Meng was still asleep when Rj left for the city. Mama Rose quietly slipped into the guest room to assess Meng's condition. Her fever rose again based on the temperature reading Mama took. Meng seemed to be delirious too as she moaned and moved her head from side to side while Mama turned off the aircon and started removing the pillows and blankets around her. Mama called on Yaya Beth to help her give Meng another sponge bath. She also went out for a while to get a 'special' leaf from the back garden which she put on Meng's forehead. Almost instantly, the leaf wilted from the heat escaping Meng's body.
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Because of the travel time from the city to the hacienda, Rj arrived a little late and was told that Meng's fever had gone up again and that Yaya Beth took good care of her. She was sleeping more comfortably when Rj arrived. Even if he wanted to kiss her goodnight, he just peeped into the room and found her sleeping on her side.
"Goodnight Booboo..." Rj whispered as he closed the door.
---
Very early the next morning, Meng quietly sat in the breakfast nook in the kitchen. Dressed in her shirt dress with a mug in front of her, she watched Manang and Elena prepare breakfast. Elena placed a basket of pandesal and a plate of kesong puti on the table, "Eto muna, hinahanda lang ni Manang yung hamon at tsokolate..."
"...kain tayo..." Meng said, smiling.
"Sige na...kumain ka na...gusto mo ng juice?" Elena said.
Meng nodded and Elena went out of the kitchen to prepare the fresh juice.
"...Manang yung tsokolate ni Rico...i-ready mo na at pababa na sya..." Mama Rose said as she walked into the kitchen.
"Opo..." Manang replied as she turned on the flame under the tsokolatera which was on the stove. Elena returned to the main kitchen with Meng's juice and greeted Mama Rose with a "Good morning, Senyora". She went out of the kitchen again.
"...good morning po..." Meng said as she stood up from the table.
"O, you're up early. How are you feeling? Sit down..."
"I think I'm better po, thank you..." Meng replied. Mama Rose reached over to touch Meng's cheek then sat down beside her.
"Is that all you're eating?" Mama Rose said as she looked at the half-empty mug of Meng and the glass of juice in front. "Manang, nasaan na ang ibang food? Ilabas nyo na..."
The helpers scrambled to get the food on the table.
"Haay these muchachas can be so slow..." Mama said rolling her eyes. "But I'm glad you're better, iha. I think that dahon I put on your forehead really did the trick..."
"Po? Kayo po yung naglagay nun?"
"...yes..." Mama Rose said, smiling at Meng and gently placing her hand on the girl's arm. "The people in the hacienda taught me a little about herbal medicine. Since medyo malayo tayo sa pinaka-malapit na clinic or hospital, the farm folk use plants and herbs to cure most illnesses. Yung dahon na yun was what we normally use pag may lagnat ang mga tao dito. And according to Manang, it can also be used for sprains."
