Stacey wasn't sure how she ended up here.
Well, she was sure—Colet had texted her in the early in the morning, saying that Sheena’s absence at the class is because the girl is sick. The temperature’s high, so the young girl doesn’t want to eat or drink medicine. Or at least, that’s how Colet made it sound.
bwisit sa buhay (dni): Stace, pakisabi sa mga profs niyo, inaapoy ng lagnat si Sheen. Ayaw kumain at uminom ng gamot.
Stacey: wala siyang sinabi sakin?
bwisit sa buhay (dni): Hindi ka na siguro mahal?
Stacey: bakit pa ba ko nag-eexpect ng matinong sagot sayo? at bakit hindi mo alagaan yung kapatid mo?
bwisit sa buhay (dni): Beh, kilala mo kapatid ko. Hindi sumusunod sakin, sayo lang. Alam mo namang mahal na mahal ka nung batang yon.
Stacey: you’re supposed to be the one na nag-aalaga kay Sheen, nasa school ako right now. my gosh.
bwisit sa buhay (dni): Nasa school din ako right now, ayaw nga niya sumunod sakin. Please, favor lang oh. May summative test kami ngayon, si Maloi lang din nagpaalala sakin. Thanks, Stace!
Stacey: wow, nag-thank you na agad. edi wala na akong karapatan humindi. porket kasama mo yang crush mong hindi ka naman gusto.
bwisit sa buhay (dni): Nanghingi lang ng favor, nanakit pa.
Stacey: ewan ko sayo! puntahan ko siya after netong first class ko.
bwisit sa buhay (dni): Hulog ka ng langit, Stace. Thanks talaga!
Stacey: whatever.
Stacey rolled her eyes as she stood in the middle of Sheena’s chaotic apartment, holding a bottle of disinfectant spray in one hand and a laundry basket in the other. She glanced around, unsure of where to begin. The living room was a battlefield of crumpled paper towels, loose socks, and empty soft drink bottles. It appeared as though the kitchen had not been thoroughly cleaned in months. And Sheena’s bedroom—well, Stacey had peeked in there earlier and promptly closed the door.
“Parang dinaanan naman ng bagyo ‘to. Hay nako, Sheena Mae.” she muttered to herself, sighing.
The younger, of course, was curled up on the couch under a stack of blankets. Her normally bright self had turned into a feverish, sniffly mess, with her dark hair sticking out everywhere.
Stacey wasn’t known for being a domestic goddess. Her own apartment was… well, let’s just say it was more liveable than Sheena’s right now. But Sheena was sick, so she started with the laundry. The basket was overflowing with clothes—some clean, some dirty, some on the floor, and some in a gray area Stacey didn’t want to think about. She lugged the basket to the laundry room, sorted the chaos, and started a load.
“Step one, laundry.” Stacey muttered. “Step two, survive.”
As the distant rumble of the washing machine continued, Stacey went to the kitchen. The pile of dishes in the sink made her wrinkle her nose, and she rolled up her sleeves. She didn't love doing the dishes, but there was a strangely nice feeling that comes from transforming a mess into something tidy and clean.
By the time Stacey finished the dishes, Stacey tackled Sheena’s bedroom. She picked up stray tissues with gloves on—because no way was she touching them—and wiped down every surface with disinfectant. She vacuumed the rug, fluffed the pillows, and even lit a scented candle she found on Sheena’s nightstand.
The last thing on Stacey’s list was cooking. She wasn’t exactly a good cook, but she knew the basics. Looking through Sheena's cupboard, she found the ingredients for a porridge. Stacey put Sheena's cabinets in order as the soup simmered on the stove. Something about Sheena's disorganized apartment made her want to sort everything out, even though she had never been interested in organizing her own space. She organized soup cans, arranged plates in a tidy stack, and even sought a place for Sheena's messy tupperwares.
When the soup was done, Stacey poured some into a bowl and brought it on the coffee table beside the couch where Sheena was comfortably sleeping. She couldn't help but smile as she walked towards the sleeping latter and leaned down to give her a tender kiss on the forehead. She instantly withdrew when her lips met Sheena's hot skin.
“Sobrang init mo naman, bub.” Stacey muttered to herself as her chest tightened with worry.
With a sigh, Stacey watched Sheena's sleeping face with a soft gaze. Sheena looked extremely adorable despite her messy, feverish appearance, with her lips slightly parted and a little wrinkle of discomfort between her brows.
Stacey padded into the kitchen, her steps light to avoid disturbing Sheena. She grabbed a basin, filled it with cool water, and took a clean washcloth. She headed back to the living room and set the items on the coffee table.
She knelt next to Sheena, her heart thumping at the sight of her girlfriend huddled up under the blanket, so vulnerable and little. With caution to avoid spilling water everywhere, Stacey slowly squeezed out the washcloth and delicately placed it on Sheena's forehead.
Using the cool, wet towel, Stacey delicately wiped Sheena's face before moving to her neck and arms. She was careful, focused on providing Sheena with some relief.
She paused, staring at the way Sheena’s lips twitched slightly in her sleep, worried that she might have awakened her.
“Ang kulit mo kasi, sinabi ko nang wag nagpapatuyo ng pawis after training.” Stacey whispered. After dipping the washcloth back into the basin and wringing it out, she continued to wipe Sheena's hands and arms. "Sa ngayon, aalagaan muna kita, tulad ng pag-aalaga mo sa akin.”
She didn’t mind the mess. This was Sheena, after all. And Stacey loved every bit of her—the good, the bad, and the feverish.
After finishing with the cool compress, she stood up and headed to Sheena’s room to grab a fresh set of pajamas. She took some soft pants and a loose cotton shirt. She paused as she walked back into the living room. Although waking Sheena up sounded harsh, she also didn't want her girlfriend to sleep in clothes soaked in sweat.
“Bub.” she called softly, kneeling beside her again.
Sheena stirred, her eyes fluttering open. “Hmm? Bakit nandito ka?”
“Hey bubby, it doesn’t matter. You’re sick kaya nandito ako.” Stacey said gently, brushing her fingers against Sheena’s cheek. “Palit ka damit, basa na ng pawis likod mo.”
Sheena blinked her eyes, still half-asleep. “Hmm. Did I call you ba?” she mumbled, her voice hoarse.
Stacey chuckled at her girlfriend’s antics, “No, tinext ako ng ate mo. Tara na, kakain ka pa. I cooked lugaw for you, para makainom ka na ng meds.”
With Stacey’s help, Sheena groggily changed into the fresh pajamas. In order to prevent her from getting chilly, the older girl took care to keep her as covered as possible.
The younger’s head rested against the armrest, her face still pale from the fever. Stacey sat beside her, “Kain ka na bub.”
Sheena groaned, her face scrunching slightly in protest. “Wala akong gana.” she murmured, her voice raspy.
Stacey raised an eyebrow. “Kung ayaw mong sumunod kay ate Colet, hindi ka uubra sakin. Kakain ka, susubuan na lang kita.”
Stacey reached for the bowl of newly cooked porridge. She perched on the edge of the couch, spoon in hand. “Ah.”
Sheena groaned again, but she obeyed, parting her lips just enough for Stacey to carefully bring the spoon to her mouth. She swallowed slowly, though she’s struggling to swallow as her throat hurts.
After eating enough to appease Stacey's nagging, she put the empty bowl down and picked up the medicine from the coffee table.
“Take your meds na, bumalik ka na ulit sa pagtulog pagkatapos. I’ll stay here until you get better.” Stacey said, helping the struggling Sheena sitting up a little properly.
The younger’s hands were shaky, so she kept a steadying hand on the glass as Sheena swallowed the pills. When she was done, Stacey took the glass and set it aside, tucking her girlfriend under the blanket to let her take a rest again, Sheena’s head on her lap.
“Pagaling ka na bub, hindi ako sanay na tahimik ka. Nakakainis yung ingay mo minsan, pero nakakamiss kasi walang nangungulit sakin.”
Sheena let out a soft laugh, her voice still weak. “I miss you too, bubby. Thank you.”
Stacey leaned in to kiss Sheena’s forehead. “You’re welcome bub, ikaw naman muna ang aalagaan ko ngayon.”
Sheena sighed contently, smiling sweetly at Stacey. “I might not say this always pero I love you, bubby. Thank you for taking care of me kahit you hate doing house chores.” she whispered, her eyes already drifting shut.
Stacey’s chest tightened at her girlfriend’s not usual affection. “I love you too, bub. It doesn't bother me anyway.” she replied softly, brushing a strand of hair from Sheena’s face.
"Kasi kahit hindi ako sanay, kahit ayoko sa gawaing bahay. I'll do anything for you. Basta ikaw bub,
for you, I will."
And if taking care of Sheena meant doing things she doesn’t usually do, Stacey was more than happy to do it. Because Sheena was worth it.
She always would be.