Saving Harper

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"Hi Xavier, nasa office ka na?" I asked suppressing a cough. I wasn't feeling too well pag gising ko. I had sore throat, sipon and I can feel my temperature climbing and my head was killing me. I can also feel na magkakaubo pa ko. Ano pa lord?

"Good morning. Papunta pa lang ako. Bakit ganyan boses mo?" I could hear the traffic on his side of the line. Masyado pa ngang maaga for this call pero kailangan kong sabihin sa kanya.

"Masama pakiramdam ko e kaya di ako makabangon. Please cancel all my meetings. And I'm supposed to come to this book signing event so sabihan mo si Franco na sya nalang yung pumunta. And if you want to go, you can go with him. I think mag eenjoy kang makita yung book cover mo plastered everywhere." I smiled kahit hindi nya makikita.

"Aba, alam na ako yung gumawa non." Nararamdaman kong nakangiti din sya. Kasi his voice was filled with pang aasar. I reached out to my bedside table for the tissue box kasi lumalabas na sa ilong ko yung sipon ko. Gross.

"I read every page of the first print, Xavier." Actually palagi kong nakikita yung pangalan nila ni Franco. Minsan I just assumed it was Franco's work, pero eto natatandaan ko kasi Franco mentioned it was done by his Art Director. Syempre I'm the impervious one dahil di nako nagtatanong kung sino yon after he mentioned it. I didn't even check the name. Bobs. E di sana pala alam ko na artist namin si Xavier Arnaiz. At di ako assuming na assistant ko sya. Pero feeling ko hindi din. I'm bad with names.

"Harper, are you sure you're okay? You sound terrible." Concerned filled his voice. It was actually sweet. Harper ganyan din naman yung mga kaibigan mo. Masyado ka lang disillusioned sa pagka gusto mo kay Xavier.

Feeling ko nagkasakit ako kakaisip na aalis na sya. Gusto ko syang pigilan. But para saan? Dahil gusto ko lang kiligin? My own kilig vs. his master's degree? No one in their right mind will even stay for something as mababaw as that. Harper, you're better than that. As someone so reasonable and determined of my future plans, I will never ruin anything for his own future.

"Trust me, I look much worse." I couldn't pull myself out of my bed so I probably look like a mess. I was planning to sleep all day, so who cares?

"Kumain ka ha. And take your meds." He sounded like a parent.

"Xavier, it's not my first rodeo in getting sick. Ipapahinga ko lang to and luckily by tomorrow, I'm well enough to go to work. But cancel mo nalang din yung meetings ko tomorrow just in case imbalido pa ko by then." Ngongo nakong nagsasalita. Sana lang naiintindihan nya ko.

I doubt that I can go back to work tomorrow with the way I sounded and sa pakiramdam ko ngayon. Pag nasanay akong nakahiga, baka ayoko ng tumayo bukas kung makakatayo man ako. Though I think Xavier's a pretty good motivation for me to come to work. Let's see.

"Okay boss, yun lang?"

"Yes. Enjoy the book signing." I said goodbye and ended the call.

I curled back to sleep. I'm never getting out of this bed.

Pag gising ko, my stomach started to grumble from hunger. Ugggh. Human needs. Di ko maintindihan na tortured ka na nga dahil nanghihina ka na sa sakit, kailangan mo pang problemahin yung gutom. Kahit wala ka namang gana.

What to eat? Ano pa nga ba? E di instant noodles with egg. Like all the time when I get sick. I struggled to stand up. And being bed ridden, it wasn't at all easy.

I hauled myself towards the kitchen. I groaned dahil naisip kong gagawin ko nanaman to mamayang dinner. Maybe I should just cook enough para yun na din yung dinner ko. Di ko naman to malalasahan masyado so ok lang if eat the same thing. Or maybe Grab? The thought of getting up to answer the door for Grab food is unappealing.