The Orphan

Chapter XIV

The skyscrapers in Cebu made me surprised. How many years I've been away in this place and how come it became new in my eyes. I seldom come home due to my busy schedules in the orphanage.
I was riding on a bus going to my hometown. It was a smooth ride. My phone beeped. It was Harry.
"Hello?"
"Where are you now?" He asked me.
"Why?I'm riding a bus now going to my hometown. "
"Okay,take care."
"That's what you called me?"
"Macky wanted me to call you. "
"Ahh,,right. Tell him I'll miss him. I'll come back soon."
"Are you going to tell your family about them?"
"They knew already. My family wanted me to come with them but I can't."
"What? Can we go there?"
I laughed. I feel he was just joking.
"I'm dead serious Suri."
"Why do you want to come here? Do you miss me now? "I laughed. The bus stopped in my hometown. I got out and went to our little mansion.
" Are you still there?"
"Fine,never mind." He said eventually. He bid good bye and I turned off my phone.
I miss you too.
I pressed the doorbell and the gate opened.
Everyone was happy when they saw me.
"Grandma,hi!"
"Oh my granddaughter who loves working. Good thing you are here."
"Are you happy?"
"Of course dear, everyone misses you."
"I'll be staying here for one week. Our general superior wanted me to go back immediately due to our hectic schedule."
"No problem. "
We ate together. I finished first so I stayed in the lanai. While drinking my cup of tea,I called them.
"Hello."
"Hi."
"We just finished eating our lunch. Are you done having your lunch too? How are the kids?"
"They are fine. Yeah. They are eating their lunch."
"Are you okay?"
"I feel a little sick. Maybe I caught a cold when we went together in the shopping mall."
"Did you take your medicine ?" Worry rose in my system. I stood up and went outside near my grandmother's garden.
"I'm fine. I'll just take a rest and I would be fine." His voice is a little husky.
"Okay,it's up to you."
I stayed for a while. He was still on the other line.
"I'm going in. Do you still have something to say?" I asked him. I heard his cough.
"N-nothing."
"Okay bye."
"Bye. "
"Wait,you drink your medicine now. This time really. I'll call you again."
"No need. I will take a rest"
"Harry, don't be stubborn human."
He laughed.
"That's my line."
"Please do it. I'll call you again."
"No need. I'm fine."
"Harry." My voice raised.
"OK. Ok. I'll take it."

I went inside and joined their conversation. I looked at my watch on my wrist. It's 7:30 in the evening. So I have to call him after four hours.
"Suri,how was the orphanage?"
"It's fine. "
"How about your kids? Don't you have plan to get married honey?"
My grandmother asked me.
I smiled.
" Soon. "
"What?" They both looked at me.
"It's a prank!" I laughed.
" Suri,c'mon, you have to find someone else. I've heard that someone adopted your kids."
"Yeah, a billionaire!"
" what? Is he single? "
"He's a shareholder in the orphanage."
"We're not asking about his money." They laughed because of my answer.
"Ahh,yeah. He is."
Everyone looked at me.
"He doesn't have plan to get married. He can live with children rather than women."
"What?" They both surprised.
I nodded my head. I sip the entire liquid in my glass.
We talked a lot until 10 in the evening. At exactly 11:30 I went to my room and dialed his number.
"Hello,"
He answered it but he never say anything.
"Are you alright?" I asked him worriedly.
"My head is pounding. Why are you calling me?" He said. He coughed and coughed.
"Take your meds now. Have you taken the first one?" I said.
"I can't.  Let me sleep,okay?"
"I waited four hours for you. Why don't you take it?" He laughed in a low voice.
"Okay. I will take it."
"Are they sleeping already?"
"Yeah,Mrs. Cruz took care of them."
"Have you eaten your dinner?"
"Yeah. I did."
"Where is your medicine?"
"In the kitchen. If you are here,I can stay in my bed."
I smiled. How I wish I could do that to him.
"Check your temperature before you go back to bed."
I can hear some ticking of glass.
"I'm done. I have 39° Celsius. Is this okay?"
I got up on the bed.
"Ohmygosh.. You need to go to the hospital. Can you call Scott?"
"I'll take a rest."
"Harry, you need to go. It's dangerous." I said to him. My tears began to fall from my eyes.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. When are you going back?"
"Next week."
"Can you come back earlier than that?"
I froze when I heard it from him. "No. "
"Okay. "
"Sleep now. I'll take a rest too. "
"What did you do today?"
" We had a long conversation with my family. They are really excited when they saw me. My grandmother asked me about Hero and Macky. I told them that you took care of them already. They asked about you. I told them too."
"I want to see them." He said.
"My grandmother is really excited when she saw me. She asked the servant to cook my favorite dish. We ate together and of course they bullied me since I'm the only one who is not married in my family. Are you still listening to me?"
I couldn't hear any response from him. I listened to his breathing from the other line.
"Good thing,you are already sleeping. Good night. " I was about to end the call when I heard him.
"Suri,I'm sorry but I think I'm falling for you. "
My body stiffened.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. My head is aching. "
"You sleep now."
"I can't sleep. Tell me about you."
"I don't have have plan to have interview from you."
"Please. I want to hear your voice."
"No."
"Suri. Please?"
"No."
"Fine. Don't hang up."
"You sleep now. Because I'm going to sleep. You should wake up at 3:30. "
"Okay. I will."
"Good night. Drink a lot of water okay?"
"I will."