400 Days After Fina by JellOfAllTrades
Chapter 15
I woke up feeling cold and immediately sneezed. Reaching out for a box of tissues by the bedside table, I groan as my whole body protested from the movement. My head was in so much pain, for a second I considered calling for a doctor as it might be an effect from the head injury I had more than a month ago. But I knew my headache wasn't from the injury, I just have a really bad case of the flu. I'll probably be functional by tomorrow. But for today, I just want to sleep.
And sleep, I did. By the time I woke up, the sun has set and everything is dark again. It was only a few seconds later that I realized I didn't wake up on my own. My phone is ringing on top of my dresser.
Despite my body not wanting to get up, I do so to get my phone. It might be an important call.
"Hello?" I answered, hobbling back to bed.
"Nasaan ka?"
I check to see the caller ID and realized that it's my older brother. "Nasa condo."
"I'm outside your door. Kanina pa ako nagdo-doorbell."
I groaned and ended the call. Forcing myself back up, I made my way to the front door to open it for kuya Ken.
He gave me a once over before following me to the kitchen.
"Kanina ka pa namin kino-contact nila mommy," Kuya Ken started. "Okay ka lang ba?"
"I'm sick," I muttered. remembering now why they would look for me. "Was the family dinner supposed to be tonight?"
"Two hours ago," Kuya Ken answered. "Tumawag kami sa office mo, sabi ng secretary mo di ka rin niya ma-contact kaya pinuntahan na kita dito. Akala namin may nangyari na sayo."
"Thanks for the concern, but as you can see, I'm pretty much okay." I retort, sipping on a glass of water. "Sick, but alive."
My nose is runny and my throat is dry. The water may have refreshed my throat a little bit but it only made me realize that I'm starving.
"Kumain ka na ba?" Kuya Ken asked, looking around my depressing condo unit. I've furnished the place with enough stuff to be able to call it a home but I'm only ever here to sleep. I preferred the sanctuary of my office and the never-ending work that kept me occupied through the emptiness I feel inside.
"Di pa," I was opening cabinets, looking for cup noodles, or maybe a pack of noodles, but all I have left in my pantry are canned goods that I'm in no mood to consume.
"Anong hinahanap mo?"
"Noodles," I muttered, annoyed for not having any noodles left. "Gusto ko ng sabaw."
"May convenience store naman jan sa baba, ako na bibili para sayo. Mahiga ka na muna." Kuya Ken volunteered, standing up to go to the door. "Maginit ka ng tubig."
After he closed the door behind him, I put a pot of water over the stove to heat. I felt chills run up my skin, so I went back to my room and grabbed a sweater to put over my pullover shirt. By the time I got back to the living room, Kuya Ken has returned and is checking the pot.
"Kumakain ka ba? Bakit walang laman tong ref mo?" Kuya Ken asked after checking the fridge and finding only bottled water inside.
"Sa labas ako kumakain." I reply.
He scratched his head and proceeded to put the contents of the noodle pack into the pot of boiling water. As he was preparing the noodles, I shuffled to the breakfast counter and perched myself on top of a bar stool.
Kuya Ken served the noodles in a bowl and then handed me a spoon and fork.
"Di ka na ata kumakain ng maayos kaya ka nagkakasakit." Kuya Ken said as he sat on the seat beside me. "Sayang di ka nakapunta sa family dinner. Ang sarap pa naman ng pagkain."
"I'll go next time," I reply after blowing on a spoon of hot noodle soup. "Ako na lang siguro maga-arrange ng birthday dinner ni mommy."
"Sure ka?"
"Yeah."
"I'll bring it up with mom."
As I sipped more of the noodle soup, I was aware of my brother's watching gaze.
"Wag mo ako panuorin."
"Ang laki na ng pinagbago mo." Kuya Ken said with a sad tone.
I furrowed my forehead, not expecting the comment.
"Di ka sakitin," he mused. "At mas lalong hindi ka ganyan kapayat. Mukha ka nang patpat, Jell."
I ignored him and continued sipping on the soup, barely eating the noodles.
"You used to talk more, too." Kuya Ken added. "You always had something to say."
"People change," I mumble.
"Fina changed you and we're all worried."
I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and gripped the spoon tightly. The mention of Fina has been triggering me a lot lately.
"Change is inevitable. But don't let the pain consume you."
"I'm not."
Kuya Ken stood up from his barstool and went to get a glass of water for himself. "We've barely seen you since you moved out and started your business."
"I'm busy." I scoffed.
"We know." He finished his glass of water. "We all know you're just distracting yourself from the pain by overworking yourself."
"Nagbabakasyon naman ako?"
He shook his head at me. "Umuwi ka lang naman ng Calauag para sa death anniversary ni Fina."
I refused to meet his eyes and instead, stared at my bowl of noodles. He's not wrong, though.
"I'm informing your secretary na may sakit ka and you won't be in the office for the next three days." Kuya Ken said. It wasn't a question but more of a statement. As if any protests wouldn't make a difference to him.
He slid a packet of medicine to me and refilled my glass of water.
"Magpahinga ka. I'll be back tomorrow with food and more medicine para naman may maayos kang pagkain. Stay here at home and if I find out na pumasok ka ng office, I'm going to have a talk with your clients."
I glared at him for the unnecessary threat.
"May kailangan ka pa ba?" He asked, getting ready to leave.
"Tell mom and dad I said hi."
He nodded and left. I took one more sip of my noodle soup before rushing to the bathroom to throw up.