CHAPTER 8: SLEEP OVER

Shelley was shrieking from the other side of the phone. A little too loudly that even I can hear it.

Rodney pulled his phone away from his ears.

"Calm down, Babe. You don't have anything to worry about.."

He went out of his car so I can no longer hear their conversation, but I can tell from the expressions he is making that he is having a hard time explaining things to his girlfriend.

"Everything okay?" I asked when he came back.

He smiled and nodded even though he looked bothered.

"Let’s go see Lola. She’s in the hospital nearby."

"Why? Is she sick?" I asked worriedly.

"No, just that her doctor’s clinic is in that hospital. She went for regular check-up.”

We both fastened our seatbelts and then, Rodney reared from the parking lot and we headed to the hospital. When we arrived, we went straight to the clinic. Rodney said he was their family doctor ever since he was young.

"Rodney, it's good to see you, hijo."

"Doc, how are you? You don’t seem to age, huh?”

The doctor laughed. “Son, you’re flattering me. By the way, are you supposed to pick up your gran? She left just a few moments ago.”

Before he can even answer, his phone rang. Rodney picked it up.

“Lola, we are here at the clinic. Why didn’t you wait for us? I told you we’re coming to get you. Don't budge an inch from where you are, we’ll go there."

"Yeah, she left even though I told her she can just wait for you here," the doctor said after Rodney dropped the call.

“Then, we should hurry and leave to catch up with that old stubborn woman. She might get impatient and leave her spot again.”

The doctor nodded. We were about to leave when he called Rodney again.

The doctor looked worried.

"Rodney, you need to talk to your folk."

"Why doc? Is there something I should know?"

He sighed. "Talk to her. If she wouldn't speak, call me."

Rodney and I looked at each other before he nodded to the doctor. We were both silent as we walk towards the restaurant where Lola said she’ll be waiting.

"Rodney.."

"Yes?"

"How many rooms do you have in your place?"

"Four. Why?"

I looked down and twiddled my fingers. I just raised my head when I heard him chuckling.

“Wait.. Don’t tell me you are afraid of sharing a room with me again?” he teased as an amused smile formed on his lips. He alternately raised his brows. I pouted at him. Childish, I know, but I can't help it.

"Relax, I'm not going to bite you tonight." He rubbed my hair.

We picked up Lola from the restaurant and went back to the car. Lola sent her driver back to Tagaytay.

"How was your check-up, dearest Granny?"

"Oh, there's pretty nothing much," she answered dismissively. "Were you on a date?"

Rodney exchanged glances with me.

"Lola, are you sure you’re okay?" I asked.

"Why are you two being nosy?" Lola answered.

Rodney cleared his throat and changed the topic.

“Lola, did you miss me?”

“Nope. I missed Mira, though.”

“Ouch. But I am your grandson!” Rodney protested.

I grinned widely.

"So what if you are my grandson? She will also become my granddaughter soon. So you hurry up and marry her. I don’t like anyone else for you." She crossed her arms and looked outside the window. She leaned back on the headrest and stayed silent as if lost in her thoughts.

Not long after, we reached Rodney’s condominium unit. The truth is, it is my first time coming here, so I looked around to check the area.

“I will rest for a while. I got tired with the travel,” Lola said. True enough, she looked exhausted.

Good thing she ate at the restaurant earlier and Rodney and I also ate before going to the hospital.

Rodney guided Lola to one of the rooms, but before Lola entered it, she looked back at me and smiled fondly at me.

"Remember your promise."

But before I could clarify, she went inside and said good night before closing the door.

"What promise?" I asked Rodney.

He shrugged his shoulders, obviously also clueless.

"You rest too, Mi."

“It’s too early. Can I watch a tv first?”

He raised his brow.

“You’ll watch tv or you just didn’t want to enter the room?” he teased and I blushed. How could he have guessed?

I shoot him a sharp look and made face at him. “I will just watch the tv!” I insisted.

Shaking his head, he approached the tv and clapped his hand in front of it. The television turned on showing a series in a cable channel. He gestured his hand in front of the tv and the station changed.

"What channel do you want to watch?"

"Stop! That’s it!"

He stopped waving in front of the tv and walked back to where I was seated. He dropped himself on the sofa and pulled me to sit beside him.

I almost went out of balance and narrowly missed sitting on his lap. But I was able to catch myself and put a little distance between us.

“What’s that show?”

"Shh.."

He fell silent as he joined me in watching my favorite series. While I was there giggling/ laughing/ crying/ getting riled up depending on the scene.

I was surprised when I heard a camera shutter.

"What the-!"

"Look at your face!" he showed his phone to me. I looked like an idiot in the picture. I was busy watching the television while grinning like a fool.

I tried to snatch his phone but he smoothly evaded my grasp.

“Give that to me! Delete it!” I stomped my feet.

“I don’t want to. It’s cute, you look like an anime.”

"Anime??!"

"Yep, yep."

He kept on laughing while I am being pissed here.

"Mr. Alejandro!" I glared at him but he wouldn’t stop. "Stop laughing, you will wake Lola up!"

He hid his phone and sat back. I turned my attention back to the television.

"Mi.."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you giggling like a teenager with a crush? The main characters are all just kids."

"They are not kids anymore, they are teenagers!" I pointed out.

"Tss. They are still kids compared to you."

“You’re too much! I am only twenty-five! We are not even ten years apart!”

“You’re twenty-six!” he argued.

“No! I am still twenty-five. I am yet to turn twenty-six next month!”

“Next month when?”

“On the fift- wait! I don’t want to tell you!”

"Fift…teen? Your birthday is December 15th?"

"No. Fift.."

"You can’t say it’s December Fifty-Five," he grinned.

Ugh, what a pain.

"Alright, yes. It’s on the 15th! Happy?"

"1987."

“Fine, I know you’re good at deductions. And since you know already, make sure you prepare a gift for me, okay?”

“Aren’t you acting too familiar with me, Ms. Ledesma?” he said in a formal voice while looking at me seriously.

I got nervous. Did I just cross a line? I swallowed and looked down.

"I'm sorry, Rodney. I.. I didn't mean to-"

"Just kidding!" he grinned widely.

My eyes widened and I hit him on his arm. Seriously, I got worried!

“Look at you. If I act like that, you will really take that seriously? Don’t you believe I consider you a friend who I can pull pranks with?”

"With? You are not pulling pranks WITH me. You are pulling pranks ON me.” I pointed out and pouted. “Besides, didn’t I tell you I didn’t study in-"

"-Assumption. That’s why you are not an assumptionista. Alright, alright. Then from now on, I want you to feel confident that we are friends. So please treat me like one. Deal?"

"Tss." I just grunted.

"Are you complaining?"

“Of course not! What right does a lowly human being such as myself have to refuse such a grand offer of friendship by someone like you? You are heaven and I am earth, it is an honor for me to receive such attention and friendship from someone like you.”

“Wow, now you are challenging me to a poetic match? I will not turn down the challenge, young lady. If thy heart could be so kind as spare some time to hear me out, please know that my lips are made to only speak of truth and honesty. I beseech you to give justice to this offended man, I cannot make myself agree to what you have spoken.”

“And for what reason are you not agreeing with what I said, kind Sir? Whatever in my statement did you find disagreeable?”

“That I am heaven and you are earth. Because were both just creations of our Lord, so who could say that we are not of equal status?”

“Wow, my nose bleeds, Ney! I cannot, anymore!”

We burst out laughing. We just stopped when we heard the door bell. Rodney looked at his watch.

“It’s late. Who could it be at this hour?”

He went to the door and look at who was there.

"Hi Babe!" Shelley came in fast and snaked her arms around Rodney’s neck, then kissed him full on his lips without warning.

I looked away.

"What are you doing here??" Rodney whispered. Shelley pouted at the question.

"Is that how you greet your girlfriend now?"

"No, Babe. It's just that, you know grandma is here!"

"I can't see her," she gestured around. "And why are we whispering?"

"Lola is already sleeping. We do not want her to wake up and see you."

"Whoa! You are worried about waking her up? But you were just laughing so loudly earlier that I can even hear it from outside the door!" Shelley looked at me with accusation. I looked down and cannot meet her eyes that are looking at me fiercely.

"I didn't know that you are already this close," she added sarcastically.

"Babe, I'll take you home. You cannot stay here longer," Rodney gently held her arms and tried to usher her to the door.

Shelley shrugged his hands off and turned to him. "Now, I'm the one you are pushing away! Am I the outsider one here? That woman is the outsider! Why am I the one being sent away?”

“Babe please calm down. I am not pushing you away. I am just avoiding any discord here. You asked for this, right? You were the one who insisted this. Now, if you want to correct the situation, I am okay with that. Let's tell grandma tomorrow. I will take all the consequences."

Shelley stopped on track. Fear showed on her beautiful face. Then she walked to the sofa and sat there as if she lost all her strength.

“No.. I am not yet ready.”

Rodney sighed. “When will you ever be ready? We cannot go on like this forever.”

“I don’t want to. I am scared.”

"I told you, you have nothing to worry about. If Lola gets mad, I will take all the blame. And we will leave Mira out of this."

“I am willing to accept the consequences of agreeing to this charade, Ney. Do not worry about me,” I told him.

"No, Mi. It was my fault for allowing this farce, in the first place."

"How sweet," Shelley's voice was venomous. "Ney? Mi? How dare you both to talk that way in front of me!"

"Babe, that's nonsense," Rodney tried to calm her down. "That's just us being friends."

"Now you're friends? So that is why you are so concerned about her?"

"Can’t we be friends?" he asked, brows furrowing.

“Are you really just friends? Who knows, maybe you are being attracted to this woman! Why, is she seducing you whenever it is just you two?”

"Shelley, what are you saying?? Are you even thinking straight?"

"Then, why are you protecting her??" Shelley asked hysterically.

"Shelley! Are you listening to yourself? It is not her fault for being dragged into this situation. We asked her for this favor, remember? It is unfair that she will be blamed for this," Rodney’s voice is starting to rise.

Shelley fell quiet and looked down. After a while, she raised her head and approached Rodney.

"Sorry Babe," she whispered.

Rodney sighed deeply and closed his eyes, obviously trying to calm his nerves. Then he looked at her with a small smile on his lips.

“C’mon I will take you home,” he said gently afterwards.

Shelley pouted. “I want to be with you.”

“Babe not now.”

“When?”

"Some other time. But not tonight."

He ushered Shelley to the door and accompanied her outside. I was left in silence when the closed the door. I tried to resume watching the television but I cannot understand anything anymore as I am slowly getting worried for everything.

What will Lola feel when she finds out the truth?