GIRL FRIDAY (Completed)

Chapter 38 - Neglect

Hi there my dears, I hear yah. So many have been asking for an update because hurt na daw sila masyado so heto na. Huwag lang kayo masyado mag-expect (CTTO Maine) na magkakabalikan agad sila, ok? Like I said, the process for resolving trust issues is not that quick and this time, it's Maine's trust issue that needs to be resolved. She needs to be assured that she will never be subjected to the same kind of accusations she went through with Richard. To give that assurance, Richard has to get over his own trust issues too.

They are on the way to healing pa lang and suffice it to say that the communication lines are now open between them. I won't say anything more, because hehe, I might be spilling the story already sa intro. Sometimes lang kasi I feel the need to explain because some may need a primer for them to understand what the chapter is about.

Anyway, #3 na tayo! Oh my, to be ranking aside the really good writers of Wattpad is such an honor. Thank you, read on and enjoy 😊

It had been two weeks since their break up, and both Maine and Richard were suffering in their situation. The screening for a new secretary was taking so long, no candidate seemed good enough. To fast-track the process, he gave Maine the leeway to choose her replacement but even she seemed to find one reason or another to turn down the applicants.

Richard tried to second guess Maine, in deciding what he could continue doing for her despite their falling out. She said she wanted to stay away from him, and he took his cue from that. He stopped making her order food for him, he was not in the mood to eat most of the time anyway since they started eating lunch apart. He kept their relationship limited to a professional level as much as possible, avoiding any hint of personal talk to keep her from accusing him of flirting or distracting her.

He stayed away from her physically as best as he could, but still tried to take care of her even from afar. Manong Rod still brought her to and from work, it was something he put his foot down on. She tried to dissuade him from extending this seeming luxury to her but he was adamant.

"Maine, allow me this para may peace of mind lang ako. Just so I'll know that you get to work and home safely. This is not a favor that expects something in return. Pabayaan mo naman na alagaan pa din kita kahit malayo ka na sa akin."

She smiled then. It was a smile she tried to hide, but he caught it before her face went mask-like again. So there was hope, he assured himself. It was like whistling in the dark but it was ok than nothing.

From time to time, he would have food delivered to her. He would ask Billy to buy her lunch from her favorite ramen restaurant nearby, or a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich from The Cheese Steak Shop. She didn't turn down the food, she would message him each time with a quick thank you, and the mere acknowledgment was enough for him, for now.

Slowly, but surely.

-----

Maine was seated across Richard in the meeting room as they both waited for the other attendees to arrive. They were in the office of one of their clients, and it was her first time to take a good look at him as he was browsing his phone.

"Pumapayat ka," She said with concern, alarmed at how gaunt he had become. There were shadows under his eyes and his shirt did not bulge like it used to in the chest and sleeves. It ached to see him this way. He merely shrugged and looked at her.

"Kumusta ka na?"

She shrugged back, unable to come up with a good answer.

Heto, malungkot......nami-miss ka pa rin. Hindi pa rin alam kung anong gagawin. Gustong gusto na kitang alagaan ulit.

"Ok lang po ako, don't worry," She said.

The meeting went on and finished smoothly. They walked together out of the client's office and Maine noticed that Richard could barely walk steadily.

"Sumabay ka na sakin pabalik sa office, Maine."

"Sige. Ok ka pa ba?"

"Inaantok lang. Di ako nakakatulog lately."

He leaned against the wall by the carpark elevator, his forehead showing a thin film of sweat. As the elevator door opened, he suddenly collapsed and fell inside, unconscious.

-----

Richard was still unconscious after already an hour in the hospital, making her really worried. She already called Richard Sr. and their HR department to report what happened, and thankfully there was a vacant room available here in the hospital.

She finally gave in and cried, sick and nauseous with worry. She knew something was not right when she was looking at him from across her. She knew she was part of the reason why he was like this, and at that moment, she remembered Kuya Francis' words.

"If people learned to love first, before keeping tabs on each other's sins, siguro mas maraming masaya ngayon."

That quote was so accurate for both of them. They were both miserable, apart from each other. They merely existed from day to day. She missed him all the more because he took care of her even though she wanted him to stay away from her. Not once did he ever badger her for them to talk again, he respected her need for silence. She realized belatedly that she never bothered to wonder how he was taking all this, and if he was ok despite another heartbreak.

I wish we would take back all those ugly words. Kung alam mo lang.......Ang hirap magmatigas sayo, kasi ang bait mo pa rin sa akin.

She approached the bed and took his hand, resting it against her cheek damp with tears. Earlier, the doctor asked the med technician to take a blood sample and inserted an IV line into him. He showed no sign of feeling the needle pierce the back of his hand, he remained as though asleep.

"Baby.......wake up. Please wake up," She said softly in an unsteady voice.

She kissed his hand and ran her fingers through his hair. The grayish cast to his skin did not foretell of a good result from his blood test, his lips were chapped and he looked like he had trouble breathing. She caressed his cold hand, trying to bring warmth to it.

The door suddenly opened as the doctor walked in with a nurse in tow.

"Hi I'm Dr. Martin Reyes, I will be his attending physician for the duration of his stay here. Kayo po ba wife ni Mr. Faulkerson?"

"Maine Mendoza po. Kaibigan po niya ako. I already called his dad, papunta na po dito yun. Doc, ano po ang nangyari sa kanya?"

"I cannot give a conclusive diagnosis yet. Based on what I've seen so far, I can see that he's dehydrated. Medyo mabilis din ang heartbeat niya, kaya ipapa-ECG natin siya. In another hour, makikita na natin yung result ng blood chemistry niya, I can give a more accurate diagnosis. Kumusta ba pagkain niya, would you know if he's been dieting or skipping meals? Has he been nauseous or suffering from upset stomach?"

She had been wondering who was buying his lunch meals for the past two weeks, since he stopped asking her to order lunch for him. Now she realized that he had been skipping lunch and she, so self-absorbed with her own pain, did not think to see if he was still doing ok. Richard focused on her, and forgot to take care of himself in the process. Now he was bearing the brunt of his neglect for his own well-being.

"Doc, I think he skipped a few meals lately, usually lunch. I don't know lang po about dinner."

"Ok, I'll come back later with the results of his blood test, hopefully his dad is here by then. I'll do my rounds for now."

After the doctor left, she took out her rosary and prayed, her left hand still clutching his. When she finished her rosary, she started massaging his arms, hoping he would feel her presence as she softly talked to him.

"I'm here, RJ. I'm here for you. Gumising ka lang, I promise to sort things out with you. I'm sorry for not talking to you, please......please wake up. Aayusin na natin ito, promise......"

In  little while, his hand squeezed hers, his eyes opened slowly. His thumb caressed the back of her hand, and he smiled weakly at her, his dimple making an appearance after two weeks of being away.

"Maine.........baby ko."