Until You

Team Bunso

Things with Sid fell into a comfortable rhythm after that conversation on Sunday afternoon. He would get to NomCom after doing Kuya Ambo's deliveries, and if it was delivery day for Wraps & Roll, he would bring their supplies first before setting off to his other stops. While it wasn't the same as having a four-person team, Charlie had to admit that having Sid around made a difference.

Maybe it was because of the kilig. Charlie's crush on him remained a constant presence in the following days. Beyond his good looks, Sid was kind and patient and seemed very attuned to the needs of the people around him. He reminded them to eat, refilled their tumblers with water, made jokes to break the stress, and welcomed customers as if they were his friends whenever Charlie let him take over the register.

Maybe this was how things were supposed to be for them. What if the date had pushed through, and they ended up not liking each other? Then she finds out that he was the Isidro Agustin soon after? Wouldn't that have been more terrible then?

Weeknights at NomCom were often quiet, except on Wednesdays, where the performance areas come alive again with the weekly NomCom Acoustic Night. But like on Fridays, Charlie closed Wraps & Roll early so they could all enjoy the show because, again, no one was going to look for vegan wraps and smoothies late into the night.

Besides the early off on Wednesday, Charlie received another piece of good through a phone call.

"Sophie's okay!" Mira said happily. "She's done with her medications, and her doctor just cleared her. We can go back to work tomorrow!"

It was like an immense burden was lifted off Charlie's shoulders. "I'm so happy, Mira! But are you sure you don't want to take the rest of the week off to rest?"

"It's payday this weekend, so of course, Sophie and I want to be there." There was a pause, and Charlie could already imagine her friend making that scrutinizing face. "Please tell me you've let people help you while we were out."

"Of course! In fact, we've got good help." Charlie glanced over at Sid, who was again by the tree for his own work-related phone call. She could see him smiling even from a distance, so whatever that phone call was about, it was also good news. Her own lips stretched into a smile. "See you tomorrow."

A few minutes later, Sid returned to the stall, his nose scrunching happily. "Kuya Ambo's coming back to work tomorrow," he said. "He's been well for a while, but I told him to add a few more days off so he could rest."

"Wow, that's so kind of you." Charlie clapped her hands. "Mira and Sophie are also coming back tomorrow."

"Good news for both of us, then." Sid raised a hand for a high five, and it wasn't until their palms met that Charlie realized what all of this meant.

She no longer needed Sid's help.

And Sid wouldn't be doing their next supplies delivery.

There would be no reason for him to hang out at their stall or be at NomCom, unless he wanted to eat there, of course.

It seemed like Sid had also realized the same thing because she saw the happiness in his eyes dim a little bit as he said, "Oh."

"Order up!" Fay's voice cut through their silence as she passed behind Sid to put a freshly made wrap on the tray waiting on the counter. Charlie blinked, snapping out of her daze as she turned to their computer to complete the order. One of their pagers buzzed somewhere in NomCom, and a minute later, the customer arrived to claim it.

After the customer left, she looked up again and found Sid by her usual spot by the smoothies counter, talking to Fay. "Thanks so much for your help, Kuya Sid," she was saying. "We wouldn't have gotten through the past week without you."