Borrowed Time (completed)

33. mischief

The weather turned bad while Meng was still in the garage. Jomar ran out to get an umbrella for her. Mama and Papa had walked back to the house earlier because Mama was on the verge of hysterics when she saw the scooter parking spot empty.

As Meng stepped away from the shelves, she noticed the piece of paper she stepped on and picked it up. Unfortunately, the print was barely readable at it had been crumpled and torn from being crushed underfoot. Soon, Jomar returned with an umbrella and escorted Meng back to the main house where she had dinner with Papa and Mama. With Papa at the head of the table, Meng sat by his left, across Mama.

"Dito ka na matulog. Weekend naman na..." Papa suggested. Meng looked out the window and saw how strong the rains were. The wind was actually making the tree branches sway vigorously.

Meng sadly nodded and bowed her head.

"...pinahanap ko na sya mga tao dito sa hacienda...tinawagan ko na rin yung kakilala kong pulis sa city..." Papa reached out to Meng and held her hand.

"...gamitin mo nalang muna yung t-shirt at shorts ni Ricky...lalabhan ko yang mga damit mo ngayon at tututukan ko ng electric fan para may masuot ka bukas..." Yaya Beth said. She came into the dining room to refill their water glasses.

Meng nodded again silently. She pulled out her phone and tried contacting Rj again but she got the same response - he was out of the coverage area. She texted her Nanay to tell her family where she was.

Rj got off the scooter and parked it properly in its spot. He removed his helmet and hung it up beside Meng's helmet before removing the poncho he wore and shook off the rain that drenched it. He hung the poncho next to the helmets and adjusted his backpack on his back. He took an umbrella which was on the side of the door out of the garage and quickly walked to the house.

He slipped into the kitchen and put his finger to his lips when Elena saw him. She was startled that she squeaked but immediately put her hand on her mouth. Rj pointed to the table in the outside kitchen and Elena nodded.

"Kalokohan mo! Buti nalang gustong-gusto ng Mama yung mag-a-arte ng ganun..." Yaya Beth said as she put plates of food in front of Rj.

"Eh Ya..." Rj replied wiggling his eyebrows, his eyes twinkling. He scooped food hungrily in his mouth.

"Dahan-dahan naman...madami pa o" Yaya said shaking her head as she ate her dinner across him at the table, pushing the plate of meat toward her ward.

Meng slipped into Rj's room to get some clothes to wear. Yaya Beth had already put back the other clothes that were on the bed and the room looked neater. As she approached the cabinets by the far side of the room next to the bathroom door, she heard water splashing. But since it was still raining heavily, she thought that maybe it was just the sound of the rain hitting the pavement outside the bedroom window. When she turned her head toward the source of the sound, she thought she caught a glimpse of Rj's red backpack partially hidden by the trashcan in the corner near the door of the bathroom. Meng opened the cabinet doors and looked for a shirt and boxers she could use.

Meanwhile, Rj, who was in the bathroom, remembered that he had put a vanity kit inside his backpack which he left by the door to the bathroom. He had already stepped into the shower when he remembered that he didn't bring the vanity kit with him inside. He and Meng would usually spend the weekend at the hacienda, but his bath essentials needed refilling and replacement already. Dripping wet from the shower, he scampered to get the bag quickly, opening the door just slightly because he was naked. A clap of thunder broke through the sound of the rain just as he shut the door again.

When Meng closed the cabinet doors after getting the clothes she needed, she turned her head again toward the corner were the trashcan was but didn't see the red backpack anymore. Curious, she approached it and saw some of the clothes tags that were thrown there earlier. Meng remembered how the room looked when she first arrived at the hacienda earlier. The sadness and worry she felt intensified again. She walked out of Rj's room and went to the guest room to prepare for bed.

Because of the storm, the lights went out at the hacienda. However, the generator that usually turned on in instances like this didn't work. Rj was walking down the hallway to the guest room when the power went out. Meng was able to light a candle in the bathroom before she stepped into the shower.

"...S...sino yan?" Meng, who had just started her bath, called out. With the water from the shower still running, she immediately clutched her body when she heard a sound from behind the shower curtain.

She looked around her but had nothing but only had a small bar of soap as her 'weapon' in the shower stall. Meng held on to the bar of soad, ready to throw it at whoever was behind the shower curtain. The layout of the bathroom had the sink and counter closest to the door from the bedroom. The water closet was between the counter and the shower stall. Meng placed the candle on the sink counter. Aside from hearing 'other sounds' in the bathroom and the raging storm outside, a strange shadow was cast against the shower curtain. Meng had her back against the wall as the shadow appeared to grow bigger, signifying that it was approaching to. Meng crouched down and balled up, closing her eyes shut just as the shower curtain was parted.

"Boo?" Rj said. His body was covering the glow of the single candle in the bathroom. The reflection of the candle's light on the bathroom walls was not very bright either.

In her panic, Meng threw the bar of soap with her eyes closed. It hit Rj in the shin and made him yelp, "Aray!"

The voice was familiar so Meng looked up and saw that it was Rj. She immediately stood up and flung herself at him.

"Bubba! Andito ka na! Anong nangyari? Bakit ka umalis ng di nagsasabi? Okay ka lang?" Meng rattled on as she kept her arms locked around Rj's neck. Rj embraced her and held her close to him, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I'm fine. I'm okay. Nabasa lang ng konti ng ulan pero nakapag-shower na ako....pero it looks like I need to take another shower..."

Puzzled, Meng loosened her embrace but still had her hands on his neck. Rj also loosened his clutch and held Meng by the waist. Rj looked down between them, then he looked at Meng and wiggled his eyebrows. The front of his shirt and shorts got wet when Meng embraced him. Meng pulled him inside the shower stall as Rj pulled the shower curtain shut behind him when he stepped inside to join her.