Present Time...

Sarah

I don't know who brought me here in the hospital but I was bawling my eyes out when I saw how Billy looked before he was sent to the Operating Room.

He looked so helpless and all I could do is pray for him to recover immediately.

I longed to his laugh and his smiles. I yearned to feel his embrace and his constant warmth.

Tita Odette was crying while her husband, Tito Norway, held her. Bernadette, whom I have not seen for quite a long time, was also here too. She was accompanied by her boyfriend, Trigger Roswell.

"Ateee!" Bernadette rushed to my side and hugged me. "Ang tanga naman kasi ni Kuya eh! Sinabi ko na sa kanya na icheck niya muna lahat sa sasakyan palagi bago umalis!"

I remained silent and occasionally  wiping off my tears. We were waiting for the doctors as he was being operated for more than two hours already.

I was so busy thinking how to tell Billy and my parents about my condition when this happened. I was ready to confess what I know when the accident occurred.

"Where is the family of the patient?" A doctor came out of the Operating Room distracting our thoughts.

Tita Odette and Tito Norway immediately came to him and asked what everyone wanted to know, "Kamusta po si Billy? K-kamusta po ang anak namin?"

"The patient is out of the woods. But I'm afraid that he will be paralyzed as from what I heard, it was a high-speed crash. It made a fracture to his spine and lead to him being paraplegic." The doctor said in a sad voice.

Tita Odette wailed in response. It was Tito Norway who got the courage to answer, "thank you so much, Doc. As long as my son is safe, we will accept it kahit mahirap."

"I'm sorry." The doctor said again before leaving us.

"Demonyo talaga 'yang Nathalie na yan!" Bernadette exclaimed which got our attention. "Sinabihan ko na si Kuya noon na wag na syang lalapit sa kanya dahil wala syang matinong nagagawa!"

"W-what do you mean, Bern?" Tita Odette asked, her eyes wide with a pained expression.

"I-I saw them one time at the mall. N-nathalie was clinging to his arms. At first, akala ko namamalikmata ako. Pero hindi ko inaasahan nung yumakap sya kay Kuya." Bernadette said and at that moment, I felt my knees wobbled. I was thankful I was sitting or else, I really would collapse.

"It wasn't just one time." Trigger butted in. I closed my eyes thinking this is just a nightmare. "I saw him one night at a bar. He was making out with her. Then, I saw them left their friends out and went to God knows where. "

"H-how,.. w-whaat." Even Tita Odette cannot comprehend how all those things happened.

"I'm sure, Nathalie has something to do with the accident!" Bernadette said in fury and anger.

"Hush, babe." Trigger consoled her by caressing her arm.

"I'll talk to my son once he has gained consciousness. We all deserve  an answer to this. For now, let's just pray he wakes up soon." Tito Norway said.

I sniffed and breathed in and out. This is just too much to handle.
Too much to bear.

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Nathalie

"Mommy, 'asan po si Daddy Billy?" My daughter, Nadia, asked out of the blue while I was wiping the table after we ate.

I looked up at her as she innocently played with her doll. She was seated on our two-seater couch as she watched her favorite tv show, Spongebob.

"May work lang si Daddy mo, baby." I said as I remembered I haven't been able to visit him for the past two days.

I heard he was transferred to a private room. Knowing his family, they wanted him to have the best treatments.

Up to this moment, I still don't know how I will get to see him. How I will have the chance to check on him.

Napamahal na siya sa anak ko. Hindi ko matatanggi iyon ng una syang makita ni Nadia nang nawala sa isip kong ihatid nya ako sa bahay galing sa trabaho ko sa bar.

Umiiyak si Nadia noon dahil sa isang bangungot kung saan may mga monsters daw na kumukuha sa kanya. Tumatakbo syang lumapit sa akin at nakita nya si Billy sa tabi ko pagkapasok namin sa gate ng apartment kung nasaan kami.

Hindi na ako naka-apela ng tingnan sya ng anak ko at una nyang nasambit ang word na 'daddy'. Doon ko napatunayan ang kanyang pananabik na makilala ang tunay nyang ama.

Ang tanging problema ko lang ay hindi ko alam saan ako mag-uumpisang hanapin ang tatay nya na mukhang wala namang planong magpakilala at hanapin mismo sya.

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Oh no! Paano na si Sarah?