Almost Isolated

Chapter 41 - Neri

Six months later...

Toby's father wanted him to use the CEO's office, he thought of tidying it up a bit.

"I want Father's things boxed up," he told AJ, his personal secretary. "I have a meeting this afternoon. I'll take his things home tomorrow."

"Sure boss." AJ cleared his throat. "Miss Regina is on the line by the way."

Toby gave out a sigh, remembering a dinner date he missed last evening. "Could you tell her, I already left?"

Regina must be upset about it but he'll have to deal with her later. Toby was already running late for a business meeting.

"She was on hold for five minutes now," the male employee insisted and gave out a squeak, "she said - she said... she wanted to break up with you... Sir."

Toby stared quizzically at AJ.

~oOo~

"So, you want to break up with me."

Toby realized it was a statement coming from him and not a question. He'd seen it coming. Since his father, passed the title along with the responsibility to him as CEO of the Aquino group, Toby thought he'd become a terrible fiancé.

Engaging with the family business became an obsession to him. For some reason, he found working himself to exhaustion a fulfillment for his everyday existence. His responsibility as a fiancé neglected.

Dates get cancelled, if not Toby would forget to show up. Regina would send text messages to him and calls to get in touch with him, but replies or return calls would turn cold.

Is he still in love with his beautiful girlfriend?

"That's what I thought," Regina scoffed.

His girlfriend received him in the living room. It was about eight in the evening. Toby just came out from the company meeting. He was tired and wanted to go home to sleep, Regina's message made him decide a detour to his fiancée's house.

"No, 'why'?" There was scorn in her voice. "... or 'can we work this out first?'"

"Your call if you want to give us a second chance," Toby said turning to leave. He cared for his fiancée but the issue had made him a lot wearier. He thought a night sleep would clear Regina's head and would made her change her mind.

"Do you still love me?"

Toby faltered. He began to grope for that feeling in his heart that he might had forgotten. There was something but fixing his gaze towards his girlfriend's elegant features, it was still amiss.

Regina's eyes started to water. "There can never be a second chance for us anymore because of her -"

Her? An image of a woman with carrot-brown hair began to materialize in his thoughts. The nurse back at the hospital. It had been six months but occasionally her face would cloud his mind.

Why? He had no idea.

"Who is 'her'? What are you talking about?" Toby dismissed the image of the orange haired nurse as he became curious with his girlfriend's statement. Did Regina mean he betrayed her for another woman?

"I know myself," he said. "I can never think of having any relationship with someone knowing I'm already committed -"

Regina laughed, dryly. "I should be angry with you. The thing is, you are right. It wasn't your fault. You don't have any idea that I exist during your coma."

Toby was tongue-tied. He wanted to tell Regina how confused he was, that he was so sorry; Regina with her head high had already turned her back on him.

"Please, leave," she told him. "I will make it easy for you. But I'm sorry, I won't give you any more details. Let's say... my revenge for your innocent betrayal. Hope you have a good life."

~oOo~

"I got linked with this woman while I was in a coma?"

The facts had become a lot crazier. Since Regina wouldn't talk, Toby figured Doctor Zoila knew something. It surprised him that she knew a lot. Unfortunately, he had no idea of what she was talking about.

The hospital director looked at him in her most, sincere, serious face from across her office desk.

"I'm not into supernatural but yes... you and this woman had a thing. And she saved your life."

Toby was tired the other night but failed to have a good rest because of Regina's revelation. He was supposed to fly for Singapore for a business arrangement; he had to postpone and see the hospital director, the next day.

Doctor Zoila was hesitant at first but then, she spilled him everything she knew about his misadventures during his long sleep. "I can't explain it either but it had seemed her third eye was the reason she met your spirit."

'Her name is Neri, Mary Nerisse Beltran.'

Toby can still remember Doc Zoila's eager voice as he entered his office that afternoon. He thought he might as well busy himself to work and forget all about the whole thing. The doctor was just talking nonsense and she was out of her mind.

He couldn't remember anything about Neri.

"I had them all box up, Boss," His secretary reported, interrupting his thoughts.

AJ met Toby inside as the former pointed at a medium size box with piles of books and files inside. "Should I bring it to your car?"

Toby took a glimpse at his wristwatch as he took off his jacket and hung it over his chair. It was past three in the afternoon. It was too early to pack up for home and to think, he just got there from the hospital. Never the less, he nodded his head and gave AJ his key. His secretary would go home at five in the afternoon; Toby on the other hand, will work until seven in the evening.

AJ left his office, carrying the former CEO's documents. As his secretary walked all the way out, something dropped from the box.

Toby was about to call AJ back when he realized it was an envelop. With three long strides from his desk, he'd managed to pick it up. It was stamped from the post office and addressed to his father; his name was also written over it.