"Where are we going, Ate? And... Why is she here?"
Minutes had been past but she haven't spoke out about what happened earlier. Patuloy lang siya sa pag aayos ng mga gamit ni Calvin kahit kaunti lang iyon. Her sister is also here looking around Calvin's room.
"Hi. You can call me Klea. It's nice to see you again."
Atmosphere is different right now. Kung gaano man kaseryoso si Amber ay ganoon naman kadaling makipag usap ng ng kapatid niya kay Calvin.
"So, your name is Klea?"
Nanatili akong tinitignan silang tatlo ng marinig ang mahinang tinig ni Amber at natitigilan pa sa pag aayos ng gamit.
"Oh? You talk to me for a long time without asking my name? Yeah, a typical you. I am Kleanna Madrid De Luna. Happy?"
Is she using her dad's name?
Hindi lang ako ang nagulat dahil sa sinabi ng nakakatanda niyang kapatid. Sa totoo lang ay wala akong planong alamin kung ano ang pakay niya at bakit ngayon lang siya nagpakita. Her mother and her sister's mother both died. She should have be together long time ago. If that really happened before, I guess this won't happened.
"Hi ate Klea. Are you also my sister? Cool, we have the same surname."
She smiles at Calvin before looking at Amber when she finally finishes packing.
"Definitely. She's your sister."
Pigil hininga akong nagugulat sa inaasta ng tatlong magkakapatid sa harap ko. They are all straight forwarded. Walang paligoy ligoy na sinabi nila kay Calvin ang tungkol roon. I doubt Calvin would understand. He got excited after that announcement. I just need to go down to recieve I ordered to have us a dinner. Amber not yet eaten. Sobrang tagal niyang natulog ngunit kahit yata sa panaginip ay hindi siya matahimik dahil sa nakalukot nitong noo habang natutulog.
"She's with Calvin?"
Papasok na sana ako sa elevator ng makasalubong ko si Doctor Wilson. I remember myself to him. I used to do rounds and not do days off and, that wouldn't be fine with Amber. She's always mad if I skip day-offs.
"Your girlfriend is there too. I think the siblings are weird."
"Okay."
He left after hearing it. I guess he belongs to weird clubs.
"Let's have dinner first."
After I arrived at the room, I placed the food on the table.
"Are you saying I need to go abroad without you, ate?"
I kept my ears open. She's still into it. That is the best decision she made. Calvin needs to go there and, I am going to stay here. I don't want to tell her because I knew she'll get mad again. I won't let her in a dangerous war with that VP.
"You need to stay there for a while and, you can come back here after your complete recovery. Your health has improved. You needed to have a new environment for you to recover fast. Then after that, you can do what you want. You can eat what you want or go to school. Malapit na Calvin. After many years you'll become cancer-free."
She's not bluffing about Calvin's health condition. There is a big improvement in his health. I became one of his doctors before and, I can say that he is improving.
"What about you? Then come with me. Let's go there together."
"Don't worry, kid, I'm here too. Trust your sister. I can teach you how to drive a helicopter after your recovery."
I kept hearing things without them talking to me. They judt talk for more minutes bago pa nila ako napansin. If they knew each other a long time ago, is Amber can still be like this? If somebody helped her a long time ago, is she living at peace?
I kept questioning, what is my role in her life. But I lost my way because of the accident. Maybe we already married a long time ago.
After we ate, I needed to leave the room again to have fresh air.
Hindi ko napigilang kapain ang kwintas na ibinigay niya noong nasa Batanes pa kame.
"Where are you going?"
Natigilan ako sa pagsara ng pinto ng pigilan niya ako.
"Sa baba."
Nanghihina ako sa isiping may pinaplano siyang makakasama sa kaniya. She never told me her plans. I understand it. She never ask kung ano ba ang maitutulong ko. She only want me to stay with Calvin because she's afraid. Natatakot siyang may mangyareng masama sa akin.
I thought she won't let me leave. Sandali siyang nawala bago siya bumalik at lumabas din sa kwarto.
"You can't walk around. Stay inside."
Balak kong kumausap ng nurse upang ipalinis ang sugat niyang nagdugo kaniya ngunit parang wala siyang narinig at parang walang nangyareng naglakad pa ito papunta sa elevator.
"You all heard what I said with Calvin. Stay with him until I settled things here."
Ramdam ko ang lamig sa garden na pinag upuan namin. Maganda ang langit dahil sa mga bituin na nagliliwanag. Walang dahilan upang umulan ngayon.
"What about you? How I could be sure that you are well here? How I can be sure what you are up to because of that man teasing you earlier? I have full of questions for you right now but, I kept silent because I understand you."
"I keep my mouth shut to after hearing what 'my-so-called-sister' about something you might now. I don't care about all of those things because I understand too."
"I know you. You'll do something bad."
"Don't you remember that I was an attorney?"
"No. I remember you as a short-tempered woman who will do something that might be dangerous."
Hindi niya tuloy napigilang mapabuntong hininga. She looked tired. I wanted to go far away here with her but I understand why she can't. She love her Mom that much. Hindi siya matatahimik hangga't may taong nagpapakasaya sa mga paghihirap niya.
"Go with him. And... Let's have married after this." I froze.
Is she want to get married to me?
I looked at her with a question mark look but, she kept watching the stars above.