CHAPTER-4
1015 Words
* * CONTINUED FLASHBACK * *
"Thank you for taking me here, Joel," Valentine said cheerfully as they reached the bus terminal. After Joel opened the door for her, she immediately noticed his gentlemanly manner in even the smallest gestures.
"It’s nothing, Valentine. Anything for you," he replied with a shy smile. Joel was the new driver for the Andersons, so he wasn’t very close with the other household staff yet, making him a bit hesitant to engage in casual conversations.
"Alright, Joel, thanks again," Valentine said before turning to head into the terminal.
"Take care, Valentine!" Joel called out as she walked away.
"You too, Joel! Take care, and thanks again!" she shouted back, waving happily as they grew farther apart. As she walked, a small smile lingered on her face.
While Valentine waited for the bus to take her home, she couldn’t hold back her tears, worried about her sibling who had been in the hospital for two days. Her parents hadn’t told her immediately, thinking it was just a simple fever and not wanting her to worry. However, as her sibling’s fever spiked to 40°C, along with dizziness, vomiting, and other symptoms of dengue, her father finally decided to take her to the hospital. It was there that they discovered her sibling had dengue.
After a moment, Valentine took a deep breath and stood up as her bus arrived. She wiped away the few tears that had fallen from her eyes before boarding. Once seated, she took another deep breath, choosing a spot near the window at the front. A few minutes into the journey, she pulled out the food Anne had packed for her from her old tote bag, which she’d been using for almost a year. The bag was a Christmas gift from her parents, making it her favorite; despite owning other bags, she always used this one. Life had been tough for their family, and it was rare for her parents to be able to give her gifts.
"Lola, let’s eat,” she offered to the elderly woman beside her. The woman’s hair was nearly all white, but from what Valentine could see, she still looked spry and energetic. In Filipino, "lola" translates to "grandmother" or is used as a term of respect for an elderly woman. It’s a common term of endearment in the Philippines, even for people who are not family members, to show respect and warmth toward older women.
"Go ahead, dear, thank you so much, but I'm already full," Lola replied with a smile. Just as she finished speaking, her stomach let out a loud growl, a clear sign of hunger.
"Lola, don’t be shy. Your stomach just gave you away!" Valentine teased with a gentle laugh.
The elderly woman chuckled, looking a bit embarrassed. "Forgive me, dear. Honestly, I haven’t eaten yet," she admitted, which tugged at Valentine’s heart. She didn’t know why Lola hadn’t eaten, but she could see that the woman needed some help.
After offering Lola food again, they shared the meal that Valentine had brought, enjoying both the food and a warm conversation. They talked about their lives and struggles, with Valentine feeling a deep respect for the elderly woman. She felt comfortable enough to open up about her worries and sadness over her sibling’s condition in the hospital.
Their chat lifted both their spirits, as they found comfort in sharing with each other.
"By the way, my name is Vilma," she said with a warm smile.
Valentine nodded and smiled back. "I'm happy to meet you, Lola Vilma. I'm Valentine!" Valentine replied, and they both stood up when the bus they were riding stopped.
"Me too, Valentine. I'm happy to meet you. I hope this won’t be our last meeting," Lola Vilma said with a smile.
"Yes, Lola, I really hope we get to meet again," Valentine replied happily.
After nearly two hours of travel, Valentine and Lola Vilma finally arrived in their province. Once they both got off the bus, they immediately said their goodbyes as they were heading in different directions. Before parting ways, Lola Vilma thanked Valentine for her help with the food.
"Take care, dear, and thank you again for your kindness," Lola Vilma said. "I completely forgot to have lunch earlier because I was in such a hurry to get home. I’m glad you were able to share your meal with me."
Lola Vilma also mentioned that, like Valentine, she worked as a maid for a wealthy family in Manila. Although Valentine wanted to ask why Lola was still working despite her age, she chose not to pry. She knew how tough life was in the province, and even the elderly had no choice but to keep working.
Instead, Valentine thanked to Lola Vilma and decided not to ask questions that might make her uncomfortable. She understood that despite everything, both of them were simply trying to find strength and livelihood in the hardships of life.
After parting ways with Lola Vilma, Valentine quickly looked for a taxi or tricycle to take her to the hospital where her family was. She also called her father to let him know that she had arrived in their area and was heading straight to the hospital.
"Ma'am, where are we going?" asked the taxi driver once she got in.
"To Publica Hospital, please," she replied. Since there were only two hospitals in their area, the driver immediately knew where to take her.
Only a few minutes into the ride, her tears started to fall again as she thought about her sibling’s condition. She silently prayed for her sibling's safety, hoping nothing bad would happen. After about ten minutes, she arrived at the hospital. She quickly took out the money from her bag and handed it to the taxi driver.
"Thank you," she said as she paid.
"Thank you too, ma'am," the driver replied, and she hurriedly got out.
Valentine almost ran into the hospital as soon as she got out of the taxi. Once inside, she immediately went to the ward where her sibling was.
- Writer
