When the Sun hides

Twenty eight

It was exactly 10 am when he heard knocks on the door. His head turned and he saw the nurse gently slid it open. Standing immediately, he walked towards the doorway.

"Sir, nandito po ang mga kaibigan ni Ms. Rodriguez." The nurse said and stepped aside, revealing the three women who looked so worried. Ngumiti siya pero bakas din sa itsura niya ang lungkot, pagaalala, puyat, at pagod.

"Good morning. I'm Vincent Sy, kaibigan ni Cat." He said, trying to smile at them and offered his hand.

"My name is Lily, ako yung tumawag kanina." The woman with black hair introduced. She was wearing a blue polo tucked into her black trousers.

"Ana" The second woman said, with a short hair and dressed in a brown checkered blazer and jeans.

"Good morning, I'm Rose." Followed by a woman in a black long dress and white coat.

Vincent greeted each of them and gave a polite smile before letting them in.

"Nasaan si Cat?" Finally asked by Lily, na kanina pa nagaalala at gustong makita ang kaibigan.

"She's still unconscious." Vincent voice dropped as they walked towards the hospital bed. The three women hurried to the bedside where their friend lay motionless beneath the blanket, her face pale and fragile.

"Cat." They called her name almost simultaneously.

"Ano'ng nangyari? Bakit may sunog?" Ana asked and turned toward him. Her voice was filled with shock and confusion.

"Hindi ko rin alam." Vincent replied, shaking his head while keeping his eyes to the woman lying unconsciously. "Nagulat nalang ako noong sinabi niya na may sunog."

"Kailan nangyari 'to?" Rose questioned also, her bows knitted in confusion.

"Kaninang madaling araw." He answered softly, unconsciously playing on his fingers as he tried to recount everything that happened on that night. "Around 2 in the morning, sinubukan ko lang na tawagan siya kasi hindi ako makatulog. I was not really expecting na sasagot siya kasi alam ko na pagod din siya. B-but I was surprised when she answered my call. Sabi niya may sunog, nasusunog daw ang bahay niya. Hindi ko pa maintindihan noong una pero bigla nalang siyang sumigaw then our call was cut." He paused. Halos manginig na siya habang inaalala ang mga pangyayari. "Nagmadali ako na puntahan siya pero noong dumating ako, ang laki na ng apoy. Kahit yung mga bumbero nahirapan makapasok."

Silence filled the room.

"Oh...our Catarina." Lily said, giving on the urge to caress her hair. "Siguradong takot na takot siya. I can't imagine how scared she must have been, trying to figure out who to call for help."

"thank you, Vincent. You checked on her. We always say to her na nandito lang kami palagi, pero knowing her, ayaw niya maging burden sa iba. Thank you for saving her." Rose also added.

He looked down his fingers again.
He wanted to disagree.
He didn't do anything.
He hadn't save her.
Not really.
He was late.

"May contact ka ba sa parents niya? Siguro dapat din nila malaman ang nangyari." Lily asked again. He simply shook his head.

"Wala rin kami. Deactivated din ang Facebook ni Cat." Sagot ni Ana. Though they've been friends for almost 5 years, hindi nila kilala ang parents ni Cat. She never once mentioned them, kahit na sinong relatives.