The Periwinkle Affair

TPA 14: One Rainy Night

MAINE woke up in the same room as she was last night. She looked up to see a tray of breakfast on the overbed table not far from her. She turns to bed, Periwinkle is still asleep.

It was already late dawn-early morning, when one of their nurses came to work with an extra pair of pajamas from her daughter. Gerald asked around for some extra ones since Periwinkle came with whatever she had last night and it was covered in soot.

"Good morning, Sunshine." Luisa peeked her head in. Maine smiled at her, tired. She didn't get to sleep till about fourthirty-ish five-ish in the morning after Periwinkle was able to get washed and change into a fresh set of pajamas.

"Good morning, Lui. What time is it?" She asked. She yawned.

"Phew!! Smells like a dead rat in here." Gerald popped in the room carrying a small bag of she-didn't-know-what, but looks like snacks or something.

Luisa got so worried to hear that from Gerald, and started to look around. Maine did the same thing, too. If there is a rat infestation in the clinic, they will be obliged to close it down, fumigate it, sanitize the whole entire building, including the rental offices on the second and third floor and they can not afford that.

"What are you guys looking for? Did you lose an earring or something?" Gerald asked. Wondering what his two friends are looking for.

"The rat!" They chorused. Gerald's eyes went large and started to panic.

"Where? Where?!" He theatrically exclaimed. Maine and Luisa stood straight and looked him in the eye. Luisa's one hand on her hip and Maine's arms folded across her chest, both are tapping their feet on the floor, brows raised and furrowed.

"You said, it smells like a dead rat in here." Luisa copied how Gerald said it earlier. "So we thought that we have a rat infestation which we can not afford, right now." Luisa calmly but angrily said.

"Oh." Gerald winced but gave them both a peace sign. "That's not what I meant." He added in a gayish tone.

"Then what?!" Maine asked, her forehead creased like she's about to hang someone and her eyes were squinting, too. Gerald covered his mouth and nose and handed Maine a small personal hygiene bag, which at first, she thought was a snack.

"Here. Brush your teeth first before you all kill us with that smell." Maine looked at Luisa. She wasn't sure what he's trying to say. Then it dawned on her as she saw how big Luisa's smile was.

"This is really stupid." She said annoyingly. "You're stupid, Bakla!" She yelled and threw the bag back at Gerald, he caught it. Luisa was about dying, laughing her heart out. Gerald can sometimes be stupid but they love him so much.

"Oh, don't yell. Periwinkle is asleep." Gerald has this serious look on his face. He did not crack a smile, as if whatever he said was between life or death situations. "You will make her cry. Remember, trauma? Hmn..." Gerald added throwing his hip side to side as he got closer to Maine to hand her the bag she threw at him.

"Ugh! I hate you!" She said as she walked past him to the bathroom inside the room. "Bakla!" She yelled as she closed the door.

"Thank you." Gerald said in a sing-song like tone.

She heard Luisa busted out laughing as she was brushing her teeth. She shook her and smiled, a smile that turned to a small laughter.

"What will I do without you guys." She whispered quietly looking at her reflection on the mirror.

She continued what she was doing. She washed herself and changed into a white fitted v-neck shirt and a pair of stone washed denim jeans that Gerald took from her condo. She smiled because he made sure that she had a pair of freshly washed bras and underwear.