Part 2

..."The greatest danger for most of us ...

...Is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, ...

...But that it is too low and we reach it."...

... — Michelangelo...

I felt my heart shatter the moment I heard that my husband and child got into an accident. Me and my eldest daughter rushed to the hospital where they both were admitted.

It was my daughterʼs graduation, yet instead of feeling joyous and celebrate what was suppose to be a special day, sadness and despair filled us both.

Moments after waiting for the results of their surgery, the doctor came to us. She told us that my husbandʼs condition was stable, however my daughter couldnʼt make it.

I fell to my knees, crying my eyes out. My daughter supported me, comforted me, however I could feel nothing but heartache.

How could this have happened? It was suppose to be a special day...

I felt rage and sorrow beyond saving, my daughter is gone... If only... if only I couldʼve been there to protect her... if only I had bring her with me and not let her sleep through... if only my husband driven safely.

This is all my fault... his fault.

If he hadnʼt to let her sleep through and told me not to worry because he will go there with her, then this wouldnʼt have happened! My husband killed my treasure.

°°°

A few days have passed and itʼs my daughterʼs funeral. My husband has not woken up yet, hah! He couldnʼt even be here to see his daughterʼs last days.

Heʼs there, lying comfortably in the hospital while here I am and my eldest, crying our hearts out. I still cannot accept the fact that my baby is no longer here... my treasure.

°°°

Three years flew by just like that, and me and my husband always fought. There was not a single day that we donʼt have an argument. My eldest watched us, unflinching, as she does her own thing.

I donʼt know, but every littlest things he does makes me angry. Maybe itʼs because I still blame him for my daughterʼs death. Although he already explained what happened that day, I still couldnʼt shake the fact that heʼs here, fine and well... I know I should have been grateful that he made it... but...

Days went all the same, and as I drove to the store to buy groceries, I spotted my daughter from a distance.

She left the house earlier barely eating her food. Of course that was probably because me and her dad fought again.

She entered a taxi, and I got curious as to where she was going, so I followed her. After minutes of following her, I lost sight her due to traffic.

I went back to the grocery store, bought supplies, and headed home. As I drove home, I still couldnʼt shake my thoughts about my eldest. Where was she heading? Her office is in the opposite direction.

The night came, and it was dinner. Silence filled the room as we ate.

"Darling, where did you head a while ago?" I asked my daughter, breaking the silence.

She paused for a moment and mumbled, "Wow, how long has it been since you called me that...?"

"What?" I asked as I couldnʼt hear what she said.

"Nothing, Mom. And I went to work a while ago, why?"

"I saw you while I was buying groceries. You rode a taxi to the opposite direction." I said plainly as looked at my food again and cut my meat with a knife and stabbed a fork supporting it.

A short silence filled the room once more when a voice suddenly spoke. "What? Where were you headed instead of work? Donʼt tell me you are seeing someone?"

"I—" my daughter spoke before I cut her off.

"Well you not!? Canʼt you see Iʼm talking to my daughter!?" I shouted full of frustration.

"She is my daughter, too!" He shouted back.

"This is between me and my daughter, stay out of it!"

"Again, she is my daughter as well! And whatʼs wrong with me asking, huh?" he said and looked at her. "So? Are you seeing someone, huh!? Better stop before I find out who that is. Donʼt let that person get in the way of your future!"

"Can you not be so dramatic!?" I shouted full of rage. "And you young lady, answer my question!"

"Ha! So Iʼm the one being dramatic!?" he said sarcastically as he brushed his hair to the back with his fingers.

As I was about to say something, a slam in the table silenced the room.

"Well you both stop!? My gosh! Such little thing and you make such a big deal out of it!" my daughter shouted while panting, silencing me and my husband.

A few seconds have passed, and my daughter started panting heavily than earlier. She grabbed her clothes where her heart was located and then massaged it as she was having a hard time breathing.

My and my husband rushed towards her, "Whatʼs wrong, sweetheart!?" my husband asked in a panic.

"Letʼs bring her to the hospital!" my voice cracked and I could feel my heart shatter as I looked at her.

We arrived at the hospital and they immediately took my daughter to the ER.

I could still feel my heart beating faster and faster because of panic. My husband hold me, supporting me as I cried.

No. I canʼt loose my treasure... not again...

Moments passed, and the doctor came to us. "Iʼm sorry, Maʼam, Sir... but your daughter— she couldnʼt make it. We did our best to stabilize her breathing, but she... she already passed..."

I felt déjà vu, and broke down to my knees. My husband whispered comforting words to my ears.

I felt him look up, and spoke. "What happened? Why did this suddenly happened? Was there something wrong with her, Doctor?

I looked up and waited for his answer. His eyes widen and I raised my brow.

"Oh, my goodness, has she not told you about her condition?" the doctor said.

"What?" me and my husband looked at each other, confused.

"What do you mean? Explain." my husband demanded.

"Your daughter has cardiomegaly, which means her heart has enlarged and it was already at a dangerous state..." the doctor paused for a moment. "She went here this morning to have a check up, I even told her that her condition was getting worse and that she needs to take care of herself more. However, she said that I should not worry because everything will be okay." The doctor continued.

I could feel my body shaking, my heart racing, and I couldnʼt talk as if someone had pointed a knife to my neck.

"Maʼam, Sir, did something happened to trigger her?" the doctor asked hesitantly.

"Me and my wife were having an argument... Then... shit! If I had known..." my husband cursed.

The doctor went silent for a moment and said, "I will leave you here to talk, Maʼam, Sir." then left.

My husband hugged tighter me as I cried in his chest.

"Iʼm sorry. Iʼm so sorry, Wife. This is all my fault again. If only..." I could feel his tears as his voice cracked.

"I could not even save both my daughters. What kind of father even am I..." he continued.

I looked at him and said, "No. Itʼs my fault. If I hadnʼt been so stubborn, this wouldnʼt have happened! If I hadnʼt blamed you and instead be thankful that you are still alive, things wouldnʼt have come this way. Both our babies would still be alive...!"

"If only I had listened to your explanation, and comforted you when you did your best to turn the car around the other side so that she wouldnʼt be hit, but instead I only shut myself up and sealed my heart... Iʼm so sorry." I felt my tears never ending as I realized all the stupid things I had done.

He wiped my tears, "Shh. I understand what you feel. I blame myself, too. I just wished you couldʼve listened to me..." he said with a painful smile.

"I just couldnʼt accept it. I just couldnʼt accept that I lost my treasure... And because of that I lost all my treasures. I lost all of you..." I said painfully, my tears wouldnʼt stop falling.

"No. You did not lose me. You did not lose our treasures. Theyʼre still here." my husband pointed at my heart.

"Iʼm still here. Iʼm sorry, Wife..." he said hugging me tight.

I broke down once more, "I-Iʼm so sorry... Iʼm so sorry... I was so focused on what I lost, I forgot what I still have... what I had. And now... and now my babies are gone... My two treasures..."

My husband and I hugged each other as we broke down venting the pain we had hold for three years.

Iʼm so sorry, my darlings. Mommy has caused you and your Daddy so much pain. I hope you can ever forgive me.

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