Their Days of Nights

44 : Day

August 2011

Benjamin

Kim picks the black shirt that says, 'I heart MNL.' The 'heart' is spelled out.

She slumps her shoulders and sighs after the woman of this souvenir stall tells her that's the smallest one they have. The tag says Small, but it's large enough for a girl her size. Kim pays for it anyway.

We also buy a charger for her phone and some personal things she needs at a convenience store. Then she goes into the ladies' restroom. And I go back to the car.

We're in the second to the last pit stop of the southbound side of the Expressway. We're heading to the province on this cloudy August morning.

**

"He's cute," Kim said.

"What?" I asked with a scoff.

She tapped the spacebar of my laptop and paused the video.

"He's cute," she repeated, pointing to the frozen screen.

I invited her to our house after work. We're at our dining table, watching the highlights of this year's French Open final. And she's referring to Rafael Nadal.

My mom was delighted when she saw Kim and even more when she joined us for their breakfast. My dad just re-settled himself on the couch, reading the Saturday newspaper.

"Some people say he looks like a rodent," I said about Nadal.

"And you think rodents are cute." Kim smiled at me. "Ergo..."

"Let's just go back to teaching you tennis stuff."

Althea, who'd just woken up, joined us five minutes later. She stopped on my side and checked out what we're watching.

"Some people say he resembles a rodent," my sister said.

At ten minutes before eight, Kim's phone rang.

"My brother is calling," she said, looking perplexed.

I paused the video. She excused herself and went outside.

I followed her when she didn't come back after about three minutes. "Is there something wrong?" I asked.

She looked at me like she just saw the ghost of herself. "My brother called. Then my mother," she said with trembling lips. "My father's in the hospital."

Shit.

"What happened?" I asked. "Did they tell you?"

She shook her head. "They're not even sure of that yet. I think I heard my brother mentioned the ICU."

Shit.

"Let's go, then," I said.

She just stared at me.

"Let's go."

We went back inside. I closed my laptop and told my parents what just happened. Kim finished the cup of coffee she's consuming as I went up to my room to gather some overnight essentials.

My dad tossed the key of the Vios to me as soon as I had my feet back in the living room. Then Kim and I left.

She called her brother, her mother, and Aya once we're on the road.

Kim said Kelvin won't be able to get off his work until after lunch, so he'll get to the province probably in the evening already. But I didn't hear her tell him that I was driving her home. I silently hoped he'd take that into consideration if he sees me. We all know what happened the last time we saw each other.