Redamancy

XIV.

It's a Monday afternoon and Richard is in his bedroom in Ormoc having some rest as he just finished drinking a painkiller. He is browsing thru TV channels when his phone beeped.

"Rick, nakalimutan ko sabihin sayo, bumili ka na rin ng paracetamol bago umuwi. Salamat."

Richard's eyebrows met in the middle as he read this message. "Wrong send nanaman, 'to" as he tells himself. He replies back, "okay po, ma'am!" and he inserted a laughing emoji. He chuckles and continued to click his remote until it stops in a familiar scene.

"They are doing a re-run pala!"

There he was, wearing a blue polo shirt talking to his favorite on-screen partner while giving out winks obviously making pa-cute towards her. He shakes his head in disbelief at how they took this scene. He was engrossed in reminiscing until his phone rang and didn't check who's on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Omg! Goms! I am so sorry!"

Richard instantly knew that voice and wanted to laugh but instead he joked back.

"Uhm, sorry.. who's this?"

"Goms? This is Dawn! Oh my god, am i still calling the wrong person? I'm so - "

Richard couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Taleon!" as he laughed again.

"Richard naman eh! I'm so sorry! I didn't notice I sent my last message to you. I was wondering why ikaw ang nagreply at hindi yung helper namin.."

"Sus! Aminin mo na. Miss mo na ako!"

"Che! Ikaw talaga. I'm so sorry. Did I disturb you? I'm sure you're busy sa city hall."

"No. It's fine. I'm actually at home."

"Why? Naka quarantine ba kayo?"

"Hindi pa naman kami total lockdown. But I wasn't feeling well this morning. Actually medyo may sinat na ako nung weekend and Lucy insisted na magpahinga ako today especially now na may situation tayo."

"Buti naman at pumayag ka. Knowing you hindi ka magpapapigil."

Richard chuckles, "alam na alam talaga.."

"Siyempre, matigas ang ulo mo kasi pag may sakit ka!"

"Kaya nga nagpapahinga na ngayon. Kayo, kumusta kayo diyan? Meron bang may sakit at nagpapabili ka ng gamot?"

"No.. no.. wala naman. I just want to be ready. Nag-inventory kasi ako ng mga stock dito sa bahay. And okay naman kami. Trying to keep the kids busy para naman hindi sila puro gadgets!" Dawn goes on and on in telling him how they are during this period of quarantine.

Richard smiles. How he missed her voice. He wouldn't mind listening to her the whole day. He missed how she would just rant randomly on things he doesn't know about or about the things she just saw on TV. And it's not helping that he is watching her on the screen and talking to her at the same time. He missed her.

"Goms? Are you still there?"

"Yeah. Still here."

"Natahimik ka na kasi.. am I too much?"

"No. Namiss lang kita."

Silence. A good few seconds of silence.

"I miss you, too."

Richard smiles and he hears her smile, too.

"Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

"Mag-iingat ka diyan ha."

"Alam mo naman na maingat ako kapag ganito.."

"I know. Just reminding you kasi wala ako para alagaan ka."

Dawn giggles, "opo! Pero mas mag-ingat ka. Alam kong frontliner ka diyan sa inyo. Please eat healthy, drink your vitamins, wear face mask, bring alcohol wherever you go, and please wash your hands!"

"Opo, Mama! Ang daming bilin para naman akong bata!"

"Eh isip bata ka naman talaga!"

Richard chuckles.

Dawn sighs.

"What was that for? Ang lalim!"

"Wala. As I said, I missed talking to you. Just like the old times.."

Richard smiles again and can't even count how many times he smiled since he picked up the phone.

"Anyway, nakaka-istorbo ata ako sa pahinga mo. I will let you rest -"

"No.. no! Don't hang up!"

"Sus! Mr. Gomez! You need rest!"

"Dawn, please? This is rest. Talking to you makes me feel better."

"5 minutes?"

"Okay. 5 minutes."

"So.. what are you doing?"

"Pinapanood ka."

"Ha? Ako?"

"Oo. Ganda mo nga eh."

"Hay naku! I really think you need to rest. Nag-hahallucinate ka na ata!"

"Hindi! Is your TV on? Switch it to ABS."

Richard hears her move around until he hears her TV on the same channel as his.

"My gosh. Today is the re-run pala!"

"Hindi ko nga alam na may re-run! I just saw it."

"Grabe. Ang taba ko diyan! This was 2011 when we shot this?"

"Yeah. 2011. At hindi ka mataba! Healthy lang!"

"Nang bola ka pa! At infairness naman sayo, ang payat mo dito!"

"Payat pa rin naman ako, ah."

"Suuuus! You are very meaty now!"

"Pinaganda pa!"

Both laughed at their bickering. They continued watching and kept talking about the scenes, how they threw their dialogues, how long their hair was, how corny they look especially the sneakers that he wore at the hacienda, the behind the scene moments, and the inside jokes between them.

This kept going even on commercial breaks. Both didn't mind the time that passed by until Richard hears someone in the background.

"Mama, can we go swimming?"

Richard hears Dawn put the phone away and replies, "Sure, anak. Go change." Richard smiles to her reply.

"Goms, I'm sorry but I need to go."

"Sure. 5 minutes became 20 anyway."

"Thank you.."

"No. Thank you. You made me feel better."

Dawn smiles, "magpahinga ka na ulit."

"I will."

"Okay. Bye."

"Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

"Talk to you again soon?"

"Sure. We can even video call if you want."

"Talaga?"

"As long as you are feeling much better and not busy with work."

"Hindi ako busy pagdating sayo."

Dawn giggles, "bola nanaman! Sige na, Mr. Gomez! Get well soon."

Richard smiles, "Goodbye, Ms. Zulueta."

Dawn hangs up. Richard, too. He looked at his phone and couldn't believe his luck that day. He definitely felt much better.