Clark's Revelation

Michelle and I were in media ethics class when my cellphone suddenly buzzed inside the bag. Upon retrieving the phone, I received word from Cathy that Charissa had just regained consciousness.

"That was good to hear from your aunt," Michelle commented upon seeing Cathy's text.

Throughout the day, focusing on school work proved too daunting of a task. I desperately tried to remain positive, yet nightmarish visions of my ailing parents permeated my brain.

During video production class, Michelle and Ella saw me clutch my head as if I experienced a terrible headache. It was clear the mental and psychological strain of balancing academic and family life had taken its toll on me.

"Christine, what's wrong with your head?" Ella worriedly asked me.

"It was nothing," I promptly replied.

"No seriously," Michelle gloomily remarked on my answer. "It seems like something is bothering you."

Even the professor took notice and directly called me out.

"Christine," he uttered. "You seem to be experiencing a dreadful headache. Go to the clinic for a checkup."

Michelle reluctantly escorted me out of the classroom and proceeded to the clinic. But as we went inside, I suddenly passed out unconscious.

Michelle and the nurse carried me to bed and covered my body with a blanket. A thermometer was then inserted to my mouth.

Upon waking up a few minutes later, the nurse informed me that I was in fine condition. Nevertheless, she administered some medicine to alleviate my headache.

At that point, Michelle sent a text message to Ella. It read:

"Ella, Christine and I must head home immediately. She doesn't look too well today. Deliver me some lecture notes on video production tomorrow. We might need them."

Michelle accompanied me to her car for the drive back to Charissa's hospital room. Upon reaching the hospital, she saw Cathy standing outside the lobby and promptly stopped the car.

"Take Christine with you to Charissa's room," Michelle cautiously said as she opened the window.

"What about you?" Cathy politely asked.

"I have important matters to attend to," Michelle replied. "Anyway, fetch Christine to the room now."

As I woke up, Cathy accompanied me to the room where my parents eagerly awaited. She then nodded at Michelle and politely bid her farewell.

Upon entering Charissa's room, Clark approached me for a comforting embrace. Then I proceeded towards a sleeping Charissa and gently stroked her forehead.

Not long after, I lied down on the plush sofa and fell asleep. Cathy promptly wrapped me with a blanket amid the chill inside the room.

The following morning, the sun radiated from the window and the intense glare aroused me. At the same time, Clark woke up and so did Charissa and Cathy.

Minutes later, Michelle and Karina both arrived at the room and gently kissed Charissa's cheek. They even brought her a precious gift.

"This one's for me?" Charissa looked on in profound shock as Karina delivered her a present. "I can't believe your generosity."

"Charissa, it's unfortunate your classmates missed you," Karina replied. "We had a batch reunion last night, and you weren't there."

"Sorry Karina," Charissa tearfully informed her. "I was just too worried about Clark that's all."

"Speaking of, where is your husband?" Karina eagerly questioned Charissa.

"He is sitting down with Michelle, Christine and Cathy," Charissa pointed out her finger towards me.

Karina promptly walked towards Clark and sat down. Not long after, Charissa called all of us out and we then assembled at her bedside.

At that point, Clark started narrating the story about his disappearance.

In the story, he revealed that he was unable to come home immediately due to a stolen cellphone. Clark was at the pharmacy buying medicines and had placed his cellphone on the counter to retrieve his wallet.

Suddenly, a thief came out of nowhere and sneaked from under the counter. It was not long before Clark noticed that his mobile phone was missing.

Unfortunately, the hospital has a strict rule regarding cellphone use. It read:

"The doctors must surrender their cellphones to the desk prior to their shifts to prevent unnecessary distractions."

As a result Clark was unable to borrow his colleagues' phones. He then tried his luck reporting the case to the police, but he failed to remember the identity of the thief.

Feeling lost and lonely, Clark rode a bus straight to Laguna and tried to check into a motel. But just as he entered the lobby, he noticed something was amiss inside his pocket.

As it turned out, Clark lost his wallet inside the bus, presumably due to a loose pocket. Penniless, he wandered the streets of Laguna all night, his white shirt now smeared with dirt and grime and his face sweaty.

At that moment, Clark started crying. Recalling that terrible night in Laguna must have dispirited him.

"Sorry girls," Clark said. "I have had the worst day in my life, ever."

"It's alright," Karina replied. "You can openly spill the beans with us."

Continuing his story, Clark remembered how a female stranger suddenly appeared at a waiting shed and offered him a place to stay. He did not hesitate and the stranger escorted him to her humble home.

Over the next several days, Clark remained inside the stranger's home where he was taken care of and fed some delicious food. At that point, he revealed the name of the stranger.

"It was Andrea," Clark looked back at his experience. "She is a tourism blogger by profession."

Clark showed Andrea's picture to all of us. She possessed medium short hair, a whitish complexion and a chubby face.

Returning to his story, however, Clark was hesitant to use her cellphone due to the harsh experience he had with a thief. As a result, he was unable to contact either Charissa or myself for several days.

But when Andrea heard of a police report surrounding Clark's disappearance, she did not hesitate in accompanying him to the police station. Andrea presented Clark to the authorities and once the sketch matched his face, they drove both of them back to Manila.

"And that sums up my tale," Clark concluded. "I know how extremely worried you all were, but your father and husband is here now, safe and sound."

After hearing Clark's story, Charissa started sobbing. He then approached her and whispered something.

"It's okay my love," Clark said soothingly. "Don't worry about me. I'm alive and kicking right now."

"Clark, you know how well Christine and I were extremely concerned," Charissa tearfully replied. "We waited anxiously for your arrival. But then you didn't show up, and we're saddened by your plight."

"Love, sorry if I bothered you so much," Clark apologized at Charissa. "It was a terrible shame my cellphone and wallet was lost on the same night. But the important thing is I'm alive now. So stop crying and feel more positivity in your veins."

Clark gently wiped the tears off Charissa's face and the two hugged, much to the delight of the rest of us. A few days later, Charissa was discharged from the hospital and life inside the household returned to normal, or so Clark thought.