Chapter 22: Damsel in distress

××× OOO ×××

Nakatitig lang si Jerrylyn sa kanyang pulso. Marahang hinihilot ang mga pasang dulot ng handcuffs. Antagal na siyang nagaantay na may mangyaring maganda. Mag-isa niya lang na nagaantay na bumukas ang kurtina ng kinaroroonan ni Rick.

Natanong na ng nurse ang mga pwedeng itanong sa kanya pero wala paring update kay Rick.

Makikita kaya nila ang kuha ng CCTV? Ipapakulong niya kaya ako? Tang*na talaga!

Tanging mga salitang tumatakbo sa utak ni Jerrylyn habang hindi mapakali sa

kanyang kinatatayuan hindi kalayuan kung saan ginagamot si Rick. Muling lumapit sa kanya ang nurse.

"Ma'am, hindi niyo po nilagay ang primary contact ni Sir."

"Ah sorry, Pwede po bang ilagay ko nalang ung nasa unahan ng contact niya? Wala kasi siyang pamilya dito."

Buti nalang at pumayag ang nurse. Mabilis na binuksan ni Jerrylyn ang phone ni Rick na nabuksan niya kanina. Nakita niya doon ang numero ni Ma'am Gui. Agad niya itong isinulat at ibinalik sa nurse ang clipboard. Muli siyang naiwan magisa sa kinauupuan niya. Naisipan nalang niyang pumunta ng C.R para maghugas ng kamay.

Sa harap ng salamin nakatayo, ang Jerrylyn na may bahid ng kasalanan. Bakas ito sa kanyang damit. Daig niya pa ang talagang bumugbog kay Rick. Kahit gaano karaming tissue ang ipunas niya sa kanyang damit, hindi parin matanggal ito. Kahit anong sabon niya sa kanyang kamay, hindi parin maalis ang katotohanang siya ang nagdulot noon.

Hindi siya nakaramdam ng pagsisi. Awa, pwede pa. Pero sa daan na kanyang tinatahak at kung anong klaseng tao si Rick, unti-unti nang nabubura sa kanyang isipan ang ibigsabihin ng konsensya.

Dahil mukhang wala ng pagasa pang mawala ang bahid jg mga dugo ni Rick sa kanyang damit. Minabuti na lamang niyang hubarin ito at isuot ang dala niyang uniform sa trabaho. Pagkatapos at tsaka niya ito ginupit-gupit. Ang kalahati ng mga piraso ng kanyang damit ay itinapon niya sa basurahan ng isang cubicle.

Pabalik na sana siya sa kanyang upuan, nang matanaw niya si Ma'am Gui na ginabayan ng nurse kung saan naroroon si Rick. Maya maya pa ay bumukas na ang kurtina. Hindi na nagawa pang lumapit pa ni Jerrylyn kaya minabuti niyang manatili sa kanyang kinatatayuan. Kaya naman jiyang marinig ang usapan.

May isang babaeng doktor sa tabi ni Rick

"Doktora, ligtas na po ba siya?" Agad na tanong ni Ma'am Gui.

"Ikaw po ang guardian ni Sir?" Mabilis namang tanong ng Doktora.

"Oo ako nga po."

"Well, hindi lang pala concussion ang natamo niya which had 14 stitches."

Paliwanag ng doktora habang nakatingin sa papel na hawak niya.

"Mostly ng kanyang pasa ay sa abdomen. Dahil narin po sa pagsipa nung attacker. And we also found a long incision on his lower abdomen. Although it is deep as is on his forehead." Pagpapaliwanag ng doktora. Namuo na ang luha ni Gui pero pinipigilan niya lang. Naituring na niyang parang anak si Rick kaya hindi niya naiwasan.

"The important thing is naagapan ang internal bleeding sa kanyang abdomen at hindi siya nag

50-50 dahil sa blood loss. Ligtas na siya. Eto pala ung gamit ni Sir."

Hindi na nagtagal si Jerrylyn at umalis na kaagad. Hindi na niya kailangan pang malaman ang iba pang usapan nila dahil gabi na rin.

Darkness everywhere. Rick's eyelids felt heavy even though his mind was

wide awake. He could hear disembodied voices around him. Every part of his body

hurts. He couldn't move even one finger because it hurts. There was also a

stinging sensation on his abdomen and his head. He couldn't move without feeling

hurt. Once again, he tried to open his eyes slowly. But all he could see was

blurry scenery.

"Rick?"

He closed his eyes again and opened once more.

"Rick?"

He opened his eyes and all came to clarity. He was lying in a bed, inside a light

blue room where the light source was the sunshine brightly glowing through the huge

window.

Madam Gui clasped her hands together "Diyos ko! Thank you! Thank you!"

The nurse was checking upon her clipboard and immediately stormed out. Rick

lifted his both hands and an IV hose was already connected to his right hand.

"Buti na lang gumising ka na."

"How did you-"

"You wear your watch to your right, so I thought you were left-handed."

"Right."

The door suddenly swung open. They were disturbed by some female doctor. She

greeted them with a smile. "Good your awake Mr. Cua. How are you now?"

He didn't respond. He doesn't know what to say. He still felt confused, hurt and

tired. He looked around his bed. He tried touching his head. Soft lumpy cotton of

some sort was attached to his forehead's left side and his left eye was covered with gauze.

"Ah, yan ba? 14 stitches ang ginawa dyan. And meron ka ring sugat sa abdomen na kasing lalim ng nasa noo ko. Malaki ang pasa sa abdomen mo. Tsaka base sa xray mo eh hindi naman na bali yang braso mo. Sa tingin namin kaya mo ginamit pang sanga ay dahil may existing ng bakal yan"

"Will-" Rick stopped and sighed. He didn't know what to ask her.

"It'll take days for you to recover. You'll need a lot of rest Mr. Cua."

Gui looked at him with her pitiful eyes. He could see in Gui that she felt

responsible for what happened to him.

"Doktora, posible bang sa bahay na siya makapagpahinga?"

"Of course, Gui. Pwede naman. Basta wala munang superhero duties or something. Kahit na batak na yang katawan mo sa ganitong insidente."

They knew each other. The way they talkbto each other.

"Ok. Mrs. Gui and Mr. Cua. I have to go now. Bye."

They both waved her goodbye as she exited the room.

Nang makaalis na ang doktora, mabilis naging seryoso ang mukha ni Ma'am Gui at maski ang atmosphere ng kwarto.

"Kabago bago mo palang dito pero may naka bangga ka na kaagad. Kita mo yang itsura mo o? Hindi mo nga maimulat yang kaliwa mong mata mo."

"Let me guess? She also told you her make up story? That b*tch knows something about this!"

"Sinong b*tch? At tsaka sa ang parking lot?"

"That Jerrylyn Gabino! She knows about this. I can feel it."

"Oh really?" Gui's eyebrows suddenly struck up as she slowly lay her back on the

chair. "Paano ako maniniwala, Rick? Ngayon ko nga lang na may bakal na yang braso mo! Malay ko kung anong ginagawa mo bago na punta rito. Tsaka hindi nako magtataka bakit yan nangyari sayo. Pareho nating alam ang nangyari kay Sir Rajah."

"Naaksidente ako noon sa car crash kaya ako may bakal sa braso. Now kung na gets mo na madam, can wd now talk about this?"

"Still, the possibility that you are involved in some kind of gang war or bounty hunting ay hindi mawawala sa utak ko, Rick ." She shook her head with a sarcastic smile.

Rick's eyebrows furrowed. "Seriously? Are you f*cking kidding me? She even had the nerve to hack on to my phone!"

"Hacked your phone?"

"For god's sake! That girl is not some kind of common person, Madam!"

"If this accusations are just hearsay, hindi kita matutulungan, alam mo yan."

"Look at my phone. The one inside the ziplock. Open the file manager. The one with the odd symbol. You'll see what I'm talking about."

Ginawa nga ni Gui ang bawat sinabi ni Rick. Doon niya din napagtanto na totoo ang sinasabi ni Rick. Naipasa lahat ng mga file ni Jerrylyn na naglalaman ng magiging pang blackmail niya kay Makee. Lahat ng screenshots ng convo nila ni Hansel. Ngunit sa mga litratong ito, pangalan lang ni Makee ang hindi na takman ng emoji.

"One of your student is in relationship with a teacher. And it is Makee David. Diba bawal iyon?"

"Papaanong-"

"See? Jerrylyn is not what you think she is. Dean's lister? Sa tingin mo, bakit kaya? Tsaka nagpangabot kami nung gabing pinuntahan ko si Sir Rajah."

"Oh my god! Ibigsabihin may alam siya sa-sa ginawa mo? Sa utos ko? Oh my god!"

Napakunot ng bahagya ang noo ni Rick. Hindi siya makapaniwala pagaalala ni Ma'am Gui.

"Relax! Ok? It is possible pero uunahan natin siyang sirain bago tayo ang sirain niya. No one will get you out of your seat. "

Ma'am Gui put her hand in front of Rick's face acting as a barrier between them.

"This is the Philippines. Everyone cares--Every person wants to be involved. Just like gossip. Konti mali ko lang, ikakabagsak ko iyon. Being involved in your schemes is out of the plan-"

"I know. That's why I'm looking for a way to get you out of the picture."