Chapter 10
“Good morning, Miss Suarez. It’s time for your medicine.” The nurse smiled brightly at me. I smiled back at her.
“Good morning.” My voice was hoarse. I just woke up.
I took the pill from the tray and the nurse gave me a bottle of water. I opened it the same time the door opened.
“Good morning, Mr. Rodrigo.” The nurse said. I looked at the doorway expecting Jace to appear because he said that he’ll visit me today, but a different Rodrigo came. I drank my medicine and placed the bottle on the side table.
“You’re extra early today.” The nurse commented. Jonathan didn’t reply but just smiled shyly at the nurse. He’s wearing a huge backpack and a black overalls. His hair is brushed down which made him look younger and more like his cousin.
The nurse finished checking my vitals and reminded me that breakfast will be served in about fifteen minutes. I nodded my head and said thank you before she left.
It’s been a week since the accident and next week, I’m gonna start my physical therapy. I have gotten used to the silent atmosphere in the hospital but it always gets boring especially when I don’t have any sources of entertainment except for the TV. I’m getting tired of watching reruns and cartoons.
I just laid still on my hospital bed, facing the window on my left. The sun is shining but only a little bit of light is being let into the room because of the blinds. I sighed. I took a peek behind me and saw Jonathan facing his laptop. He must be working on something. He then took out some equipment out of his backpack. My good guess is they are music equipment. You know, the one you use to make music, like little mixers and stuff.
We heard a knock on the door, and just like what the nurse said, the food is finally here. Of course it’s the same-old-boring-hospital food. I said thank you to the staff that brought it here and I started eating. Halfway through my food, I remembered that I’m not alone and that Jonathan is sitting on the couch. It’s probably awkward if I don’t ask him to eat, but what will I offer? This hospital food? Perhaps, he has eaten already. I tried to look at him in my peripheral vision to check if he’s showing any signs of hunger, but he’s just focused on what he’s doing in his laptop so to avoid further conversation that can lead to awkwardness I decided to eat away without asking him. I have nothing to offer anyway.
I placed the tray on the bedside table after eating. My bed is inclined so I just sat there and turned on the TV. It’s getting boring, thirty minutes later. I kept on changing channels because I didn't really find anything interesting. I was in the middle of switching the channels back and forth when I heard him chuckle. The room is very quiet, so even just the littlest noise can be heard.
I turned to look at him with questioning eyes. He was smiling, almost laughing. I raised my eyebrows at him. His smile quickly faded.
“I’m sorry.” He said.
“No, please. Help yourself. Laugh away.” I said sarcastically. A minute of silence and he spoke again.
“Are you bored?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Do you want to go to the roof deck?”
My eyes instantly lit up. I haven’t been back there since the first time we went there.
“Is it okay for me to go?” I asked.
“I’ll ask your doctor.” He closed his laptop and placed it on the table. He went out to look for the doctor. Five minutes later, he’s back with the good news.
He helped me sit down on the wheelchair. He also took a blanket from the couch and made me wear my cardigan.
When we arrived, he sat on a bench after he placed my wheelchair beside it. Only the two of us are here. Most people come here in the afternoon to watch the setting sun. It’s good that we’re the only ones here, there will be no need to hide. I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh air. This is so nice. I’ll come here everyday, even for just two hours. I smiled when the breeze touched my face lightly and my hair played in the wind.
“Do you love nature?” He suddenly asked. He must’ve seen how happy I am just being surrounded by plants.
“Hmmm I guess. I guess we all love nature at one point. We love the fresh air. It's a breather from everything. We all want it, rather need it at some point in our lives, don’t you think?”
I looked at him when I didn’t get a reply and he just smiled. I smiled back. I looked again at the view in front of me. The whole city is hustling and bustling and it’s rare to get a little bit of peace in a busy city.
“By the way, here.” He handed me a paper bag.
“What’s this?” I asked as I peeked inside the paper bag.
“It’s a phone. Yours was damaged in the accident.” Oh, right. I opened the paper bag and took out the box. It’s the latest model. I don’t know if I should accept it because of its price, but rejecting it would be quite bad too.
“You really don’t have to, but thanks.” I placed the phone back inside the paper bag.
“It’s alright. It’s my fault anyway.” He said. I cannot stand the awkwardness of opening up that topic so I just looked away. “I put Jace’s phone number there. And Anna’s too, since they’re the closest to you. I don’t know your other friend’s number so it’s not there.” He explained.
“Thanks.” I’ve decided to just unbox the phone later when we get back to the room.
I only get two hours of roaming-around time everyday so I want to use it all up now while we’re here at the roof deck. That was my plan until I heard a rumble. I immediately held my stomach, thinking that it came from mine. But that’s impossible because I just ate. Then whose belly rumble was that? There are only two of us here. I slowly looked at Jonathan who was holding his stomach. Our eyes met and he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I laughed.
When I noticed that he wasn’t laughing but was looking at me sarcastically, I tried to hold my laughter.
“I’m sorry. It’s just –” I laughed again.
“Very funny, Ciara.”
“Sorry. You looked funny.” I wiped my tears and tried to get myself back together. “And, did you just call me Shara?”
“Yeah.” He said as-a-matter-of-factly. I scoffed at him.
“First of all, it’s ki-ya-ruh, not shara.” I rolled my eyes at his mispronunciation. “Second, nobody calls me that. Everyone calls me by my second name.” I explained, still retaining the smile from the laughter I had earlier.
“Well, is it okay if I call you Ciara?” He asked, emphasizing each syllable, making sure that I’m hearing him pronounce it right.
“Is it okay if I call you Chase?” I asked to tease him back. I haven’t heard people call him Chase. His stage name is Jonathan anyways so there’s not much question in that.
“Then Ciara it is.” He said and smiled playfully. I blinked, trying to decipher what he meant by that.
“Okay. Chase it is.” I answered, finally figuring out what he meant. “Mr. Chase, even though I would like to stay for one more hour in this beautiful rooftop garden, I’m afraid you would faint from hunger, so let’s go back.”
Jonathan, I mean Chase, rolled his eyes at me and stood up.
“Noted, Miss Ciara.” He said before pulling backwards, and we both headed to the elevator.
The elevator opened and Chase pushed the wheelchair towards the room.
“I’m just curious. Why is nobody calling you Ciara?” He asked.
“When you first saw the spelling of my name, you mispronounced it. The same goes for everyone. So to avoid explaining to everyone I meet, I just prefer that they call me Eunice. It’s easier to say and remember.”
“I think Ciara is easy to remember. It’s unique.”
“Why is nobody calling you Chase?”
“That’s easy. Everyone knows me as Jonathan, so it’s easy to be called that way.”
I nodded my head.
We arrived at my room and Chase opened the door and we were welcomed by Jace.
“Jace!” I greeted and he smiled at me. “How long have you been waiting?”
“Not long. I just arrived.” He said. He directed his gaze at Jonathan who was behind me and they gave each other a fist bump. “Have you eaten?”
“I have, but he hasn’t.” I pointed at Chase.
“Well then, I just arrived in time.” Jace chuckled.
The two boys helped me out of my wheelchair and sat me on the bed before they went to the table to eat.
Jace didn’t stay for too long because he had to help out Anna with the restaurant. Since I’m not there, they lack manpower. Feeling guilty because of my absence, I promised him that I’ll give more time to the restaurant once I fully recover.
Chase stayed as always. Before he left, he gave me an envelope.
“What’s this?”
“You said you wanted to read the letter.” He answered.
He remembered what I said? Well, I only said that to lessen the awkward air between us. I didn’t know that he would actually bring it.
“I’ll go now. Good night Ciara.”
“Good night, Chase.”