Gerald walked briskly towards Kim’s room number. His tears started to fall again. Hindi niya alam kung papaano niya ipapaliwanag sa asawa niya ang maaaring mangyari sa kanya. When he reached the door, he breathed heavily and slowly turned the knob.

His head went in first to check on his wife. He saw her staring on nothing with puffy eyes and nose as red as tomato. Then he opened the door wide to accommodate his whole body inside. That caused Kim to look on her right and see her husband who seemed deprived for sleep and food.

He swallowed hard as he walked towards her. Kim continued her gaze on her husband’s ayes and tears started to fall all over again.

When he reached her, he held both her hands and neared it on his lips, he, as well as Kim started to cry hard. No one speaks, looking on each other’s eyes feeling the pain inside.

After gathering enough courage, Kim was the first to be able to speak. “I guess, alam mo na ang lahat.” She said in between sobs

He nodded and continued crying, tightened his grip on both her hands. “Mahal na mahal kita Kim…….. Sa—sana a—ko na lang. Bakit sa yo pa nangyari to? Baaaa---kiiiit?” he can’t control his emotions anymore he was crying hard and mad at the same time.

“Mahal na mahal kita Ge. Mahal na mahal ko kayo ng magiging anak natin…. (long silence) “Alam kong mahal na mahal mo ako pati ang anak natin. And………………….. And I want you to promise me something............... Please…………………….… Please do everything to save the life of our little princess………….. Please don’t let anything happen to her….. I love her so much and I can’t afford to lose her. I might as well die pag nawala siya. Please baby…. ”

Parang binuhusan ng karayom si Gerald when he heard his wife.

 (Save the baby? Save the baby? Dear God!!!… Hindi po ako masamang ama. Alam niyong mahal na mahal ko ang anak namin. But I love my wife more than anything else. I love her more than my own life. Bakit ang mag ina ko pa? Bakit kailangan ko pang mamili sa kanila? Bakit? Sana ako na lang! Matatanggap ko lahat ng sakit kahit buhay ko pa ang kapalit maging ligtas lang sila pareho. This isn’t the life Ive seen on my future. Ang liwa liwanag ng mga pangarap ko for my family pero bakit kailangan pang mangyari to? I know you have other plans for us kaya mo binigay tong pagsubok na to. Sa pagkakaalam ko, challenges are made to make something better…. Pero ito? Lord… please make her understand. I entrust my little angel to you, please let her know that I love her so much and I love her mom so much too.)

He gathered courage and finally gave in “Kim, mahal na mahal ko kayo ng anak natin. Ayoko mang mamili between the two of you but I don’t have any other choice. I love you so much. I love you more than anything else.”

She pulled out her hands from his “What do you mean? You’ll kill our baby? Ha?? Ganun ba ang gusto mong mangyari”

“Kim, mahal na mahal kita. Mahal na mahal. Alam mong mahal ko rin ang anak natin pero hindi ko kayang mawala ka sa buhay ko. Hin----diii ko kaaa----yaaaa” he cried hard

“Ge..... Pahiram lang sa tin ang buhay. Lahat tayo mamamatay. Sa buhay na pinahiram sa kin ng Diyos, naranasan ko na ang maraming bagay…. Naranasan kong maging masaya ng sobra, dumaan sa pagsubok at madami na kong napatunayan. Gusto kong maranasan rin ng anak natin yun.”

“Kim, pag gumaling ka na sa sakit mo, we can still have another one.”

“Ge pano kung hindi na?”

“Kim, okay lang sa akin kahit hindi mo ako mabigyan ng isa pa basta magkasama tayo.. Habambuhay..”

“ Gerald! Ganyan ka ba talaga ka selfish? ….. Kakayanin ba ng konsensya mong patayin ang sarili mong anak?”

“Kim I am left with no choice!!! Kung nahihirapan ka mas nasasaktan ako!!!” He was fuming mad and can’t control his emotions anymore “Kung pwede lang sanang isalin mo na lang sakin lahat ng sakit mo para maging ligtas kayo ng anak natin gagawin ko. Sana nga ako na lang yung nagkasakit para hindi ako namimili sa inyong dalawa. Kim, masakit para sa akin na masira ang pamilyang binubuo ko. Pero mahal na mahal kita. Hindi ko kayang mawala ka. “

“Gerald, Masaya na ako sa naging buhay ko dito. Hindi pa nabubuhay ang anak natin, papataynin na agad? Pag nawala ang anak ko parang namatay na rin ako. Para sa isang inang katulad ko, isusuko ko ang lahat para sa ikabubuti ng anak ko. Kahit buhay ko pa ang kapalit… Kahit buhay ko pa… If you let her die, I might as well die dahil hinayaan kong mamatay ang buhay na dinadala ko”

“Kim, Im not going to kill her. Im going to save you. Sana maintindihan mo naman.”

“Ako pa ang hindi nakakaintindi? Gerald, ilang beses ko bang uulitin na masaya na ko sa buhay na ipinahiram sa kin. Handa na akong isoli yun at gusto kong maranasan ng anak natin ang mabuhay ng masaya. Ibuhos mo sa kanya lahat ng pagmamahal mo sa kin!”

Suddenly, sumikip ang dibdib niya and she can’t breathe. “Aaaahh… Aahh…” She touched her chest.

“Kim! Kim!!! Doc!!!! Nurse!!!” He pressed the emergency button and in a few seconds the doctor and other staffs came in.

Her medicine was injected on her. They even provided an oxygen tank and mask for her to breathe properly. While the doctors are putting some medical equipment on her, tears started to fall on his face again. He can’t afford to see her in deep pain. If only he could take away the pain she feels to make her feel better, he would do it. Seeing her in a situation like this makes his heart torn to pieces.

He walked out of the room and sobbed with his hands. Just in time, Pau, Neil, Maja, Mateo and Vangie came.

“RJ, Ive been to the Admin office to settle Kim’s confinement. How’s Kim?”

He was about to answer his mom when his friends went inside te room so his mom followed them.

“Oh my God! Kim! Anak!”

“Mahfriend…” Maja started to cry as she witness her best friend in a situation like this

“Kimmy…” was the only thing Pau blurted. She was crying hard as well.

“She has to undergo chemo as soon as possible if you want to save her.” The doctor blurted. With that, he left.

Vangie went out of the room to talk to her son.

“RJ, what’s your decision? Sabi ng doctor kailangan niya nang i-chemo soon”

“I can’t lose her ma…”

“So, iteterminate ang baby?” she asked as tears started to fall

He nodded slowly still crying

“Ganyan din ba ang gusto niyang mangyari?”

“She wants to save our baby”

Vangie sighed heavily “Whatever happens, God is there for you. Be strong. Hindi namin kayo pababayaan.”