Lost in Time

Chapter 5 (Madre Consuela)

I woke up to the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling. My head was spinning, making it difficult to think clearly. I struggled to recall what happened. As I sat up and looked at my surroundings, I noticed that I was lying on a bed again. Then, I heard a sudden knock on the door and entered. I held my breath, preparing myself for the worst.

"Oh, you're awake now, Madre? (Oh, gising ka na pala, Madre?)" The young man spoke again.

I was surprised to see the same person again, and the distrust and suspicion in his eyes reminded me that even though he saved my life, there were still some things I didn't know about him.

"Where am I? What did you do to me!? (Nasaan ako at anong ginawa mo sa akin?)" I suddenly asked.

"Calm down, young lady... I mean Madre... (Huminahon ka binibini... Este Madre)" He let out a small laugh, seemingly trying to calm the situation.

I couldn't help but cringe as he referred to me as "Binibini," term that sounded normal to them but felt out of place given my disguise as a nun. It made me question if he was teasing me or mocking me. However, his warm smile and genuine concern for my wellbeing softened my initial reaction, though I still couldn't shake off the discomfort of being addressed in such a way.

"You really don't remember anything, do you? (Wala ka ba talagang naalala?)" He asked, his tone making it clear that he was trying to remain kind and patient.

"No...I don't...I... (Wala...)" As I tried to recall the recent events, my mind suddenly went blank. I felt the panic start to set in as I couldn't put the pieces together.

Then I noticed the slight smile on his face as he watched the confusion and panic wash over me. My heart was racing as I began to panic internally, desperately trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle in my mind.

"You passed out in the middle of the road. (Ikaw ay biglaang nawalan ng malay sa gitna ng daan.)" he replied calmly. It must be the heat, I said to myself, then I suddenly realized that I have to keep my profile as a nun, so I stood up and thanked him.

"If that's so, then thank you for saving a nun's life. Now, if you would excuse me... (Kung gayon man ay salamat sa pagligtas sa akin.)" I said, striving to maintain my composure as a disguised nun. "I have important duties to attend to. (Ako may importante pang pupuntahan.)"

"Huh? You're just going to leave already? (Aalis ka na agad, Madre?)" He seemed surprised by my sudden calmness and then quickly became suspicious of my sudden departure.

"Yes, do you need something else? (May kailangan ka pa ba, iho?)" I kept my voice even, despite feeling my heart beating louder than ever. Then he chuckled softly, seeming to appreciate my composure. He eyed me closely, as if he were trying to read my mind. I kept my face steady and remained calm.

"No, nothing else. (Wala naman po.)" he said, now seemingly intrigued.

"Then, I'll be taking my leave. (Mabuti, at ako'y aalis na.)" I responded, trying to sound unbothered.

And right as I was about to walk out, I suddenly paused with my hand on the knob. Curiousity got the best of me.

"Oh, before I go... I haven't asked you what your name was? (Ah, bago ako umalis, maaari ko ba malaman ang iyong pangalan, iho?)" I said, playing it cool despite my rapidly beating heart.

He smiled slightly, as if he were amused by my curiosity.

"You didn't get the chance to introduce yourself either; after all, my name is... (Hindi mo rin naman nabigyan ng pagkakataon na ipakilala ang iyong sarili, Madre. Ngunit ang pangalan ko ay...)" He paused for a moment and said his name in a calm and solemn manner. Why is this guy so overly dramatic? I thought to myself, finding his theatrics amusing but slightly annoying.

"Paciano Mercado," he said his name with a smile on his face.

"Paciano..." I repeated the name under my breath, trying to remember if I'd heard it before. Wait, that name sounds familiar... Damn, I'm terrible at remembering names.

"Something wrong, Madre? (May problema po ba, Madre?)" He asked, noticing that I was staring at him with a look of confusion.

"No... (Wala naman...)" I replied, trying to regain my composure.

Then, he just grinned and continued to stare at me, as if he were amused by my reaction.
I quickly realized that I should probably move on before his suspicious looks turned into actual suspicion.

"Right.. um... thank you for saving my life... Paciano, may the Lord bless you. I should really be leaving now. (Uh... salamat sa pagligtas sa buhay ko... Paciano, nawa'y pagpalain ka ng Panginoon.)" I said, still keeping my composure, though my heart was still racing inside me.

Shoot, am I supposed to say that?

Then, he finally realized that he hadn't asked my name yet.

"Wait, you never told me your name, Madre. (Sandali, hindi mo nabanggit ang pangalan mo sakin, Madre.)" He said, seeming a little surprised.

"Uh..." I have to stop myself from stuttering as the realization sets in. I had completely forgotten that I had been hiding my identity this whole time.

I was struggling to think of what to say as he stared at me with a hint of expectation. I thought quickly on my feet, scrambling to find a fake name that would fit my disguise. I paused for a moment, trying to think of a name that would fit the identity of a nun.

"My name is... Madre Consuela...Del Rosario. (Ang pangalan ko ay... Madre Consuela... Del Rosario.)" I said, adding a proper Catholic name to make my disguise sound more natural.

"Nice meeting you, Madre Consuela! Be careful out there, I don't want to see you lying on the ground again. (Ikinagagalak ko na makilala ka, Madre Consuela! Ikaw po ay mag iingat palagi at ayaw kong makita muli kita nakahiga sa daan.)" he said jokingly, though I sensed a hint of suspicion in his eyes as I took my time to give him "my name."

I tried not to roll my eyes at his remarks and just nodded instead. Suddenly my stomach rumbled loudly enough for Paciano to hear and he chuckled in response.

"Looks like someone is hungry... (Mukhang may nagugutom na...)" he teased, his playful tone breaking my composure once again.

"Ahh... Please don't mind this, I really should be going now. (Ahh... Huwag ka mag alala, iho. Ako'y aalis na rin.)" I laughed nervously at the situation, feeling my cheeks burning red in embarrassment.

"Of course, take care, Madre Consuela. (Kung gayon ay ingat ka, Madre Consuela.)" Paciano smiled kindly. With a nod and a grateful smile, I prepared to make my exit, my mind buzzing with thoughts of what to do next.

"Madre Consuela, wait a moment, (Madre Consuela, sandali lang,)" Paciano called out as I turned to leave. "Would you care to join me for lunch? It's the least I can do after everything that's happened. (Gusto mo bang sumama sa akin para kumain ng tanghalian? Ito lang ang maitutulong ko matapos ang lahat ng nangyari.)"

His invitation caught me off guard, but I couldn't deny the growling hunger in my stomach. With a hesitant smile, I replied, "Oh... you don't have to do that! (Ah... hindi mo kailangang gawin 'yan, iho!)"

Paciano shook his head. "Nonsense. It would be my pleasure. Besides, it's the least I can do after what happened to you! (Hindi mo kailangan mag alala, Madre Consuela. Ito lang ang maaari kong itulong pa matapos ang nangyari sa iyo!)"

"I... I suppose that would be nice, (Kung gayon man ay hindi ko na papalagpasin ito,)" I replied, sighing in defeat but feeling grateful for the offer.

Paciano smiled warmly. "Excellent! Let's head to the nearby restaurant. They serve a delicious adobo there. (Mabuti naman! Tara na sa malapit na kainan at masarap ang kanilang adobo doon.)"

With a nod, I followed after him, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation stirring within me. Was this the right decision? Could I truly trust him?

End of Chapter 5

(Side note:  Hi everyone!  just a quick note to say thank you for your patience! Balancing school and writing has been a bit hectic lately, which is why it's taken me longer than usual to upload new chapters. Your support means a lot to me, and thanks for your patience and understanding! )