18

"…I brought the ingredients…" Sarge said as soon as Meng opened the door. Meng was Sarge's 'first love'. They grew up together but their relationship was more of just puppy love than anything else. When she married Rj, Sarge almost became her "man of honor" during their wedding. He promised to be the godfather of Meng's first child instead.

"…there's this 'unwritten rule' that close family members cannot be their physicians…" Sarge explained when Meng told him she was pregnant. "…we might become biased when it comes to diagnosis and treatment…and since you're almost like family, I will be honored to be your baby's Ninong instead…"

Sarge had always been there for Meng and her little family ever since. They were very close, even with Sarge's family, that sometimes, Sarge's parents would borrow Dea. Jacob and Jackson, their grandchildren from Sarge's eldest brother lived in the US with their parents.

"Papap!" Dea excitedly ran toward the door and hugged Sarge's leg.

"Hi Princess!"

"Look! Pinses Te-ya!" Dea said, twirling around.

"That's nice. Wait, do you want to help me cook?" Sarge said as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Yay!"

"Go and wash your hands first."

"En get eh-pon!"

"She's been obsessed with that apron since you gave it to her the last time."

"Wasn't it too big?"

"You think she cares?" Meng chuckled. She then brought out utensils for Sarge to use as Sarge laid out the ingredients on the table.

"Here Dea. You can chop the carrots." Sarge gave Dea some carrot strips to cut with her plastic knife. Three year old Dea excitedly began her task and quietly worked beside Sarge.

"How's Rj?" Sarge asked Meng as he began cooking.

Meng glanced over at Dea. "He'll be home in a couple of days."

Sarge face lightened up. "Oooh…another business trip?"

Meng nodded. "He's been doing some marketing research. Chef Jordan brought him to a conference in France…"

"Nice!"

"We're planning to expand Lasap…"

"New branches?"

Meng nodded. "I've been busy interviewing new staff actually…"

"That's great news!" Sarge said.

"How about you?" Meng asked as she set the table.

"What about me?"

"Honestly, you actually sounded sad when we called earlier."

"Papap, tad? Papap, kwy?" Dea suddenly interrupted.

"No. Papap didn't cry." Sarge tried to force a smile when he remembered what he witnessed hours earlier.

"…it's Aina…" Sarge said somberly as they ate dinner.

"Aina, your girlfriend? Hey! You haven't introduced me to her!" Meng said.

"…I was supposed to bring her here tonight…" Sarge sighed.

"And? Are you in the same department? Didn't you say she was in the ER or something?"

"Yes. She's in emergency medicine…"

"Oh, pretty hectic workplace, I presume."

Sarge nodded. Compared to the pediatric floor, the ER had more action happening almost every hour, every day.

"We're launching the pediatric annex next week…"

"I heard about that…"

Sarge looked up at Meng. He tried to recall if he mentioned anything about it to her.

"My cousin and godsister is handling the project. Well, her office is." Meng said. "She's an interior designer and her boyfriend is an architect."

"Really? What's her name? The design of the spaces and rooms are very nice." Sarge gushed.

"Maia. Her name is Maia. She's actually getting better at her craft."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She's been wheelchair bound most of her life."

"Oh?"

"And then, her boyfriend also recently became wheelchair bound after an accident."

"Oh wow!" Sarge said in disbelief.

"I guess they've inspired each other since. Ninong Teo was the one who contacted Ryk to design that new community center and facilities compound for PWDs and seniors."

"The one in the east?"

"Yes, that one. From what I've been told, Ninong Teo is the Ninong of the owner of the architectural firm. I guess it was serendipity that Ryk was also a PWD."

"Really now?"

---

"One more bucket?" Aina said when there were only a few bottles left.

"No, I'm good." Maia said. Maia, Ryk, and Naomi already had 2 bottles each of apple flavored beer. Aina also had 4 bottles of dark beer and was obviously becoming more tipsy.

"Let's get more! It's still early!" Aina said, raising her hand to call the waiter.

Naomi was quick to grab Aina's arm but still, the waiter approached them.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"One more bucket…please…" Aina said.

Her companions shook their heads and the waiter understood. "Just give us some glasses of water, Pops." Ryk said.

"Yes, sir."

"No!" Aina shouted which made the other guests turn. Naomi pulled Aina close to her and apologized to the others.

"What?" Maia, Ryk, and Naomi all said.

"…don't like to hear Popssshhh…"

"Huh?" Naomi asked. Aina began to whimper then sob.

"…Sarge…he's been keeping a secret from me…" Aina sobbed.

"Huh?" Naomi looked at Aina who had her head on the table but face turned toward Naomi.

"…he was talking to a baby…his princess…but…but, I'm his princess…I'm his only princess!"

"Okay? Maybe that's the name of the baby?" Maia suggested.

"But…but…the baby…Princess…she called him Papap…"

"Okay…what's wrong with that?" Ryk asked. But instead of hearing Aina's explanation, they heard her snoring!

---

Sarge slowly walked to their condominium compound after spending time with Meng and Dea. Before Aina came into his life, he would regularly visit them. Dea voluntarily named him "Papap" even if he was always introduced as "Ninong". It stuck and Sarge would also refer to himself as "Papap" when speaking with Dea whether in person or on video calls.

Sarge was still a little confused and annoyed with what he witnessed that afternoon which prompted him to immediately decide to hang out at Meng's. He actually didn't mention much about what he saw at the hospital café but they talked a little about Aina and the new hospital annex.

"Sarge? Doc Sarge!" Naomi called out from the compound driveway. She was standing next to a van.

"Yes?"

"Naomi. Aina's friend."

"Oh."

"…she's passed out on the seat…"

"Huh?"

Naomi pushed the van door open. Aina was lying on the seat. Overcome with concern, Sarge immediately lifted and carried Aina.

"Sorry, we really can't help…" Ryk said. He was seated on his wheelchair behind the seat where Aina was. In fact, Aina slid down to the seat when Naomi went down. Aina was 'sandwiched' between Naomi and Maia.

"Uh, thanks" Sarge said.

---

"What happened?" Sarge asked Naomi as they rushed to the apartment upstairs.

Naomi explained that they had dinner then Aina invited for drinks and tried to order 2 buckets of dark beer all for herself.

"Does she really drink?"

Naomi shook her head, "no."

---

The following morning, Aina woke up with a throbbing headache. It took her a few moments to reorient herself and realized that she was in her own unit. Ever since she moved in with Sarge, she only went to her unit to get some clothes once in a while since they normally wore scrubs at the hospital. When Aina turned to her side, she saw Sarge curled up on the floor, sleeping.