30 Days with Fina by JellOfAllTrades

Chapter 22

Pacing the attic with a cellphone pressed to my ear, I waited for Jaime to pick up.

"Brah, I don't know if this is a miracle or what. Is it really you calling at eight in the morning?"

"It's me, bro. Are you busy?"

"Nope."

"Good, can I ask you a favor?"

"Depends on the favor."

"Naaalala mo pa si Fina?"

"Your probinsyana friend, yes?"

"Well, may liver cancer siya, stage four. I need donors for her treatment."

Jaime went silent on the line.

"Dude, still there?" I ask. "I understand naman if you won't help me--"

"No, wait. Wala pa akong sinasabi." Jaime cut me off.

"Eh ba't di ka nagsasalita jan?"

"It just sounded so weird of you," Jaime said. "Hindi ka naman ganyan dati. Alala mo nung may namamalimos satin? Nainis ka lang at di mo nilimusan kasi sabi mo magtrabaho sila."

"So?" I blinked, remembering I do hate beggars. "Iba si Fina, bro. May sakit eh."

"Same thing, brah. Nanghihingi ng pera."

"Bro, tutulungan mo ba ako o hindi?" I said, feeling my temper rising.

"Tutulungan! Ano ba yan, Jell. Brah kita eh! I'll always have your back."

I felt relieved. "Thanks, bro."

"Magkano kailangan mo?"

"Magkano kaya mong ioffer?"

"Is twenty-five thousand okay?" Jaime wondered out loud. "I still have to pay for my condo's mortgage."

"More than okay," I smiled.

"I'll write you a check when you get back here," Jaime answered. "Next week naman na yun."

"Oo nga 'no?" I wondered out loud. Just a few more days and I'll be going back to Manila.

"Wow, nage-enjoy ka ba jan at di mo na napansin ang oras?" Jaime asked.

"Yeah," I smiled, surprised at myself. "I am enjoying it here."

"Wow, that Fina really did hit you hard in the head." Jaime laughed on the other line.

"Shut up,"

"Oooooh," He taunted. "Anong nangyari sayo, Jell? Lumalambot ka na jan?"

"Tigilan mo ko, Jaime."

"Sige na, sige na. Di na kita lolokohin."

"And Jaime, can I ask for another favor?"

"Depende,"

"Can you ask the others if they can donate, too?"

"Are you serious?" Jaime sounded surprised.

"It's just that I really want to help Fina. Hindi pa ako makahingi ng tulong kay Mamita kasi nagalit na naman sakin so, for now, if possible, can you ask our friends there?" I explained.

Jaime whistled on the other line. "Jellane Folloso-Ramos, are you in love with that probinsyana?"

"No, dude. I'm not."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then why are you so concerned about this girl?"

"Because she's my friend."

"Jell, what happened to you there? Nagayuma ka ba jan?"

"Seryoso nga kasi Jaime," I huffed. "Kaibigan lang."

"Kaya pala parang kinukumbinsi mo rin ang sarili mo?" Jaime laughed on the other line.

"Bro, alam mo naman yung sumpaan natin dati diba?"

"WALANG MAIINLOVE!"

"See? So, bakit ngayon ako tatamaan ni Kupido? At sa probinsyana pa talaga?" I laughed it off. "Di ako maiinlove, bro."

"Okay, okay. If you say so." Jaime scoffed. "Sige na, brah. I have to go, Lorraine's waiting for me."

"Bro, baka ikaw in love jan ha? Pinapasa mo sakin?" I teased him.

"Gago! Alis na'ko!" And with that, he ended the call.

Later that afternoon I proceeded to the seaside playground where I found Fina sitting on the end of the seawall, looking at the sea alone. I hurried to her side, mentally cursing myself because I was late. I got too preoccupied with calling possible donors for her.

"Hey, dyosa." I said, sitting beside her. "Nauna ka sakin ngayon ah?"

"Hi, Jell." She smiled tiredly at me.

I frowned, sensing her weariness. "Okay ka lang?"

She nodded. "Inaantok lang ako,"

"Tara, hatid na kita sa inyo para makapagpahinga ka?" I offered, brushing a lock of her hair from her face.

"Ayoko, gusto ko pa dito." She shook her head. "Ang sarap ng hangin eh."

"Fina, ang putla mo oh. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Okay lang ako,"

I held her cheek. "Ang lamig mo oh. Wag na makulit, ihahatid na kita sainyo. Baka mapaano ka niyan eh."

"Sige na nga, pero dito tayo sa tabing dagat dadaan?"

"Pwede naman tayong mag-tricycle para di ka na mahirapan." I suggested.

"Lakad na lang tayo," Fina said. "Kaya ko pa talaga, promise."

I let out a sigh. "Tigas ng ulo. Tara na nga,"

Helping her stand up, I held her hand as we walked the length of the sea wall. The sun is shining brightly at us but not so hot that it's stinging our skins, just warm. The sky is filled with white fluffy clouds and the sea breeze is cool and refreshing. What a nice day, perfect for walking with Fina.

We kept a slow pace, considering Fina's exhausted stature. She held my left arm as we walked and although I'm really worried because she's cold to the touch, I just tried to ignore it and be contented because it's a nice day today.

"Jell?" Fina called my attention.

"Yeah?" I looked at her, still holding my arm with the vulnerability of a child.

"Punta tayong Letter C?" Fina pointed to the figure in the middle of the sea.

"Ngayon? Pero kailangan na kita iuwi sainyo. Masama pakiramdam mo eh."

"Please? Ayaw ko pa lang talaga umuwi." She pleaded.

"Fina naman eh. Baka mapaano ka." I insisted. "Buti nga di kita ididiretso sa ospital."

She chuckled and pinched my nose. "Mabait ka naman eh. Please? Letter C lang yun, walang mangyayari sakin, promise. Saglit lang tayo, mga five minutes tapos uwi mo na ako."

I heaved a sigh. "Ang kulit, tara na nga. Five minutes lang ha?"

"Yehey! Thank you!"

When we got to the figure of Pong Pagong carrying a large letter C on his back, Fina went to the left side and sat on the edge of the dock. I followed after her, remembering quite clearly that this is the very place where we first met and spoke to each other. Except that was almost midnight and now we're here in the afternoon.

"Naaalala mo pa? Sabi mo sakin dati naiisip mong parang isang libong pimples sa langit yung mga bituin." Fina reminisced.

"Tapos ayaw mo magpakilala sa'kin?" I chuckled.

"Para may thrill di ba?" Fina replied, leaning her head on my shoulder. "I don't talk to strangers nga eh."

"Nagpakilala na kaya ako noon!" I defended. "Stranger pa ba ako maituturing kung alam mo na yung pangalan ko?"

"Malay ko kung hindi mo totoong pangalan yung Jell?"

I smiled, thinking about one time in a bar in Manila where I lied to a girl about my name. The night ended up with her screaming "Sora" on the bed instead of Jellane.

With a blow of the sea breeze, Fina shivered beside me and I put an arm around her, rubbing her arms for warmth. "Nilalamig ka na, Fina. Tara na."

She nodded and we stood up. But her knees gave way and she almost fell down if I wasn't holding her. She coughed heavily as I held her, preventing her from falling down on all fours.

"Fina!" I panicked when she started to cough blood.

Fina gripped my arm tightly and then with tears on her eyes she heaved and puked blood on the dock. Dark blood splattered on the cemented floor and on our feet before Fina fainted on my arms.

"Fina?" I patted her cheeks, wiping the fresh blood from her pale lips. "Shit, Fina!"

Everybody was looking at us and in a surge of panic, I didn't know what to do. I patted Fina's cheeks again, hoping to wake her.

She moaned and her eyelids opened a little. Her eyes looked dazed. "Jell."

Waking up from the panic, I carried her and started to run for the port area at the entrance of the dock.

"Fina, don't worry. Dadalhin na kitang ospital," I panted.

She clutched my shirt and coughed again, splattering more blood on me. I ran faster despite the burden of carrying her. When we reached the port, the kids who saw what happened at the Letter C and ran with us to the port called for a tricycle. I gently put Fina in before going in the sidecar. With us safely inside, the tricycle shot forward, it's horn blaring as a warning of an emergency.

Fina has fainted again and her head lolled at the sharp turns of the tricycle. I let her lean on my shoulder, hugging her cold body and rubbing her arms to give her warmth.

St. Peter General Hospital is just a few blocks away and the tricycle driver is giving his best to get us there fast but it seemed too slow for me. My heart is pounding in panic and I'm scared Fina won't make it.

"Malapit na tayo, Fina." I whispered to her ear as we turned a corner and the hospital came into view. I readied to carry her out so when the tricycle skidded to a halt, the tricycle driver and the bystanders didn't even help us out that much.

I rushed Fina inside and with the nurse's guide, put her down on a bed in the emergency room. A doctor immediately came in.

"Anong nangyari sakanya?" The doctor asked.

"Nagsuka ng dugo," I answered. "Tulungan niyo siya, dok."

The doctor put on his stethoscope and examined Fina.

"Stage four liver cancer, dok." I blurted out. "May sakit siya."

If that helped, I don't know. The doctor didn't register any surprise or any reaction at me, he just nodded at me and a nurse held my arm.

"Ma'am, labas na lang muna tayo. Bawal po kayo sa loob." The nurse said, escorting me out of the emergency room.

"Pero--"

"Sige na, miss. Gagawin po namin ang lahat para matulungan siya."

I panted, still trying to catch my breath. "Please, help her."

She brought me to a waiting area where I sat on a monoblock chair, still shocked by what happened. The nurse disappeared after I sat down but she came back with a plastic cup of water.

"Inom ka muna, mukhang binuhat mo siya eh." The nurse said. "Anong pangalan ng pasyente?"

"Fina. Fina Romulo," I answered after taking one gulp of the water. I didn't even realize my throat was dry.

"Kaano-ano mo siya?"

"Kaibigan,"

"May contact ka ba ng mga magulang niya?"

I shook my head, having lost my cellphone the day I was beaten up. If I still have it with me I can call Fina's phone and hope her mother would pick up.

"May iba ka bang matatawagan?" The nurse asked.

I nodded, remembering my mom has a ton of contacts around town. Maybe they can find a way to contact Fina's parents.

"Gusto mo ba silang tawagan?" The nurse asked. "May telepono tayo sa may nurse's station."

I nodded and stood up, following the nurse to their station. I called my mother for help and she promised to be here in ten minutes. And I just returned to the waiting area, sat on the same monoblock chair earlier, and hoped that Fina will be all right.

I pulled on my hair and held my head, squeezed my eyes shut and hoped, no, more of willed for Fina to be okay.

"Please be okay,"