Rj went home happy that evening. He almost forgot the bag Maine gave him. He turned on his side to turn off his bedside lamp and go to sleep when the bag on his table caught his eye. He stood up and got the bag. It was a bit heavy. He looked at the tag, it said "Rj".
"....ang ganda naman ng penmanship...." he thought. He reached into the bag and found a jar filled with folded pieces of paper. There was also a bulky envelope. He opened the envelope and pulled out the card that was inside. Rj smiled as he opened the card.
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Rj spent the night reading each and every piece of paper inside the jar.
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The following days, they saw each other at the park like they always did. He would sit near her and would talk about his day, glancing every so often if Maine looked at him. Slowly, Maine held her attention to Rj when he spoke. There were actually a few times where he would catch her and he would smile at her. Her once blank or avoidance expressions were replaced with a soft, almost smiling look.
Her tinnitus and vertigo would attack at random times. There was an instance where she felt faint as the vertigo happened while they were walking to her house in the late afternoon.
"....are you okay?" Rj asked when he saw that her lips were very pale.
Tears started streaming down her face. He pulled her toward him so that she could lean against him and slowly helped her lay down on the ground. A few minutes later, he assisted her to sit up and leaned her against him.
"....are you okay?" Rj asked again.
Maine looked up at him then signed, "sick".
"....saan masakit?" he asked.
She held her head to indicate a headache.
"Can you stand up?" he asked. She nodded slowly and he assisted her. Once on her feet, he observed her a little. The dim streetlights made it a bit difficult for him to fully assess her. She took a few tentative steps but he immediately put his arm around her shoulder and walked her home. They sat by her front door when they got to her house.
"Are you feeling better?" He asked as he gently stroked her cheek. She nodded almost immediately.
"Good...let's get some water or juice inside?"
"....no...." she signed.
"Why?" he signed back.
"Don't leave me....I'm scared..."
"OK....let's just stay here for a while...."
She nodded.
He took out his phone and texted Coleen to ask for some juice or something sweet for Maine to drink. A while later, Sally, the helper, came out with the drink.
"Salamat" he thanked Sally who nodded and left. "....o here, drink this....baka your sugar levels just dipped...."
Maine nodded and took a sip.
"Drink a little more....please...." Rj said after and Maine took a few more sips.
"Thank you..." she signed.
"You're welcome...." he kissed her on the head. "Does the vertigo happen very often?"
"....the past days, yes....also the ringing in the ears...." she signed.
"Check-up?" he signed back. Then they had a short conversation in sign language.
"I haven't told Nanay yet..."
"You should....para you'll know what's causing all these...."
"....I'm scared...."
"I know....I know...." he signed and patted her arm.
"......samahan mo ako?" she signed then looked up at him.
".....sa check up?"
"......Oo..." Maine nodded while she signed.
"....sige....sabihin natin kay Tita.....sasamahan kita...."
"Thank you....."
"Basta ikaw...." he signed back and took her hand and intertwined his fingers between hers.
Later on, they went inside the house. Maine went inside her room and Rj talked to Tita MaryAnn about Maine's vertigo episode.
"....sabi po nya, samahan ko daw po sya sa pagpa-check-up....."
"Sige iho, I'll make an appointment with her doctor and let you know...."
"Sige po....I'll go ahead na po...it's getting late na rin e...."
"Okay...thanks, Rj...."
"...ahhh...by the way, Tita....Maine has finally 'spoken' to me...."
"Spoken? As in nagsalita na sya sa yo?"
"....well....uhmm....remember when I used to say na wala kaming connection, that she barely made eye contact with me?"
Tita MaryAnn nodded.
"....now, she replies with nods and other actions....she also uses sign language with me.....di ko lang alam kung nahalata nyang nakakasagot ako sa kanya...."
"Hmm....wow! kung nangyayari nga itong lahat, then I believe that you are the miracle that I have been praying for....thank you!" Tita MaryAnn hugged Rj.
"....I just hope, Tita, that Maine will fully overcome her anxiety and begin to speak to me with her words..."
