"Do you mind if you stay the night?" Laura wiped her hands dry with the towel. She stared at Alyssa intently who momentarily lost herself in those flickering brown and gold hues.
"Akala ko hindi mo na itatanong." Alyssa smiled back at her as she got a glass of warm milk for her and Laura as well. She pulled a chair for Laura to sit on. She settled across the table. Alyssa reached for her girlfriend's hand and caressed her palm with her thumb. "Hey, it is going to be okay."
"I am tired, Alyssa..." Laura admitted in a hushed tone. She lifted their hands together to bring both to her cheek. "I am tired."
"I am with you, Lau. I promise I am with you if it gets too tiring."
"But I don't want to burden you either. You did not have to pay the hospital bills, Ly. May savings pa naman kami and insurance, and-"
"Don't worry about it, love. Use your savings for Vince' education. We will shoulder the hospital bills, okay?"
"I'll pay you once the-."
"You don't have to," Alyssa assured her. "Ung ibibigay ng agency, save it for Vince. Please don't worry about the medical expenses, Lau. We have it covered, all right? Hindi mo sosolohin, I won't let you."
"It's getting worse." Laura rubbed her temples to ease the brewing headache. "I don't know how Vince will take it kapag nangyari nga 'yun."
"Lau, Tita's going to be okay. She is a fighter, 'di ba? You know it, love. Everything will be okay soon." Alyssa moved to scoot next to Laura where she embraced her tightly. She let her girlfriend's head lean on her chest and their hands clasped together. "So tomorrow, you'll be with Tita in her chemo tapos ako, I will be with Vince for their school play. And then, maybe we can dine out since hindi na natin nagagawa 'yun. Sounds like a plan, right?"
"Love, thank you for always being there for me but most especially, for also loving the people I love. I can't thank you enough, Alyssa. I don't know how."
"Every moment I get to spend with you is priceless and for that, you are paid. Sobra pa nga eh." Alyssa kissed the top of her head. "I will be with you always, Lau. You don't have to be alone."
*
Alyssa quietly entered Kim's room, making her presence unknown to her friend who was busy looking through her files and folders. She leaned against the wall and debated whether she should interrupt her or just wait for Kim to notice her. She chose the latter.
"Ah, found you!" Kim pulled out a folder from her filing cabinet. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a figure which almost made her jump. "Puñeta, Valdez!!!"
"It's Alyssa. Alyssa Valdez," Alyssa quipped. "You're watching too many horror movies."
"Ano bang ginagawa mo jan?! It's past six!"
"I went to see you, of course."
"Hindi mo ba alam na may nagmumultong white lady sa building na 'to kapag ala-sais na? Narinig ko sa mga utility men na may-"
