The speed of events. Just like a movie that has a quick sudden change of frame. It was like a flicker from a dream, and an awakening to reality.
Daddy suffered from heart attack while he's at his office. The information is vague so far, but what has reached us is that he was alone but was spotted by his bodyguard a few minutes later. Gladly, he's rushed to the hospital right away. He had to be transferred to Manila after receiving first aid.
I turned numb. It's too painful for me to even blink. It's like every time I blink, I'm wishing I would wake up in this nightmare.
What matters to me now, is that Dad is stable and he's fine. The doctor said that only two out of 10 people survive from a heart attack, and my daddy is one hell of a strong guy.
Days after, dad was able to go home. I tried to be more positive when I'm around him since I'm the only one who can possibly take care of him.
Fortunately, older brother Jax was also there to help us.
The news broke immediately, the people of the town even knew what had happened to my father before I knew it. I wasn't able to attend my classes since I needed to be around my father until he at least fully recovered.
"Dad, you have to take care of yourself, okay? You have to eat your meals and take your medicines." I told him.
He looks like he didn't suffer from a heart attack at all. What I mean by that is how he acts and reacts. But his body? Of course he's still weak. It's just my usual fun and cool dad that's trying to impress everybody around him. Especially his only daughter.
"Jade, you have to attend your classes. My nurse can take care of me."
I shook my head and let him eat a spoonful of his food. That's our routine every single day. I won't lie if I say I'm not worried about my grades. But what's more important? Dad only has me.
"Oh, all of this. I just xeroxed it. Mica won't let me borrow her notes." Olivia handed me the lectures and many more paper works.
"Thanks."
"How's Tito?"
"Getting better." I shrugged.
She didn't say anything after that. She just watched me read some notes, double checking if there's some questions I needed to ask her.
"How about you?" I stopped. I look her in the eye.
"How are you?"
Something in her tone struck my inner being. It seems like I felt some pinch when he asked me then. My eyes welled up with tears. And even when my nerves burst to stop sobbing I did nothing. I jumped into her and hugged her tight, she did the same.
No one asked me that. I never knew that I needed to hear that single question. Even though I didn't know how I'm supposed to answer that, I felt her presence and her reaching out is the biggest thing I needed.
Things went on for days. I continue to take care of Daddy even though he has a private nurse. I just want to be with him while he's on the process of healing.
"See dad? You should have remarried again." I said, referring to my concern for him and not having a ‘wife'. He shook his head with a crook smile on his face.
"Why? You love mom that much?" I joked, he didn't smile at that.
He just looked me in the eye and I can't read the emotions embedded in his eyes. He wiped his lips before speaking.
"Jade, I always believe that a marriage must happen just once. And even though your mother passed away, no one can separate me from the promise that I made with her.'Till death do we part.' that's just for her. "
I don't know why I'm suddenly emotional about that. I admire my father. I admire him for being the kind of man that I want to be with for the rest of my life.
"Hey hey, my precious Jade." he called me sweetly.
He held chin, noticing my sudden lack of energy.
I chuckled. "I think I wouldn't be able to marry."
His brows furrowed showing the lines on his forehead.
"And why do you say so?"
"Because ..." memories of Erato with Savannah flashed inside my head. "I don't think I wouldn't be able to find a man who can love the way you loved mom." I smiled sadly.
"My," he said after a long silence. "In this life, I believe there are many kinds of love. There are loves that are not appropriate but last a long time. There are also loves that are irreplaceable, but can change." I listened to him.
His definitions of love interests me. Because for me there's only one love. The love that's meant to be. The love that's meant for me.
"And your love for mom is the love that cannot be replaced?" I asked even though it's obvious. But I'm wrong. He smiled and shook his head. That made my brows meet.
"The one I said first."
I cocked my head and didn't understand him. I was about to ask him when he coughed. He said he was full and wanted to rest.
I tried. I tried so bad to cope up. I tried so hard to be strong amidst the hollow emptiness I'm feeling. I didn't have time to do social media. I focused on overcoming things that needed to be prioritized rather than the self inflicting pain that's happening inside me. All the more, I'm just so happy that my father is getting better.
"Dad! Wasn’t the vice offered to do that? You need to rest! Why are you so stubborn?" Jax's voice echoed on the hallway, one morning.
I saw the door to dad's room open and I think that's where the voice was coming from. I hurried there.
"Son, aren't you a businessman? Mind your own business."
I looked out the door and saw dad in bed. In front of him are the papers, he's wearing glasses and by the looks of it and based on older brother Jax's sentiments, he's working.
"You think I'm joking?" My older brother asked stiffly.
Dad ignored him. I was the next to speak.
"Dad," I called him with a pleading voice. "You must rest."
He ignored me either. Jax just wiped his face frustratingly.
"Does your pride matters the most now? Vice already said he can do that!"
"He just said it but it doesn't mean he can do it. And you think this is my pride working right now? This is for the sake of my constituents. Stop meddling with me and go back to your business." Dad said pretty angry.
I looked at older brother pleadingly. I want him to not yell at dad like that because that would hurt him.
"That's it. Stop mocking me. You think we're not worried about you?"
"If only you had taken my place my mind would have been quiet."
"So we're back to this again?" said Jax.
I held his arm looking up at him.
"Jax," I whispered.
"If you don't want to go through another, then leave," dad said.
Jax chuckled without any emotion.
"So what? You think if Erato’s here he wold obey you?"
It grabbed my attention even more. What has Erato got to do with this?
"That man didn't give any sure answer, Jaxon. That's the difference between him and you."
"Wow! As if that even changes a thing. That man is getting married! Unless you don’t know."
I feel heavier.
"Jax! Stop it!" I shouted.