Chapter 18

I had no idea where we are going until Connagh drove all the way to the hospital which I came into my senses that this is a real emergency. Mas lalo naman akong kinabahan because everything was good to us before and now we're heading down this situation. Hindi talaga maganda na sobra-sobra sa kasi in the end, there's always something that will break that happiness.

Should I expect worse about this?

"Parents mo ba ang nasa hospital?" nag-aalala kong tanong sa kanya. Umiling naman siya sa tanong. "If it's not your parents, who could it be?"

"He's someone you've particularly known somewhere," he said and that made me confused a little more.

When we finally reached the hospital, he parked his car and then we stepped out his car straight inside the premises. He tightly held on my hand as we went inside the private room. Kinilabutan pa ang buo kong katawan pagkapasok ng kwarto dahil binati kami ng lamig ng kwarto. I was still guessing who could be inside this room until my eyes met who's lying down on the hospital bed.

"Maurice?" I muttered.

"You know him, right?"

Mabilis na tumapon ang paningin ko sa kanya at dahan-dahang tumango. I'm trying to guess inside my head how he figured out that I know Maurice. But I set aside that thought for a minute when Maurice's condition is what we were seeing right now. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko kay Connagh at binaling sa direksyon ni Maurice. Someone's sitting beside his bed. She's a girl, but pretty young than his age. She could be his daughter if I'm guessing it correctly.

"Maurice... what happened?" I asked as I got closer to them. Connagh walked behind me. Nauna na talaga akong maglakad. I was really worried about his condition right now.

The lady reached out to me. "Dad had a heart attack this morning," she said and I gasped as I was shocked hearing about it. Napatakip na lamang ang kamay ko sa bibig habang pino-proseso ko sa utak ko ang nalaman ko ngayon.

"H-how?" I asked, obviously stuttering 'cause of how shook I am.

"He was stressed from work," she explained. "Our flower shop business in the Columbia Road wasn't getting much of customers these past few weeks so we're actually in debt right now for all the flowers we haven't got to pay."

Isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan. Ramdam ko 'yong bigat ng damdamin niya nang sabihin niya iyon. It's hard to talk about those kinds of things lalo na sa taong hindi naman kakilala. I'm wondering what the point of my presence here is, but I'm already worried and concerned about their situation so it's good to know that Maurice went okay now.

"Thank you for being here," she continued. "And to you Mister Macek. Your help has been innumerable to our little business and to our family. You've been kind to us and we know you don't have to put us in a private room like this. You know we can't pay you."

Connagh smiled and nodded. "I know and it's alright. This isn't too much for me and I'd like to help your family and of course, Maurice who has been good to me for years. This is just my way of helping your family."

"You've been helping us since then and we can't be more grateful about it," she said. "Do you guys want to eat something? I can run-up to the store real quick."

"No, it's alright, you don't have to bother," Connagh said. "We're here just to check out Maurice and seeing him in a good condition made me feel okay as well."

"Great," she smiled. "Stay as long as you want, you know you're never a bothered to us."

"Thanks, Claire," Connagh said.

We looked at Maurice and he's been resting so we sat down on the couch there. Nag-abala pa si Maurice sa amin na pagtimplahan kami ng kape. It taste quite good din and it makes me warm dahil halos pambahay na lang din ang suot kong damit. I was so comfy na hindi ko in-expect na susunduin ako ni Connagh out of nowhere, but I'm regretting na sumama ako.

"May tanong ako," panimula ko kay Connagh. Nilingon naman niya ako. He sip on his coffee and creased his forehead. "How long have you known Maurice? It feels like matagal na kayong magkakilala based on the conversation you had with Claire. Curious lang naman ako..."

He smeared his tongue around his lips. "I have met them since they were starting their business. That was five years ago and I'm working in the company at that moment. I was traveling from London to the states and then to the Philippines. That was some kind of a routine back then. But let's get back to what we were talking about. Just like I said, when I discovered them, I frequently buy flowers to their shop and Maurice told me that their business wasn't getting enough customers at that moment—I guess until now."

"What kind of flower did you buy from him? Do you particularly buy some flower from his shop?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do. It's a hyacinth."

Yes, I know, Connagh. I was just making sure it, too.

"Why... a hyacinth?"

He shrugged off his shoulder. "I don't know. I mean, there's no special in it. I just wanted to buy it and help Maurice. I bought weekly at his shop. Sometimes, when there's a special occasion, I referred his shop and it's quite a success when that happens... but sometimes, it's not just working out."

"How they are in debt? I know that flowers are seasonal and most of the time that there weren't enough customers so the flowers withered and so they're losing money because of it, right?"

"You're right," pagsang-ayon nito sa akin. "At some point, they borrowed money from me so they can start right again and let their business circulate in the market once again. I let them borrowed some money and told them that they don't have to pay me anymore, but just invest the money so they won't shut their business down. Eventually, their shop has been getting a quite good name in the market and I'm not sure what happened now."

"Claire said the business are in-debt again so I guess they're losing money once again... would you let them borrowed some money again?"

He paused for a second to think about it. "Maybe, I would if that's gonna help them. Why not, right?"

"Sure..." I muttered. "But I also have another question."

"And what could that be?" he questioned, sipping on his cup of coffee.

"Why am I here? How—why did you bring me here?"

"I went to the office earlier, I just had to sign some quick documents there and I received a phone call from Maurice's number, and his daughter, Claire was the one who's calling me. She told me her father has suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. I immediately came here as soon as possible. And a few hours later when Maurice came back to his consciousness, he mentioned you and he thought I knew you and so I said I did. So I fetch you up at your flat and see, now you're here."

"I see... that's quite a lot of explanation. But I'm still figuring out why would he mention me?"

He shrugged off his shoulder. "I'm not sure either. Do you buy flowers from him?"

I was about not to answer it, but because I needed to suffice my curiosity, I nodded to confirm it.

He nodded his head as if acquiring this new information made a little bop into his assumptions—or maybe, I was the only one thinking about it because of my history with him.

"What kind of flowers do buy in his shop? Are you a rose kind of girl? Daisy? What else?"

"I was buying lavender, but it's not for me, but for my tita. When I first went there, he gave me a rose and it's quite lovely that I still had it in my room. Me and my tita were buying lavenders from him every weekend and they're going to shut their business down, where else could we purchase the flower?"

"Did you know that park was called a flower market, right?" he smirked.

I chuckled. "I know... but it won't be the same anymore if Maurice's shop wasn't around. Do you understand the feeling of losing someone and never know how to have it back so we have to replace it with someone or something that resembles what we have before, have you?"

He gave a slow nod. "I really do, Kiersten. And it's alright to have something new. Just because the old won't be back doesn't mean you have to forget about it. There's not a problem with picking up something new. If it's for the best then you don't have to feel guilty about it. You don't have always have to rely on your past, make a difference. It's quite a journey to start."

"I see... it could also be a meaningful journey to start," I muttered. "I know I've been asking too much, but I think this would be the last one."

"No, I'd love to be questioned so ask me more," ngisi pa nito. "So, what is it?"

"Do you remember anything when you're in the flower market?"

He scrunched his face, remembering anything just to answer my question. "I barely remember anything aside from buying flowers from Maurice. What could else be I would be doing there, Kiersten?"

I swallowed and shook my head. "Wala... wala naman. Natanong ko lang." Saka ko naman ininom ng kape ko but it's already cold kaya pumakla ang lasa nito. Tinawanan naman niya ako sa reaksyon ko. Tiniis ko na lang din namang inumin ang kape ko. Hindi ko rin naman naubos kaya idinala ko na lamang sa sink at itinapon.

We spend much of our time in the hospital pero nang kinagabihan ay kailangan na rin naming umuwi ni Connagh. I would be going back to work tomorrow so I can't stay in the hospital. Gano'n din naman si Connagh. Claire expressed her gratitude dahil sa pagbisita namin sa kanila sa hospital. One thing I knew that Connagh will pay their hospital bill and that made me feel okay knowing that they don't have to worry about the money.

Connagh has a good heart. His intentions to help is quite surprising. Knowing Connagh much better these past few days made me knew how good of a person he was. He's not taking everything for granted. He knew that if he has a chance to do the right thing, gagawin niya agad at hindi na niya papalipasin pa ang pagkakataon.

Then I'm not sure why would he kept lying to me about our first meeting. If I'm going to say it first, baka magmukha lang akong tanga. I tried to talk about it, but he completely denied it. I knew it was him who kissed me that day. I would never ever forget that.

That was my first kiss with a man—with a stranger.

Connagh drove me back to my apartment and that's the last time we saw each other today and we'll be seeing each other again tomorrow and for my last five weeks in London.

That's how fast everything was. Hindi ko inaasahan na gano'n na lamang kabilis ang pagtakbo ng oras. I'm about to render 160 hours this week and I'll be spending my next few weeks fulfilling it.

Ngayon pa lang nami-miss ko na ang London. All of my routine and everything I was doing here. Maybe this won't be the last time I would do it here because I believe that I'll be back here in the future. For now, I'm going to enjoy my last few weeks and as far as I can see, I'm nowhere near falling in love with someone else.

But what I do remember from what Maurice said earlier when he talked to me that he was the one who figured out that Connagh and I knew each other. Connagh then brought me there and the thing that he did that, Maurice believe that I could be the perfect match for Connagh.

Even though that's what he thought of us, I know it would never happen. Connagh's out of my reach and I'm just a damsel in distress and he will never be my knight.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

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