Sunshine

X

“YOU stayed up all night, though.”

That’s how Alex greeted Carlos a good morning who is sitting on the corner. Next to him is a cup and scattered empty sachets of coffee. Her eyes widened after counting how many sachets was on the floor. “Just how many cups did you have?”

“I just stayed to protect you.”

“A police protection? All of a sudden?” Her own joke made her laugh. “And anyways, I think I have to take back what I said that day. You don’t really have the reason to be honest with me.”

Alex stood and put back the comforter and pillow on the cabinet. She also took with her the cup to the sink and wrappers straight to the bin. She asked Carlos while facing the sink. “But which is which. A protection for a witness? Or for a suspect?”

“You are a witness.” Carlos stayed sitting on the floor. He watched Alex went out of the pantry and started sweeping the floor. Carlos talked louder this time. “You and Olivia.”

“Because we are the last who witnessed him alive aside from his Instragram followers?” Carlos waited for Alex to look at him and nodded. Alex nodded back and went back to sweeping. “I’m afraid we are not that of help.”

“Just call me in case you remember something.” Carlos stood up and went for the door. He quietly asked Alex to unlock it.

“Where are you going? I was about to cook us breakfast.”

“No, thanks. I need to go back to the station.”

Alex took the keys from the first drawer on the counter and unlocked the door. She held it open for Carlos. Carlos smiled at her and stepped outside.

“I haven’t said this yet.” Carlos faced her again. Alex has now a smile on her face. “It’s nice meeting you again.”

Carlos nodded. “Likewise.”

“FOUND something?”

“No. There’s nothing there.”

“But are you sure you’re there to investigate? And not to sleep with her?”

Carlos reached for Adrian’s collar but he was immediately pulled by his colleagues. Carlos resisted while Adrian didn’t bothered to step back. No one’s holding him too and was more ready to hold on Carlos more if the necessity arise.

“Carlos stop it.”

Carlos looked at Marie, still resisting from their hold. “You should tell him to stop too! Just why is everyone only saying that to me?”

“Because you are now a loose screw.”

“What?” Carlos stopped from moving. Marie and Juan slowly loosened their grip on him. “Can you say that again?”

Carlos slammed himself on his chair and waited for Marie to talk. After a few second of hesitation she went…

“You are not just confused. You are now shaking! You’re about to forget you’re a cop! You think we wouldn’t notice?”

What Marie said shocked Juan more than Carlos. On reflex he held on Marie’s arms, stopping her. “You’re provoking him!”

“No! I’m waking him up, Valencia. Now let go of my wrist.”

“You’re wrong.” Juan and Marie faced Carlos again. Juan slowly let go of his grip on Marie. “I still know. What you’re saying can be true, but I’m still not to that point. But you’re right. I will soon forget.”

Marie cursed on her breath. “And you think we will just let that happen?”

“Probably not.” Carlos stood up. He turned his back on them. “But don’t worry. I will give up my badge as soon as it happens.”

"YOU actually went home?”

“You followed me all the way here?”

“I came to check on you. That’s the right term.” Juan welcomed himself and sat on the old bamboo sofa set. It made a loud creaking noise it almost made him cover his ears. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know what it means to be okay anymore.” Carlos remained standing on the door as he stares at the setting down sun. That’s when he only noticed it’s almost night. “How was it when I left?”

“Don’t know. We just had to resume to our jobs.”

Carlos walked to the dinner table and made instant coffee. He gave Juan the other.

“Seriously? Buy 3 in 1 please! This is so bitter.”

“Your face is more bitter. Just take that.”

Juan received the cup frowning. He downed it one go, though.

“I thought this will end as soon as we start investigating. This is much harder than convincing everyone a serial killing is happening.”

“Right. I remember how our superiors strongly opposed the idea.”

Carlos gulped everything on his cup. He took Juan’s and put it in the sink. He quickly washed it. “And you were the first to believe me. Why?”

“Because you are my friend.”

He put back the newly washed mugs on the mug rack. It clanged. “You still believe in me now?”

“Well, we are still friends.”

That made Carlos chuckle. He leaned on the sink, facing Juan. “So you’re trusting me blindingly? I don’t know if that will assure me.”

“It’s supposed to assure you.” Juan shrugged, smiling. “I’m always here for you, that’s what I’m saying.”

Carlos smile grew wider. He giggled. “I seriously wish you are a woman.”

Juan threw him a flying kiss. “Me, too. I really want to date you.”

JUAN left Carlos’ humble abode after an hour. The two downed a liter of beer but that didn’t helped Carlos put himself to sleep. He sighed, waking up the cockroaches and mice under his bed. His phone rang.

“Was I too harsh?”

“Well, I’m not quite sure about that.”

Marie then soon apologized. Carlos shove it off, saying it’s nothing to apologize for. “It’s just that I forgot why you care so much.”

Carlos imagined Marie currently shaking her head repeatedly. “No, It’s fine.”

Carlos went on telling his story.

“This is where I was born and raised. I wanted to keep this place as safe as I could. I want the people here to feel secured as much as possible. You know how small Kahilom is. We know everyone here. And to think someone among us is a killer…”

Carlos smiled bitterly. Marie can somehow imagine it through his voice.

“There are victims I grew up with. Kids I used to play bato-lata and luksong tinik with. And there are kids here too. I don’t want them to grow up thinking they were born on a dangerous place.”

Trying to recall his young heart together with his faint but must have been fun memories, Carlos finished his story.

“Because Kahilom, no matter how scarce and imperfect this place is, Kahilom was a paradise to the child me.”

AFTER the call, Carlos took a shuttle bus and went straight to Love Lingerie. He caught Olivia and Alex closing the store. He hid himself behind the lamp post and watched them through the parked car’s side mirror.

Olivia went inside the car and sat on the driver’s seat. She rolled the window and talked to Alex. Carlos can’t hear them, and he wasn’t interested on hearing it though. After a while Olivia drove the car alone and Alex walked her way to home. Carlos followed Alex until the subdivision’s gate. He remained unnoticed.

“Are you really the one who killed them?”