Maine wakes up with a start. She's a little disoriented as she realizes that she's not in her own room. It's still dark out. She picks up the wine bottle that she dropped on the floor. It's empty. She walks over, a little wobbly, to the table where she left her phone. It's 11:30pm and there are seven messages on her phone. Her heart leaps then promptly plunges back down when she sees that none of them are from Alex. She feels a sharp stab of disappointment deep in her gut as hot tears start to pool in her eyes again. She clutches the phone to her chest as she slowly inhales and exhales to try and calm herself. It doesn't work. She walks over to the mini fridge, opens it, peers inside and grabs a can of beer. She's never liked the taste of beer but she pops the tab starts guzzling it anyway. She winces as the bitterness coats her tongue. This won't do.
She dials RJ's number. He picks up on the third ring.
"Hello? Maine. Kumusta yung anniversary dinner? Nagustuhan ba ni Alex yung surprise mo?" he asks sleepily.
He hears nothing but sniffing on the other end of the line and his heart drops.
"Oh. Nanaman? It's your anniversary!"
She's full-on sobbing now.
"Maine. Maine nasan ka? Pupuntahan kita. Please tell me."
She gives him the hotel's name and her room number without hesitation.
"Okay. I'll be there. Wait for me."
"I'm sorry for waking you up. Thank you, RJ."
He feels his heart squeeze at the brokenness in her voice.
"Don't worry about it. Anytime. You know that."
"RJ?"
"Yeah?"
"Bring vodka."
