Let Me Cook a Content for You.

09

It was still four o'clock in the morning when I woke up to cook breakfast for Angelo. Para na rin sa Lolo at Mommy niya. I cooked something different for Angelo because what I cooked for his Mom and Lolo was not allowed for him. Plano ko kasing magluto ng adobo, 'yon lang alam kong masarap na luto ko. He is not allowed to eat oily foods, that's what his Doctor instructed.

Nataranta pa ako habang nasa kusina dahil hilaw ang sinaing. Luckily, there was a kettle here, so I was able to reheat the water inside and just added water to the top of the rice. Angelo's Lolo was the first one to wake up among the three of them, so I first made him a cup of coffee.

"Monica?" I looked at Lolo when he called my name at the table.

"Po?" I answered. Getting nervous. Gosh, why I always look nervous when I talk to them.

"Monica pangalan mo diba?" He asked again, unsure if he correctedly mentioned my name.

"Yes po..." I answered while cooking because it was almost six o'clock, I still marinated it for a long time that's why it took me a while to cook.

"Kayo ba ng Apo ko?" He asked. I didn't get nervous or shy when he asked me, I don't know why I felt like tearing up because of his voice I heard. Maybe I just missed my Papalo a lot, my Mom's Father. He died because of stage four cancer.

I giggled. "Hindi, po. We're just... Friends lang po kami." I gently answered while putting the lid on the pan.

"Gusto mo ba ang apo ko?" He asked again, but this time his question was different. This is where I got nervous because I didn't know what to answer. I was stunned, I just took the milk I prepared for myself and joined Lolo at the table, sitting in front of him.

"I will first apologize, I'm sorry, po. Your question is difficult. Hindi ko pa po alam kung anong isasagot." I respectfully responded.

Lolo chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. "Biro lang," he laughed. "Sabi na nga bang hindi mo 'to masasagot. Pero seryuso, Apo. Kung dadating man ang araw at oras na alam mo na sa puso mong mahal mo ang Apo ko, kapag magkita ulit tayo... Sagutin mo ang tanong ko ah." We both laughed. Tumango-tango nalang ako.

But... I already liked him...

Ng magising na si Angelo ay gumising na rin ang Mommy niya kaya sabay na kaming lima kumain. After that, I cleaned up our dining area, then I went out of the room to check on Mommy and Daddy. It's been a while since I started sleeping here to watch over Angelo. I missed my parents too.

Angelo's Mom and Lolo didn't stay long; they left shortly after our conversation at the table. Angelo's Mom told me that she just took a day off from work to visit Angelo and spend the night here with his Dad. When I returned to Angelo's room, I took a towel that I had bought and soaked it in water.

"Aren't you tired of taking care of me?" He suddenly asked while I was wiping his cheeks with the wet towel I was holding.

"And why would I?" I crunched my nose when Angelo held my cheek and pinched it.

"You're so cute," he sighed heavily.

"I sincerely thank you, Nic. Thanks for taking care of me, for welcoming my Mom and Lolo wholeheartedly, for letting some of your friends visit me here. I promise to make it up to you once I get out of here." Angelo simply smiled as he watched my hands wiping his arms.

"Thank you so much, Monica," he whispered.

I chuckled. "You're saying it over and over again," He laughed as I rolled my eyes. "You're welcome, sir. You're welcome, so much."

How sweet of you to mention it again...

When I finished wiping him, he asked me to take a walk outside the room, even if it's just inside the hospital. Pumayag ako, pero sa isang kondisyon; sasakay siya ng wheelchair. I went to the counter to request a wheelchair for Angelo's room while he was still getting dressed inside the restroom.