Dogtag (completed)

14. care

Rj tried, as carefully and as gently as he could, to lay down in bed beside Dei. After some difficulty with his balance and coordination, he successfully got Dei to cuddle up to him, laying her head on his shoulder, her arm embracing him.

A few hours later, Dei’s fever finally broke. Rj, who made sure that he didn’t fall asleep on Dei, wiped her sweat and helped her change into his shirt. Still ‘drunk’ with her cold and fever, she cuddled once more and they finally fell asleep together.

Rj made arrangements with Mama Chelo so that someone could care for him before Dei woke up. At around 6:30am, Mama Chelo sent Joey, a burly caregiver.

“Coach, ang swerte naman ni Ms. Dei…” Joey said while they were in the bathroom.

“Mas maswerte ako…alagang-alaga nya ako…mabait pa..”

“Opo…lagi po syang kinukwento ni Nina..”

“Hmm…type mo si Nina, no?”

“…masiyahin sya at masaya syang kasama…”

“…nililigawan mo?”

“…ehh..” Joey smiled shyly.

“…go for it!”

“…kayo po?”

“Malapit na..” Rj winked.

“Good luck, Coach!”

“Salamat…thank you din sa tulong…”

“Anytime po…mauna na po ako…Yung extra supplies nyo po, nasa may night stand. Yung pagkain, ide-deliver ng cafeteria…kung may kailangan pa kayo, tawagan nyo lang si Mama Chelo..Get well soon nalang po kay Ms. Dei…” Joey said before leaving the unit. Rj was now back in bed beside Dei.

“Thank you..”


“Good morning…” Rj said. He woke up when Dei stirred.

“Hmm?”

“Good morning…”

“…morning…” Dei replied sleepily. She moved her head from the pillow to Rj’s chest. Still feeling a little woozy, it took her a while to get hear bearings.

“…how do you feel?” Rj moved his arm to embrace her. “…you’re still a little warm…”

“Huh? Wait…anong gjnagawa ko dito?” Dei said, sitting up. She had a headache so she held her head. “…hilo…”

“Higa ka muna ulit...nilalagnat ka pa…”

“…paano? Wait…wait…bakit ako nasa bed mo?  Anong nangyari?”

Rj recounted how Dei arrived at his unit early Saturday morning like usual but soon fell asleep on the couch. She had the chills and was burning with fever when Rj approached her close to lunchtime. He called on Mama Chelo who helped get Dei into Rj’s bed and gave her a sponge bath to reduce her fever. Although she woke up several times for meals or to use the bathroom, she must have been feeling very bad because she would soon fall asleep again.

“Sino nag-assist sa yo?” Dei asked, seeing Rj in a ‘new’ shirt and shorts.

“Pinadala ni Mama si Joey dito kanina…gusto pala ni Joey si Nina…”

“Nina? Oh shoot! Di ako nagsabi…”

“Alam na nya…siya ang unang pinapunta ni Mama kahapon nung humingi ako ng tulong…nagluto nga sya ng soup e…you want to eat?”

“…but I shouldn’t be here…sa pagkakaalam ko, bawal ang nurses at staff matulog sa unit ng pasyente..” Dei scrambled out of bed and looked for her clothes.

“…pinalaundry ko…mamaya-maya siguro babalik na yun…”

“…pati underwear?”

“Hmm…pareho pala tayo…smooth…” Rj smirked.

“Rj!”

“…ang daya mo nga e, araw-araw mo nakikita yung junjun ko…”

“Ehh…”

“…nasilip ko lang yung pepi mo nung binibihisan ka namin ni Mama…”

“…mamboboso!”

“…well…anong tawag mo ngayon sa nakikita ko?” Rj replied. Dei was seated on the toilet which was almost directly in front of the open bathroom door.

“…look away!”

“Okay, fine…it’s not that I won’t see that again…”

“…ay ewan ko sa yo…wait, ano oras na?”

“Magte-ten?”

“Sunday?”

“Hmm…”

“Kailangan mag-ready na tayo…may lunch ako…tayo with my Lolo…”

“Postponed…”

“Huh?”

“Come back to bed…nilalagnat ka pa e…” Dei didn’t notice that Rj had managed to transfer to his wheellchair from bed on his own. He had a tray of food on his lap. Dei took the tray and put it on the over-bed table. They shared the food and Rj gave Dei some medicine to help with her fever. A few minutes more and Dei was fast asleep again.

Throughout the day, Mama Chelo or a junior intern came to check on the two and assist Rj with his needs.

“…iba pa rin pag ikaw ang nag-aalaga sa akin…I promise, Love, I will also take care of you when I am all better…and I promise that it will happen really soon…”