trapped (completed)

1. alone

It is 4:00pm and gloomy in Manila. Sounds of distant thunder and streaks of lightning disturb the stillness of the lazy Sunday afternoon. Jay is out of town for work while Nic is home, alone.

"Jay, kelan ka uuwi?" Nic's mom calls Jay.

"Good afternoon po, Tita...tonight po...nasa Cebu pa po ako...Bakit po?"

"Di pa umuuwi si Tata...di sinasagot ang cellphone...hindi rin sumasagot si Weng..." Mama's voice is full of worry. Tata is Nic's pet name. Weng is Nic's helper and companion in her condo.

"Hindi rin po sya sumasagot sa akin e..."

"Nag-away ba kayo?"

"Po?"

"Nag-away ba kayo? Nagtatampo na naman ba sya sa yo?"

"...nag-reklamo po tungkol sa schedule ko nung isang araw..."

"Hmm...baka nga nagtampo ulit...di kami maka-luwas ngayon..."

"Sige po, papupuntahan ko po...didirecho ako dun pagkagaling sa airport..."

"O sige, balitaan mo ako agad ha?"

"Yes po, Tita..."

"Bee, what are you doing on Sunday?" Nic asked Jay on Tuesday evening. She wasn't feeling well due to a very bad cold and cough, and just wanted to cuddle up and have Jay take care of her. They were laying on Nic's bed in her condo. Jay sometimes bunked at her place but would often go home to his own condo in the next city.

"Hmm...mall show..."

"Na naman?"

"...in Cebu..."

Upon hearing the location, Nic let go of Jay and turned to the other side.

"Ta, we talked about this na diba? I told you that I will be doing provincial mall shows for the next couple of weeks. Tapos, mag-r-ready na ako for my upcoming concert..." Jay turned to cuddle Nic. "Wag ka na magtampo...uuwi ako dito sa Saturday after Bacolod then I fly off to Cebu the following morning na..."

"Ganyan naman lagi e..."

"...now lang uli to...I'll have time again after the concert...promise...diba gusto mong mag-beach? Beach tayo pag ayos na lahat ulit..."

"...maulan na...."

"Pag wala nang ulan at okay na lahat...promise..."

"Promise?"

"Anything for my baby...promise..." Jay kissed M on the head. "Ta, how are you feeling?"

"Hmmm...wala akong fever pero masakit yung mga legs ko...tapos parang namamanhid yung mga fingers ko..."

"Hmm..baka naman magkaka-flu ka na...rest ka muna ng mga ilang araw, ha? Don't go to work muna..."

"But..."

"No buts...ako nalang ang mag-work...rest ka muna...pagaling ka..."

"They're expecting me to mentor the kids..."

"...ang sama pa rin ng ubo at sipon mo o...baka mahawa mo yung kids..."

Nic sulked at this realization. She had been preparing for her kids' performance.

"Ganito, if you're okay by Saturday early morning, papayagan kita..."

"Sure yan ha?"

"Oo...basta wala kang sipon o ubo..."

"Okay..."

Although Nic's tampo didn't really go away (she's known to harbour the bad feeling for at least a few days), she was hoping that Jay's promise of a trip to the beach would really happen.

Jay made sure that Nic was sleeping when he left for the night.

"Kuya, mag-day off po ako sa Linggo...babalik po ako sa Martes..." Weng said when Jay entered the kitchen bringing a tray of used dinnerware.

"Saan ka pupunta?"

"Uuwi po muna ako sa amin...si Insoy kasi papasok na sa school...i-enroll ko sana muna..."

"Ah sige...alam ni Nic?"

"Opo...alam na po ni Ma'am...nag-request lang na mag-iwan ako ng pagkain sa ref na pwede nyang initin"

"Oo...tama...sige...o, mauna na ako. Mag-lock ka na. Asikasuhin mo ng mabuti si Nic..."

"Opo..."

"Goodnight..."

"Sige po..."