The rest of the day went on without a hitch. Everyone enjoyed their lunch and the desserts. Dylan noticed that Ballsie did not eat much, and she ate only a sliver of the buko pie and did not even try the tarts. He wondered if their spat early this morning had anything to do with her not having much appetite. He decided to let it all slide and opted to just head out to his room and start on Mr. Mendoza's blueprints. He sat on his drafting chair, opened his laptop, clicked on his AutoCAD, and started to draft. He told himself that after doing his work on his laptop, he will also need to do his drafting on paper as well. For a good portion of the afternoon, all Dylan did was draft the first few floor plans for his client. He was pretty impressed with himself on how productive the rest of his day went.
It was already about mid-afternoon when Dylan heard a light knock on his door. He was about to respond when the door slightly creaked open and Ballsie's head poked in.
"Sir Dylan, it's me. Today's Tuesday and Manang usually cleans your room and bathroom on Tuesdays. She asked me to clean them this afternoon. I know you are busy, so don't mind me. I'll just do a quick sweep and dust, then I'll just clean your bathroom. Is that ok?"
Dylan thought Ballsie sounded a little bit on the edge. He knew she was nervous and maybe a little scared to face him especially they had been arguing like cats and dogs. To relieve her nerves and fear, Dylan just picked up his laptop and all his drafting materials. He stood up from his chair and without saying a word, he just left the room and headed to the kitchen where Manang Susan was sitting, she was reading something on her phone.
"Nanay Sue, what are you up to?" Dylan asked as he took a seat next to her.
"Oh, Dylan! I am just reading the hospital instructions for my surgery on Thursday. It says here that I have to be early, I have to be at the hospital by seven-thirty in the morning. I need to be fasting by midnight tomorrow and I will be admitted in the hospital about one to two days after the surgery. I'm so ready for this, Dylan. I really need this right hip surgery." Manang Susan sighed as she scrolled and read her surgery instructions.
"Aren't you nervous? You can still back out, you know." Dylan said as he raised his eyebrows with a sly smirk.
Manang Susan playfully hit his head with her phone, then pinched his arm when he suggested to not have the surgery at all.
"What do you mean back out?! Dylan Lim, I've never backed out of anything in my life! Don't even suggest it because I am nervous as it is already. You know a little moral support from my number one baby boy would mean the world to me."
Dylan saw Manang Susan pout, and it looked like tears were starting to well up in her eyes. It seemed like he had hurt both of the women in his house, all in one day.
"I guess I have a knack for being insensitive." Dylan reflected with the same guilt he had earlier when he thought of Ballsie and what happened earlier in the day.
"Sorry, Nanay Sue. I was just kidding. You know me, I can be inconsiderate sometimes. Of course, I want your surgery to go smoothly. Oh, I already hired a physical therapist for your post-op, ok? I also hired a caregiver for you to help you with your errands. You will be staying at one of my condos near the hospital, so you don't have to travel far for your follow-up appointments."
"Dylan, that's too much. I can manage."
"Zip it - I don't want to hear it. You'll stay at my condo, ok?! End of story. Besides, I will just worry about you, if I don't know where you'll stay or the person who will take care of you. Actually, if I had my way, I would just have you stay here, so I can take care of you myself. Knowing you though, I know you will just move around the house and not rest, so better to get you a place of your own - a smaller place so your movement is limited." Dylan looked at Manang Susan intently and grabbed her hand to assure her that she was worth all of the help he was extending to her.
"Well, thank you so much Dylan. For all of this. You are too generous. I feel the love my baby boy!" Manang Susan squeezed his hand back with the utmost gratitude and looked at him lovingly.
"Hey, I have an idea Nay! Why don't I drive you on Thursday since I'm working from home anyway? I'll take you to the hospital!"
"Oh, hell no! Tori will drive me. I don't want to talk to you before my admission and surgery. I know you too, Dylan! You are a nervous Nellie. You will just make me anxious before I go in. Hell no! You stay here at the house." Manang Susan said as she crossed out her arms multiple times to show how opposed she was to Dylan's idea.
"Wow, tell me how you really feel! I'm like your son, Nay! Don't you want to see me before you go to the hospital?" Dylan said as he pouted with matching puppy dog eyes.
"Yes, I'll see you before I leave the house. Hahahaha, I'd rather crazy Tori drive me than you!"
"Ooh, that hurts. Baby boy's request has been denied." Dylan feigned a hurt look as he clutched his chest.
"Yes, request denied." Manang Susan looked at him with an intentional pause.
Dylan, sensing she had something on her mind, asked her what was bothering her. "What is it, Nay?"
"Well, speaking of requests, I do have one thing to request from you. Promise me that you will at least try."
Dylan looked at Manang Susan and nodded his head. He looked at her intently waiting on what she was about to say.
"Please be nice to Ballsie. You seem to get irritated by the little things she does. Can you cut her some slack? You know, if you get to know her, you might actually like her!" She winked with a naughty gleam in her eyes.
"Me?! Like Ballsie? Oh, hell no Nay! She's not my type! Why would I like her?" Dylan retorted in reflex.
"Way to go, Dylan! You are talking to Ballsie's aunt. Why are you being offensive and defensive at the same time?! Also, you should ask yourself why you had been thinking about Ballsie non-stop since she arrived." He asked himself.
Dylan was about to clarify what he meant when Manang Susan answered him back.
"I know that silly! I know she's not you're type. I meant just try to get along with her. I know that you would not like her because your dad has someone..."
Before Manang could even finish, their conversation was interrupted by someone clearing her throat. Both of them turned around and realized that Ballsie had been standing behind them.
"How long has she been standing there? Did she hear what I said?" Dylan thought to himself with a slight worry in his chest.
