Song: Us- James Bay

Book

I don't know what has gotten into me to agree with his terms. He's Sam's father after all. For sure he knows what's best for his daughter.

I'm just her boyfriend. I don't have the right to decide for her.

I watch the people as they prepare Sam's transfer. Pagkatapos kong pumayag ay agad na kinausap ni Tito Anthony ang doktor ni Sam. He asked if it's possible to transfer her to a different hospital given her condition.

"I think it would be hard to transfer her though plane without any doctors with you. What if she became unstable or-"

"I can take care of it. I know someone who is willing to help. He's been our family doctor for a long time now." ani Tito Anthony. The doctor nodded.

"I guess... if that's what you think best then who am I to prevent you from doing that, right?" he chuckled. "Just always make sure to inform me about her condition. Overseas call can be very pricey but I'll take care of it."

Tito Anthony chuckled and he patted the doctor on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything." he smiled reassuringly at him at tsaka ako hinarap.

"Thanks for agreeing and letting me do this, son." Tipid siyang ngumiti sa akin at ganon rin ang ginawa ko.

Agad na inayos ni Tito Anthony ang lahat ng kailangan para sa paglipat ni Sam ng ospital. I think he did not even sleep from the day that he arrived just to arrange those things that are needed for her transfer. He's been traveling for almost 19 hours.

I volunteered to arrange everything but he insists. Kaya niya naman daw. The next day, I let him sleep in our apartment so he can have some good sleep. My family stays in a hotel but my mother said that she would rather stay here with me than to go back to their hotel.

Everything has been finalized three days after. And now she's bound to be transferred back to Manila. Sam's father shouldered all the expenses. My family even offered help, he was hesitant to accept it at first pero pinilit siya ni Mommy kaya sa huli ay tinanggap niya rin ito.

Tony and Ryan even offered. But sadly, they wouldn't be able to come with us to Manila. May kailangang asikasuhin si Tony sa business niya dito, habang si Ryan naman ay nagtatrabaho.

"We'll visit her once in a while. Just make sure to always call us, okay? Para alam rin namin ang nangyayari sakanya kahit na wala kami doon." Sabi ni Ryan. He smiled at me. Hinawakan niya naman ang braso ko.

"She'll wake up soon, Zach. You just need to wait." Tumango ako at hinawakan ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa braso ko.

"She will. She needs to."

I hugged them both after that and we bid to say goodbye to each other. It was Tony's business plane who will bring us back to Manila. Sam's father was really happy for all the help we offered. Ilang beses siyang nagpapasalamat sa amin.

"Wala iyon, Anthony. Sam is already a part of our family kaya handa kaming tumulong kapag kailangan." Samantha's father gratefully smiled at my father and he patted him on his shoulder.

Hinihintay nalang naming dumating dito ang ambulansya na nagdala kay Sam.

"Are you okay?" tanong sa akin ni Mommy. Hinawakan niya ako sa aking balikat.

"Yeah." I smiled a little to assure her.

Hindi siya umalis sa tabi ko hanggang sa dumating na ang ambulansya na nagdala kay Sam. Agad akong nagtungo doon upang tingnan kung maayos pa ba siya. I know I'm being paranoid but I can't help it.

Nakita ko namang kausap na ni Tito Anthony ang doktor na tinutukoy niya sa amin noon. Pinakilala niya rin kami pagkatapos.

Hindi na kami nagaksaya pa ng oras at inihanda na rin namin ang sarili para sa pag-alis. Agad akong umupo sa tabi kung saan ipinuwesto si Sam. I immediately grabbed her hand and held it.

Kahit natutulog ay hindi ko binibitawan ang kamay niya. I wake up once in a while to check on her. Minsan makikita kong magkausap si Mommy at Tito Anthony minsan naman ay makikita kong tulog ang lahat.

Isang beses pagkagising ko ay narinig kong nag-uusap ang doctor ni Sam at si Tito Anthony. Kahit na mahina ang kanilang boses ay naiintindihan ko parin ang pinag-uusapan nila. I pretended to be asleep.

"How's your health, Anthony?" the doctor asks. Tito Anthony just chuckled. I heard the doctor sighed. "You're overworking yourself again. Baka nakakalimutan mo, high blood ka. You need to rest once in a while." 

"I just can't help it, doc. Gusto ko lang talagang mailipat na si Sam. Mas gusto kong nababantayan ko rin siya."

"Naiintindin ko naman iyon... Pero hindi naman masamang magpahinga diba? Nandyan naman si Zach na pwede kang tulungan."

Minulat ko na ang mga mata ko nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko. Hindi naman nila napansin na gising ako kaya nagpatuloy sila.

"I don't know, Geraldine. Ito lang kasi ang paraan na alam ko para makabawi ako sa mga pagkukulang ko sakanya."

"Maiintindihan ka ng anak mo, Anthony. Mabait si Sam at alam kong nag-mana iyan kay Greyshel kaya wag mong masyadong isipin 'yon. Take care of your health, Anthony. Wag mong hintayin na mangyari sa'yo ang nangyari kay Greyshel."

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko parin alam ang nangyari kung bakit nawala ang mommy ni Sam. Sam failed to mention it to me.

Tito Anthony tried to laugh. "It won't. I'll make sure of it."

Nagising nalang ako muli nang maramdaman ko ang sinag ng araw na tumatama sa aking mukha. Bago ako sumilip sa bintana ng eroplano ay tiningnan ko si Sam, checking if she's still with us. I smiled and ran my fingers through my hair at tsaka sumilip sa bintana para tingnan kung malapit na ba kaming bumaba.

I can now see the familiar land of Manila. We are finally back to our hometown. It's been a while since I last came home. I can't wait to see if there are still any changes.

We managed to bring Sam to Manila safely. 'Yun nga lang, wala paring pagbabago. She's still not awake. Siguro, kailangan ko pang mag-hintay?

Sam's doctor in America figured that she's on her way to recovery since I saw her fingers moved. Kaya siguro... malapit na siyang gumising.

I can't wait, Sam... I can't wait to talk to you again. I can't wait to tell you how much I missed you and how grateful I am to see you awake. I can't wait...

When the plane landed, we immediately went to the hospital Sam is getting admitted to. Mukhang nainform na ang lahat kaya inaasahan na rin nila ang pagdating namin.

Hindi pa tuluyang nailalabas si Sam sa ambulansya ay may mga lumapit na agad na doktor at nurses. Kahit na pagod pa mula sa byahe ay hindi ko na pinansin pa iyon. What's important right now is to see if she's going to be okay here.

Tito Anthony chose the most private room here in the hospital. It's quite big but it's much better than the room she had back in the States.

Sa mga unang araw namin dito ay medyo naninibago ako. This hospital is quite far from our house kaya minsan hindi ko alam kung uuwi ba ako o hindi. We all know that traffic in Manila is crazy.

Tito Anthony is also here most of the time. Kung dati, ako lang lagi ang nagbabantay kay Sam. Ngayon, kaming dalawa na. Sometimes he'll bring his work here at dito niya gagawin. Minsan ay pinapayagan niya akong umuwi at siya naman ang magbabantay kay Sam nang mag-isa.

Pagkatapos kong umuwi ay babalik rin naman agad ako ng ospital kinabukasan. I don't know but I just don't want to leave her for a long time. I don't her out of my sight. Gusto ko oras-oras ko siyang nakikita at nababantayan.

When I reached her room, I was surprised to see Caitlyn. Hindi ko alam na bibisita pala siya ngayon.

"Hey..." bati ko sakanya. Isinara ko naman ang pinto at tsaka nilapag ang dalang pagkain. "I didn't know you were coming."

Buti nalang rin at sobra ang pinadala na pagkain sa akin ni Mommy. Para sa aming dalawa lang sana ni Tito Anthony iyon pero hindi ko rin naman inaasahan na dadating si Caitlyn.

"Ah, Dad had to run some errands. He asked me to be here to check on her." tumango ako.

Caitlyn is one of the few people who knows about what happened. I asked Ryan to tell her since she's one of the most important people in Sam's life. Isa rin siya sa mga tumulong na wag ipakalat ang balita tungkol sa nangyari.

"Okay... kumain ka na ba?"

"Sige, Kuya. Okay lang, I'm fine here."

Umupo siya sa silya na nasa tabi ng kama ni Sam. May hawak siyang libro at nang binuksan niya ito ay tsaka ko lang napansin na iyon ang paboritong libro ni Sam.

I've seen her read that book a lot of times. Parang hindi siya nag-sasawa na basahin iyon ng paulit-ulit.

Binaling muli ni Caitlyn ang tingin sa akin nang mapansin ang paninitig ko sa librong hawak niya. Now I miss seeing Sam holding that book in her hands.

I heard Caitlyn scoff at tiningnan rin ang librong hawak niya. "It's ate's favorite."

Tumango ako. "I know... she has three copies of that book in our apartment."

Caitlyn smiled. Bakas rin sa mukha niya ang pagkamangha.

"Really? I didn't know she was really serious when she said that she's obsessed with this book."

"Yeah. She reads that over and over again. She can't get enough of it."

Caitlyn nodded. "I brought it here because I just thought that maybe, she misses reading her favorite book. Babasahin ko sana para sakanya."

Ngumiti ako. I bet she does.

"Go ahead. I don't mind."

Tumango siya at binuksan nang muli ang librong hawak. She started reading the book for Sam. Hindi ko maiwasan na hindi makinig. I'm trying to figure out why she loves this book so much.

Maybe I'll buy her a brand-new copy of To Kill A Mockingbird when she wakes up. I'm sure she's going to be so happy.

I sighed. I miss her so much and I just can't to see her open her eyes again.