Habits

Salad

[Inspired by that salad that was 'delicious'... and apparently already spoiled.]

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Some habits are good.

I'm proud to say that it is my habit never to be late to any of my engagements. Despite how late a shoot took the night before, I'll always show up on time.

Our shoot ended a little after 12 midnight earlier today, and we're due at the set again at 9AM. I was here at 8:30, still with time to spare to just lounge around in the dressing room.

At exactly 9AM, I'm called in for a wardrobe change and hair and make-up. It was already 9:25 AM when I notice the make-up chair beside me still visibly empty. Charlotte also had a call time for 9AM, and though she did have a knack for being late, it was mostly just a minute or 2 that was always forgivable.

"Has Charlotte's shoot been moved?" I ask one of the managers who was nearby.

"No," she responds. "She did say she'll still make it though."

I didn't think much about it after that, as I let the make-up artist resume his work.

"I'm here, I'm here, sorry, everyone," Charlotte greets everyone as she enters the room a few minutes later. I couldn't turn around in my seat, but I sneak a glance at her through the mirror.

What I see forces me to turn around, completely taking the make-up artist in surprise, almost poking my eye with the eyeliner.

"Wha-" I say as I stand up to go to where Charlotte was already sitting on the couch. It was now clear why she was late, as I see Nuay reach up to hook a bottle of saline at the nearby coat stand, a bottle of saline that was connected to a tube which was attached to Charlotte's hand. Charlotte who was looking incredibly pale, as pale as she can even go. "Nuu?"

"I'm okay," she nods with a small reassuring smile. "Just woke up vomiting a little too much earlier this morning. The doctor at the ER already gave me some medicine, though he insisted on me finishing this bottle off there. Told him I had work and that we have a medic here to take it out once it's empty."

I couldn't wrap my mind around what she just said, did she really just leave the hospital to go to work? It was careless, it was foolish, it was stubborn... but it really was so her.

"Char, you should have stayed there and finished it," I lightly scold her. "They could have moved a few shoots back if you told them."

"No, I'm okay now, anyway."

I shake my head in disbelief. "You're so stubborn. Did the doctor say what caused this?"

"It doesn't matter," she shakes her head and shrugs. "I'm okay na."

"It does though, how will they treat it if they don't find out the cause?" I ask her.

She looks at me, and with a bit of hesitation, says "He said it was likely from something I ate yesterday."

"Yesterday?" I ask in wonder. "But we were together all day yesterday and ate the same things. The food was catered." I turn to look at the manager and direct my question at her, "Has anyone else been sick?"

"No," she shakes her head. "No one has reported any symptoms. But I'll go now and ask around if anyone else has."

"Ooooooo," P'Sun suddenly exclaims from the other side of the room.

I turn to him to see what he's reacting to, and I catch him looking at Charlotte with a knowing look. He was about to open his mouth but closes it again before any words came out. I turn to look at Charlotte and I see her throwing P'Sun a threatening look.