It's been around three weeks since Bella ran away from the hospital.

Between my usual work schedule and my visits to my sick ex-girlfriend, I could say that I didn't have much time left for myself. And, as every self-respecting person know, even the toughest man gets tired. So, when I woke up this morning and my first thought was, "Damn, do I really need to get out of my bed today?", I knew I've reached my limit. For once, I decided to give myself a break.

"Hey, Lally," I greeted my secretary as soon as she picked up my call. "Just letting you know that I won't be reporting to the office today."

"Hala, bakit po? May sakit ka po ba, sir? May nangyari po bang emergency?" As expected, Lally's first reaction was to pepper me with questions. But instead of getting irritated, I found myself smiling. Lally's concern for me was genuine, and I really appreciate that.

"Calm down, Lally. I'm fine," I assured her. "I only want to rest, that's all. I don't have any important appointments for today, do I?"

"Hay, salamat. Akala ko naman sir, kung napaano ka na po." The relief in my secretary's voice was palpable. "Wait lang po. I need to check your schedule."

"Alright."

"Wala naman po kayong importanteng gagawin ngayong araw," she confirmed. "Enjoy your break, Sir Vren."

"Thanks, Lally. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow po, sir."

I ended the call, then dialed Mira's number next.

"Good morning, Ms. Custodio," I greeted her in a playful tone.

"Good morning, Mr. Montevilla," she answered, still sounding drowsy. "May problema ba? Ang aga mo naman yatang napatawag."

"No, nothing's wrong. I just want to ask if you will be okay going to Medialink by yourself. I'm taking a day off to have a quality time with my bed and pillows."

My girlfriend chuckled. "Oo naman, sanay naman akong mag-commute. Ikaw lang 'tong nag-spoil sa akin ng hatid-sundo."

"True." I grinned. "I'll still take you home later, though. Wait for me after work."

"'Wag na. Lubus-lubusin mo na ang pahinga mo. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," my girlfriend assured me. "Enjoy your break, Mr. CEO. I love you."

"Okay. I love you, too." Our conversation ended after that.

I fixed myself a sandwich and a cup of coffee for breakfast, then went back to bed and turned my laptop on to watch The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie (that yellow sea sponge was my favorite cartoon character — don't judge).

One silly movie after, I received a text message from Vince.

Vren, Isabella is gone.

****

When I told Mira about Bella's passing over another phone call, she insisted on taking a half-day off from work to check on me. She must have known how hard I took the news, and instead of getting resentful and looking at my reaction in a negative light, she chose to be understanding about it. It made me admire and love her even more.

"Kumusta ka?" she asked as soon as I let her inside my place. She reached for my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

I shrugged, still not fully comprehending that Bella had left the world for good. My former girlfriend of four years, my first love, my first hearbreak — gone, just like that.

"I don't know... it still feels unreal to me, I guess. It's the first time someone so close to me died. And I feel awful, thinking how I spent years hating her. I must be a terrible person."

"You are not a terrible person," Mira said firmly. "Nagkapatawaran kayo bago siya mawala, at 'yon ang importante."

I nodded, clinging to my girlfriend's words as if they were the balm to the heavy feeling I was harboring at that moment. I felt guilty, especially given Mira's presence, yet I couldn't help but remember everything about Bella — the day I first saw her playing the violin at Hollier's Music Hall, the way she could charm everybody with her sweet smile, all those kisses and hugs...

Despite our relationship's unpleasant ending, I knew Bella would always be special to me. What I feel for her wasn't the romantic kind of love I have for Mira, that I am sure of. It was more of an amicable feeling, knowing that Bella played a part in shaping the person I am today.

"Hindi ko ma-imagine kung ano ang nararamdaman ngayon ng mga magulang ni Bella," Mira commented with a slight shake of her head. "To think na wala na ang nag-iisang anak nila..."

"Yeah," I said heavily. "It's terrible. I'm really worried about Tita Ivana and Tito Arkin."

"Ako rin." My girlfriend sighed. "Kailan tayo bibisita?"

"I'll ask Vince about the details of Bella's... wake," I answered, hesitating at the last word. "I'll let you know about it."

She nodded. "Do you still want to talk about it? Makikinig ako. Believe me, naiintindihan ko kung ano ang nararamdaman mo."

"There's really nothing else left to talk about, but thank you." I gave Mira a tiny smile. "Thank you for always trying to understand me. I know I'm not exactly the easiest person to love, yet you're still here with me."

"And with you I'll always be." She kissed my cheek. "Hindi ako mawawala. That's a promise."

****

In an attempt to make me feel better, Mira and I went to a nearby chapel to pray for Bella's eternal repose. I'm not much of a religious person, to be honest, but my girlfriend was right — there's something really comforting with kneeling in front of the altar to pour all your fears and worries in a prayer.

If anything, Bella's death made me realize that there's no way you could know how long someone will stay in your life, and that's why you must make every moment with that person count. So, above anything, I prayed for Mira's health and safety — God knows I'd never be able to cope if something happens to the woman I love more than anyone or anything.

Every now and then, I'd still see Bella's face in my mind. It's unusual how we try to relive the moments we had with a person through memories. And it scares me to think that someday, I will just be a memory, too.

Still, that's the way the world goes. People come and go. And now, it's Bella's time to leave.