tattered shoebox (completed)

Tattered shoebox

"I've decided na pupuntahan natin yung address..." Maine told Donna over breakfast.

"...huh? Kelan?..."

"...mamaya....meet natin si Janeeva ng 4pm...na-text ko na rin yung number...."

"Sure ka na dyan?"

"Oo."

At 4 pm, Maine and Donna met Janeeva at Starbucks then left almost immediately to go to the address on the note.

"Kuya, dito tayo..." Maine told her driver as she handed him the piece of paper.

Kuya Baste took the paper, read it and nodded.

In an hour, they were in front of a row of bungalows. Kids were playing in the street while an occasional tricycle would pass by. They got down and walked slowly towards one of the gated houses. The gate was closed so they rang the bell.

Once they entered the garage, they were greeted by a lady who brought them inside the house. They sat in the living room and were served juice and biscuits. A few minutes later, a shoe box was handed to Maine.

"Ano po ito?" she asked as she opened the box.

"Di rin po namin alam.."

"Inside were several pieces of paper with her name written on them...'Maine Mendoza'..."

Maine was creeped out by the contents of the box so she just stared at the lady who handed it to her.

"Nakita nalang namin yan sa mga gamit ni Rj nung nagliligpit kami ng room nya..."

"Saan po ba si Rj?" Maine asked

"Nasa labas....di mo ba napansin pagpasok nyo?"

Just before they entered the house, there was a figure on a wheelchair. He had his back turned so Maine only saw the back of a tilted head. Just then, a wheelchair was being pushed into the living room and the handsome person seated was grunting and groaning. He was in a shirt and short pants. His head was titled to one side, he had a tube in his nose and he was drooling onto a towel that was on his chest. His face was expressionless.

"Nay....palitan ko lang po si Rj....nag-poopoo...." said the person who pushed the wheelchair inside the house.

Maine stared at Rj then at the lady. Geb, his caregiver, pushed Rj's wheelchair out of the living room and into a door at the back.

"Oo...Maine...yan si Rj....naaksidente sya...di na sya naka-recover...."

"Ano pong nangyari?" Donna asked.

"...ang sabi sa amin nung mga tao sa ospital....hinabol daw nya si Maine nung isang beses....sinakyan nya po yung motor nya....nahagip sya nung truck na dumaan...." Rj's mom explained tearfully.

Maine shut her eyes. Tears started streaming down her face. She closed them even tighter as she recalled hearing screeching and a crash as her car drove out of the hospital.

Maine brought home the box filled with pieces of paper with her name written on them. In the very bottom of the box was a letter, neatly folded and tucked into the fold of the box.

Maine cried over the notes. She held them close to her chest and wept. She had never felt so much love and concern in her life apart from her family and now, the only other person who showed interest in her was also "gone."