Heart Rallies

Trente et Un: Therapies

Yes, he was serious with what he said.

They are officially partners but they are also on some quarrel stage and so he was neglecting her like it was her fault that they were like that.

She couldn't really just say yes to the idea of marriage. She still feels the same scare of the idea of it, as if anyone who takes the vow would do something that would break it eventually. And she doesn't want that. She wants to be with Seff but she doesn't want to get married.

Is it possible to get his last name without marriage? If there is, she would do it.

Bea was on her office that morning after spending the night on Seff's house without anything happening. It is a Monday and so she knows it will be tough.

Tougher because of her situation.

She was still responding to an e-mail when her mobile rang. It showed the name of her father. She just looked at it and turned it off.

Her work was done and she was about to go home when she noticed the piece of paper left on her table. That's what makes it hard when your secretary is on leave. You don't get what you need the fastest way.

It scribbled a request for her to call Seff Yu the soonest time she can. She remembered her phone and turned it on to call him. What she got was enough to make her regret what she did.

She found herself parking her car on a private hospital known to provide quality service. She was rushing to get to the third floor to be on the ICU and as soon as she was on the said area, she ran to get to the room.

Seff was there and he seemed to have been there longer than she can imagine. He immediately attended to her.

"What happened?" she asked him, panicking.

"Take a seat first," he said and guided her to a chair outside.

"Seff, what happened? Tell me."

He drew a deep breath. "They told me that she was no longer going out of her room for the past days. She rarely socialized and earlier, they found your mom lying on the floor unconscious."

Bea hid her face with her hands. Her mother has been rushed to the hospital around 8 in the morning and everyone was trying to get a hold of her. No one was able to do so since she turned off her phone.

"Your dad called me when he couldn't reach you. I called your office and left a message but you never called me back," he explained. He was calm while explaining it. "Why did you turn off your phone?"

She shook her head and regretted every single thing she did. She allowed her tears to flow and cursed herself for what she did. "Because I'm selfish."

He took a seat beside her and gave her an embrace. "Shh," he said. "What's important is that you are here now. Your father is inside. Only one person can go in. I offered to take turns with him but he hasn't gone out."

She stood up and saw thru the mirror her father who was silently sitting on the stool beside her mother's bed. He wasn't doing anything other than watch her mother.

"Kanina pa sya dyan?"

Seff nodded. "Hasn't come out even once."

Her mother had an attack of stroke, according to what the doctor told them. It was her first and they are yet to find out what other complications it might have caused her. It might have caused her speech problems, motor problems, or both.

Or none.

She hasn't opened her eyes yet and they would have to wait for it. Seff bought dinner for them while they waited on a separate room. Her father went out for thirty minutes to eat while she replaced his father in looking after her mom. When he was done, he immediately took his place and told her to get some sleep, especially that she has work the following day. She wanted to decline and stay but her father was too persistent. She went home with Seff after the latter waited for her to get some clothes on her place.