Dearly, Detested

quatro

"Halika nga..." She grabbed his left arm. "What? Where are we going?" He looked at her confused.

"Wash your hands and I'll take care of it... Sige na..." She avoided eye contact and pulled him.

"Wala lang to..." He said but followed Irene.

"Wag na matigas ang ulo." She softly said as they went to the public washroom. "Wash your hand." She ordered him to do and went out of the bathroom to request for a first aid kit.

She waited outside for Greggy to finish washing his hand, she set up the first aid kit. Greggy went out with his right hand up.

"Halika..." She patted the vacant seat beside her. "Okay lang to, Irene... Malayo to sa bituka..." He shook his head.

"For once, stop being so stubborn and just listen to me." She looked at his eyes and all he could see was worry. So he nodded and sat beside her.

She checked his wound, "You probably won't need stitches naman... The cut isn't deep, parang na gasgas lang..." Irene whispered.

She picked up the sterile cotton and pressed it lightly to his palm, elevating his hand slightly at an angle. Greggy watched her tending him and it somehow brought a smile to his face.

She worked silently in cleaning and dressing the wound. She was wrapping his hand with a cotton gauze wrap, layering it until she was sure enough that it won't get infected.

And out of habit of taking care of her nephews when they get cuts and wounds, she kissed the top of the bandage. "There..." She smiled.

"Thank you..." He smiled back and Irene began to clean up the kit, throwing away the dirt and blood-coasted cottons.

He waited for her to finish and looked at his palm, "Can I write and sign papers with this?" He raised his hand.

Irene smiled and nodded, "Give it a day to rest and it's fine to sign papers with na... You know naman to change the bandage diba?"

Greggy bit his lower lip and shook his head no. "Oh..." Irene frowned. "Sino kasama mo sa bahay?" She asked again.

And again, he shook his head, "Wala?" She asked and then he nodded, "May bibig ka ba o wala?" She irritatingly asked.

Greggy chuckled, "Wala akong kasama sa bahay..." He answered her. Irene sighed and nodded, "Sige when you make hatid me nalang sa bahay, I'll change the bandage..." She smiled.

"Hindi ba pwedeng hindi na lang? Nakakahiya na man sa'yo..." He shyly responded.

"Hiya? Ako nga dapat mahiya... Take this as a token of my appreciation to you since you saved my nephew..." She smiled, "Thank you talaga don..."

"It's fine." He smiled back.

"Tara na? Mag lu-lunch na lang daw tayo sa Racer Lounge." She took the kit to her left hand, offered her right hand to him, and stood up.

"We still have an act to pull off, Mr. Araneta." She whispered and smiled. Greggy took her hand and held it to his, "Tara..."

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