Chapter VII A Weekend and a Five-Minute Getaway

An uneventful week passed.

For John Lloyd, it meant there was no talk of tortoise. For Sarah, it was John Lloyd just sitting quietly beside her, while they watched old movies oh her DVR.

All was peaceful.

Well, except those times that they bickered about food and having too much of it. When Johnlloyd insisted that he would order their food, Sarah was shocked to find more than ten dishes on their table. She accused him of wasting his money. He accused her of not being grateful.

Her father and their help were with them during that lunch so they could not fight out in the open, but once they left for an errand, she made sure that John Lloyd eat all the food.

John Lloyd was all too happy to oblige. Finishing the food meant two things. He’d get so full and die of gluttony, or if he didn’t die, he could stay in Sarah’s place well into the evening. He liked the latter very very much.

Sarah smiled to herself when she remembered that day. When her father came home that night, he sat with them and ate the remaining chicken. There was no food left so John Lloyd had no more excuse to stay.

Yet, Sarah knew if John Lloyd asked her father if he could stay longer, her dad would not say no. She noticed that both her parents, especially her dad had been extra lenient to her since they found out about her heart condition.

So, she was only slightly surprised when John Lloyd told her of his plans for the weekend.

“Start packing.” He clapped, telling her to hurry.

“Why? Where AM I going?”

“WE ARE. We’re going to Beijing.” He flashed her a wide grin.

“Why? And why do I need to pack?”

He circled her, before he answered her. They were in the kitchen.

“Because, we’ll spend the weekend in Beijing.” A wink.

“What?! Dad—“

“Tito already said yes. You wouldn’t think I’d take you there without asking for his permission first, would you?” He gave a naughty smile.

“Or wouldn’t you? What? Did you think I ---- tsk. Tsk. Sarah! I never thought you could be that---“ John Lloyd started teasing her.

Sarah didn’t let him finish. She knew her face was on fire, so she turned the faucet and splashed him with water before she ran toward her bedroom.

“Unfair! I’ll get you one of these days.” John Lloyd said to her retreating back. He gave a hearty laugh.

Life was perfect during that five-minute exchange.



It took them only 30 minutes to reach the Guangzhou airport. Five minutes in the airport when they had their first weekend fight. One of the many they would have in the next two days they spent in Beijing.

The flight attendant flirted with John Lloyd, and he flirted back. As claimed by Sarah.

When he noticed that she became quiet, he knew something was wrong. When he questioned her, she said everything was okay but turned away from him.

When the male flight attendant passed by, Sarah asked for a bottled water. Her smile was a bit longer than necessary. At least for John Lloyd.

They were quiet during the remaining time of the flight. Few minutes before touchdown, John Lloyd held Sarah’s hand.

And they fought again when they could not get a taxi.

“Why can’t they understand what I’m saying?” John Lloyd was getting frustrated, as the third taxi drove off because the driver could not understand what he said in English.

Sarah was just laughing beside him. The more he got irritated, the louder her laugh became.

After 30 minutes, she was still giggling and John Lloyd was more annoyed, they finally got a taxi. Sarah couldn’t stop her giggles from time to time.

John Lloyd got his revenge when they reached their destination.

Hotel. He booked them in one room, he told her.

“ No, get another room.” She stomped her foot like a kid.

“No available room.” He said with a straight face.

“If you don’t believe me, try asking the receptionist.”

“I plan to do that.”

“Ok, i’ll go to my room now. I’ll see you later.”

“What?! You’ll leave me here?”

“You don’t want to share the room with me, so get your room.” John Lloyd made a step to where the elevator was.

“Had I known--- I shouldn’t have come. You!” Sarah hissed at him.

John Lloyd knew he reached her limit, so dangled the two electronic cards for her to see.

“Gotcha! Ha ha”

Sarah reached for the card and pinched him at his side.

John Lloyd smiled. He was in a happy place. His world was perfect in those five minutes.



Sarah stuck out her tongue at him before she closed her own room. His was just next to hers.

John Lloyd opened his door, placed his overnight bag on his bed, and knocked at the adjoining room before opening it.

“Hello” John Lloyd smiled at Sarah’s surprised look.

She took a second look at the door that he just opened, before she closed her mouth.

“You didn’t think I’d allow you to stay alone in a room in a foreign country? There’s no way I would do that.” He sat on her bed.

“I’m a little bit worried about my safety though.” He teased her.

She threw a pillow at him, full at his face.

Sarah’s heart leapt. It was perfect happiness, those five minutes.






-------
Enjoy the moment, every moment, when you love.

6.2 Mitral Valve Prolapse and Facebook

John lloyd planked down on his bed.

He had been with several women, but Sarah proved to be the toughest and the craziest. Women! So hard to figure out.

Each time he declared his feelings, she would talk about the weirdest things. It was icedrop then. Now, it’s tortoise! How the heck could he understand what she was trying to say when all she did was talk in riddles?

Crazy woman.

Stubborn.

Tortoise.

Crazy.

He fumed a few more. He pushed from his bed and opened his laptop.

When arguing didn’t work with Sarah, he found another way to voice out his point. Facebook.

He had no interest in facebook, but he discovered that Sarah now frequented it and would often post how her day went by and how she felt. So, he asked her to make him an account. She was the only friend he had in his facebook. He didn’t see any point of adding others.

He started typing. One finger, one key at a time.

Facebook status:

Miggy Montenegro

I invited someone for dinner, but got refused. I just wanted a good dinner, what’s wrong with that? :/

Like - - 5 minutes ago

Refreshed.

Princess Asher

I explained my side to someone, was told I was crazy.

Like- - 4 mintes ago via Mobile

Look at this woman. John Lloyd complained to himself.

Miggy Montenegro

When someone declare themselves to be a character in Batibot, when you’re actually asking how they feel towards you, would that be reasonable? Brain problem, bebeko? Tsk. Tsk.

Like - - 7 minutes ago

Refreshed.

Ticktock.

Refreshed.

Ticktock.

Refreshed.

Princess Asher

It’s Mitral Valve Prolapse. Heart.

Like- - 2 minutes ago via Mobile

John Lloyd left his laptop on his bed and ran straight to Sarah’s place.

She opened the door for him.

He hugged her. She didn’t struggle to get out of it. He hugged her more tightly.

“Let’s not fight today, please.” He said to her ears.

“Okay. I’m sorry.” She said in a small voice.

They stayed that way. Just hugging.

“You really didn’t get my point.”

“Hmmm?”

“About me being a tortoise.”

“Should I?” John lloyd looked at her inquiringly.

“If you ask me again the same question, that would still be my answer. That I’m a tortoise.”

“I feel like I missed a class where they discussed the Batibot era.” John Lloyd tried to make light of the situation. All the while he was thinking he was missing something really important here. In a way he understood Sarah, and the way she dealt with things.

Tortoise.

“Let’s not talk about tortoise tonight. I’m hungry.” He felt his stomach grumbled and made a sound.

“I know.” Sarah laughed.

“Let’s eat.”

“Let’s have pizza.”

“Pizza, it is!” John lloyd readily agreed and dialed the number of the Pizza delivery.

***

Princess Asher

Ok, just when my heart was craving for pizza, the pizza delivery boy came. J

Like- - 3 minutes ago

Refreshed.

Miggy Montenegro

Just when I was needing a good fight, a door opened cuz somebody needed a hug and pizza. Goodnight bebeko. J

Like - - 2 minutes ago

-------------

I figured, before the really big fight, there must be a kiss & make-up first. lol

And btw, my youngest sister has Mitral Valve Prolapse and she's better now. :)

Chapter VI : Hearts in hoodies and Tortoises

6.1

“What do you want?”

“I want you to go back to the Philippines.”

“Not in the menu. What else?” John Lloyd grinned from across her.

He had been bugging Sarah what she wanted to eat for dinner since nine o’clock that morning. Now it was right after lunch. He had lunch with them. Not an unusual scene for more than three weeks now, eversince John Lloyd decided to occupy the apartment in the same floor where Sarah and her father were staying.

“I don’t want anything. Oh, I don’t want you here.” Sarah insisted. Again, her daily dialogue to John Lloyd.

“My choice, not yours. So, you want to go out? Let’s go to Macau! Let’s have dinner there.” He winked at her.

They once tried it. From Guangzhou, they crossed the border to go to Macau. They realized that Filipinos easily recognized them so they had to travel incognito, which made the trip all the more interesting.

John Lloyd particularly enjoyed the fact that he had to practically hug Sarah all through out the trip under their hoodies. The only times that they got separated were when they were seated at their table in one of the restaurants in Venetian hotel, and when each had to go to the comfort room.

That was their first time to go out on their own. And there had been no second time yet. Today, John Lloyd just burst it out that he wanted to dine out.

“Come on, Bebeko. We’ve been boring ourselves in this apartment for like forever now. Let’s go out again.”

“Don’t call me Bebeko.” Sarah parroted herself. Part of their everyday argument was that John Lloyd just put it to his heart that they had a relationship, and she was his bebeko.

“Of course you are.” Another good looking grin.

“Of course, I AM NOT. And no, I don’t want to go out and have dinner with you. I’m perfectly fine where I am. Not bored here. Since you’re bored, go home already.” Sarah kept her arms around her.

John Lloyd reached out and tickled her knees.

“Stop it. I’m serious here. Go back to the philippines.”

“don’t want.”

“You do. You have to.”

John lloyd didn’t argue back as he usually did. After a moment, he asked in a serious tone.

“Why?”

“Why what? Why, you have to go back home?”

“Why do you keep on pushing me away?”

“I’m not. Your work is there. Your family too.”

“I’ve already explained to you that I’m on a two month vacation, so no problem with work. My family is ok with this. So, what is the problem, really?”

Sarah had no argument ready. How could she explain how she really felt? How could she tell him her fears? That she was afraid to commit herself to him, especially now, she realized. She was not that confident of his feelings for her. What if it was just pity? Kindness being camouflaged in love? That he himself was also not sure, or aware of. He bid goodbye to her already. And he just sought her once he knew her situation. What if he regretted his decision? What if he just realized one day that he didn’t love her after all?

Just the thought of it brought a slight pierce of pain to her heart, that she winced.

“Are you okay?” John Lloyd was immediately at his feet. He held her hands. Worry etched at his face.

“I’m okay.” Sarah took a deep breath.

“Do you want to go to the hospital?”

“OA ha. I said I’m okay.” Sarah stood up, and walked towards the closed verandah. She needed the space away from John Lloyd so she could think straight.

Stop messing with my head. She almost said it aloud.

“I’m okay Idan. You heard what the doctor said. All I need is rest.”

One reason also why she was in China was a family friend recommended a good doctor there. As it turned out, he was really good. He explained to them her case. He said that through proper rest and right medicines, her misaligned valve could be cured, and she would be fit again in no time. No need for any operation. She could even go back to work. But, of course she had to change her old workstyle.

Her last scan showed improvements. She herself observed that she rarely had palpitations. Most times, she would even forget that she had a heart condition.

Today was not one of those times, though. Sarah could feel that her heart was in a race as she listened to John lloyd.

“ I want to be with you. What’s the problem with that? Why do I have to get hurt, just because I want to be near you?”

“I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m not pushing you away. I’m not---” She stopped what she was saying.

“Then, what are you doing? You never say why. You never explain. We just go around in circles.” John Lloyd looked at her intensely.

Sarah looked at him.

“Because I’m a tortoise. And I’m guessing I also need a tortoise in my life.” Sarah burst out.

Blank face from John lloyd.

“What?” Confused look this time.

“That’s my explanation. I’m a tortoise.”

“What kind of explanation is that?!”

“See! You don’t even know what I’m talking about.”

“What the?! Did you hear what you just said Sarah? I ask you why you’re pushing me away, and your answer is that you’re a tortoise.” John Lloyd looked annoyed now.

“Well, that’s all I’m gonna say.”

“Are you crazy?”

“No, I’m a tortoise.” Sarah insisted. Now, she could look straight at his eyes.

John Lloyd just looked back at her. Feeling helpless. After awhile, he stood up and went out of the apartment. Sarah guessed he would go to his own place.

Sarah gulped a big heap of air once he was gone.

She was finally able to explain her fears without revealing too much. It was his turn to figure it out. Even she couldn’t believe that she came up with that crazy explanation. That she was a tortoise.

Toirtoise could live more than a million years.

She heard that line in her favorite Japanese TV drama. She watched it a few times here in China. She loaned her DVD to John Lloyd.

“Tortoise lives the longest. And needs love that stays the longest. Not the kind that is fleeting.” The female character said. Sarah had never forgotten.

She was a tortoise. She needed a love that could promise forever.

And it seemed that John Lloyd had not watched the DVD yet.

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Sorry guys, but she really is a tortoise. haha

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