AMACon 3: Oikos (30 Day Drabble Challenge)

Day 2 - News Flash

Anna has big dreams but life never seems to go along with what she wants. From a humiliating job interview to being a glorified errand girl at a television network, it seems as though she can never catch a break with her writing career, if it can even be called that. She is frankly quite close to quitting her job and pursuing a different career.

Thank god the news desk head gave her a chance to interview a famous couple who suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth a few years ago. They needed someone who is relatively unknown yet is somewhat capable to conduct an interview to reduce suspicion.

"But first, I needed to find them," Anna told herself. "Or at least someone who knows where they are."

Anna leafed through a couple of news clippings cluttered on her desk, only stopping when a small news article at a well-known newspaper caught her eye.

Phenomenal couple back in the PH, doctor says

This just might be the big news that will make my career. Anna thought to herself.

***

A few days passed.

Anna managed to contact the doctor, successfully convincing him to be a guest on her show.

"Guys, places!" Ryan, the show's director suddenly bursted into the waiting room. "We're about to start the show! Our special guest is here! What are you guys waiting for?!?"

Everyone immediately moved towards the stage. Anna sat on one of the couches, opposite the special guest, trying to calm herself down.

The lights brightened. The live audience screamed.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," she started saying, stammering a few times. "We have exclusively obtained proof that proves that the phenomenal couple, Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards, are still together."

The crowd started murmuring, not understanding what was going on.

She took another deep breath.

"We have a special treat for you today! Dr. Charlie Mercado from UP-PGH is joining us for a quick chat on this topic."

"Uhm...Let's get right down to business." Anna continued. "So, I've read a news article that you've seen them quite recently?"

"Yes. I saw them with my two eyes," Dr. Mercado was saying monotonously, acting as if he had already said it over and over again. "I was her ob-gyn."

"Ob-gyn?"

"Yes. It means obstetrician and gynecologist. I was there when she gave birth."

"Birth? Wai, who is the father?"

"The father of who?"

"Of the child!"

Dr. Mercado stared at her. "Oh. I remember it saying Richard something on the birth certificate. I can't actually divulge this information but the hospital director told me to come here..."

A ripple of excited chatter went through the crowd.

"Wait," Anna said, ignoring his last statement. They can edit that out later. "Let me clarify a few things."

"Go ahead," Dr. Mercado wearily said, rubbing his forehead.

"Maine Mendoza is your patient, right?"

"Yes."

"Alden Richards was there...and a guy named Richard is the father of the baby."

"Correct."

"I have to say," Anna started with a nervous laugh. "I'm not sure to feel about this. Can you tell us about the time you saw them?"

"You want me to tell you how my patient gave birth? There was a lot of screaming, if you must really know."

"No, I was talking about how they interacted with each other."

"They interacted like normal human beings," the doctor said, raising his right eyebrow. "There was nothing unusual. That's my professional opinion."

Anna was at a lost. She didn't know if she should bash her head on the wall, or kill the doctor who seemed to enjoy giving her boring and somewhat unrelated answers.

"Okay, how about the moment Maine held the baby in her arms? Did they say something? Like I love---"

Dr. Mercado cut her off. "Oh! I remember that! They said that the baby whom they called third...or was it Thirdy? Anyway, they said it was the most incredible thing that they had ever seen."

"What?" Anna said, raising her voice to drown out the screaming fans from the audience.

"I know. There was something wrong with their choice of words since the baby is obviously not a 'thing' but whatever," the doctor shrugged.

When she said nothing, he continued speaking. "They were smiling, though I have no idea what was going on. It was weird because they kept staring at the baby."

"Really?"

"The nurses had to practically pry the baby from their hands. They wanted to stay with him, I think."

Wait. I'm missing something...Anna thought to herself.

"I forgot to ask. Did you see a ring?"

"Ring? Are you referring to the sound or to the jewelry? Or the ones you can see on binders or something?"

Anna clenched her left fist and smiled through gritted teeth. "The jewelry."

"Well, I think both of them were wearing wedding rings," the doctor said in a bored tone. "Honestly, why is that important?"

At this point, the crowd was going wild. The director threw his hands in frustration and then gave Anna a look.

It was ironic, after all. My grandma tried so hard to bury the couple alive...and here I was, reviving a nation that kept on hoping.

Man, being the granddaughter of the infamous Cristy Fermin is not an easy job.

***

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'll post one or two chapters of #SquadGoals later. :)