New York
2019
Thirdy is now in Central Park carrying a paper bag of food for Zel and her boyfriend, Brien.
"Chef," Zel called him, causing him to look back.
"Zel!" he greeted her awkwardly.
"Sa benches ba or you want to walk around?" she asked.
"Bench na lang. I prepared a burger and burrito for the both of us to eat while talking eh."
She just nodded. When they were already seated, Thirdy asked her, "What do you want?"
"Burrito na lang."
He gave her the burrito, and while opening the foil, she started talking.
"She was diagnosed with GAD."
Thirdy stopped.
"Uhm, Zel, who are you talking about? And sorry, what is GAD?"
"Si Bei. GAD is an anxiety disorder where she experiences excessive worrying, and it leads to self-blame."
Thirdy stopped and looked at her.
"She hasn't had episodes for the past years. Huling nakita ko siyang inatake was when we were in Sudan. She met Max."
Zel is now eating her burrito, pero si Thirdy, he's too shocked.
"Max as in yung gagong Max?" he asked.
"Yeah. Sobrang laking problema ng Sudan kasi. Kinailangan magtawag ng mga doctor nung oras na yon. Bea didn't know he was coming."
"Dahil don inatake siya ng GAD?"
"No. Actually, Max is the one who helped her."
Thirdy closed his burger again. Nawalan na siya ng gana.
"I promise, I tried harangin si Max sa plans niya to talk to her, but as her friends, Cath and I knew that they really needed to talk."
She paused and took a bite of her burrito.
"So hinayaan ko na. Bea needed it. I've seen the changes sa kanya. Bea will be ninang pa nga sa second anak ni Max and nung asawa niya." She chuckled.
"So tuwing kelan inaatake si Bea?"
"No one knows. May certain situations na biglang nagttrigger."
"Kagaya ng?" he asked.
"Sa Sudan, there was a kid. Nakipaglaro siya kay Bea. Hindi alam ni Bea na epileptic yung bata. When she asked na magpahinga na ito, before pa makatulog, nagseizure yung bata. Bea blamed herself. Iyak siya nang iyak, and sobrang lala ng panic niya."
She stopped eating and tinago na din yung food niya.
"Pero don't worry. Bea went back to therapy after Sudan. She's okay na. Ang laki ng improvement niya. Friend din kasi namin yung psychologist niya, and ako and si Cath lang nakakaalam ng condition niyang yon. Pero those people sa missions, they've seen it," she continued.
"Thank God she's doing well now."
"Thirdy, if GAD comes back, please don't leave her. Be there for her. Remind her that all is well. I won't always be around to ask her stuff since her home will be you na."
Zel's teary-eyed.
Thirdy nodded.
"And tell her to call her psychologist agad-agad."
"Can I have her number too?"
"Yeah, I'll send it sayo later."
She paused.
