ALIENS AND STARS, LIKE YOU AND ME (BOOK 2)

CHAPTER 30

The four of us remained standing there seriously. Three of us—Sam, Dad, and I—were wondering about what had happened. Dad asked Mom, "H-hon?"

Mom replied, "Don't you ever call me that." Dad frowned in confusion at Mom's response. After that, Mom tried to leave the hospital.

Sam and I immediately followed her. After leaving the hospital, I tried to stop Mom. "Mom! Mom!"

Mom stopped walking and turned to me. When she looked at me, I noticed that she seemed very angry. I approached her and asked, "Are you okay? What happened there? Why did you suddenly slap Dad—"

I couldn't finish what I was saying when she suddenly spoke, "I want to go home." I just kept looking at her, and while I did, I noticed that she seemed on the verge of tears. She said to me, "AA, please, I want to go home. So... can we go home?"

I didn't say anything but nodded and answered her question. I turned to Sam and saw her standing and looking at us from one side. I noticed that while she was watching us, she also seemed to be worried about mom.

After that, we went to my car and immediately put mom's stuff in the compartment. Sam helped mom get inside.

When I finished putting things in the compartment, I looked at Sam, who was still standing outside the car. I frowned and approached her. I asked, "Why don't you want to go inside yet?"

She said to me, "Tingin ko uuwi nalang ako na mag-isa." I said, "What? Why? I'm going to take you home." She replied, "Wag na." 

She looked at the car window and then back at me. "Mas kailangan niyo na umuwi ng mom mo." I turned to the window and looked at Sam again. 

Sam said, "Kaya ko naman na umuwi mag-isa eh. Magpapasundo na lang ako kay Kuya driver. At... hindi rin naman ako uuwi agad. Dadaan ako sa cafe, pupunta ko sila Faye at Yuwan para kamustahin sila."

The frown disappeared and I just said to her, "Are you sure? You don't want me to take you? Even to the cafe?" She nodded and said, "Oo, sigurado ako. Wag mo na ako ihatid, mas kailangan niyo na umuwi ni Tita Dayn para mas makapagpahinga na rin siya."

I just kept looking at Sam. Sam said, "Sige na, wag mo aalahanin. Alam kong sinabi mo kay Ryan na ihahatid mo ako pauwi. Sasabihan ko na lang siya. At alam ko na maiintindihan ka niya." After that, I just nodded and said, "Okay."

She smiled at me when I said that.

I went to the side of the car and opened the door. I was about to get in, but I turned around again and looked at Sam. Before I went in, I said, "Message or call me when you get there, okay?"

She nodded and smiled. When she smiled, she waved and said, "Sige na, ingat kayo." After she said that, I replied, "Thank you, you too, take care." 

She nodded and smiled at me, then said, "Bye." She waved at me, and I waved back at her. After I waved to her, I got into the car. 

When getting into the car, Mom asked, "What about Star? Why didn't she come inside?" I said, "Um, she said she won't come with us. She said she will have and call her driver to accompany her. She also said she won't be going home right away because she still has something to attend to."

Mom said, "Oh, okay." After that, I started the car. After a few hours, we returned home.

It was sunset when we got home. When I parked, we were immediately approached and helped by Manang, Lyn, and Sara. Manang helped Mom into the house while Lyn and Sara helped with the things. I asked them while taking things from the compartment, "Where's Kuya Ogi?"

Lyn said, "Kasama po ni Sir. Nang malaman po ni Sir nung umuwi siya dito na na-hospital si Ma'am ay agad siyang nagpasama sa hospital papunta sa inyo. Hindi niyo po ba sila nakita? Hindi po nila kayo naabutan?" I said, "Dad arrived. He saw us when we were leaving the hospital."  Lyn said, "Ah, okay po."