RING.
"Hello?"
"Hello...Maine....anak....si Tito Richard ito, Daddy ni Rj...."
"Yes po, Tito....Good afternoon po...."
"Good afternoon, anak....nakausap mo na ba si Rj?"
"Hindi pa po....last ko po syang nakausap, late na kagabi....tapos nag-message lang sya ng good night....bakit po?"
"Ah...ganon ba?.....kasi kanina pa kami kumakatok sa room nya, di pa rin sumasagot....tanghali na....di rin namin ma-contact si TenTen at si Sam....kung okay lang sa yo, pasusundo kita kay RD tapos pumunta ka dito...."
"Ay opo, Tito...now na po?"
"Oo anak....nag-aalala na rin ako e...."
"Sige po...antayin ko po si Kuya RD...."
In the meantime, Daddy Bae goes back to Rj's door and knocks again; still no response. He finally fishes out the master key to Rj's room and unlocks it. He finds Rj curled up in bed, still sleeping soundly despite the alarming chime of his phone's ringer. Daddy Bae approaches as the phone stops ringing.
8 missed calls.
17 messages.
"...J....Rj.....anak....gising na.....tanghali na....." Daddy Bae nudges the sleeping Rj.
Rj slightly moves but just to adjust the comforter which he pulls over his head. Daddy Bae reaches for Rj's forehead and tries to feel for a temperature; warm but otherwise normal.
Daddy Bae goes out of the room and tries calling Mama Ten and Sam again but without success. He looks for April, too.
"April, anak....alam mo ba yung schedule ni Rj today?"
"Hi Dad.....schedule ni Rj?.....wala akong alam....di rin ako sinabihan...."
"Ahh sige....salamat...."
After over an hour, Maine arrives at Rj's house.
"Good afternoon, Tito...." Maine says as soon as she comes into the house and see Daddy Bae. She blesses his hand and kisses him on the cheek.
"Nabuksan ko na yung kwarto....tulog pa rin...."
"Baka pagod lang....."
"Baka nga....pero sobra-sobra na sa oras ang tulog....paki-check nga, anak?"
"Sige po....akyat na po ako?"
"Oo anak....salamat ha...."
"No problem, Tito...."
Maine goes to Rj's room.
"J....J....." she says softly as she opens the door to the darkened room.
Rj moves on the bed so Maine approaches cautiously, trying not to make a sound. She puts down her bag and walks over to the bed.
"Love....Rj.....gising na....." she nudges him gently.
Rj, who had his back towards the open edge, turned towards Maine's direction.
"Gising na....."
Rj yawns loudly and stretches. He opens his eyes slightly and smiles. Maine smiles back. He extends his hand and Maine takes it. He gently yanks her to the bed and she topples on top of him. He catches her in his arms and holds her in an embrace.
"Ang ganda naman ng gising ko....." he says, voice still hoarse.
"Ano ka ba? Hindi naka-lock yung pinto...mamaya nyan, papasok Daddy mo dito...."
"Pa-kiss muna....one lang....." Rj says with a smile. He lifts his head to meet Maine's and he gives her a kiss on the lips.
"......bitin....." she says quietly.
"Ano?"
"....wala....."
"Narinig ko yun....sabi mo bitin....wait lang Love, nawiwiwi na ako e....." Rj releases Maine from his embrace and rolls her to the empty side of the bed. He gets up and goes to the bathroom.
After doing his business, splashing water on his face and gargling mouthwash, he jumps back in bed where Maine was sitting at the edge, fiddling with her phone.
"Halika nga dito..." Rj says as he reaches out for Maine. She settles beside him and he places his arm and leg over her and nuzzles his face in her neck.
"...yung pinto...." she reminds him.
"Shh..." he says.
Just then, Daddy Bae knocks on the door and Rj immediately releases Maine who scrambles to sit up and move to the side of the bed.
"O anak....nagising ka na?" Daddy Bae popped his head in Rj's door.
"....ah....oo Dad...."
"Ginising ko po, Tito....mantika matulog e....." Maine said as she reached over to turn over and turned the bedside lamp on.
"Paano mo nagising yan eh halos lahat na ata ng tao dito sa bahay ginigising yang si Rj kanina...ayaw gumising...."
"Ki-niss nya ako...."
"Sino ka, si Sleeping Beauty?" Maine said as she swatted Rj's arm.
"Aray!"
Daddy Bae chuckled. "O sige...ikaw Sleeping Beauty, mag-ayos ka na....Maine, anak, dito ka na mag-dinner....naghahanda na si Lola Linda...."
".....okay po....."
"DInner?"
"Oo....yan kasi....matutulog ng alas-kwatro ng umaga na eh ano oras na o?.....maghahapunan na tayo.....buti nalang pala wala kayong naka-schedule na kahit ano....o sya, bangon na at maligo!.....kadiri kang Sleeping Beauty ka......kaharap mo na yung nagsalba sa yo, amoy Shrek ka naman.....yuck!" Daddy Bae said as he closed the door.
"O, narinig mo Daddy mo....bangon na dyan....." Maine said as she looked at Rj who had curled back under the covers.
"....."
"Bababa muna ako...." Maine said as she stood up but Rj quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the bed.
"Dito ka lang...." Rj said as he kissed her on the cheek.
"....bangon ka na dyan...." Maine said as she sat up from the bed.
"....ligo...."
"Oo....maligo ka na...."
"...sama...."
"...baliw!"
"....."
Rj stood up from bed, facing Maine. He stretched his arms up and gave a loud yawn before yanking his boxers down in front of her.
"Susmaryosep!" Maine exclaimed. "Ano ka ba naman!" She said as she turned away.
".....ligo...."
Without looking at him, she reached for Rj's hips and turned him around. Then she stood up and pushed him towards the bathroom. He gave her a hard time, though. When she finally got him in the shower stall, she turned on the tap, grabbed the shower curtain shut and ran out the door to shut it.
"Buset ka Richard!"
"Hah!" Rj chuckled in the shower.
