AFIRE

#A4Day3 : Always

"I'm cold." She whispered, rubbing her palms on her arms.

"I know, Darling. I know." He held her, wrapping his arms around her body, as she laid on the bed, the beeping sound of the heart monitor resounding in the four walls of her hospital room. "Do you want me to turn the AC off?"

"No, Rj. You..Umm..just hold me." She smiled.

They spent the last 6 months in and out of the hospital, as her body slowly succumbed to Stage 4 Breast cancer. It was too late when they found out and the malignant cells had already spread to her vital organs. Now, she is basically a walking corpse, her body thin and brittle, skin pale and ice cold, breathing heavy and labored and heart beat slow and weak. She was far from who she was seen before, people often describing her as definition of summer; warm, happy and positive.

Rj met Maine one cold, winter evening in New York, when he was vacationing by himself, trying to get away from the chaotic world he had back in the Philippines. He suffered from heartbreak upon heartbreak, from the separation of his parents, the death of his best friend, financial difficulties and his former girlfriend leaving him for another man. He isolated himself, thinking that maybe if he did that, his heart would become numb and he wouldn't suffer the pain anymore. All that changed when he crossed paths with Maine. She became the warmth to his cold heart. He made her believe that he was capable of loving again.

"Are you sure, Maine?" He worriedly said.

"Yes, Love. Ummm..I..I'm sure." She looked up at him as her head laid gently on his warm chest, her arm draped over his torso. "Happy ka?" She asked.

"Ngayon? Sobra." He said, trying to hold back the tears forming in his eyes.

"Rj, may hiling sana ako sa'yo."

"Ano yun, Meng? Anything."

"Happy ka pa rin kahit wala na ako ha? Piliin mo pa ring maging masaya."

"Bakit mo sinasabi yan? Bata ka pa. You're 21 pa lang, mabubuhay ka pa." He pulled her closer.

"We both know na suntok na sa buwan yan, Love. Pero, please, Rj. Be happy, for me?"

With a heavy heart, Rj nodded. "Yes, Darling." The tears started falling down his cheeks.

"I love you, Rj."

"I love you too, Maine."

As he uttered those words, the beeping of the heart monitor slowly came to a halt, and Rj watched as Maine let out her last breath.

"Always."