Chapter 52: You Are My Light

I sat down beside her bed and held her hand tightly. She gave me a small smile. Buong pamilya narito sa kanyang kwarto at napakasaya naming lahat na gising na siya.

"Well, we'll do the other tests tomorrow. Pagpahingahin muna natin siya." Sabi nung espesiyalista bago lumabas kasama nung nurse.  

Lahat ng tao, mapa-doctor, nurse, o bisita sa ospital nagulat. Lahat sinasabing himala ang nangyari dahil nagising siya sa sobrang tagal ng pagkakahimbing. Ten months, and two days to be exact. Karamihan kasi ng na-co-coma kung sumobra sa two weeks, malabo nang magising.

Nagkagulo sa ospital. Maraming tests ang pinerform nila kay Aya to know her physical, mental and emotional state.  

"Okay ka lang?" I asked her while gently combing her hair back. She nodded slowly. Mahina ang kanyang katawan at kailangan niya ng tungkod o kasama para makalakad. I asked her kung paano siya nakarating sa garden kanina, albeit malapit lang ito sa kwarto. Ang sabi niya nagpatulong daw siya sa isang bata para makalabas ng kwarto. I didn't dare ask her anymore kasi parang alam ko na ang nangyari. I just sent a silent prayer of thanks to God na ibinalik niya sa amin si Aya.

"Sleep ka muna, babantayan ka namin," Inayos ko yung unan para mas maayos ang higa niya.

"Prince, d-dito ka lang please?" I nodded at her.

"Syempre. I will be here," I reassured her.

Dahan-dahan lang kami sa kanya kasi sabi ng doctor, kailangan niya ma-therapy para maibalik yung normal function niya. She has difficulty with her motor skills and her muscles have somewhat athropied. Hindi niya kayang makahawak ng ballpen, much less magsulat.

Thankfully, hindi naman na-damage ang memory niya. Karaniwan kasing komplikasyon ng matagal na comatose state ang short term memory loss. Sabi naman ng doctor kayang maibalik ng therapy yung motor skills niya kaya malaki ang possibility na magkaroon siya ng full-recovery. Nakadagdag yung factor na bata pa siya at healthy kaya mas malaki ang chances niya.

"Naku baby pag nakauwi ka na, aalagaan ka ni Yaya." Naluluha si Yaya Maring habang tinatapik yung kamay ni Aya. "Miss ka namin."

"Thank you po yaya," she smiled. "Kuya Alfred..." she called out to her brother. Kanina pa tahimik lang na nagmamasid si Kuya Alfredo which is very uncharacteristic of him. He looked reluctant to come closer pero alam kong hindi niya mahihindian si Aya. She has that uncanny power over her brothers.

He sat beside her bed.

"Kuya, galit ka po ba sa'kin?" He looked surprised at her question.

"Hindi, hindi... bakit ako magagalit sa'yo?" he took her hands and squeezed them. "Hin-hindi ko kasi... sorry baby..." he took her hands and kissed them. "Sorry, hindi kasi... hindi alam ni kuya kung paano mag-so-sorry sa'yo."

"Hug mo 'ko kuya," she is teary-eyed. Alfredo caught her in a bear hug. "Wag po kayong mag-sorry. Alam ko pong love niyo ko."

"Sorry, na-late si kuya," Alfredo murmured as he stroked her back. He has tears in his eyes. Ngayon ko lang nakita na naglabas ng ganitong emosyon si Kuya Alfredo. For the past months, parati siyang either tulala or malalim ang iniisip. Sa lahat ng magkakapatid, siya ang pinaka-traumatized sa nangyari.

"Wag ka nang iiyak kuya, hindi ko naman kayo iiwan." She held her hand out to me and I took it. "Saka madami ka ikwe-kwento sa'kin ha?"

He laughed and hugged her tighter.

"Akala ko hindi mo na ulit ako mahu-hug. Natakot si kuya," he took her face in his hands and kissed her on both cheeks. "Kuya, wag ka na magagalit kay Prince, ha?" His eyes widened and he turned to me. I slowly shook my head.

"Naririnig kita pero hindi lang ako makasalita," she narrowed her eyes at him. "Wag ka pong mag-alala, aalagaan niya ko."

"Sorry baby," he chucked her chin. "Wag kang mag-alala, may tiwala naman ako kay Prince."

"O pagpahingahin niyo muna si baby girl," awat ni Adam. "Basta baby magpagaling ka ha. Naku, may surprise pa naman kami sa'yo."

"Sige po kuya," she nodded. They all said good-bye reluctantly. Naiwan ako saka si Kuya Aidan para magbantay. Nakatulog na siya pero hindi ako dalawin ng antok. Maya't-maya chine-check ko yung paghinga niya saka yung temperature niya. Hindi ko mapigilang pagmasdan siya.

Di ko namalayan na alas-kuatro na ng madaling-araw. Nagising siya at nagpasama sa banyo. Nang makabalik kami sa bed ay tumagilid siya at yumakap sa akin.

"Prince, tulog ka na," she pouted at me.

"Okay lang ako, ikaw matulog na." I stroked my hands over her back in soothing patterns.

"Hmmm... na-miss ko yan," she closed her eyes and smiled as she burrowed against my chest. "Pero matulog ka na din."

"Okay lang talaga ako," I murmured against her hair. "Hindi lang talaga ako makatulog."

"May problema ba?" She touched my face. Kita ko ang pag-alala sa kanyang mga mata.

"Wala," I shook my head. "Don't mind me."

"No. Anong problema?" She insisted.

Nagbawi ako ng tingin, "natatakot kasi ako." I confessed.

"Bakit?" I didn't want to stress her. Kakagising lang niya and she needs to ease back slowly into the world. "Prince?"

"Wag mo na kong pansinin. Na-pa-paranoid lang siguro ako." I hugged her tightly. "Pahinga ka na."

"Ano nga yun? Di ako makakatulog pag di mo sinabi," may tampo ang boses niya and I felt the need to relent.

"Natatakot kasi ako na baka matulog ka ulit ng matagal." I swallowed hard. "Sorry, Goddess."

She sighed, "tingin ka sa'kin," she touched my cheek. "Hindi na 'ko aalis. Magpapagaling ako. Pangako."

"Alam mo ba, naririnig ko kayo? Gustong-gusto kong magsalita pero hindi ko magawa," I took her hand and kissed her palm. "Pero andito na ko, Prince. Hindi ko alam kung paano pero naramdaman ko na dapat akong bumalik. Gusto ko nang bumalik sa'yo."

Hindi ko mapigilang mangilid ang luha ko. Ramdam ko kasi na mahal na mahal niya ko at ganoon din ako sa kanya. Ang dami kong naririnig na nagsasabing wala na siyang pag-asa o nababaliw ako kasi hinhintay ko siya. Na sinasayang ko ang buhay ko...

But having her in my arms, alive and responsive is really nothing short of a miracle. There's a lot of work to be done para maging normal ulit ang buhay namin pero handa akong harapin ang lahat basta kasama ko siya.

"Salamat Prince," she murmured softly. "Salamat hinintay mo 'ko."

"Syempre naman," hindi ko maipaliwanag kung gaano ako kasaya. "I love you. Hindi ako magsasawang sabihin sa'yo 'yan."

"Prince, kapag magaling na ako... pwede kaya," she bit her lower lip and looked up expectantly at me.

"Ano yun baby?" Masuyo ko siyang hinalikan sa ilong, "Bakit?"

"Magpakasal na tayo."

---------------

It took a full year for Aya to recover.

Araw-araw ang therapy niya and all her therapists and her personal nurse natutuwa kung gaano siya kadeterminado na maka-recover. Very positive ang resulta. She still hasn't fully recovered her fine motor skills kaya keyboard ang gamit niya sa pagsulat at hindi siya makapag-drowing,  but it's a small price to pay considering that we all got our lives back.

She's my light.

She was very eager to get back to class but we agreed to let her recover for half a year before she went back. Nahuli na siya ng tatlong sem pero ayos lang rin kasi nakalipat siya sa Diliman at mas malapit na sa bahay ang uuwian. Hindi rin siya makapag-drive. Her trauma is still strong at medyo mabagal ang reaction time niya kaya minabuti namin na kumuha ng driver para hatid-sundo sila ng personal nurse niya.

Her first meeting with my parents was a very phenomenal. Umiyak ng husto sila Mama at Papa at humingi ng tawad kay Aya. Hindi ako nahirapang magpaalam sa kanila ng sabihin kong gusto na naming magpakasal.

It's Sunday and it's family day dito kila Aya. We decided that it's time to tell her family that we've decided on a date. Kuya Alfredo prepared a feast dahil seventh monthsary nila ni Trixie. More than one year din ang panliligaw niya bago siya sinagot ni 3X at lahat kami aliw na aliw na panoorin yung pagbabago niya.

"Um, may sasabihin po kami," Aya looked expectantly at her family. I held her hand and gave her reassurance. "Mommy, mga kuya nakapili na po kami ng date ni Prince. In three months po, mag-chu-church wedding na po kami."

Nagkatinginan ang lahat bago nagkantiyawan. Her brothers congratulated us.

"O paano ba yan panalo ako?" Ate Lena said. "Two years nga."

"Galing mo manghula ate," Adam said. "Congrats baby!" He pulled her to him. 

"E di papakita mo na yung secret natin?" Kuya Aidan draped an arm around my shoulders. "Sakto, ready na. Double wedding tayo?"

"Baby girl, may regalo na kami agad," Adam hugged her. "Galing sa aming lahat 'to."

"Wow kuya, excited na po ako," she gushed. "Thank you po. Ano po yun?"

"Pupuntahan natin mamaya, okay?" Kuya Alphonse ruffled her hair. "Wow, hindi ako makapaniwala. Ang baby namin mag-aasawa na." He lifted her a bit.

"Teka, teka lang... ang daya uunahan mo 'ko baby girl? Saka anong double wedding Aidan?" Kuya Alfredo pouted. "Ako muna, bago ikaw."

"Kuya naman di na pwede," Kuya Aidan laughed. He pulled Red to his side and rubbed her tummy,"paano na lang ang little cakes?" Red's eyes widened and she thumped him on the head.

"Aidan!" Grabe, pulang-pula si Red.

"Waah, kuya meron na talaga?" Aya went to Red and hugged her. "Wow mga babycakes!"

He turned to Trixie,"Love?" Trixie glared at him.

"Your point is?"

Kuya Alfredo sighed, "Sayang naman Love."

"Ang alin?" Trixie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Tingin ka sa labas," he pulled her hand and we all followed.

"Anong meron?"Kunot-noo si Trixie.

"Basta," Kuya Alfredo held her hand. Suddenly race cars of every color came down the street bearing balloons and flowers. Her fellow agents were driving them and cheering. On their hoods were spelled the words, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

Kuya Alfredo took to one knee and held Trixie's hand. "Trix, I know I've made alot of mistakes but I've changed because of you..." We all waited with bated breath as he produced a ring from inside his pocket.

"So will you please give me the honor of letting me make you the Queen of my Heart?"

Trixie wiped her tears with the back of her hand, "Alfredo ano ka ba?" She looked like gusto niyang pumadyak. She crying and laughing at the same time.

"Trixie?"

She pulled him up and gave him a hug,"Yes."

 ---------------

"Saan tayo pupunta?" Aya held to my arm as I drove her to a newly-opened subdivision.

"Basta," I took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Chill ka lang baby."

We stopped in front of a two story house with an arched gateway. Bumaba ako ng sasakyan at inalalayan siya. I opened the gate as manghang iginala niya ang mata sa bakuran. Flowering vines covered the short –covered walkway, leading to a circular door straight out of the Lord of the Rings movie. There's a koi pond and a bamboo garden sa isang corner kung saan may duyan na pwedeng gamitin sa siesta.

"Wow."

"Nagustuhan mo baby?" She looked up at me and nodded eagerly.  

"This is the first project of Kuya Alphonse's construction firm." I said proudly. "Red designed the rooms, and Kuya Aidan landscaped it. Kami ni Adam ang nag-supervise ng construction."

"Sobrang ganda, thank you," she hugged me tightly.

"We started building it while you were sleeping. Everyone was eager to help. We knew you were coming back to us." I stroked her face beforeI kissed her. "It's like, we all knew that you'll come and dwell here Goddess."

"I love you Library Girl." She laughed upon hearing that endearment. "Now, will you be the light of my life? The warmth to this home that we will build for our children?"

"Yes," She pulled my face down and kissed me, "yes I'd love that my Prince."

W/N:

*cries* Waaah! Epilogue na next! Naiiyak ako... ma-mi-miss ko si Aya at Prince. Sobrang naging malapit sila sa puso ko. 

Pasensya na kung may mga mali ako dito, lalo na tungkol sa medicine/recovery/technicalities. I tried my best to make things as realistic as I can (kung realistic man matatawag kahit na pang-pelikula yung kotse at gamit nila sa HQ). 

Salamat ng todo sa lahat ng nagbigay ng support. 

Magkakaroon po ng special chapters ang ISITL. After ng Epilogue, may ilang chapters na ilalaan para sa ibang characters at para sa fans. 

PS. This chapter will be edited. Gusto ko lang talaga ma-post na siya. The first chapter of Alistair's story, Star-Crossed has been uploaded.