They Don't Know About Us

Chapter 12

After a week, Tonya started to notice that her granddaughter has been missing in action yet again. "Etong si Kai hindi na naman pumupunta dito," she said disappointingly. "Ganyan sya palagi. Magpaparamdam for a few weeks, and then she just disappears," she claimed. Sasha smiled a little. "Nakangisi ka dyan," Tonya frowned. "Si lola tampororot na naman sa apo. Alam nyo naman po just how busy her work is. Eto naman si lola ang bilis mag-tampo," Sasha reminded her. "Pero totoo ang sinasabi ko. Ganyan yang si Kai, I'm telling you, it's probably the guy," Tonya said angrily. "Lola, 'wag po tayo mag-assume," Sasha warned her. "I can't help it," Tonya pouted with her arms crossed in front of her like a little girl who doesn't want to be on time-out. "Lola, pandemic era na ho tayo ngayon. Nurse pa ho ang apo nyo. We could only imagine kung anong pinagdadaanan nya sa trabaho," Sasha reminded her again. Tonya loved how Sasha was the only one that could ever calm her nerves. "You have a point," she admitted. Sasha sighed while she made her way towards her elderly patient. "La, hindi ko po dapat toh sinasabi sa inyo kasi ayaw ni Kai na mag-worry ka. Pero I think kung sasabihin ko mas maiintindihan nyo po yung apo nyo sa mga oras na bigla-bigla na lang syang nawawala," she began to say. "Shoot," Tonya nodded. "Nilagnat po si Kai last week," Sasha was explaining when Tonya immediately went frantic. "Lola," she tried to calm her down. "Does she have Covid? Tell me my apo doesn't have Covid," Tonya said agitated. "Lola, if you just calm down. I can explain it to you para ho hindi kayo nagiging paranoid ng ganyan. 'Wag nyo pong paabutin sa point na pagsisisihan ko na I trusted you kaya ko piniling magsabi sayo," Sasha warned her. Tonya sighed. "I can't help it. Apo ko yan. I don't want her sick," she told her. "Alam ko po yun, lola, pero ang sa akin lang po eh hayaan nyo po muna akong matapos mag-explain. Kayo naman po eh. Mahilig po kayong mag-react ng wala sa oras," Sasha said. Tonya tried to calm herself down. "Go on," she nodded again. "Dapat po magkikita kami last week, kaya lang she was feeling unwell na pala. That was after a shift. For our safety, she took her temperature. Ayun po may sinat. Nagpa-swab po kaagad sya. Nag-quarantine na din sya and hindi na pumasok sa work while she waited for the result. Buti naman po at negative po yung Covid test nya," Sasha explained. Tonya sighed in relief. It was as if a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. "Oh, thank God," she exclaimed with her hands up in the air. "Pupunta na nga po sana sya dito last week kasi hindi na po sya ni-require mag-quarantine as long as wala syang new developing symptoms, pero napag-desisyonan po naming dalawa na ipagpaliban muna yung pagbisita nya sa inyo para ho sa safety nating lahat," Sasha added. Tonya nodded. "'La, sinabi ko toh sayo not only because pinagkakatiwalaan ko kayo. Sinabi ko po toh sayo kasi gusto ko pong maintindihan nyo na mahal po kayo ni Kai. Sadyang busy lang po yung apo nyo. Sa sobrang busy sa trabaho ayan ho nagkakasakit na,tapos pag-iisipan nyo pa ng masama," Sasha said. "You're making me feel guilty," Tonya frowned. "Dapat lang ho ma-guilty kayo. Palagi ho kayong iniisip ng apo nyo. She wants what's best for you all the time kaya the least you can do is intindihin din po sya sa tuwing hindi nya po kayo nabibisita," Sasha explained again. Tonya sighed. "Eh kasi naman. Totoo naman na ever since nakilala nya yung boyfriend nya palagi na lang syang wala," she frowned. "'La, 'wag na ho natin dagdagan yung mga dala-dalahin ni Kai. Ang hirap naman po na bigyan pa sya ng bagong iisipin. Stressed at pagod na nga po yun oh. Ang importante po dumadalaw na sya ng mas madalas ngayon. She's just taking precautions ngayon dahil nagka-lagnat sya. Soon, babalik din yun dito at mas dadalaw pa yun sayo ng mas matagal. Babawi po yun sayo," Sasha assured the elderly woman. Tonya nodded. "You know what I noticed, too?" She asked. Sasha looked at her. "Hindi lang ako yung binabalik-balikan nun dito," Tonya said with a playful wink. "Ayan na naman si lola. Pagkatapos mag-tampo, chinismis na naman yung apo. Susumbong ko kayo," Sasha warned again which made Tonya laugh. "But seriously speaking, I think my Kai likes your company. I think she likes hanging out with you and it's so nice to see. I can tell that she's genuinely enjoying herself," Tonya pointed out. Sasha couldn't help but smile. "Gusto ko din naman po yung company nya. I adore Kai, lola. Really, I do. I love her personality. Sobrang gaan din po ng pakiramdam ko sa kanya. She's a good person to have in my life," Sasha admitted. Tony grinned. "Just so you know, if ever you end up liking her tapos gusto mong ligawan yung apo ko, you have my blessing," she said. Sasha accidentally choked on her drink. Tonya winced at the bit of water that splashed on the side of her face. Sasha coughed and laughed at the same time. "Say it, don't spray it," Tonya told her. Sasha could barely breathe. She reached for a towel and wiped Tonya's face with it. "Sorry po, lola. Ikaw naman po kasi. Nakakaloka po yung lumalabas sa bibig ninyo. Nakakaloka na nakakagulat," she said. "Pagagalitan na naman po ako ng apo nyo. Pagagalitan po kayo nun kasi nabulunan na naman ako," she added. "Why?" Tonya asked. Sasha realized she hasn't told Tonya about the whole choking ordeal she and Kai experienced at the taco truck. "Ay wala po," she immediately said. Tonya nodded feeling content, "Aba, may secret na between you and my apo ha. Di bale, I'll let this slide. I like that you two have your own little world. I'll let you two have that."