Chapter 3

Kinabukasan, bumalik ako sa hospital.

Hindi dahil gusto kong makita si Nathaniel.

At least, iyon ang paulit-ulit kong sinasabi sa sarili ko.

I needed answers.

After everything that happened last night, lalo lang dumami ang tanong sa isip ko.

Sino ang tinutukoy ng lalaking pumunta sa bahay namin?

Bakit sinabi niyang dapat patay na ako?

At higit sa lahat—

ano ang nangyari noong gabing nasunog ang bahay na hindi ko naman maalala?

Pagbukas ko ng p***o ng hospital room, agad kong nakita si Nathaniel.

Nakaupo siya sa kama.

Wala siyang kausap.

Walang nurse.

Just him.

At nang magtama ang mga mata namin—

bigla siyang natahimik.

“You're here.”

Isinara ko ang p***o sa likod ko.

“Yes.”

Matagal niya akong tinitigan.

“You shouldn't be.”

Napakunot-noo ako.

“That's exactly what your uncle said.”

Biglang nagbago ang expression niya.

“What?”

“Your uncle.”

Tumayo siya.

“Which uncle?”

“I don't know his name.”

“Describe him.”

“Matangkad. Gray hair. He was at the office before.”

Naging seryoso ang mukha niya.

“Did he come to your house?”

Hindi ako sumagot.

Hindi na niya kailangang tanungin ulit.

He already knew.

Lumapit siya sa akin.

“What did he say?”

“That I was supposed to be dead.”

Huminto siya.

Parang biglang nawala ang hangin sa buong room.

“Mia…”

Napaatras ako nang bahagya.

“Don't call me that.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't know who Mia is.”

Matagal niya akong tinitigan.

“You do.”

“What?”

“You just don't remember.”

Naramdaman kong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.

“Then help me remember.”

Hindi siya sumagot.

“I've spent three years working for you,” dagdag ko. “Tatlong taon, Nathaniel. And apparently, you knew something about me the entire time.”

“I didn't.”

“Then why did you hire me?”

Napatingin siya sa kabilang side ng room.

I knew it.

May tinatago siya.

“You knew.”

“I had a feeling.”

“A feeling?”

“That I'd seen you before.”

“Then bakit hindi mo ako tinanong?”

“I tried.”

“When?”

“During your interview.”

Napakunot-noo ako.

“You asked me if I had any connection to your family.”

“Yes.”

“And when I said no?”

“I believed you.”

“Then why the photograph?”

Tahimik siya.

“Because I found it the day before your interview.”

Napatigil ako.

“Where?”

“In my father's study.”

Napatingin ako sa kanya.

“The photograph of the two children?”

Tumango siya.

I remembered the little girl.

The boy.

The white dress.

The bracelet.

“What happened in that house?”

His expression darkened.

“I don't know.”

“You don't know?”

“I remember pieces.”

“What pieces?”

Matagal bago siya sumagot.

“Your hand.”

“My hand?”

“You were holding mine.”

May kung anong kumirot sa dibdib ko.

“Where?”

“The night of the fire.”

Napahawak ako sa braso ko.

“Hindi ko maalala.”

“I know.”

“Then tell me.”

He looked at me.

“You were crying.”

“You told me that yesterday.”

“There was something else.”

“What?”

His eyes didn't leave mine.

“I promised you something.”

Napakunot-noo ako.

“What did you promise?”

“I promised I'd come back for you.”

Parang may kung anong humila sa dibdib ko.

“But you never did.”

Mahina lang ang pagkakasabi ko.

His expression changed.

“I didn't know where you were.”

“You could have looked.”

“I did.”

Napatingin ako sa kanya.

“What?”

“For years.”

“Then why didn't you find me?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because someone made sure I wouldn't.”

“Who?”

“I don't know.”

“You're lying.”

“I wish I was.”

Tahimik kaming dalawa.

Then his eyes dropped to my wrist.

Biglang nagbago ang mukha niya.

“Where did you get that?”

Sinundan ko ang tingin niya.

Sa bracelet ko.

“This?”

“Yes.”

“My mother gave it to me.”

Unti-unting lumapit si Nathaniel.

“She gave you that?”

“Yes.”

Tinitigan niya ang bracelet na para bang may nakita siyang multo.

“That bracelet…”

“What about it?”

He swallowed.

“That was mine.”

Napahinto ako.

“What?”

“I gave it to you.”

Hindi ako nakapagsalita.

“When?”

He closed his eyes.

At nang magsalita siya ulit, mahina na ang boses niya.

“The night of the fire.”

---

May kumatok sa p***o.

Pareho kaming napalingon.

Isang nurse ang pumasok.

“Mr. Vale, may naghahanap po sa inyo sa baba.”

“Who?”

“Your mother.”

Agad nagbago ang expression niya.

“Tell her I'm not available.”

Tumango ang nurse.

Pero bago siya tuluyang makalabas—

“Wait.”

Tumingin si Nathaniel sa akin.

Then sa bracelet ko.

“Don't let her see Elena.”

Napakunot-noo ako.

“Why?”

Hindi siya sumagot.

Bago pa ako makapagtanong ulit, may narinig kaming boses mula sa hallway.

Mahina.

Pero malinaw.

“Mia?”

Nanigas ang buong katawan ko.

Dahan-dahan akong napalingon kay Nathaniel.

Hindi siya gumagalaw.

Hindi rin siya nagsasalita.

But his eyes—

his eyes were fixed on me.

At sa unang pagkakataon, nakita ko ang takot sa mukha ng isang lalaking akala ko ay walang kinatatakutan.

Because whoever was standing outside that door didn't know me as Elena.

She knew me as Mia.