I woke up to the sound of people inaudibly talking near me. I looked around and everything was white from ceiling to walls and the sheet where I was lying on.

Lira, Hope and Papa were sitting on the bench, talking.

Hope looked at my direction and realized I already woke up. She quickly rushed to me. The two followed.

"Kamusta? May masakit ba sa'yo?" bungad ni Hope.

"O-okay lang ako. Bakit ako nandito?" I asked. Isa-isa ko silang tiningnan. I really wanted to know why I ended up in a hospital.

"You passed out at this afternoon. Dinala ka agad dito. Buti nalang hindi nabagok ang ulo mo sa sahig noong natumba ka at nasalo ka agad ni Marcus," paliwanag ni Hope.

Naalala ko na nang nawalan ako ng malay kanina. I remember Marcus rescued me.

"Nasaan si Kio?" natanong ko dahil namimiss ko ang anak ko.

"Doon muna pansamantala si Kio sa bahay. Don't worry Billy and Hero are taking care of your son while you're here," Lira reassured.

"Thank you sa inyo," banggit ko at humingang malalim.

"Don't overwork yourself kasi, girl. Lagi ka nalang pinapaalalahan niyan pero hindi ka talaga nakikinig," sabi ni Hope na tila naninisi.

I smiled at her. "Noted po."

"Tapos mababalitaan nalang namin na sinugod ka sa hospital. Wag ganern," dagdag ni Lira.

"Anak, sabi ng doctor over-fatigue daw ang katawan mo kaya kailangan mo ng pahinga. Hindi raw kinaya ng katawan mo ang sobrang pagod," sabi ni Papa.

"Okay po. Pero makakalabas din po ako bukas?" I asked.

Papa nodded.

The doctor and nurse entered and checked on me.

Mabuti naman at hindi naman malala ang kondisyon ko. Aminado akong medyo napapabayaan ko ang katawan dahil sa sobrang trabaho. Kailangan ko kasing pag-ipunan ang pag-aaral ni Kio habang bata pa ako. Para lang naman sa anak ko ang lahat ng pagsusumikap ko.

They went out after telling me things to do to fully recover. Nagpaalam din na lalabas si Papa at may bibilhin lang daw saglit.

"Nandito din si Marcus sa ospital. Tumindi ang sakit ng ulo niya matapos kang isugod dito. Mabuti nalang at natulungan agad ng mga nurses at doctor kaya ngayon naka-confine din siya," balita ni Lira.

Umalpas ang kaba sa dibdib ko. Ano kayang nangyari?

"Sinong kasama niya ngayon?" I asked, worried.

"Nandoon si Rico..." sagot ni Lira. She tucked the strand of hair behind my ear... "Just focus on your recovery."

"The two could pass as couple," Hope muttered... "Lagi na silang magkasama ngayon. Hindi naman sila ganoon ka-close noong high school," ani Hope. Tinutukoy nito si Marcus at Rico.

I laughed. I saw how Hope and Lira knot their foreheads when they heard me.

"You know something, do you?" Lira asked, raising her eyebrow.

"They're brothers in-law," I simply answered.

"Paano? Si Rico at Ate Noreen, mag-asawa?" ani Hope at bumalik nang upo sa bench.

I shook my head. "No, Rico and Frances, Marcus's younger sister, are married."

"Ah..." sumunod din si Lira kay Hope at umupo sa tabi nito. "May isang kapatid pa pala sila."

I smiled and bit my lower lip.

"And, why are you so happy?" Hope noticed. She crossed her arms. "You don't look sick to me."

It hit me. I can't describe this feeling but somehow, being under the impression that Frances is Marcus' wife took a heavy toll on me and after knowing that she's not I refuse to believe that I don't feel happy about it.

Pero, mahirap mag-assume. How about Katrina? Baka napostpone lamang ang kasal nila dahil nga naaksidente si Marcus at nawala ang memories niya.

I wore a serious face. I feel sad again.

"I'm not," I answered and lay on my side, turning my back on them.

"Bakit ka nandoon sa bahay nina Marcus?" narinig kong tanong ni Lira.

"Hinahanap ko si Kio kaya ako nandoon." I briefly answered.

"Well..." saglit itong natahimik... "It made sense."

Bakit kaya ang dami nilang tanong?

I stayed at the hospital for two days. They made sure that my condition was stabilized before releasing me. I asked Papa if I could see Marcus, but they told me Marcus already admitted out. Nauna pa raw itong lumabas kaysa sa akin.

I wonder what happened to him. Kung ganoong sitwasyon ay hindi ito makakalabas agad.

Gabi na nang umuwi ako ng bahay. Kina Lira pa rin si Kio at bukas nalang nila ihahatid rito.

I went to sleep without Kio beside me. I miss him so much. I just called Lira's number and talked to Kio for nearly an hour. Kio was also worried about me. Kinwento niya sa akin noong nakita niya akong walang malay noong binuhat ako ni Marcus palabas ng bahay. Huwag ko na raw uulitin iyon dahil sobra siyang natakot.

The next day, Kio came back home. Hinatid siya ni Hero at umuwi din agad matapos akong kinamusta. Kio hugged me as soon as he saw me in the living room.

"Did you miss your classes?" I asked Kio.

"No, Mommy. I still go to school when you're not around," sabi niya habang nakayakap sa akin.

"Very good." I planted a kiss on top of his head.

Mabuti nalang at nandiyan ang mga kaibigan ko na tumutulong sa akin at lalung-lalo na sa anak ko.

"I miss you so much," paglalambing niya.

"I miss you too."

"I was with Daddy the whole time, Mommy," Kio blurted out.

"Huh?"

"Daddy Marcus, Mommy." He pulled away from me and reached for my hand. "He let me call him Daddy."

I squinted my eyes. "Akala ko ba nandoon ka kina Tita Lira at Tito Hero mo?"

"Sa gabi lang po ako hinahatid doon. Sa araw kasama ko po si Daddy. He even drove me to school and waited until my class ended." masayang wika ni Kio. "Tapos marami pa po kaming pinuntahan. I can't tell you the rest because I promised him."

I heaved a sigh. Ano naman bang kalokohan ang naisip ng mga kaibigan ko at basta-bastang binigay ang anak ko? At ang magaling na Marcus sinakyan din ang kainosentehan ni Kio.

"Ano pa ang sinabi niya?" I asked.

"Kasi nga Mommy, bawal daw sabihin sabi ni Daddy," mariing sabi niya at humalukiphip.

"Sige, ako nalang magtatanong kay Daddy mo. Saan ba siya ngayon?" I faced him and tilted my head. "...at mag-uusap kami."

"Mommy, he's leaving," malungkot na sabi ni Kio.

Napatda ako sa narinig at napatiim bagang. I stood up and put my hands on my waist as I walked back and forth.

Bigla itong darating at bigla ding aalis.

"Mommy, you're making me dizzy watching you," Kio complained.

I stopped moving and twitched my lips. "Saan daw siya pupunta? Kailan siya babalik?"

"I don't know, Mommy, but he promised to call me every day," ani Kio at tumayo para igiya ako na umupo ulit.

Hindi pwede 'to. Paano naman ako?

Kailangan ko masabi sa kanya na may anak kami. Ayokong umalis ulit siya na hindi ko nasasabi sa kanya ang tungkol kay Kio. Wala akong pakialam kung matatagalan siya bago ulit bumalik dito. Ang importante na malaman niya ang hinggil sa anak namin.

I put my hands on Kio's shoulders. "Iwan muna kita dito kay Lolo mo anak ha," I seriously said, looking at his eyes. "Hahabulin ko ang Daddy mo."

Kio nodded. I'm not sure if he understood what I am about to do.

Now, I know what I want to do, that is to find Marcus but I don't how it could be done. Saan ko siya hahanapin?... at nang masampal ko ng katotohanan.

Umupo ulit ako. I spent time thinking who I should call to ask. But then, who would be willing to tell where he is going?

I turned to Kio and saw him staring at me intently.

"Daddy is going to an island with pink sand," Kio uttered as if he just remembered something. "He's going there, Mommy!"

"Are you sure about this?" I can feel my heartbeat pacing fast.

He slowly nodded.

Isla Rosa. I've heard about this island. But I don't have any idea how to get there. I'm not even sure how far is it from here.

Biglang may bumusinang sasakyan sa labas ng bahay. I went out to check who it was. Hero appeared when I opened the gate. He was holding Kio's bag that was probably left in their house.

"Binalik ko lang talaga 'to kasi nakalimutan sa bahay," Hero told me and handed to me the bag.

"Salamat," saka tinanggap ang bag. Knowing Hero's knowledge about different spots, I guess he could help me with my problem. "Paano ko ba mararating ang Isla Rosa?"

He knotted his forehead as he looked at me. "Asking me about that island out of the blue?"

He was taking it as a trivial matter. A joke, perhaps.

I took one step closer to him. "Hero, please..." niyugyog ko ang kaniyang balikat. "I need to get there as soon as possible. I think if I don't do it now, I don't know when I will get the chance to tell Marcus about our son. I have to tell him everything now or else... I would never get to see him again."

Hero gaped his mouth. He was speechless for a moment. Later on, he seemed to have processed everything I said. He cleared his throat and scoffed, "Okay. All right," he said, nodding then glanced at his wristwatch, "Now is 8:30. The ride going to the port from here will take an hour. And, from there, you just need to try your luck if they would let you enter that island."

"Bakit?" I asked.

"You need to make reservations atleast a month prior to visiting."

"May reservation system talaga?"

Tumango siya. "Yes. They don't actually allow a big number of visitors. Para na din mapanatiling malinis at maganda ang isla, hindi nakakapasok ang mga basta-basta lang sumusugod sa port para magliwaliw doon. Dapat talaga pinaghahandaan."

I dropped my shoulders. Hindi pala makakapasok sa isla ang mga impulsive na kagaya ko at mga instant-planners na magbakasyon doon dahil kailangan munang magpareserve.

"I never once tried visiting an island, unplanned, but I'll give it a go," I firmly said.

Tumawa nang mahina si Hero. "That's the spirit, Zac!"

Mabilis akong kumilos pabalik ng bahay at kinausap si Papa. Medyo nalito ito sa mga pinagsasabi ko pero pinayagan din ako basta't babalik din ako agad. I also talked to my son and told him I would be right back and that he needs to stay with his Lolo the entire day.

I hopped in and sat in the passenger seat. Hero drove me to the port and while on the road, he just kept asking me how everything turned out this way.

"So, all this time, you're just keeping his son?" di makapaniwalang sabi niya. Of course, he knows who Marcus is.

"I have my reasons, Hero. I didn't have the courage to tell him everything when he's about to get married to Katrina," I explained, then turned to him. "Just imagine someone you've spent your childhood with, the person you've missed and loved all those years, getting married to a friend who asked me to disguise as her."

"You should have atleast tried telling him about what he needed to know. He deserves to know everything about Kio."

I sighed heavily. I remembered what Lira told me before. She and Hero have the same thoughts about this that I didn't even try to reconsider.

I was just afraid I was going to ruin whatever lies ahead of him. I don't even think I'm part of his plans. What happened that night was just purely incidental. And, telling him about what resulted from that moment we shared might not be good for both us especially for him. One thing is for sure, Kio was not an accident. He's a blessing.

When we reached the port, Hero showed me where few people line up and get screened before boarding the boat. So, it was true that not anyone unprepared can literally show up and have his way to Isla Rosa.

Hero silently read the message he received as I watched outside. I'm not sure if going to the island at this hour would be a best idea knowing the protocols the island implements.

"Tutuloy ka ba? Hero asked that made me turn to him. "I don't think I can help you furthermore. I don't think I know or someone I know knows anyone here and from that island to help you."

I patted his shoulder. "Yes," I confidently said. "Thank you."

Ngumiti siya nang malapad.

"Kailangan ko nang umalis. My brother texted me to meet a client and it seems urgent. Gusto mo pa rin bang subukan? O aalis nalang tayo?"

"I gotta try. I'll be fine, Hero," sabi ko para ikumbinsi siya.

"Just call me if you don't make it so I can take you back home."

My home?