Turn The Page

Chapter 56

"Page," April scolded with a firm voice she never thought she had to use with her niece ever again, but Page only turned her back against all of them and started to walk way. Keeper, Sandy and Ben were all in shock at what just came out of Page's mouth. "Ate--I am so sorry," April said in disbelief. June continued to look at her daughter. She watched as Page walked towards her car. "No. I had it coming," June said quietly. "What? No. I don't know what has gotten into her. I don't care kung nasaktan sya sa nangyari sa inyong dalawa o sa nangyayari ngayon, okay? But we did not raise her to be as disrespectful as that, and you know that," April reasoned. "Keeper, paki-sundan naman. Try to talk some sense into that girl," she told Keeper. "No. Keeper, don't. Just let her be. Pain. Pain and loss, that's what has gotten into her. Right now, let her feel of it. Let her do what she needs to do to get over it. If she wants to work to get her mind off of things, let her. Just let her be for now," June said. April shook her head. All of them watched as Page drove off. Sandy took a deep breath. June looked at the rest of them. "Sandy, Ben, Keeper, I'm really sorry about Nicky. Nothing changes. I'm always here for you guys, call me any time," June reminded them. Then she each gave them a hug. "I don't want to say it, but--," Sandy was saying when June finished the sentence for her. "You told me so? I know. That's why sabi ko kay April, I had it coming," June said then she nodded. "Pabayaan na muna natin sya," she said to all of them. "April, my offer still stands. If you want to join me sa bahay, you're more than welcome to," June reminded her. There was a certain sorrow in her eyes that made April swallow. "Can I stay there for tonight at least?" April asked. "You don't have to ask. I'm already offering the house to you. Stay as long as you want," June answered. Then she nodded at Keeper, Sandy and Ben. "I'll meet you guys at the restaurant," she said to them. They nodded in return. As April and June walked towards the car, April shook her head again. "Ate, pasensya ka na kay Page--," she started to say when June cut her off. "April, I said don't worry about it. She's in pain right now, let her handle it on her own for now. She obviously wants to be left alone," June said. "Pero ate, in pain or not, she shouldn't have said that to you. Alam mo, ako yung na-offend eh, parang tinakwil ka nya bilang ina eh," April said disappointingly. June swallowed. "Ako naman nauna mang-takwil," June admitted. "Ate, but no. Iba yung pagkasabi nya eh. Bumalik yung talas ng bibig, and if hindi mo susuwayin yan ngayon, baka mag-tuloy tuloy nanaman gaya nung bata pa sya," April insisted as she got inside the car. June stared straight ahead. She held on to the steering wheel. Then she swallowed again. "Ganun pala pakiramdam," she said quietly. April glanced over at her. "Ng alin, ate?" She asked worriedly. June continued to stare straight ahead, "To get a taste of my own medicine."

"Girl, what in the world are you doing here?" Bethany, Page's co-worker, said worriedly when Page walked into the office. "I need to be busy, please let me get some work done," she said without looking at her. Bethany greeted her with a tight hug. "Girl, you shouldn't be in here. They're paying you to take some time off. You just lost somebody--," Bethany was saying when Page cut her off. "Well, what's new huh, Beth? I lose people all the time, that shouldn't stop me from going to work and getting things done," Page said firmly. Bethany looked at her worriedly. She could tell she needed some rest. Page avoided her stare. "Girl, this is not the place to be in right now. You need to be with your family. You need to be with your loved ones. Go take the time and rest and heal. Go on a much needed vacation. Girl, you deserve it. You need to take some time off. Trust me. This is the last place you want to be in after going through something like that," Bethany said with genuine care and concern. "Beth, I appreciate your concern. I do, but this is where I want to be. I need to be productive," Page insisted. "Girl, you know you can never drown the pain with overworking yourself. It'll catch up to you eventually. With this kind of work? You're going to feel burned out within the week. Trust me. Don't let it get there. I've been there. Physically tired? You can do something about that, but when the brain and the heart get tired at the same time? You are in for a lot of trouble, Missy. Take my word for it. Been there, done that, don't want to go back. I don't want to let it happen to you," Bethany advised. "Hey, Lara's one-thirty showed up. I thought you said she cancelled it 'cause she called in sick today?" Amy, another one of their co-workers, interrupted the two. "Ah shit. I didn't review any of their paperwork. Did you?" Bethany asked Amy. "I'll take them," Page offered. "No, I said you're not working today," Bethany argued. "I'm the only one who reviewed their files with Lara. I know the couple. Unless the two of you want to read two folders worth of documents in five minutes, I suggest that I take them in," Page said. The two women looked at each other. "I'll be in my office. Send them in if you want me to take them," Page said before she left the two of them.