Mrs Torres helped Mina up and took her back inside the hospital. Soon, her head was bandaged and the doctor told her that her wound will heal up in few days to come and it won't leave a scar.
"Those evil girls. I will kill them if I have the chance. How dare that little brat Johanna slap you. She sure have the guts, huh? I won't spare the both of them" Mrs Torres spatted angrily as she examined Mina's cheeks. Her cheeks were red and the worst part is that Johanna's palm mark was on her cheeks making it visible to everyone that she has just been slapped. Mina had to wear a scarf to cover her cheeks. This was the first time someone slapped her like this. Thinking of the slap again, her body trembled with fear.
***
Billy drove Johanna and Rachel home. When they got home, Johanna took ice cube from the fridge and placed it gently on Rachel's cheeks. Her lips were swollen and bleeding. Johanna had to apply an ointment to relieve the pain Rachel was feeling.
"I knew that Mina is up to no good. It's a good thing I was there at the hospital if not, you would have been beaten to death by them." Johanna said angrily.
Rachel turned to look at Johanna and smiled, "Thank you for saving me today"
"I won't take it if someone like Mina hit you like that" Johanna said and Rachel smiled at her.
"So tell me, how is Chad? How is he feeling now?" Johanna asked as she stared at Rachel.
Rachel's mind flashed back to words ma'am Torres said. She lowered her head and said in a low voice, "Chad is in a coma"
Johanna was shocked and her eyes grew wide. She sat down beside Rachel and sighed.
"You were not allowed to see him, right?"
Rachel nodded her head.
Johanna stared at Rachel and thought of what Billy said in the morning. Chad got drunk because of her and now he is in a coma because of her. Johanna stood up and yelled, "It's all your fault Rachel"
Rachel raised her head and was stunned. "How is it my fault?" she gave Johanna a puzzled look.
"You should have forgiven Chad and this wouldn't have happened to him. It all because of you foolishness and stubbornness. Chad is lying on the hospital bed fighting for his life because of you. He is in a coma because of you"
"What? Chad is in a coma?"
They turned to see Mrs beltran standing at the door. She was holding a basket and a cutlass and was standing there, shocked. She was about to enter when she heard Johanna talking about Chad. She entered the house and moved closer towards them and asked again, "What did I hear you say? That Chad is in a coma?"
Johanna glanced at Rachel before answering, "Yes" then she briefly explained to Mrs beltran everything that happened today and how Chad slipped into a coma. After explaining, Johanna turned to face Rachel and raised her voice, "It's all your fault Rachel. It all because of your foolishness. We don't know when Chad is going to wake up"
Rachel stood up and shouted, "Don't talk to me like that, okay?"
"Why? What's wrong with you? You are so lucky of all the farm workers, Chad choose you and look at how you are treating him. Sooner or later, Mina will take Chad from you. Do you understand?" she yelled and walked away.
Rachel stared at her mother with her eyes glistening with tears. Mrs beltran glared at her daughter, shook her head and left. Rachel stood there speechlessly. Johanna and her mother are angry with her. She knew she was at fault, but she was not expecting Johanna to talk to her that way. She sat down on her chair again and began to cry. When she thought of Chad who is in a coma, she cried even the more. Her heart feels empty now.
At the hospital.
Mina was standing beside Chad's bed. She was sad looking at him like this and at the same time she was happy. She was happy because from now till Chad wakes up, she will be beside him. She will be the one talking care of him. At least, If he wakes up and heard that she has been the one taking care of him, he will like her. She looked up at the ceiling and smiled.
The heavens has finally answered her prayers. Now that she will always be the one staying with him, she will use that opportunity to have him.
Just then, the door opened.
Mrs Torres, her husband and Mina's friends came in. Mrs Torres quickly rushed to her son as soon as she came in. She stood beside his bed and held his hand. She looked at his paled-face and colourless lips. He was sleeping peacefully like a baby. Tears fell like stream from her eyes. Her only wish right now is for her son to wake up soon. Everybody stood beside her and consoled her.
After few minutes.
Mina told them to go home and she will stay with chad. They all agreed and left. The only person left in the room are the sleeping body and Mina. She turned to look at Chad and walked up to him. She stood right beside his bed. She caressed his face, touched his soft, colourless lips, his closed eyes. Now that Chad is sleeping that gave her the opportunity to study his face closely. She even found a mole on his neck. Chad is indeed very handsome. Mina lean over and kissed his forehead.
"Goodnight Chad" she said.
Next morning.
The ringing tone of Chad's phone woke Mina up. She opened her eyes, sat up in bed and stretched. She got down from the bed and walked towards the phone. She picked it up and to her surprise, Rachel was the name displayed on the screen.
Shw stared at the screen fuming with anger. Can't this Rachel let him be? she rejected the call immediately and put the phone down. She turned to leave, but the phone rang again. She turned and frowned when she saw the name Rachel on the screen again. She rejected the call again and switched off the phone. That way, Rachel won't be able to call him.
On the other side.
Rachel called Chad's number again, but it was already switched off. She threw her phone on the bed, walked towards her closet and picked up a blue jean and a red shirt. She placed them on the bed and ran into the bathroom and undressed. She turned the water on and let it relax her body. After bathing, she came out of the bathroom, dressed up and wore a black flat shoe.
She tied her hair in one ponytail and left the room. She quickly took two bites of maja Blanca before leaving the house. On her way to the hospital, she quickly branched to a flower shop and bought a peony bouquet [Peonies: a spring flower. Peonies are associated with healing which makes them the ideal get well soon flower]
When she got to the hospital, she walked into Chad's room and there was no body there.
Did someone not stay with Chad overnight? What kind of family does he have? she thought.
She dropped the bouquet on the bedside table, entered the bathroom and came out with a bowl of water and a damp cloth in it. She placed the bowl on the bedside table, brought out the damp cloth and squeezed out the water from it and used it to wipe his face, hands and legs. After doing that, she used the blanket to cover him, then she sat on the chair beside the bed and watched him. She missed the way he laughed, the way he talks, his cute dimples and his warm embrace. She held his hand and kissed it.
Just then, the door opened and Mina came in. She was shocked when she saw Rachel. How did she enter the room?
"What are you doing here?"
Rachel turned her head and saw Mina standing at the door. She stood up and smiled, "I came here to see my boyfriend"
Boyfriend?
That word made anger welled up in Mina's chest. She walked over and slapped Rachel. "What right do you think you have here? I don't care if you are his girlfriend or whatever, but you don't deserve to be with him. Sooner or later, Chad will be mine"
Rachel touched her face. The slaps she received yesterday are sure enough to make her end up in the hospital. Her cheeks were still swollen and painful and she is receiving another one.
Rachel raised her head to look into Mina's eyes and rage quickened her blood. "What right do you also have to stay with him? Let me remind you who you are if you have forgotten, you are nothing, but someone living under the same roof with him. You are nothing to him" Rachel retorted fiercely.
"..." Mina was speechless.