seeing you all hugging each other earlier made me happy for you, Finn. I’m happy that you get the chance to be with your family this time before—”

“Shhh,” I cut her off.
I didn’t want to hear what she wanted to say because it hurts me to think that I don’t have much time left.
Niyakap ko siya at saka mahinang hinaplos ang likod niya.

“Reverie…” I called her name while embracing her.

I wonder how many times will I get to hug her like this again? Thinking that I don’t know exactly how much time I have left.

“Finn,” she called my name as her voice trembled.

“I love you,” I slowly, but firmly said.
“I love you. I love you. I love you… so much.”
Ilang beses ko itong sinabi, at narinig ko namang napahikbi si Reverie dahil doon.

“Always remember that I love you, okay?” I whispered on her ear, and tightened my embrace.

“I love you too, Finn. I love you too,” mahina niyang sabi.
A smile crept my lips as I heard her say those words.

“I will always be with you Finn, until and after my last breath.”
I will always love you even if death will separate the two of us, Reverie.

“And I will always be with you until my last breath, and even in the afterlife, Rev.”

And that was the warmest feeling I’ve ever been in my entire life, with Reverie in my arms.