CHAPTER 9.2

[LOVELY's Point of View]

"Kasalanan mo talaga 'to," Psalm said to me for the nth time habang naglalakad kami sa pasilyo ng St. Andrews Hospital. Yep, sa ospital and no, wala namang na-confine sa amin dito or whatever. If you're thinking that something bad happened to Luisa, the customer who went to the cafe earlier, you're definitely wrong.

Nandito kami dahil dito kami tutupad ng isang munting pangarap and I'm so excited! And yeah, a bit nervous.

Galing pa lang kami sa Nurse's station para itanong kung pwede ba 'yung balak naming gawin. But there's no luck.

"Kapag talaga 'to pumalpak, ikaw ang may kasalanan. Ikaw lang, " he murmured.

"Ano ba naman? When pa kayo nag-join force ni Pen sa pagiging nega, ha? Don't you know the phrase think positive lang?" I blatantly said. God! Mas naii-stress ako sa ka-negahan ng isang 'to. 

Dapat pala si Pen o si Sage na lang ang isinama ko. Bakit naman kasi naisip ko pang magagamit ko ang skills n'ya sa pambobola? Mukhang skills lang sa pambubwisit ang meron s'ya ngayon.

Tumigil kami sa harap ng isang puting pinto kung saan nakalagay ang number 401. Behind this door is our dearly, beloved dreamer.

I took a deep breath before holding the door knob.

"And by the way, stop frowning! Just ngiti ka lang like this," Ngumiti ako ng pagkalapad-lapad para gayahin n'ya. Ang panget naman kasi kung haharap s'ya na nakasimangot. Napaka-unfriendly tignan.

"Dali na! For the sake of the customer." Pamililit ko dahil nangangawit na ako sa ginagawa kong pagngiti. "Smile~"

"Ih," He stretched his lips to form a big smile too at binigyan ako ng thumbs up like asking if he's doing okay.

"Ang pangit and halatang pilit but nevermind. Let's go!"

Masaya kong binuksan ang pinto.

"Hell—o?" Kinailangan kong hinaan kaagad ang boses ko kahit hindi ko pa nasisigaw ang isang buong word na hello dahil nag-shh na sila sa akin pagpasok pa lang.

"Sorry, bilin kasi ng doktor na huwag aabalahin ang tulog ni Lyka. She badly needs rest." Luisa approached us.

"Oh, okay. Sorry." Pahingi ko din ng tawad. "How is she na ba?"

Lumapit kami sa natutulog na si Lyka, Luisa's younger sister. Sa kanya din ang pangarap na inilapit sa amin. I can't help but to feel pity for her. She's too young pero heto sya, nakahiga at pilit na nag-iipon ng lakas. Dapat sa mga batang tulad n'ya, nasa labas, naglalaro, nag-e-enjoy at masaya.

"Still gaining strength for her operation," Mahinang tugon ni Luisa at inayos ang kumot ng kapatid.

"She'll be fine, soonest!" I beamed just to lift up the mood. Lalo na kung magiging successful ang pagtupad namin sa pangarap n'ya— a big and a happy birthday party.

Luisa told us na matagal ng naka-confine ang kapatid n'yang si Lyka sa ospital. She has congenital heart disease.. Two days from now is her birthday and also the day for her operation. Madalas daw banggitin ni Lyka na pangarap n'yang magkaroon ng isang enggrandeng birthday party. Luisa can't do anything about it dahil halos tumira na ang kapatid n'ya sa ospital and the hospital don't allow big gatherings lalo na kapag malala ang sakit ng pasyente. That's why she went to the cafe for help— hoping we can do something for her sister's dream.

"What did the nurses said?" Biglang tanong ni Sage na nakaupo sa couch kung saan din nakaupo si Pen. The funny thing is, nasa magkabilang side sila na para silang mag-jowang may kasalukuyang LQ.

As much as I wanted to tease them, hindi ko na lang ginawa at sinagot ang tanong ni Sage.

"Bokya. Hindi daw talaga pwede magpa-party dito." Pagsagot ni Psalm habang umuupo sa pagitan nina Pen at Sage.

Argh! Ako dapat ang sasagot, e! Epal.

"Paano 'yun?" Tanong din ni Pen.

"Mission failed. Ano pa nga ba?" It's Psalm again spreading his negativity.

"Shh! Just shh Psalm, can you?" He just hissed and crossed his arms na parang bata

"We can't solve this with negativity, okay? We have to think for the best possible way. Hindi naman natin pwedeng i-disregard ang dream birthday party ni Lyka," I gently explained to them. Kinailangan ko ding hinaan ang boses ko dahil sa tulog na pasyente at ayoko ding marinig ni Luisa na problematic ang pangarap ng kapatid n'ya.

"Is everything okay?" Pagsulpot ni Luisa sa likuran ko that almost made me jump.

"Ah, yes. May kaunting problema lang." Sagot ko.

Bumagsak ang balikat n'ya and it made me so guilty. My bad.

"They didn't allow the party?" She sadly asked.

"We'll find another way." I assured her instead kahit hindi rin ako sigurado kung paano.

"Baka nga masyadong imposible ang gustong mangyari ng kapatid ko especially in her case. I'm really sorry. Ang gusto ko lang naman kasi sana ay maging masaya s'ya at maging panatag ang loob n'ya before the operation by fulfilling her dream birthday."

I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. I can't take the feeling lalo na't I am emotionally weak. Hindi ko ma-imagine how bad Luisa feel. At mas lalo na sa mararamdaman ni Lyka knowing she can't have her dream— the only thing that can lift her up before her critical operation.

"Nurses pa lang naman ang natanungan. Maybe we should ask the higher position. The director, perhaps?" Sage suggested kaya kahit papaano ay nakakuha ako ng lakas ng loob.

"Right! Kailangan lang natin subukan ang ibang possibilities." I wiped my tears and tried to sound as positive as I can.

"Sigurado ba kayo? I heard that the director is... rude and grumpy. Lahat ng nurse at ibang doctor dito takot sa kanya. Baka mas lalong hindi 'yun pumayag." Nag-aalalang sabi ni Luisa.

"Nah! Kaunting paliwanag at pamimilit lang ang kailangan nun." Mayabang na sabad naman ni Psalm. Thanks God hindi negativity ang lumabas sa bibig n'ya.

"Lalo na kung si Lovely ang gagawa." Bahagyang bumuka ang bibig ko because of disbelief. Grabe! Ako talaga ang isasabak n'ya?

"Why me?" Pagmamaktol ko.

"This is your plan, remember?" He mouthed na parang nang-aasar pa. I rolled my eyes, secretly.

"Fine. For sure sasamahan naman ako ni Sage, hindi ba?" Pandadamay ko din.

"I never said that." He flatly said.

"Oh, come on! Hindi ko naman pwedeng isama si Pen." Pagmamaktol ko pa. They are being so madaya!

"Bakit naman hindi, aber?" Panghahamon ni Psalm na parang may gusto s'yang palabasin at gusto n'yang manggaling sakin 'yun.

"Because... Dahil I don't want her to get pagod. Mapagod na kayong dalawa 'wag lang si Pen, no." Sagot ko. That's a white lie, of course. Medyo totoo naman 'yun. Kasi naman, Pen is too quiet. Kailangan ko ng kasamang kayang magsalita especially kung totoong hindi nga mabait ang director. At least si Sage, blatant s'ya magsalita.

"Sus,"

"Let's keep moving mga guys! Baka magising na si Lyka at hindi na tayo makapag-prepare." Paalala ko and for some reason, para makonsensya sila. It's a little girl's dream birthday for God's love!

"Fine," At last tumayo na si Sage and it made me giggle.

"Great! So habang nakikipagbuno kami sa director, mag-plano na kayong dalawa para sa birthday ni Lyka. The decorations, foods and everything." I told Pen and Psalm.

"And ikaw Miss Luisa, just relax. We'll give your sister her dream party."

I know masyado 'yung pagmamayabang but I can do nothing but to make her believe na kakayanin namin 'to. We should, at least, have faith that we can do this.

Lumabas na kami ng kwarto ni Lyka at nagtanong kung saan ang office ng director na swerte namang sinabi sa amin ng isang nurse. It's in the fifth floor kaya kinailangan pa naming sumakay ng elevator.

Gustuhin ko mang daldalin si Sage ngayon, hindi ko magawa. Simply because I'm so nervous dahil na rin sa description kanina ni Luisa sa director.

We reached the fifth floor and headed directly to the director's office. Nagkatinginan pa kami ni Sage at hindi ko na mapigil ang paghinga ng malalim nang marating namin ang pinto. Sage knocked on the door at pakiramdam ko, naging triple ang bilis ng kabog ng dibdib ko.

"Come in," A resonant voice inside the room said.

Binuksan ni Sage ang pinto and a man, probably in his mid-30's, greeted us. Well, he didn't really greeted us. Busy s'ya sa pagtingin ng kung ano-anong files. His table is full of papers. Nakalagay naman sa name board ang pangalan n'ya; Froilan Yuzon, PhD. When he looked at us, lampas sa lente ng kanyang salamin ang matalim n'yang titig na. Mukhang hindi kami ang ini-expect n'yang bisita.

"Who are you? Do you have an appointment?" Matigas n'yang tanong.

"Wala po kaming appointment sa inyo sir—"

"Then what the hell are you doing in my office?!" Sigaw n'ya.

"We have something important to say, Dr. Yuzon." Mabuti na lang dahil si Sage na ang nagsalita. Naiiyak na kasi talaga ako. Imagine, sinigawan n'ya ako!

"Mind if we take a seat—"

"Make it fast will you? Marami akong trabaho!" God! This man is monstrous. Ba't ba s'ya sumisigaw? 

"Gusto sana naming hingin ang permission n'yo para sa isang birthday party ng pasyente n'yo sa room 401." Diretso kong sabi even my heart is pounding hard.

"What? Ano bang tingin n'yo dito? Hotel? This is a hospital you idiots!" He exclaimed.

"We know,"

"Then great! E, ano pang ginagawa n'yo dito? Get out and stop bugging me with your stupid request. Hospitals aren't the place for fun. Kung gusto n'yong pumarty, sa bar kayo pumunta, hindi sa ospital."

Nagtangis ang panga ko sa sinabi n'ya. That's so rude!

"You know what, you're right," I impolitely said. "We can actually do that kung hindi lang sana malala ang sakit at naka-confine ang celebrant. We could have done that kung pwede lang namin s'yang ilabas sa ospital n'yo and we could have done that kung hindi lang sana s'ya ooperahan two days from now which is supposedly her actual birthday." I answered him with all the pique that I have because what he'd said.

"So, we're very sorry sir for bugging you with our stupid request. Ngayon lang kasi namin nalaman na stupid na pala ang pagtupad ng pangarap ng isang batang may sakit na ang gusto lang naman ay makaranas ng isang birthday party."