Thursday, August 28, 2008

Chapter 2

Hansen Nichols alighted from the passenger side of his Black Expedition after giving instructions to his driver to park at the 2nd level of the ELJ building basement parking.

"This is it!"

After Pinoy Dream Academy wrapped up, he had received a few projects from the station, and was included in three of the station's soap operas. However, after he had to go back home to California to meet up with his doctors for his routine check up, projects became few and far apart.He didnt mind the downtime though, he had time to get to know Cristina Pastor outside the academy and was her shoulder to cry on at the time of her breakup with her boyfriend. He knew it didnt look right, since he had to admit that his closeness with Cris was one of the reasons why a big strain had come between the former couple.A few months later, they had officially become a couple. He had asked Cris to travel with him to California in time for the Nichols family reunion and his follow up check up. The trip had become their last trip as single people.On a weekend trip to Las Vegas, they had decided to get married.It had come as a big surprise to his family when they got back but they had accepted Sen's decision and gave them their blessing.When they got back to Manila, they had to answer to rumors circulating the moment that they stepped out of the Philippines up to the time they got back.They admitted to the marriage, there was no point in hiding it.ABS-CBN accepted them with open arms, and when they decided to have their church wedding in Manila, they covered the wedding from beginning to end.

Now, a few years later, he was finally given a chance to record an album and Star Records had called him for a meeting with the album producers.

"Mr.Nichols, you can go in now"

Sen nodded at the receptionist and turned off his cellphone before entering the boardroom.
***
"Arghhh!Why Sen!Of all the freaking times!" Van angrily pounded on his cellphone keypad as he redialled Sen's cellphone number.

He had rushed Cristina to the emergency room and had been trying to call Hansen for an hour now.

Miguel Mendoza and Inaki Ting had rushed to the hospital whom he called in desperation when he couldnt get a hold of Hansen right away.

"Give it a break now Van!Apple just messaged that Hansen had been in the Star Records boardroom for an hour and a half now."

"Shit!"Van said as he paced the floor.
"Man, sit down, you're making me dizzy."Inaki complained.

"Typical of Sen to be out of reach at a crucial moment"Van muttered.

"Huh?" Inaki and Migs asked.

"Nothing" he mumbled."Ypu would not understand."

Miguel and Inaki looked at each other.
They knew there was some strain between Van and Hansen for a while now.
But they never knew the reason why.
They had learned to live with the fact that wherever Cris and Sen were, Van was nowhere to be found.

Van's cellphone rang.

"Hello!...Mike...yeah...she is?Alright!I'll be there."

"What?"Inaki asked.

"She's awake!"

Chapter 1

Dr.Pojas, Dr Pojas!"

The young doctor who was casually making his daily rounds turned to face the head nurse of the oncology ward.

"Yes?"
"Sir, your secretary has been calling you for an hour already.She said you have a visitor in your office."

He fished out his pager and his cell phone from the pockets of his coat."Shoot!Low-batt!I forgot to charge again"

He mentally slapped his forehead, reprimanding himself for being absentminded again.
BLame it on being workaholic, when he steps in the hospital, making his rounds, checking on his patients at his clinic and handling the freshman
and sophomore health science classes, he would tend to forget about other things.

He paced in the direction where his medical office was.
He walked the glass filled hallway, and entered the brightly lit reception area of his clinic.
"Poy!"she called to the secretary slash head nurse of the Pojas Medical Center.
Poy Palma, his fellow castmate and one time singing partner, opened the door to his office and made a gesture that his visitor was inside.

"She's inside!" she softly said.
"She?"
"Yeah!She!"
"I thought it was?"
Poy shook her head."Gretchen made an error, it was Mrs Nichols, not Mr Nichols!"
Van rolled his eyes in disbelief at another error that the intern had made.
"Look on the bright side, it was just the name that she made an error on."Poy chuckled.
Van smirked."You want to join us inside?"
"Nah, you go ahead, i know she wants to talk to you."
"You know why?".
He had a hunch why Cris was there, he just didnt want to be right.
"Van, you've distanced yourself from those two for so long, why dont you just go in and see her."
"Poy, didnt i tell you already why?"he said softly
"Yes, you did and i'll keep saying what i told you after you relayed the story.Remember?
Van held the door knob and let out a big sigh.
Poy squeezed his hand and whispered goodluck then went back to her tasks.


"Here goes nothing". he mumbled as he opened the door and saw Cristina Nichols standing in front of his window.


She was still the same beautiful woman that he met in the Academy
The same woman that he had learned to love, the person that he couldnt have because he had to give way for his bestfriend. The reason why he chose to distance himself from them and follow his mom's wishes.

He cleared his throat.
Cristina turned to face him and she flashed a big smile once she saw Van.
"Bro!!!" she greeted!!!
"Cris!" he greeted in his attempt to stay professional and to avoid being emotional.
"Dont go all Dr, Pojas on me, Van Louelle, im not here for a check up, im checking up on you."
As if raising the white flag, Van surrendered to the clutches of being emotional.
"Alright" Van said as he walked back to the door. "Lets do it again!"
Cris laughed at the thought of a reenactment. "Come on, you dont have to!Just give me a hug, kid!"
Van wanted to protest, he hated it when Cris called him kid, but its been so long since he heard it from her that he just didnt care anymore and just wrapped Cris in a tight hug.

As he was about to disengage himself from the embrace, he felt Cris' body turn stiff.Cris' eyes looked troubled and then closed her eyes. In a second, he was carrying Cris' limp body to the couch and shouting for Poy to call the emergency room staff.