CHAPTER 22

UNTI-UNTING nagmulat ng mga mata si Happy at napatitig sa kisame. Kumunot ang noo niya habang pinapakiramdaman ang kapaligiran at sarili. She was in her room and an IV fluid was still connected to her wrist. She was not naked and there was no Blaze in her room.

Lalong lumalim ang gatla sa noo niya. What happened?

"Princess? Are you awake? Are you okay? How are you feeling?" It was her dad and he had tears in his eyes. "Oh, my God, princess..." Hinawakan ng ama niya ang kamay niya, saka humagulhol. "My princess... Thank God... thank you... thank you so much."

Umangat ang kamay niya para haplusin ang basang pisngi ng ama at namamalat ang boses na nagsalita. "W-what happened?"

Humigpit ang hawak ng ama sa kamay niya. "Don't you remember what happened?"

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "The bodyguard you told me... it was Blaze, and his face was clean. And you forced me to marry Blaze and we came back to my room, and we kissed and..." She tried to remember harder but nothing. "T-that's all."

Her father face darkened. "Why would I force you to marry a man who have hurt you?"

Umiling siya. "I, ahm, I don't know? For my safety?"

"I can keep you safe, princess. I don't need anyone's help."

"Then where is Blaze?" hanap niya sa lalaki.

Bumuntong-hininga ang ama niya. "In the Philippines, I guess? There was no Blaze, princess. Hindi nangyari ang ikinuwento mo sa akin."

Now she was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You fell into coma. For a week now."

Her lips parted in shock. "W-what?"

"Yes. And I guess Blaze was in your... dream?"

Hindi niya alam kung bakit nag-uunahan ang luha na kumawala sa mga mata niya. "So my mind just made it all up?" Mapakla siyang natawa. "That's why I was so happy and I accepted him so fast because it wasn't real? Am I going crazy, Daddy?"

Agad na umiling ang ama niya. "No, of course not, princess. Naaalala mo ba noong kagigising mo pa lang din sa coma, you told me about your dreams, that we're together and playing and just being happy together."

Her eyes watered. "Because I was sad in reality before my coma," she whispered. "Because you left me when I was a kid and you didn't play with me because you were busy mourning Mom."

Yes, she remembered that. And a doctor told her that it was her mind showing her what she wanted to see... what she yearned the most.

But it was just a dream. Just like marrying and being with Blaze.

A dream.

A tear fell from his father's eyes. "And I'm sorry about that, princess. Bumabawi naman ako. I'm being a good dad."

Tumango siya. "I know, Dad."

Hinalikan nito ang likod ng kamay niya. "You seem okay now? I was so worried."

Pinag-aralan niya ang mukha ng ama. "You haven't slept."

Tumawa lang ito. "My princess is in coma again. I am not leaving you. Never. Never again, princess. Never. I will not fail you again. You can always count on Daddy, okay?"

Happy slowly nodded. "What happened to me, Daddy? What was my last real memory?"

"You got shot," sabi nito. "King got to you on time and we patch you up, then I asked you to have a matching tattoos with me."

"Y-yeah... I remember that..." Now she was seeing a moving picture in her mind. "And a tattoo artist came to the house and inked my skin."

"Yes." Her father smiled. "You were very brave, princess, while Daddy chickened out."

She remembered that too. "And?"

"And you got shot again."

Sa sinabi ng ama, sunod-sunod na may pumasok na memorya sa isip niya.

Pinasok ang bahay nila. It was an inside job. One of their maids opened their house to those bad men. Dapat ang ama niya ang mababaril habang nasa sala sila. Pinapagalitan niya ito dahil hindi naman ito nagpa-tattoo pero humarang siya.

And King was busy fighting other men to see what was happening.

Happy couldn't believe what she was seeing in her mind. What was replaying in her mind over and over again?

"And after that, I went into coma?" tanong niya.

Tumango ang ama niya na namumula ang mga mata sa pinaghalo sigurong pagod, puyat at pag-iyak. "Yes. For a week now. The doctor said that you lost too much blood that's why, but the bullet didn't hit any important parts of your body. I'm sorry, princess. Ako dapat ang magpoprotekta sa iyo, hindi ikaw. Why did you do that? Why did you take the bullet for me?"

She smiled. "Because I love my dad."

Her father's eyes watered. "Stop fooling your old man, I know you just want me to owe you so I'll stop gambling," biro nito.

Mahina siyang natawa. "That too."

Napailing ang ama niya, saka tinitigan siya. "Your dream... is that what you want, princess? I can make it happen, but I don't have to like it."

Umiling siya. "That Happy in my dream wasn't me. That Happy doesn't just like Blaze, she loves him. And yes, I missed Blaze but I don't think welcoming him to my life again will be that easy."

Napatango-tango ang ama niya at hinalikan siya, saka nagpaalam na. "I'll call the doctors, tell them you're awake."

Tumango siya at napatitig sa kisame.

Hindi niya napigilan ang pagdaloy ng napanaginipan niya sa isip niya. Hindi pa rin niya maintindihan kung bakit 'yon ang laman ng isip niya habang wala siyang malay.

Maybe because that was what she wanted subconsciously? Was that it? She even wanted to had sex with him.

Am I really that desperate to be with him?

Napatingin siya uli sa pinto ng magsipasukan ang mga doktor doon at sinuri siya.

Tahimik lang siya at sumasagot kung may kailangan at tanong sa kanya. Nang matapos siyang suriin, sa labas ng kuwarto niya kinausap ng mga doktor ang ama niya at tanging si King ang naiwan sa loob.

Umupo ito sa gilid ng kama niya, saka nginitian siya. "Young Miss, how are you feeling? You made me worried."

"My body is aching," sabi niya na nakangiwi.

Mahinang natawa si King. "That's normal, you got shot. I'm thankful that you're still alive. Master Dominick, he was in so much pain while watching you unconscious."

Agad siyang naawa sa ama niya. "It must have been hard for him... seeing me like that again."

"It was," sabi ni King, saka hinawakan ang kamay niya. "Get well soon, Young Miss. And please tell Master Dominick to sleep, he needs it."

Tumango siya. "Thank you, King. I'm sure you have taken care of my father as hard and as much as you could."

Tumango si King bago nagpaalam na aalis na. Tamang-tama naman na pumasok ang ama niya.

"Anong say ng doctors?" tanong niya.

Ngumiti ito, saka umupo sa gilid ng kama bago sumagot. "They said you're fine but... no hazardous activities. It can do something to your body."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "My body? Ano naman ang mangyayari? I have a healthy body before this happened, Dad."

"Of course." Ngumiti ang ama niya, saka nag-iwas ng tingin. "Your body will be just fine."

"I'll be fine, Daddy. Now sleep."

"Princess—"

"Please? Okay na ako. King can take care of me," pamimilit niya.

"He better be," sabi ng ama niya na parang may pagbabanta. "He's your new bodyguard and he better takes care of you or I'll kill him."

Napakurap-kurap siya. "My bodyguard?"

In her dream it was Blaze.

"Yes. He's my most trusted person and I'm sure he can protect you with his life." Hinalikan siya ng ama sa noo. "Rest, princess. I'll rest too."

Tumango siya, saka pinagmasdan ang ama niyang naglalakad palabas ng kuwarto. At pagkalipas ng ilang ninuto, pumasok uli si King at naupo sa gilid ng kama.

Nakipagkuwentuhan ito sa kanya sa mga simpleng bagay dahil bawal pa raw siyang bumalik sa pagtulog. Hanggang sa bumigat ang talukap ng mga mata niya at nakatulog na siya.

WHEN HAPPY woke up again, she was feeling better. King and her dad were there to support her. And as days passed, King became her butler. Hindi na ang ama niya ang pinagsisilbihan nito, parang siya na.

King's attention changed. He still did what her father would say but he would always put her first.

Just like now, her father asked King to make him coffee and she asked King to make her pancake.

Guess what he did first? My pancake.

Mahina siyang natawa nang makitang sumimangot ang ama niya, kapagkuwan ay napangiti rin nang tumingin sa kanya.

"Feeling okay, princess?"

Tumango siya. "It's been a week since I woke up. I can walk now."

"Thank God for that."

Ngumiti siya, saka agad na kinain ang pancake na katatapos pa lang lutuin ni King para sa kanya.

"Why are you being like this, King, huh?" Nagtatampo ang boses ng ama niya. "How could you do this to me? I am your master."

"Not anymore," sabi ni King habang gumagawa ng kape. "I worked for the Young Miss now."

"I'm mad at you," pagdadrama ng ama niya.

Sa halip na pansinin ito ni King, may ibinulong sa kanya ang lalaki. "Your father was in the casino last night."

Agad na sumama ang tingin niya sa ama. "Dad! Gambling again?!"

Agad na tumalilis ng alis ang ama niya nang maibigay rito ni King ang kape.

Napailing siya. "My father is like a big baby."

Natigilan siya bigla sa sinabi. Big baby. She knew someone who was also a big baby.

Blaze.

And in her dream... his tattoo. It was gone.

Marahas niyang ipinilig ang ulo. It wasn't real. It was just a dream.

Huminga si Happy nang malalim, saka inubos ang pancake bago nagpaalam kay King na babalik na sa kuwarto niya.

And King being King, he followed her up to the bottom of the staircase and he carried her to the top of the stairs.

Napangiti na lang siya, saka naglakad papasok sa kuwarto niya at ini-lock 'yon.

Her father, King and the doctors had been in and out of her room while she was recovering, she didn't have the time to check Midnight's flash drive.

It had been more than three months now.

Maingat siyang umupo sa study table, saka binuksan ang laptop. Dahil naka-insert pa naman sa USB port ang flash drive, agad niyang binuksan iyon. Napakurap-kurap siya, saka kumunot ang noo nang makitang wala pa ring laman 'yon.

"But it's been three months since last week..." she whispered in shock.

Was Midnight lying? No! Midnight wouldn't lie to her like this!

Did someone delete the file? 'Yon lang ang maisip niyang dahilan. Pero sino? Kapag nasa kuwarto niya ang mga doktor, kasama palagi ang dad niya o si King. Maliban sa dalawang lalaki sa bahay na 'yon, wala nang nakakapasok sa kuwarto niya.

"No..." Napailing siya. "Bakit naman buburahin ni Dad o ni King ang laman ng flash drive ni Midnight?" Malakas siyang bumuga ng marahas na hininga.

What happened here?

Tumayo siya, saka maingat na naglakad palabas ng kuwarto, hinahanap ang ama niya na natagpuan niya sa sala kausap si King.

"Dad," kuha niya sa atensiyon ng ama.

"Princess..." Agad itong ngumiti sa kanya. "What is it?"

"The flash drive that was inserted in my laptop before I went into coma," sabi niya. "Pinakialaman mo ba?"

Kumunot ang noo ng ama niya. "No. I didn't." Tumingin ito kay King. "You? Did you use her laptop?"

Agad na umiling si King. "Why would I do that? I have my own laptop."

Ibinalik ng ama niya ang tingin sa kanya, saka nagkibit-balikat. "We didn't. Why? Is something missing?"

Umiling siya. "Nothing... ahm... maybe Midnight was just kidding around."

"Oh. Okay. Rest now, princess," sabi ng ama niya. "You need it."

Tumango si Happy, saka bumalik sa kuwarto niya at iniwan ang dalawa sa sala. Nang makapasok sa kuwarto, nilapitan niya ang cell phone na nasa bedside table at nagtaka nang may natanggap siyang voice recording file galing sa isang hindi kilala numero.

Agad niyang pinakinggan 'yon at nasapo niya ang bibig nang mapagsino ang may-ari ng boses na 'yon.

"Hey, Happy. So ahm, I only have a minute. This is an automated voice recording made to be sent to you if a situation like this happens. If you're hearing this, then that means either you deleted the file in my flash drive or someone did. If you didn't...." Midnight paused. "Then someone doesn't want you to see it. And I'm so sorry. I should have told you about this sooner, but my orders... they were clear. They will kill me if I ever say anything to you. But don't worry, I have a back-up plan if you are not the one who deleted the file. I left my phone on the Vitale's mansion, the file that was deleted was there. I hope you're in a better place, Happ. I love you, lil' sis. Always will."

The voice recording ended, and she was confused.

Midnight and his orders. At ano ba ang laman ng flash drive nito na may taong ayaw iyong makita niya?

Midnight wasn't kidding around. He did have a file in that flash drive and someone deleted it.

Was it an inside job too?

And now she had to get Midnight's phone.

I have to go back to the Philippines.

Mabilis siyang lumabas ng kuwarto at binalikan ang ama sa sala kung saan nakikipag-argumento into kay King kung anong masarap na pagkain para sa pananghalian nila.

Napailing na lang siya. Her father was such a baby sometimes.

"Dad, I want to go back to the Philippines. Now," agad niyang sabi, walang paligoy-ligoy.

Napatigil ito sa pakikipag-argumento kay King at gulat at kunot ang noo na tumingin sa kanya. "Why so sudden?"

"I wanna see Lucky. I wanna make sure she's okay." That was partly her reason. She really wanted to see Lucky. "Please, Daddy? My little sister needs me now."

"But you're still healing." Umiling ang ama niya. "No. Give it one more week of rest and I'll let you go. But not in your state right now. I can't risk you falling into coma again. Please, princess? Can't you go back to the Philippines next week? And bring King with you. Don't argue. He is your bodyguard and someone is still trying to kidnap you so... you need King."

Agad siyang tumango at pumayag sa gusto ng ama.

"Good. Now, what do you want for lunch?"

Happy smiled. "Steak."

Her dad smiled and looked at King. "Well, you heard the lady. Steak it is."

King sighed heavily. "Then I shall tell the chef," sabi nito bago naglakad patungo sa kusina.

Siya naman ay akmang babalik na sa kuwarto niya nang tumayo ang ama niya at niyakap siya nang masuyo. Hinalikan siya nito sa noo, saka hinagod ang likod niya.

"I don't like you going back to the Philippines, princess."

Happy pulled away from her father's embrace before looking at him. "Daddy, I'll be fine. Saka kasama ko naman si King."

"I'm still worried."

"I know, but I'll be fine, okay? I want to see Lucky and check if she's really okay." And of course, Midnight's phone. "Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."

"Fine..." Her dad sighed. "But remember, wherever you go, always remember that Daddy loves you more than anything." Sinapo nito ang pisngi niya, saka nginitian siya. "I will and can do everything for you because you're worth it. For me, you are priceless, irreplaceable, so don't endanger yourself while you're away from me, okay? I don't know what I'll do if I lost you so be careful.

"And you, going back to the Philippines means you'll see Blaze again. As much as I want you to be happy, I also doesn't want you to get hurt because of him again. And as I always say to you, do not adjust to people who will not adjust for you. Don't let anyone use you in any way. You have your own mind for a reason, okay? Keep that in mind and you'll be fine when you see Blaze again. He hurt you, princess, so please, listen to Daddy, don't be with him. I'm still mad at him for making you cry like that. My anger might be shallow to you, but I am a parent, princess, your Dad, and I hate seeing you hurt. So, promise me, don't let him hurt you again."

Ngumiti siya, saka tumango. "I promise. Hindi naman ako babalik for him. I have my other reason."

"And your dream?" biglang paalala sa kanya ng ama niya. "I asked someone, a doctor, and she said that your dream was what you subconsciously want."

Happy took a deep breath and smiled. "Yes, Daddy, I still like Blaze. Hindi ko siya nakalimutan, but I know what I want, Dad. I know what I deserve and if Blaze can't give me that then I will not be with him. That's a promise."

"And if he can give you what you deserve?"

She smiled. "I don't know... maybe it'll be the first promise that I made to you that I will break. Pero I'll tell you if that happens. Hindi ako magki-keep ng secret sa iyo."

"This man, Blaze..." His father tsked. "He will woo you. Be strong, okay? Don't be a softie. Huwag basta-basta magpapadala sa matatamis na salita. Lalaki ako kaya alam ko 'yan at makinig ka sa akin."

Tumango siya. "Thank you, Daddy."

Her dad kissed her forehead again. "You're always welcome, my princess."

Nginitian niya ang ama at niyakap. Masaya siya at ito ang naging daddy niya. Mapagmahal at maalalahanin.

Her dad might not be perfect but he had his great moments. And one of them was raising her to be an independent and strong woman.

KAUUWI LANG ni Blaze nang mabungaran niya si Lucky sa sala habang hawak ang cell phone nito. May masaya itong ngiti sa mga labi habang kumakanta pa nang mahina.

Blaze chuckled. "Someone looks happy in the morning."

Lucky grinned at him. "And you look like hell."

He shrugged. "I just finished a sixteen-hour duty. Excuse me if I look like hell."

Lucky tsked. "Sarcasm... sarcasm..."

Napailing siya. "Bakit mukhang ang saya mo? Bati na kayo ng kakambal ko? Okay na siya sa pagbubuntis mo?"

"Of course. Blakey-baby understands."

"Okay." He yawned. "I'm going to sleep."

Nasa hagdanan na siya nang magsalita uli si Lucky.

"Ate called me."

Napatigil si Blaze sa paghakbang at mabilis na humarap kay Lucky. "What did she say?"

Lucky was grinning from ear to ear. "She said she's coming back."

His eyes widened. "Here?"

Tumango si Lucky. "Yes. She'll be here next week. She's worried of my pregnancy just like Blakey."

Blaze didn't know what to say. He would see Happy again.

After three months.

My Happiness.

"But she's not back for you." Of course, Lucky was not Lucky if she was not savagely honest. "She even told me that Dad made her promise not to be with you and she promised."

His heart actually sunk. "I get it."

Tumango si Lucky. "Blaze?"

"Yes?"

"Huwag mong landiin ang ate ko kung hindi ka pa tuluyang nakaka-move on, okay?" pakiusap nito. "Naiintindihan kita pero ayokong masaktan na naman siya. Kung nandiyan pa si Cassie sa puso mo, hayaan mo na lang ang kapatid ko. Isang linggo lang naman siya rito. Kaysa naman magkasakitan na naman kayo uli."

Blaze nodded earnestly nodded. "Duly noted."

Lucky smiled at him. "Salamat."

Nang makaalis si Lucky sa harap niya, tuluyan na siyang umakyat sa ikalawang palapag at tinungo ang kuwarto niya.

Hindi mawala sa isip niya ang pakiusap sa kanya ni Lucky.

Hinubad niya ang pang-itaas na damit, saka itinapon iyon sa ibabaw ng kama bago humarap sa salamin niya sa banyo.

Blaze stared at his face in the mirror.

His ink-free face.

Well... I've moved on.

CECELIB | C.C.