NAPAKASAYA ni Margareth at halos sumabog na ang kanyang dibdib sa matinding kasiyahan. Napakapalad niya at biniyayaan siya ng panginoon.
Alam na ng lahat ang relasyon nila ni Achilles at walang tumutol kahit isa man sa magkabilang pamilya. Masaya ang lahat para sa kanila, ngunit higit ang sayang nararamdaman ng kanyang ina. Mas lumakas ang pangangatawan nito at tila ba hindi ito naisugod sa hospital may ilang buwan na ang nakakalipas.
Akala niya ay wala nang mas isasaya pa nang magpahayag si Achilles ng planong pagpapakasal at hingin ang kanyang kamay sa kanyang mga magulang. Hindi niya inakala na magaganap iyon sa kanyang buhay, akala niya ay buo na ang isip at puso niya na sa isang lalaki lang iaalay ang kanyang buong buhay. But there she was now, engaged with the man she loves, very happy and contented and blessed by God's grace.
Nilingon niya si Achilles at ngumiti rito, ginantihan naman siya nito ng ngiti at inilagay ang baba sa kanyang balikat.
Umakyat ang tingin ni Margareth sa buwan na maliwanag na maliwanag ng gabing iyon at tila ba nakangiting nakatunghay sa kanila.
"What are you thinking?" tanong ni Achilles habang dinadampian ng masuyong halik ang kanyang balikat.
Nasa balkonahe sila ng silid nito ng mga oras na iyon at nakatunghay sa kalangitan. Kakaalis lang ng pamilya ng binata matapos ang kasiyahan. Nag-usap ang dalawang pamilya kanina tungkol sa kasal at halos hindi siya makahinga sa sobrang galak at antisipasyon.
"I'm thinking of how thankful I am to the Lord for giving you to me. Hindi siya nagsama ng loob ng mas pinili kita kaysa sa magsilbi sa kanya. I know that he was happy for both of us, he wants his children to live in delight, pain and agony were there to teach us and mold us to become a better version of ourselves. We owe him a lot of things."
"If I haven't known that you're in love with me, I would've been jealous of him. Hindi ko siya kailanman mapapantayan but I can love you 'til my last breath."
Kinuha ni Margaret hang isa nitong kamay at dinampian ng halik ang likod ng palad nito. "Thank you for loving me, Aki."
"Gladly, my sweet. I will always love you, Brianna and our forthcoming children. I intend to have a big family and filled our house with our kid's laughter and glee."
Nabura ang ngiti sa mga labi ni Margareth sa sinabi ni Achilles. Tension and anxiety consumed her system. Naninikip rin ang kanyang lalamunan sa pagpipigil ng sari-saring emosyong bumaha sa kanyang dibdib. Bigla-bigla ay nag-iba ang kanyang pakiramdam.
"Are you okay?" Achilles asked and his forehead creased when he felt her stiffen.
"I-I'm okay, maginaw lang..."
Iginiya ni Achilles ang dalaga papasok sa loob ng silid at pinaupo sa gilid ng kanyang kama. Nagtataka man sa ikinikilos nito ay binalewala niya iyon. Marahil ay nakaramdam lang talaga ito ng ginaw, ngunit hindi ito makatingin sa kanya at nakatuon ang paningin sa mga paa.
"You must be tired." With his family a while ago, hindi na siya magtatakang nahapo ang dalaga sa pag-iistima sa mga ito. Kay Niccola palang ay ubos na ang lakas nito.
Tango lang ang tanging tugon ni Margareth kasabay ng pagkagat sa pang-ibabang labi upang pigilan iyon sa panginginig.
Tumayo na si Achilles at inumang ang kamay rito na agad naman nitong tinanggap. Humakbang sila palabas silid, inihatid niya ang dalaga hanggang sa tapat ng bahay ng mga ito.Tinitigan niya muna ito ng mabuti, tila ba kinakabisado ang bawat bahagi ng mukha ng dalaga bago nagpaalam. "See you in two weeks' time, my sweet Margareth."
Nang makabalik sa kanyang silid ay nakaramdam ng kahungkangan si Achilles at hinahanap ng kanyang katawan ang init ng katawan ng kasintahan.
Patihayang humiga siya sa kanyang kama at tumiting sa kisame. Wala pa man ay nararamdaman na niya ang lungkot at pagkasabik sa dalaga. Simula bukas ay dalawang linggo rin silang hindi magkikita nito.
He received a call from his commanding officer and he was demanding his presence on the base. Hindi niya sana gustong pumunta ngunit wala siyang pagpipilian, he was still a soldier with responsibilities in his country.
Ngunit iyon na ang huling pagtungo niya sa kampo at ang kanyang huling tungkulin sa bayan. He will quit his job if it meant he will get a lot of time with Margareth and his daughter. He can sacrifice everything for them. Kahit na nagsusumigaw ang kanyang damdamin na magsilbi sa bayan at kapwa, family comes first and he will not do the same mistakes again.
Nasabi na niya kay Margareth ang tungkol sa tawag na natanggap niya mula sa kanyang commanding officer at napag-usapan na nila ang tungkol sa bagay na iyon. Hindi ito nagpakita ng negatibong reaksiyon, sa halip ay ngumiti ito sa kanya at sinabing maghihintay ito sa kanyang pagbabalik. She even cheered him on and praised him for doing a good job.
Samantala, si Margareth na nasa loob ng kanyang silid ay nakabaluktot na nakahiga sa kanyang kama habang tumutulo ang masaganang butil ng luha mula sa kanyang mga mata.
Ang kasiyahang natamasa niya nitong mga nakalipas na araw ay napalitan ng lambong at agam-agam. Pumapasok sa kanyang gunita ang masayang boses ni Achilles habang binabahagi nito sa kanya ang mga gusto nitong mangyari sa buhay nila. Nang marinig niya ang mga salitang lumabas sa bibig nito ay tila siya binagsakan ng ilang toneladang bigat at biglang nalugmok sa lupa.
Hindi niya malaman ang iisipin at sasabihin sa binata. Paano kung hindi siya nito matanggap dahil sa kakulangan niya? Ngayon lang niya naisip ang bagay na iyon. It was her fault, she forgot to tell him an important information about her, a part of her.
Dumako ang kanyang kamay sa kanyang tiyan at dinama ang bahaging iyon ng kanyang katawan. Lalo lang bumalong ang luha sa kanyang mga mata at tila ba kakapusin siya ng hininga sa pagpipigil ng kanyang hikbi.
She was this miserable eight years ago when that thing happened to her. Isa iyon sa mga pangyayari sa buhay niya na nagpabago sa kanyang pananaw. It was like the turning point in her life and it was achingly memorable for her.
Hindi niya alam kung paano iyon tatanggapin ni Achilles. O baka minamaliit lang niya ang pagmamahal na nararamdaman nito para sa kanya? She always felt his love towards her and she's always grateful for it.
Masaya siyang nakikita itong masaya at palaging nakangiti. Hindi kagaya noong una na palaging nakatiim ang mga labi at para bang kalaban nito ang buong mundo. The Achilles she met months ago was gone, wala na ang lambong at pighati sa mga mata ng binata. He always stared at her with his glowing eyes, full of bliss and love.
Ngunit ngayon ay ang sarili naman niya ang kanyang pinagdududahan. Was she enough for him? Karapat-dapat ba siya rito kung hindi naman niya maibibigay ang pangangailangan ni Achilles, ang mga pangarap nito?
Gusto niya itong maging masaya at gusto niyang maging masaya sa piling ito. Ngunit sa pakiwari ay makasarili siya kung maituturing kapag ipagtulakan niya ang kanyang gusto. She can never complete him. She just can't.
Now she doesn't know what to do and what to think anymore.
"Just reach out to him, talk with your heart and everything will fall into place." Biglang pumasok sa kanyang isipan ang sinabi ni Mother Superior noong nasa loob pa siya ng komunidad ng mga madre.
She knew that he will never disappoint. His love endures everything.
Margareth closed her eyes, and those painful memories plague her sleep.
MARGARETH'S pale lips stretch in a smile when she saw her brothers outside the school's gate. With her weak limbs, she took shaky steps in their direction. She stopped herself from wincing when every stride she took she felt the pain in her body.
She sighed in relief when Vince's arms enveloped her body. He kissed the top of her head and Cael kissed her cheek. She smiled with her brothers' gestures.
"You okay?" She nodded even though she felt tired and she was aching all over. While walking, she wound her arm around her brother's waist and his arm was around her shoulders. Whilst Cael carried her backpack for her. "Let's watch a movie first before going home," Vince suggested.
"Nah, that won't do." Cael leaned closer to her and whispered to her ear, "You got bloodstains, lady."
Napatigil si Margareth sa paglalakad at napatingin sa saya niyang kulay dilaw. Nang malingunan ang mitsa ng dugo roon ay napangiwi siya. Nagpalakad lakad pa siya sa loob ng school kanina, kaya pala may napapatingin sa kanya kanina. That was horrible. Mabuti nalang at puro babae ang estudyante sa kanilang paaralan. They somehow understand her.
"Don't worry, we got your back, bansot." Habang patungo sila sa kinapaparadahan ng sasakyan ni Cael ay tinakpan siya ng dalawa niyang kuya upang walang makakita sa kanyang tagos. She was thankful despite everything, her knights saved her again, like always.
Pagkarating sa kanilang bahay ay agad siyang pumanhik sa kanyang silid at naglinis ng katawan.
Pagkalabas niya ng banyo ay wala sa sariling napaupo siya sa ibabaw ng kanyang kama at napatitig sa dingding. Margareth can feel it, there was something wrong with her body. These past few months, she bleeds a lot than usual during her monthly period. Pinagsawalang-bahala nalang niya iyon dahil may mga ganoon naman talaga, ang ina rin niya ay naranasan iyon ng dalaga pa ito.
Subalit nitong mga nakaraan ay tumitindi iyon, maging ang pananakit ng kanyang puson. Minsan ay nahihilo siya at parang masusuka, madalas din siyang makaramdam ng pagkahapo at pananakit ng katawan.
She doesn't want to go out of her room but she was called for dinner. She was rubbing the lower part of her abdomen as she was descending the stairs as if it'll lessen the pain.
Pagkapasok niya sa dining room ay naroon na ang kanyang mga magulang at ang dalawa niyang kapatid. Wala ang kanyang Kuya Harold dahil may duty ito sa ospital para sa internship nito.
"Are you okay, Margareth? You're pale. Is there something wrong?"
"I'm okay, Mommy..." Sabay ngiti sa kanyang ina na nakaupo sa hapag kainan kaharap niya. "Thank you," wika niyang muli nang lagyan ni Vince ng kanin ang kanyang plato.
They were eating when that excruciating pain hit her stomach. Nabitawan niya ang kanyang kubyertos at tinidor na lumikha ng tunog pagtama niyon sa babasaging plato. Napauklo siya at napahawak sa tiyan, biglang umikot ang kanyang paningin at tuluyang nawalan ng malay dahil sa sakit.
Vince, who was sitting beside Margareth, was quick enough to catch her before she fell from her seat.
MGA boses na nag-uusap ang kanyang naririnig pagkagising niya. Agad niyang nakita ang IV stand sa tabi ng kanyang hinihigaan at ang dalawang bag ng dugong nakasabit doon, ang isa ay wala ng laman.
"You're awake!"
"K-Kuya Cael, what happened?" tanong niya sa kapatid. Naroon din si Vince at nag-aalalang nakatunghay sa kanya.
"You passed out, we brought you to the hospital immediately and you're drained out of the blood that is why you're having a transfusion right now," distress was evident on Vince's face while saying those words.
Magtatanong pa sana siyang muli rito nang biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kanyang hospital suite at pumasok ang kanyang mga magulang, ang kanyang Kuya Harold, isang lalaki at babae na nakasuot ng doctor's robe.
She felt wary and scared when she saw the expression on her parents' face, and Harold's.
What is happening? She wanted to scream.
"You have cancer, Margareth. Cervical cancer..."
Margareth's mouth fell open, it took her minutes to process what the doctor announced. Her mind was screaming no when it finally dawned on her. She had cancer! She looked at her mother who was trying hard to control her tears but failed. It was as if they already know about her condition before they appeared from behind the door.
Vince and Cael were as stunned, confuse and scared as she was. Vince was gripping her left hand while Cael held the other.
"I know you're young you have plans for the future, but we need to remove your uterus immediately. A portion of the cancer cells has spread to the other organs, we need to take action immediately before it spreads some more, it'll be lethal."
Hot torrent of grief coursed down from Margareth's eyes. She knew that from that moment on, a part of her was gone. She'll never be complete. Her brother embraced her and kiss every part of her face, they were also crying just like her.
It was the most horrible moment in her life. She couldn't find a peaceful sleep that night, she was crying and squeezed her eyes until there were no more tears left to cry. Her family was there for her and it somehow eased the pain.
The next morning Mother Helena, Sasha and Klaus visited her. Everyone that loves her was there for her, they were praying for her.
"Everything has a reason, Margareth. Trust his plan for you. Manalig ka sa kanya, anak."
At that moment, Margareth couldn't find the reason why it happened to her. But she will surely find it, not now but maybe soon. In God's time.