In the car….Gerald tried to be casual…kahit kitang-kita niya sa mukha ni Kim na she’s hurting… He look at the gauze…..it was filled with blood….

“Lagyan mo pa ng pressure!! Masyado ka namang malamya!” bulyaw nito….trying to hide his feelings from her….kahit ang gusto niya talagang gawin ay kabigin ito….at sabihing….it’s going to be okay!!

Kim didn’t bother to respond….masyadong kumikirot ang sugat niya….she lean back on the chair…close her eyes….and just hope na makarating na sila sa ospital………. Pinagpapawisan na siya sa sakit…..

Gerald knows that she’s in pain…he boost up the air con when he saw her sweat on the forehead….binilisan niya lalo ang pagmamaneho…ng may maalala…. Kim’s not wearing that damn seat belt again….he slowed down….. He grab the seatbelt…but accidentally hit her wounded finger…..

“Aray!!”…she cried…. She bit her lower lip….and forgetting na it was busted too…. So she flinched again…. “Alam ko may lahi ka talaga ni Bin laden….pero…magiingat ka naman!!”…she said…her eyes remained closed….

“I’m sorry!!”…Gerald in a very low voice…..

Sorry….. Tama ba ang narinig niya….. Sorry daw? …pero teka…baka mali ang dinig niya… She open her eyes….nagulat siya ng makitang malapit ito sa kanya…. They’re eyes met for couple of seconds…. She wanted to read what’s on his mind…pero lumayo na ito….

“Sa susunod na makalimutan mong magseatbelt…. Ipupulupot ko ito sa leeg mo!!”….he said…. Acting mad again….

They arrive in the hospital…. Kim received 4 stitches in her finger….. Gerald was doing all the paper works and all the talking with the doctor…while Kim…was just sitting in the corner…

This is the Gerald I know long time ago… She was thankful na nandon siya… it’s been a while since someone is taking care of her again…..dahil when she was back in US….she’s the one who’s taking care of her dying Dad…. Nakalimutan na niya ang sarili niya….

But she knows….marami pang dapat ayusin between them…. .. When he saw her with that girl earlier….. She knows na kung sakali mang hindi siya mapatawad nito…..there’s a big possibility na hindi talaga sila para sa isn’t-isa….. She needed to be ready with that possibility…. Now…her goal is to just put him back on his feet…. At wag ng umasa na baka sakaling mahalin ulit siya nito….

Back in the car…..

She stayed quiet….masakit sa dibdib and narealize niya kanina…. Even now…na he was too close to her…but yet ..he’s really far from reaching…. She closed her eyes again…. Ayaw na niyang magisip…..

Gerald notice that she’s quiet…. Nasasaktan siguro siya…baka nawawala na yung anesthesia niya…

He look at her….. Nakakunot noo ito…. He couldn’t help but to reach her forehead….. And start to massage it…. Dun man lang…mawala ang sakit na nararamdaman nito….

Kim was stunned… but didn’t dare to move…nor open her eyes…. She let him massage her head…..it actually helping her….plus the fact that Gerald is showing her that he cared again….was a big bonus to her…….. Sana magkatraffic…. Please Lord….. She fell asleep…..

She woke up with a throbbing pain in her fingers….nawala na ang anesthesia…. Tears fell on her cheeks…. She look around….nasa tapat sila ng bahay ni Auntie Pokie…. She look at her other side….pero walang Gerald… Sumama ang loob niya…lalo siyang napaiyak…. Iwanan daw ba siya….. She was crying real hard….went down the car and start walking in the house…. Ano ba namang buhay ito… kumikirot na nga ang kamay ko….kumikirot pa ang puso ko!!

Nakalock din ang bahay nila….. Kumatok siya…pero walang nagbukas…. Iniwan siya ng lahat…… naupo siya sa may paso…. Tears still falling in her cheeks….. She leaned back against the wall…and close her eyes….. Pawis na pawis na siya…dahil sa nararamdamang sakit….

When Gerald and Auntie Pokie arrive from the drug store….. Iniwan niya ang kotse dahil mahirap magpark sa may palengke…. He left Kim sleeping too…ayaw niyang gisingin ito…pero pagbalik nila …wala na ito sa kotse….

“Auntie…nasan po si Kim!!’.. nagpapanik na tanong niya!!

Bigla siyang binatukan ni auntie Pokie….”Alam mo ikaw OA ka kung magreact!!.. Akala ko ba galit ka sa alaga ko!! Eh bakit kung makahanap ka diyan eh para ng magugunaw ang mundo!!”….she said…

Kakamot-kamot ng ulo ito…”eh Auntie….may sugat yung alaga niyo…mamaya biglang dumugo yon…. Heto pa sa atin lahat ng kailangan nun no!!”…. he explained….

“Assuusss….. Kunwari pa ito….eh kung makakatok ka kanina sa bahay eh parang gusto mong gibain yung pamamahay ko!! Bigla mo pa akong hinatak…. Ni hindi tuloy ako nakapagmake up man lang!! Tignan mo nga…. May rolers pa ang buhok ko!!”…she complained….

Gerald smiled….he was really fond with her….

When he arrive at Auntie Pokie house… Nagmamadali siyang bumaba sa kotse….kailangan niyang bilhin ang antibiotics at pain medication nito…pati na rin ang sterile Gauze at ang ointment na gagamitin sa pagpapalit ng dressing nito… bago pa man ito magising…. Nung pagbuksan siya ng pinto ni Auntie Pokie….bigla niya itong hinatak papuntang palengke…. Nakaduster lang ito…..at may rolers pa sa ulo…. In-explain niya ang nangyari habang papunta sila ng palengke….

Gerald found Kim in front of the house….namumutla ito…at nakaupo sa paso….

“Kim…”…he called…

Kim open her eyes…… when she saw Gerald…. Para siyang batang umiyak….. She was frustrated….dahil wala siyang magawa sa sakit na nararamdaman….. The pain is throbbing real hard…. “A-ng s-sakit……..”…

Gerald carried her like a baby…..she cried on his chest…..trying to position her wounded finger…

Auntie Pokie open the door…. “Naku…nalock ko pala ito…ikaw kasi Gerald eh….bigla mo na lang ako hi…..”… hindi naituloy ni Auntie ang sasabihinmdahil binunggo siya ni Gerald…. Nag mostra na wag maingay….

He laid her in the couch…. Take out the pain medication in his pocket…. With the antibiotics…. “HEto…inumin mo…. Kung makangulngol ka diyan…para kang bata…. Sa susunod na hahawak ka ng kutsilyo…siguraduhin mong magiingat ka!! Pag madami na ang dugo nyang benda mo …palitan mo na….. .. Naabala na ako ng husto!!”…he said coldly….. He kissed Auntie Pokie…. And whispered…”Auntie…..alis na ako!!”….

Before he left..may pahabol pa ito……”Wag ka ng bumalik sa bahay….hindi ka na rin naman mapapakinabangan don….alagain ka pa!! pagalingin mo yang sugat mo!!”…he said…and left…….

Kim look at auntie Pokie…. “sungit no!!”…she said wiping her tears out…

“Chaka!! EH pang masteleserye pala ang linya ng isang iyon….. May walk out pang nalalaman!! Award winning!!”…..hirit ni Auntie Pokie…

“Auntie…….. Hug me please!!”…..paglalambing niya…

“Naks…ang anak ko…. Kunwari ako ang gustong kayakap…. Dapat Sinabi mo yan dun sa best actor kanina….bago nag walkout!!”…..she said….hugging Kim…

Kim closed her eyes…. It’s gonna be okay Kim…. Kaya pa yan…. “basta nandito lang kayo Auntie…. Kaya ko pa!!”…she said…

Auntie wiped her tears…. “ Nakikita ko naming nandun pa rin yung dating pagmamahal niya para saiyo….kaya lang….itinatago iyon ng galit niya para saiyo…. Kaya anak… kung gusto mo talagang mabura ang galit niya…….konti pang tiyaga!! “…

“Charo Santos…ikaw ba iyan?!!”….biro niya…medyo nakakaramdam na siya ng konting ginhawa….umeepekto na ang gamut na ibinigay sa kanya ni Gerald….

Tinapik siya nito sa noo….”Kita mo ito…..nag e-emote ako dito….gagaguhin mo ako!!”

“Pero Auntie…. Napagisip-isip ko…. Pano kung hindi talaga kami para sa isa’t-isa….”…she asked….

“Eh di hindi…. Anak… hindi mo naman pwedeng ipilit ang isang bagay na hindi talaga pwede…. Basta…maging Masaya ka lang para sa kanya… at siguraduhing mahahanap mo rin ang para talaga sayo…”

“Auntie….hindi ka pala si Charo Santos…..”…she said…

“EH sino ako?”….tanong nito….

“Si Dolphy!!”…she laughed when her aunt tickled her….. “Auntie…yung sugat ko….teka….hahaha… Joke lang yun……”….

“Mukha pala akong lalake ha!!”……she hugged her real tight……….

Auntie Pokie smiled….. Konting tiyaga pa anak… mapapatawad ka na rin niya…. Nakita niya kung paano nagalala si Gerald….sigurado siyang …mahal pa rin nito ang alaga…….mahal na mahal!!