Catching Up to You

Chapter 28 - Corpse Pose

"You know, Sera, I think I'm getting the hang of civilian life," Trang said as she cracked open a can of rose and raspberry-flavored sparkling water, crossing her legs on the portico as best she could with her growing belly, now three-quarters the size of a watermelon.

"Girl, you're just saying that because you don't have to work like us civilians do," Sera said, who just came home from her second shift as a waiter at the nearby restaurant, tossing her work keys into a partially chipped glass bowl.

"That's not true, I actually just heard back from a place and surprise, surprise - I start tomorrow!"

"Wait, already?"

It has been two weeks since Trang moved to Florida and since Mateo left her without a word, but two weeks in Trang's world meant a month in another person's life. All of the month-long periods of backpacking around the world made her realize early on how much she could achieve within a short span of time.

"Mmhmm. My dear sister, Linny, referred her old company to me. Turns out they had a branch down here and were looking for someone to fill in as their office assistant for several months while their worker's out on maternity leave."

"Hope you can last long enough for her to come back."

"I hope so, too." Trang was impressed by how well she was faring being on her own in a city where she didn't have to bump into as many traces of her past. Meeting Mateo was enough for her. The night after he left, she locked herself in the bathroom, letting herself lie on the cool marble tiles with the lights off and stayed there for hours, not making a peep. Her original plan to leave the bathroom when Sera returned home from her late Friday night shift, but then Linny called to check in on her.

"So, you know how you were a wreck that last time we spoke?" A few sniffles could be heard from Trang's end of the line.

"Let me guess, is it your turn now?" Linny asked in a point-blank manner.

"It's like you're psychic. I can't believe you're calling me right now." Trang rarely received calls as she switched SIM cards so often but nine out of ten times when she did, the calls always came from Linny.

"What? Wait, let me guess again, you're lying on the bathroom floor in pitch darkness."

"Okay, are you like, stalking me or something because now, you're just freaking me out."

"Dude. You did this whenever you fought with our parents growing up."

"Aww, I didn't want to worry you."

"Seriously, I think if you had just sobbed into your pillow like what normal people do, I wouldn't have worried without you as much. Heck, if you had even just cried in the bathroom, that would've been okay, too."

"Yeah..."

"But when you're in the bathroom doing the corpse position for god knows how long, a sister can't help but be a little worried, you know? Trust me, I enjoy yoga but not that much and not on the freakin' cold floor."

Trang couldn't help but burst out laughing after hearing Linny's last line. She felt like a weight had just been lifted off her chest. On those nights when Trang was in her dark place, the only person who always opened the door with a peek of warm light filling in from her bedroom was Linny. Whether it was their parents' home or a friend's apartment she had been couchsurfing at after a bad breakup or somewhere with poor wi-fi halfway across the world, Linny was there. Maybe not physically most of the time, but she would call more often than Trang. Trang would feel guilty, knowing that she should be the one to reach back more often, but that thought didn't last long. Maybe it was because Linny was so good at keeping tabs on her, that she never felt like she really needed to be the one calling. Not only that, Linny was someone who would never be quick to give a judgmental eye at anyone for decisions their parents deemed as "points of no returns" (but Trang liked to call them "minor slip-ups").

"I wish you were here."

"That's actually the reason why I'm calling."

Trang shot up from the bathroom floor, as fast as a pregnant woman could, gradually moving her palms - which were still pressed down on the tiles, towards her back as she rose.

"You're here in Florida! Come see me!"

"Yeah, Disney was fun. Just finished spending a week at every park in the universe. Next stop: Disneyland!"

"Pft, you and your domestic travels."

"Hey, some people find worlds abroad and some find worlds in people."

"I assume that you're enjoying your travel mates, then, Rumi?"

"They're great. I wish you could meet them."

"Maybe I can! I still have to treat you as a thank you for hooking me up with the new job!"

"Welcome to the dark side. Once they give you a rundown of the benefits, that's when you know that you've signed your soul away."

"Oh, please. I'm sure that it won't be that bad."

"Whoa, who are you and what have you done with my sister?"

"I swear, I blame all the changes on my pregnancy hormones!"

The two sisters agreed to meet at Cocoa Beach, since Trang had been craving for all day tans and Linny just needed a day to rest her legs from her Disney treks. Seconds after they hung up, Trang could feel tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She wondered if her sister would have been relieved to see her finally showing "normal people's" signs of sadness or even more worried had she also known that Trang didn't know the reason why it happened. It just did.