previous : next

17. INT. MAKATI MEDICAL CENTER – ROOM 630 – THAT NIGHT

Shooting for the day is finally over, and Luis is out of his Habagat costume and in a standard white hospital gown.

He is in bed, trying to keep busy (so as not to brood, not here, not in this place), trying to find just the right angle on it for maximum comfort, but thus far, the bed’s mechanics and his body just aren’t synchronizing.

Though he’s supposed to be resting, Luis feels a lot better now, and wonders why he’s even still here. He could be at home instead. (The doctors though, had recommended an overnight stay, “for observation,” and Luis reluctantly thought that prudent.)

Still… he’s not really comfortable in this place, and it isn’t just the bed, which he finally gives up on, in time to hear the knock on the door.

With a sigh of relief, Luis watches the door slowly open, and is surprised to see Ace sticking his head in the room.

“Ace!” Luis calls out in greeting.

Smiling, Ace enters, holding out a Gonuts box, which Luis gladly takes.

Grinning, he asks, “Flavor?”

“Strawberry, of course. Si Luis Conrado pa naman. Siyempre strawberry.”

“Thanks, Ace,” Luis replies, placing the box on the sidetable.

“So,” Ace says, straddling the hospital chair, leaning his forearms on its backrest, “how are you? Sino na yung bumisita today?”

“Well, visitors, si Joanna, siyempre. Then my mom, kasama niya si Jake. Direk was being really nice about it, pero laging na-i-interrupt yung shooting.”

“Yeah, I got the faxes for the new script na. So yung storyline, na-poison si Habagat ng criptonatz? And this was your idea?”

Luis nods, smiling.

“Galing, man! Grateful lang ako na it isn’t gonna be Suspiria who’s the culprit. Masyado nang negative yung press sa kanya.”

“Kasi, sabihin mo kay Suspiria, i-fire na niya yung manager niya,” Luis jokes.

“Oo nga, e,” Ace replies gamely. “Dapat siguro maging commercial model na lang si Suspiria. Ang banu-bano naman niya as a supervillain, lagi siyang talo kay Habagat.”

Luis points at Ace as if at the sudden million peso winner. “Exactically!”

“E, si Lilith, `di dumaan?” Ace asks coyly.

Luis grins. “She was with Ruben, no, following the ambulance. Diba we were taping the farewell scene, so she was on set when I collapsed. Actually, I collapsed into her arms…”

“Suwerte mo,” Ace smiles, then, looks seriously at Luis, levity gone. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Ace. Really. Like I said before, puyat lang `to. Wala akong sakit or anything. And look. Nasa-ospital nga si Habagat, pero tuloy pa rin yung fantaserye! I won’t let you guys down.”

“That’s great. Pero I really am concerned about your health, pare.” Then, as a painfully obvious afterthought, “And Cass. We’re both concerned about you.”

“Thanks,” Luis replies, overwhelmed. “Thanks, talaga.”

“Siyempre, ‘no. Ang daming ego freak sa industriya natin, so getting to work with a professional who’s also a nice guy, parang nanalo ako sa lotto, diba? Ikaw pa naman yung bida ng show. You can take advantage of that and be a real pain, and they won’t fire you, kasi ikaw yung star. But you don’t take advantage of that. Sobrang down-to-earth ka. And you actually help out struggling actors like me with little tips.

“I’m really grateful, Luis.”

At first, Luis is stunned at the sentiments. He knows they’re genuine (Ace is many things, but he has never been one for deceit-- thus, of the main stars of Habagat, he is the one least interviewed, due to his frank inability to play the PR/showbiz game), so this is a heartfelt outpouring, and not some bid for Famas glory. It’s just that he never really knew Ace felt this way.

Ace smirks. “Sorry. Ang drama ko tonight.”

“No,” Luis replies. “I’m grateful. And glad you told me.” Luis holds out his fist. Ace smiles, stands, and knocks it with his own. “Thanks.”

“O, sige,” Ace says, “iwan na kita. The star needs his beauty sleep.”

“Not before some Gonuts!” Luis quips.

Then, as Ace is about to open the door, “Oh, yeah, sorry daw na hindi naka-bisita si Cass. May derma daw siya, e, tapos gym.”

“Okey lang,” Luis replies. “Thanks ulit, a. Ingat!”

Ace opens the door, shoots a look of Evil Sinister Gloating at Luis, and says, “Ingat sila sa akin, dahil ako ay si,” lowering his voice then, to an audible whisper, “Suspiria!”

And with that, Ace is out, and gone, and Luis lays back in bed, grateful for the finding of friends in the most unlikely of places.

previous : next