Chapter 25 – Rest your case.

“Did I scare you?”

“Not a bit,” Ethan denied.

Nang magising si Ally, nakita niyang sakasubsob sa gilid ng kama niya ang nakatulog nang si Ethan habang hawak-hawak ang isa niyang kamay.

He wasn’t kidding. He still loves her. Ramdam naman niya iyon. Kilala niya si Ethan. Hindi ito magsasayang ng oras magpunta roon araw-araw kung hindi siya importante rito. Ito pa rin ang lalaking minahal niya at iniwan two years ago.

Iyong Ethan na handang suwayin maging ang mga magulang nito, ‘wag lamang siya mawala sa buhay nito.

He was the same man who would move mountains just to be with her. Pero ito rin kasi ‘yong pinakapino-protektahan niya sa lahat. She made the hardest decision when she left him. Kasi ayaw niyang sa paraan ng kamatayan siya mawawala rito. Mas pinili niyang isipin nito na hindi na niya ito mahal dahil sa paniniwala niya, mas mabilis itong makaka-move on kapag nagalit ito.

Kumpara sa alam nitong gusto niyang lumaban din pero kamatayan ang maghihiwalay sa kanila.

Then again, it seemed that she underestimated his love for her.

“You’re lying,” giit niya. Alam niyang natakot ito.

“Ally, don’t think that by scaring me, you can drive me away.”

“I did not intentionally try to scare you, Ethan. This is my reality now,” she shook her head. Akala ba nito nagbibiro lang siya? “I could die anytime. So, please, do yourself a favor. Don’t stay around to see me die.”

“Why? Do you know for sure that you’re already dying?”

“I am. What are you, blind? Can’t you see my condition? Do I look like I’m still breathing next month?” Frustrated niyang tanong.

“Allison, anytime could mean now or fifty more years.”

Mapakla siyang tumawa. He was giving himself false hope. “Who are you kidding?”

Ethan smiled, unbothered by her hopelessness. “Hindi ka mukhang mamamatay na sa paningin ko. Look at you, ang tapang mo pa ngang paalisin ako.”

Wala siyang nasabi. Pero nasa mukha niya ang hindi pagkapaniwala sa lakas ng conviction sa sarili nito na nag-iwas siya ng paningin.

“Ally, don’t ever think for one second that you can still convince me to leave you. So, rest your case and accept that I’m here to stay beside you.”

“I don’t need you,” sagot niya pero bahagya namang pumiyok ang boses niya.

“But I need you.”

“Oh, please… Ano pa ang malabo sa ‘yo, Ethan? How could you still need me? Wala na akong magagawa para sa ‘yo. Ni hindi ko na maibabalik ang pagmamahal mo, do you understand?”

“It’s okay, you don’t need to do anything for me. Just don’t drive me away. That’s all I ask from you.” Tapos tumingin ito sa suot nitong relo bago atubiling tumayo na. “I have to go now, Ally. Babalik ako bukas.”

Nagpaalam ito pero halata sa mukha nitong ayaw pa sana nitong umalis. Siguro may previous engagement ito for tonight. A date with Felicity, maybe? At kung bakit naman para siyang sinaksak sa isipin na ‘yon?

“Hindi mo kailangang bumalik,” bara pa rin niyang ayaw itong tingnan.

“Babalik pa rin ako kahit ayaw mo. You better prepare yourself na nakikita ako araw-araw, Ally.”

“Don’t you have anywhere else you need to be? You are not welcome here, Mr. Montenegro. Might as well, spend the time you’re wasting here with your girlfriend.” Allison hoped she didn’t just sound like a jealous ex.

“You don’t tell me what to do, Ms. Garcia,” tugon naman nito. “There’s no other place I’d rather be than here beside you. So, stop being jealous. I’ll end things with Felicity as soon as possible. I can’t keep leading her on anyway.”

“Huh?!” she wanted to deny what he said about her being jealous. Pero bago siya makapagsalita, pinutol na siya nang pagdampi ng labi nito sa noo niya. Kakaiwas niya ng tingin, hindi niya napansing lumapit na ito sa ulunan niya.

“I’ll see you tomorrow and it’s final. Goodbye for now, Ally,” his kiss lingered before he pulled away and left her room.

Naiwan siyang hindi nakahuma. Then slowly, tears started pouring from her eyes. Ibinaon niya ang mukha sa dalawang palad tapos umiyak lang nang umiyak.

‘No… I don’t want to die yet, Ethan. I’m scared… But how can I tell you? I don’t want to break you again…’

—

Ethan didn’t leave at once. Narinig pa niya ang paghagulgol ni Ally habang nakasandal siya sa saradong pintuan ng silid nito.

He felt his heart shattering into a thousand pieces. Parang babasaging bagay na hinampas ng martilyo ang puso niya kaya nagkapira-piraso iyon. He wanted so badly to go back inside and hug her real tight.

Assure her that it’s going to be fine. Pero paano niya gagawin iyon kung sarili nga niya, hindi niya makumbinsi na na magiging maayos pa ang lahat?

Ever since knowing her condition, marami na siyang Doktor na nilapitan. Every single one of them told him that Ally’s case was already hopeless.

But tell that to a heart who wants nothing but a little hope. Ethan wouldn’t accept any negative words. Kahit galing pa sa mga eksperto. Kaya naman sa kasalukuyan ay sa mga Doktor sa ibang bansa naman siya nakikipag-ugnayan.

He wouldn’t give up on Ally. Aanhin niya ang pera niya kung hindi no’n kayang dugtungan ang buhay ng babaeng mahal niya? Might as well lose everything he had in finding a cure for Ally’s illness. Because he wasn’t stopping until he found an alternative medicine.

Hindi niya ito igi-give up nang walang laban. He promised himself that. Tama na ang minsan ay binigo niya si Ally. Hindi na mauulit na hahayaan niyang mawala ito sa kanya. Kahit na sa ngayon, hindi kasinungalingan ang kalaban niya. It was time itself, oras na nalalabi sa mistula nang tinaningang buhay ni Allison.

When he finally found the courage to leave, Ethan pulled out his phone from his pocket and called Michael.

“What are my schedules tomorrow?” He asked Ally’s best friend who was also his assistant.

“You have a lunch date with Ms. Felicity, Mr. E. And a meeting with Mr. Acosta by three in the afternoon,” Michael responded.

“Cancel my meeting with Mr. Acosta. And move the one with Siti earlier. Breakfast, maybe?” Pwede naman sanang siya na lang ang tumawag kay Felicity. But it’s funny how his girlfriend would need to go through Michael if she wanted to see him.

Gano’n din siya rito. Kapag may kailangan siya, imbes na siya na mismo dumiretso, pinapadaan pa niya sa assistant niya.

Ever since they got back together, Ethan had been figuring out what they were missing. Now, he knew what it was. Intimacy.

They were too formal, as if they weren’t familiar with each other. Kahit pa nagkakasama naman sila and everybody knew their relationship. From time to time he would call her too kapag masyado nang maliit na bagay para ipadaan pa kay Michael.

But it was just that. Walang connection masyado.

“Noted, Sir. Would that be all?”

“Finish all important tasks in the morning. Isasama kita pagbalik ko rito kay Ally bukas ng hapon.”

Hindi makapaniwala si Michael. Walang katapusang pasasalamat ang tugon nito. Pinatayan na lang niya ito ng tawag para matapos na.

‘I will bring your friends to you, Ally. I’ll give you reasons to stay with me, with us…’ he told himself as he dialed Leio’s number next. Then he would call Zion after him.