He stared at his phone as if it could tell him why Dei hung up on him. He stared at it as if willing it to redial her number so he could ask her why she hung up. He stared and stared at his phone until it rang and startled him out of his reverie.
He swiped to answer.
"Hello?"
"Uhm... hello, Betty."
He almost whooped for joy when he heard her voice on the other line.
"Bakit mo ko binabaan?"
"Hindi kita binabaan."
"You ended the call!"
"I did but hindi kita binabaan."
He rubbed his face with his free hand then pulled at his hair quickly before speaking again.
"So how did you end the call?"
"Pinindot ko yung End Call. Hindi naman kasi landline to, Betty. Hindi kailangang ibaba yung phone para putulin ang usapan."
He lost it. He threw his head back and laughed out loud. He laughed so hard, he fell off the couch and hit his knee on the coffee table.
"Hello? Hala grabe siya makatawa. Betty! Huy! Uso huminga. Ang OA ng pagkabenta ko sayo ha. May favor kang hihingin no? Ililipat mo ko ng shift? Paghihiwalayin mo ang rest days ko? Oh shit, ipapa-rest day OT mo ba ko? Hindi pwede! Not this weekend anyway. I have plans! Unbreakable plans. Matter of life and death plans!"
He stopped laughing long enough to wheeze a reply.
"No. Wala. Walang favor. Grabe ang tagal ko ng hindi nakatawa ng ganito. Kakabagin ata ako. Worth it tho. Nakakamiss pala tumawa ng parang walang bukas."
"Patingin ng tawang parang walang bukas."
"Okay. Wait."
He ended the call and started another one. This time he requested video access.
He didn't think she would accept his video call. When it came to her, he wasn't sure about anything.
When she did, all the air in his lungs whooshed out.
She was wearing next to nothing.
