SILENT CALLS

Chapter 13

ALLY'S P.O.V

"What took you so long?"

Typical grumpy Ivana held her arms across the chest, protested my very late appearance. Yes I was waiting until everyone I shared the trip with walk out of the baggage claim area. That's because I was also waiting for a miracle to happen.

Seems highly unlikely.

"Second day of bleeding." I was meant to not being careful of my choice of word. "Damn, it's cold."

"Your fault. You didn't ask me about the weather."

"You should've warned."

We glared each other for a minute, but she ended up curling her arm around my neck. Yes, our last meeting at Manila airport was not pleasant. I left her to fly solo. For that, I didn't even wish her to forgive me. I regret making that decision.

"Supposed you haven't eaten anything..." She held the mocking tone.

"How can you tell?"

"Get a mirror. You look like just broke up with a guy." Ivana grabbed the car key out of her pocket.

Nice; how precisely.

"That bad?" I sniffed.

"I mess around." She laughed. "Okay I'm gonna treat you the best sushi in town."

"Somebody's got a long walk around Tokyo. Are you, what, marrying a local?"

"Save that for tomorrow's discussion."

She started the engine. I packed my bags onto the passengers seats, and hopped myself by her side. Tokyo was cold, no different with my heart. We drove away, fast. I tried to catch a glimpse at this huge, modern architecture.

So long, my love.

"So, tell me last night's candy party." Ivana started a talk.

"Oh! Yeah, that's so much fun. The kids literally got sugar high in the morning."

"Hahaha. They deserved a party."

"And I would do it again." I nodded, and took an unsealed papers of the kids we'd take over in Tokyo hospital. "How's the cancer treatment going for these babies?"

"Some of them are doing good. But that girl, Fujiwara with the brain cancer, she didn't want to go to the treatment center yesterday. I had to bring a pack of balloons in this car."

"Seems a lot of fun, as well."

"Look, Ally." She cleared her throat. "I'm not as good as you. Ain't as creative either. Quite frankly, I was a little overwhelmed. Without you here, I realized that I'm more of the planner, but not an executor."

"You'll be good for both works." I smiled plainly.

"No, no I mean it. So that's why, as we only have three months here, let's make the best out of it."

"Roger that, capt."

I looked around and gasped. Tokyo was beautiful. We slowly hit the town. Got a little busier here, a little more crowded. Ivana parked the car in a high-tech parking building, and asked me to walk further into a smaller path.

"The owner speaks English; don't you worry." Ivana whispered.

"Oh good." I nodded at this lady of my mom's age. "How are you?"

"Are you Ivana's friend?" The lady nicely spoke to me as she took our orders. "She talked a lot about you."

"Yeah? What did she say?"