Three days after kunin ko si Ralph sa bahay ni Tita Cristy, may tumawag.

Nasa lunch room ako and was about to bring my food container to the sink nang magvibrate ang phone sa bulsa ko.

Hindi ko sinagot.

I was not expecting any calls at five minutes na lang ang natitira sa half hour lunch ko.

Kadedecline ko lang nang call nang mag-ring ulit ang phone.

Sino ba itong makulit?

Malamang scammers.

Sila ang matiyagang maghintay kahit pa at first glance eh alam mo ng suspicious ang number.

I am good at ignoring unknown numbers.

So good na minsan, kahit legit ang mga tumatawag, hindi ko nasasagot.

Ang katwiran ko, if they need me, they can always leave a voicemail.

Hindi ko pa din sinagot.

Tumayo na ako at binitbit ang mga hugasan sa lababo.

I had just turned the tap on nang may pumasok na text.

Nacurious na ako so I took the phone out of my pocket.

Number lang.

I glanced at the message and saw who has been trying to get a hold of me.

Before I learned about Kate's hospitalization and her engagement, hindi ko kilala si Andrew.

Wala na nga kasi akong social media accounts di ba?

Bakit ko paparusahan ang sarili ko by stalking her?

Hindi pa ba sapat na hindi siya maalis sa puso at isip ko kahit siya mismo ang nakipaghiwalay sa akin?

Hindi ko alam kung paano nalaman ni Andrew ang phone number ko.

Oh wait.

It's not a big mystery.

Pero why would Kate share my number with him?

Naikuwento ba niya ako sa fiancé niya?

If yes, bakit?

Ang isang reason could be because hindi naglalagay nang passcode si Kate sa phone niya.

Nabanggit ko na ito sa kanya dati.

Ang sabi niya, she has nothing to hide.

Ang rason ko, in case manakaw ang phone niya, hindi agad ma-unlock.

Hindi pa din siya naglagay nang passcode.

Nagtext ulit si Andrew.

Sagutin ko daw ang tawag niya.

May importante daw siyang sasabihin.

I'm sure he does.

But I was skeptical.

Bakit niya ako tinatawagan?

Before this happened, I didn't know he existed.

Pero kung magdemand siya ay parang matagal na kaming magkakilala.

Natapos kong hugasan ang baunan and his messages kept coming in.

During the eight texts, I learned why he kept texting nonstop.

I dried my hands with a paper towel, picked up my phone and called.

Sumagot siya agad.

I didn't bother to say hello.

His voice was deep and low.

Diniretso niya ako agad about Ralph.

He said I shouldn't have taken the cat.

"I did not take him. Tita asked me to pick him up."

"Well, she shouldn't have done that."

"Why didn't you take care of him then?" I baited kahit alam ko ang sagot.

"I can't. I'm allergic."
"Then what do you plan to do with Ralph? She hasn't been eating and she's unwell."

"I could find someone to take care of him."

"Really? You are still in isolation. Don't tell me you're just going to ask a random person to go to Kate's house and pick up Ralph. What it Tita gets exposed? Who's going to take care of them then?"

"It's none of your business. Just take Ralph back to Kate's house before and learns that you have him."

"Talk to Tita Cristy." I hang up.

Asshole.

Pagbalik ko sa desk, Brenda noticed the scowl on my face.

"Anong nangyari sa'yo?"

I told her about Andrew.

"Ang kapal nang mukha niya na magalit sa akin. Tita asked me to get Ralph. Ba't ako ang inaaway niya?
"Takot iyon kay Kate."

"Kahit na. Before this, wala na naman akong pakialam sa kanila eh."

"Huwag mo na lang pansinin. Besides, si Tita naman ang nakiusap sa'yo."
"Nakakabuwisit. Kung makapagsalita akala mo may atraso ako sa kanya."
"Intindihin mo na lang. Kapag ginulo ka pa, sumbong mo kay Tita."

I sank back on my chair, seething.

I was happy when I got Ralph.

She didn't look okay pero when she saw me, dinilaan ang kamay ko.

Since I took her home, kumain na siya at hindi na matamlay.

Talon nga ng talon sa loob nang bahay.

Siguro namiss niya din ang dati niyang lugar.

Pero I told myself not to get used to it.

Temporary lang ang set up namin.

Paggaling ni Kate, babalik na siya ulit dito.

Ang sabi sa akin ni Brenda, wala pa din daw progress sa kalagayan ni Kate.

Nasa ICU pa din siya at wala pa ding pagbabago.

Mahigit isang linggo na siya sa ospital.

With everyday na walang improvement sa condition niya, lalong nag-aalala si Tita pati na ang iba nilang kamag-anak.

Tumawag nga din daw si Carlo para kumustahin ang ina at kapatid.

Gusto man nitong dumalaw, hindi puwede.

May pamilya din ito na kailangang asikasuhin.

Kahit the circumstances that brought Ralph back wasn't ideal, I felt less alone.

Cuddly at malaro si Ralph.

Pagdating ko galing sa office, she would be sitting by the front door waiting for me to open it.

Kakargahin ko siya and she would put one paw on my shoulder as if giving me a hug.

Bago maghanda ng dinner, siya muna ang aasikasuhin ko.

I would take her food and water bowl para hugasan at i-refill.

Kapag tapos na siya kumain, aakyat siya sa kitchen counter at pinapanood ako habang binubuksan ang box ng frozen dinner.

Ang alam ko lang kasi lutuin ay microwavable food, cup noodles at nilagang itlog.

Kate cooked when she used to live here.

Bago matulog ay naglalaro muna kami ni Ralph.

I bought new toys kasi nang umalis si Kate, dinala niya lahat nang gamit nito.

I taught her how to fetch.

Tatayo ako sa isang corner sa sala at ihahagis papasok sa bedroom ang soft ball.

Kakaripas nang takbo si Ralph para kunin ang bola at ibigay sa akin.

I was happy to have her back.

It was easier not to succumb to loneliness kasi she needed me.

I have to get up in the morning para pakainin siya or else hindi siya titigil sa kakangiyaw.

Sa totoo lang, less complicated ang relationship ko with Ralph.

Straightforward ang needs niya and in return, she gives me love.

Sometimes I wish na sana ganoon din ang buhay.

There would be less problems.

Maybe then my heart wouldn't hurt as much and the pain of losing Kate would not be so devastating.

Pero hindi ganoon ang buhay.

One night, Ralph and I were seated on the couch.

I was having a bowl of spicy Korean noodles while watching Karate Kid on Netflix nang may kumatok.

I looked up on the wall to check the time.

It was past eight o' clock.

I wasn't expecting anyone.

Hindi ko sana papansinin kung sino but after a brief pause, there was another knock.

It was louder this time.

"Are we expecting a visitor?" Tanong ko kay Ralph na nakatingin din sa pinto.

Pinatong ko ang glass bowl sa coffee table at kinuha ang remote.

I paused the TV.

Wala akong security system maliban sa baseball bat na nasa gilid nang pinto.

The only way to find out kung sino ang kumakatok was to ask behind the door.

When the person answered, I felt an excitement followed by a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Was it from the spicy noodles?

Or from the person behind the door?

Bago ko pinihit ang doorknob, I took a long deep breath.

Sana mali ako.

Sana kaboses niya lang ang kung sinumang dumating.

But not a lot of people knew where I lived.