Xian was desperate to get home. Team building was done by Friday noon and they reached the office by 2:00 PM. They had the rest of the afternoon off and Xian was excited to see Kim. But he learned from Christie that she called in sick. Now she wasn’t answering his calls or texts. He almost ran to the train station, unmindful of the pouring rain.
He was soaking wet when Kim opened the door.
“O Kim! May sakit ka ba? Absent ka daw?” He kissed her on the forehead and held her by the shoulders to see her closely. Kim gave him a weak smile. She looked pale.
“Basang-basa ka, Xi…magpalit ka muna ng damit.” She seemed distracted.
He looked for a clean shirt from his overnight bag and changed his top, his eyes watching her. He sensed something was wrong. She sat down on the sofa with her hands between her thighs as if to keep them warm. He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“Kim, anong problema? May sakit ka ba?” He asked softly.
She shook her head, her eyes fixed on the floor. “Wala … wala akong sakit.” Then she looked at him. Xian was jolted by what he saw in her eyes – there was pain… fear… and sadness. Something was very wrong.
“Kim?” His voice was full of concern.
She swallowed hard and clasped her hands between her thighs to stop their shaking.
“Xi …” Her voice was hoarse. “… ako yung …” She stopped.
“Ikaw yung ano?” Xi gently prodded.
She took a deep breath. “…Yung kotse… na…sinakyan ni Gaby…ako dapat yung nandoon.”
He let out a loud gasp.
“ANO?”
“Nurse, may result na ba yung CBC kaninang umaga?” Mrs. Chiu was talking to the nurse-on-duty.
“Ma’am, meron na po. Mas mataas na po yung platelet count niya. Pero pakihintay na lang po si Doktora, parating na daw po. Sige po.”, the nurse explained and then left the room.
“Ma, kailan ako pwede umuwi?” Kim asked her mom.
“Naku anak, patataasin pa muna ang platelets mo. Kaya kailangan uminom ka ng maraming tubig.”
“Nakakainis kasi Ma. First time ko dito sa Cebu, dito pa ako nagkasakit… di tuloy tayo makapasyal.” Kim pouted. Her mom had a business deal in Cebu and she asked Kim to accompany her at the last minute. Shortly after her mom’s business meeting, the fevers started, which turned up to be dengue. She didn’t bother to inform her friends back in Manila about her confinement. She figured she’d be going home in a few days anyway.
Mrs. Chiu patted her daughter’s arm. “May next time pa naman. Ay teka nga pala… nagtext si Kevin, tawagan mo daw siya pag kaya mo na. Importante daw.” She handed Kim her phone.
Kim dialed her brother’s number.
“O Kevs, nagtext ka daw sabi ni Mommy.” She paused and listened. “...ANO?” Her eyes widened with shock. Mrs. Chiu furrowed her brows and waited until her daughter put down her phone.
“Ano yun, anak?”
Kim was still in shock. “….Grabe, Ma… may nakausap si Kevin, tiga-Kalinangan… diba dapat may outreach event kami kahapon?”
