Through the Nights

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dinner and a Kiss

Maybe he needed the company. That's what Francine thought when he told her that he likes having her around.

And maybe, someone din na wala sa ospital and hindi niya kasama and nakikita sa work? Para hindi siya reminded sa trabaho niya? she thought. But they still talk about what they did all throughout the day and his topic mainly revolves around his patients and colleagues. So, somehow, it doesn't make sense.

Nagkibit na lang ng balikat si Francine saka kinuha ang cellphone niya sa lamesa.

Ms. Marga has been asking her non-stop about her recovery even though she already said she's still recuperating and it may take two to three weeks for her wound to heal.

Okay lang sana if gasgas lang 'tong sugat ko or simpleng mababaw na cut but it's a surgical wound. What do they expect? I'm fully recovered tomorrow para makapag-promote na kami agad? Francine couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Medyo okay naman na siya ngayon at kahit papaano, nakakakilos siya kaunti pero may mga oras pa rin na medyo kumikirot 'yong tahi niya.

And somehow it's slowly occurring to her how she prioritized her work most of the time. That even when she was feeling sick, she'd still go to the location to shoot her scenes or to her interviews and promotions because she doesn't want to compromise their schedule. Lalo pa dahil may iba rin siyang katrabahong may prior commitments at 'yon na 'yong oras na libre sila.

Francine sighed. Kasalanan ko rin ata? isip-isip niya. Maybe I should've set my boundaries more and sana nagsabi rin ako kapag may nararamdaman ako?

Her phone pinged again and her manager asked her when would it be all right for her to promote. She stared at her phone lazily, and it was making her stitches hurt a bit (or perhaps she was only thinking this).

Francine
After two weeks pa po ako puwede. I don't want to push myself too much, Ms. Marga. I was advised din by my doctor to have plenty of rest. For the meantime po, I'll do my part by promoting the movie through my social media channels. I hope you understand, thank you.

Francine didn't want to hold her phone too much after sending her reply. It's only past seven thirty in the evening and she doesn't have anything to do. Malinis naman ang unit ni Nicco. Hindi rin siya nagugutom para kumain ng dinner.

She stood up to stretch when her eyes landed on a picture hanging by the wall. Matagal na niyang napapansin 'yon. But she never really bothered to look at it.

It was a graduation picture of Nicco with some of his classmates from their department. Hale, Idriss, Alex, and Cynthea attended his graduation too. They were there in the picture.

And she wasn't.

They were already broken up by then. But she remembers that day so clearly. Hale called her if she wanted to come with them.

Francine declined because she was in Cavite that day for a shoot. It was an excuse, too. Hindi niya rin kasi alam kung okay lang ba kay Nicco kung pupunta siya. Even if she wanted to go.

In the end, she ended up working so much that day just so she wouldn't remember the occasion.

She had a lot of memories with him and so much happened within the span of seven years where they were mostly together.

She grew up with him and somehow it felt like there wasn't a time where he's not around.

But looking at the picture and summing up the years they haven't seen and talked to each other, it's becoming apparent now.