Sep 11, 2011

When The Fireworks Begin (Chapter XIV)


It was their third day in Boracay, they would be leaving tomorrow. Devon and James were trying to get as much sun and beach as possible.  They were eating their breakfast outside the veranda.  They haven’t seen Ivan and Shey that morning.

“Where are they?” Devon asked James.

James shrugged. “Shey left last night to party with some college friends who were also here. I think Ivan followed her.”

Devon took a bite from the fresh papaya when she heard a door opening.  Ivan and Shey came into the room.  Ivan was leading Shey and he was holding her hand. Shey meanwhile was holding her sandals, it looked like they took a walk on the beach.  Both of them did not notice Devon and James on the veranda.

Ivan turned around and pulled Shey towards him.  He dipped his head and kissed Shey deeply.  Shey raised her arm and wrapped it around Ivan’s neck. A few seconds later, Ivan pulled away from the kiss and looked at Shey and smiled.

“Ahem,” James coughed.

Shey and Ivan quickly jumped out of each other’s embrace and looked at James and Devon.  Devon raised a fork towards her lips and smiled.

“I guess, somebody’s not that confused anymore,” Devon commented.

Ivan scratched his head and took Shey’s hand.  “Let’s just say that acceptance made things easier.”

Shey smiled brightly.  Devon stood up and walked towards Shey, and hugged her. 

“I’m so happy for you,” Devon said while hugging her friend.

“Thank you,” Shey whispered to her best friend’s ear.
“C’mon, let’s eat,” James signalled the three to eat.

“Tell me everything that happened,”  Devon said pulling Shey beside her.

“Not everything,” Ivan countered.

Devon raised an eyebrow and then Shey started to blush.

****
“C’mon let’s swim,”  James coaxed Devon

“You know, I don’t swim,” Devon protested. 

Devon was sitting on the shore, playing with the short waves.  James, a champion swimmer, has been slicing through the water and waves for the past few minutes. Devon meanwhile, was contently sitting on the shore and watching her husband’s muscles ripple on the water.

James tried to pull Devon on her feet. 

“I’ll teach you how,” James argued.

“James, you have been teaching me for years,” Devon reasoned out. “We know that my case is impossible.”

“There’s nothing impossible with Instructor James,” James joked.

Devon laughed and let her husband pull her on her feet.  They walked until the water was up to James neck. Devon, being a few inches smaller than James, clung to James for dear life.

“You won’t learn when you’re hanging to me like that,”  James joked and tried to pry Devon’s fingers from his shoulder.

“Oh, no, Mr. Rocafort,”  Devon protested.  “I am not letting you go.”

“Well, Mrs. Rocafort,” James started. “Your therapist told me that swimming is a great exercise. So let’s swim.”

With one flick of his hand, James was already facing Devon. Devon was jumping on the sand floor, trying to keep her head above the water.  James caught her on her waist and told her to go under the water and swim towards him.

“No, I am not,” Devon protested. “This is too deep.”

James nudged her and eventually Devon got under the water and she tried swimming towards James.  In a few minutes, she rose up gasping for air and James quickly rushed to her side and caught her on the waist.

Devon quickly lunged at James at hooked behind his back. James went slightly beneath the water.  Devon’s weight and claw-like embrace behind him, was keeping James below water.

When he eventually found his footing on the sand and managed to push himself above water, “Are you trying to drown me?”

Devon slapped James loudly on his shoulder.  “You said you’ll teach me, but you’re drowning me.”

“You’re the one who’s doing the drowing,” James protested.

Devon slapped him again. James was wading on the water, with Devon safely on his back.  Once again, he insisted on letting Devon go under water and swim towards him for a few times.  They were having so much fun, that they did not notice that the sun was already high above their heads.

The intense heat drove them out of the water.  Devon and James walked out of the water and seek shade under an umbrella.  James gave Devon a bottle of water.

“That was fun,” Devon said.

“Yeah, fun,” James agreed. “But you still don’t know how to swim.”

Devon laughed.  “I told you, I’m a hopeless case.”

Devon leaned back and closed her eyes. She felt very exhausted, but in a good way.  She fanned herself while leaning back on the lounge chair, under the shade. James was looking at her and watching her. 

“Are you alright?” James asked.  “You look very tired.”

Devon nodded and smiled.  “That swim was a bit too much, along with sun.  But I am okay.”

Devon settled on the lounge and took deep breaths.  James watched her and thought she would fall asleep. James was watching the children and couples frolicking on the white sand and the crystal blue waters.  He was startled when he heard Devon moaning.

Devon suddenly sat on the lounge chair and held her legs.  The pain was so intense and so sudden, she felt that she was going to faint.  She moaned louder.

James jumped off his own chair and quickly went to Devon’s side. “What’s wrong,” he asked. Devon was pale as paper, she was obviously biting back her pain.

“Painful,” she said, trying to massage her legs. James rushed to her side and tried to relieve the cramps by massaging her legs.

She fell back on her lounge chair and felt the pain searing her legs.  Then she felt as if it was very difficult to breathe.  It was as if a heavy rock was placed on top of her chest, crushing her lungs.  She winced from the pain and difficulty in breathing.

James noticed how pale Devon became, he instantly lifted her from the lounge chair and started to run towards the house.  The sand was hot on his bare feet, but that was the least of his worries.  He was dripping when he went inside the house with Devon still on his arms. 

When Ivan saw James, he immediately ran towards him to help him.  In a few minutes the dripping James was already on a car that Ivan managed to borrow from the caretaker.  Devon was obviously struggling to breathe.  She was really pale and would moan about the intensifying pain on her legs. 

Upon reaching the island hospital, the nurses and doctors took Devon out of James’ arms.  Barefoot, he followed while she was on the bed. They rushed her into the emergency room.  James just stood there, with sand on his feet, with a wet shirt and shorts, dripping water on the floor. But James never took notice. His eyes were fixed on the pale figure of the woman he loves.

The nurses then draw the curtains and Shey and Ivan pulled James away from the nurses and doctors attending to Devon.  There were questions. Too many questions, James head was screaming.  He fell on the seat and then buried his head on his hands. 

He cried.  He cried so hard that he could not identify where the sea water and his tears began.

****

James finished talking to Dr. Alvarez and he was on his way to Boracay to take a loot at Devon.

“I’m coming over,” Dr. Alvarez stated earlier.

“There’s no need Ninong,” James responded. “We’ll be going back once she’s up on her feet.”

“No,” Dr. Alvarez insisted.  “When your parents chose me to be your godfather, I promised that I will take care of you.  I will be there tomorrow morning.”

James almost cried on how thoughtful the good doctor was. Thank you, Lord, he silently whispered and looked at the resting figure on the hospital bed.

It was already early in the evening.  After Devon’s admission to the hospital, the doctors decided to keep her overnight.  The  doctor gave her medicine for the cramps and pains. Her difficulty in breathing is part of her disease, the doctor explained to him.

Ivan and Shey decided to go home and pack their things.  They would be leaving the soonest time possible, when Devon is already stable.  Their things should be ready. They did not blame James for what happened.  James knows that Ivan, who still believed that Devon should stay in Cebu while being treated, was against their plan to travel.  But he also knows that Ivan noticed how happy Devon was. 

Devon’s parents were very worried when he called.  They wanted to come, but he insisted that everything is fine. They will be home soon.  Devon’s parents did not blame him, too.

But why do I feel that it is my fault, James asked himself.  He leaned on the bedside and caressed Devon’s hands.  He fell asleep with his head on the pillow. 

The next morning, Devon was still weak but the pain and the cramps were no longer there.  With Doctor Alvarez coming, the hospital decided to keep them for a while. 

It was midmorning and Devon was already sitting on her bed.  She was looking at the pictures that Shey and Ivan brought.  The pictures helped in taking her mind of the situation. James was taking out the food that he bought, when he heard a knock from the door.

The door opened and Dr. Alvarez came in. He was all smiles when he saw James and Devon.

“You look great,” Dr. Alvarez greeted Devon, while James took his hand and mano.

“The sun is great here in Boracay,” she smiled back.

“Let me see how you are doing,” Dr. Alvarez commented and approached Devon’s bed.

“You should’ve not done this,” Devon reasoned.  “We’re fine here doc. We’ll be going home tomorrow.”

Dr. Alvarez nodded. “I guess, I want to see how you’re doing first.”

James was standing on the foot of the bed, when he felt that somebody else was standing outside the door. He turned around and saw his father.  James eyes narrowed and his face became intense. James looked at Devon, she did not notice that somebody was with Dr. Alvarez. 

James immediately went out of the room and closed the door. He does not want to upset Devon.

“What are you doing here,” James reacted harshly.

“I saw your Ninong in the airport and he was about to go here, so I decided to see how you two were doing,”  Marlon Rocafort answered.

“You have no business here,” James answered back. He turned around and was about to go back into the room when he heard his father again.

“What were you thinking James,” Edwin Rocafort stated. “It was dangerous taking her out of Cebu.  You should have stayed and get her treated.”

“She is getting treatment,” James answered evenly.

“Let us find the best doctor…”

James cut his father off angrily. “There is no us, father. You said that yourself. As far as I can remember, you said I was no longer your son.”

“James, when will you stop being stubborn and just talk to me,” Mr. Rocafort stated, slightly rising his voice.

James turned around and walked towards his father.  “What happened to us was your fault.  Don’t dare talk as I was an ungrateful son.  You created your own misery.”

James then left his father standing on the hospital hallway.

3 comments:

c_h_a_n_g_e_s said...

awwww.... James, he's still ur father u know...

Anonymous said...

aray ko po... eto na nga.
Ivan and Shey - i totally ship it!!
James - such pride and loathing for his dad

Anonymous said...

james nmn..he is ur father..forgive him..i guess d nxt chap will reveal d reasons behind d attitude of james toward his father..

Post a Comment

Powered by Blogger.