Chapter 17

Carla was about to enter the ICU when she saw Joshua on the gang chair outside. He's sitting up with his head bowed down, obviously sleeping. She frowned but proceeded to her duties anyway. She went inside the ICU to do her rounds on the patients. When she finished her rounds, Joshua is still sleeping outside the ICU. Carla could not help but examine him. The guy looks like he hasn't shaved for days. His hair is disheveled, his clothes as well. Last night when she saw him in ER, his breath reeked of alcohol. She actually wondered if he was the one who caused the accident that is why he was so scared last night. The last time she saw him was during the premier night of his movie. Back then, he was the typical matinee idol with his sharp looks and charming smile. It was totally different from the Joshua Socorro she saw last night. She wondered if something happened since then that made him change like that. Joshua woke up, then upon realizing his position, he sat up properly. Carla wanted to leave before he could see her, but it was too late. He already saw her, so she wasn't able to leave. She tried to smile as casually as possible. 'Good morning…" Joshua seemed surprised as he immediately looked around. 'It's morning already?" he asked. 'It's almost seven A.M., so, yeah…" Joshua looked at her, and Carla suddenly felt embarrassed. She looked away, making her see the vending machine in the process. 'Coffee?" She looked at him again. 'Thanks, but I'm okay." Joshua is obviously shy. Carla smiled. 'It's okay. I want one anyway, and it's rude to drink it alone while I'm talking to you." Carla went to the vending machine, then chose what to drink. She immediately drank her caffè macchiato because she needs to calm herself a little. She feels the atmosphere getting awkward while talking to Joshua. Funny, though, because she should have chosen something else to calm herself. Coffee certainly would not make her calmer. 'What do you like to drink?" she asked Joshua. 'Choose whatever." She chose caffè macchiato, like hers. She then went back to Joshua to deliver his coffee. 'Thanks…" Joshua took the paper cup full of coffee. Carla is not sure why, but she felt like the guy needs someone to talk to. So, she sat down beside him, leaving one empty chair in between. 'You haven't gone home yet?" She doesn't know how to start a conversation with him, so she just said that. 'I wanna wait for the guy's family," Joshua answered. 'Did they come already?" Carla remembered the guy he took to ER last night. He's one of the patients she checked on the ICU earlier. 'No one has come for him. The police did not find his phone, but they found an ID and now they are trying to call the contact person written on it." 'So, how is he now?" Joshua asked. 'He's in the ICU," Carla answered. 'He's stable now, but he hasn't woken up yet." Joshua looked at the ICU. Carla wondered why he is so worried with that patient. She thinks he doesn't know the guy, but he's obviously worried about him. 'Please make sure that he'll be okay," Joshua told her. 'Do everything you need to do. Don't worry about the cost. I'll pay for everything." Carla became more curious. 'Do you know him?" Joshua shook his head. 'No, but I feel responsible for what happened." 'Why is that?" She really is curious. Joshua bowed down his head. 'I feel like I'm the reason why he had the accident… He avoided me when I crossed the street." 'But you probably don't want that to happen, right?" 'Even so, I still would like to help him," Joshua said. Carla nodded. 'Okay then…" Joshua looked at her, then smiled. 'Thanks, Carla." 'Well, it's something that I have to do," she just said, then stood up. 'I have to go now." 'Okay." Carla left Joshua as she proceeded to do her doctor duties for that morning. **************************************************************************** When Carla left him, Joshua also left and went home. He's not sure if his mother knows he hasn't come home last night, but he's sure she's still worried about him because of his new routine since everything happened in The Court Garden. He went straight to their kitchen, because he knows his mother would be there during that time of the day. And he was right. His mother is washing the dishes when he entered the kitchen. 'Ma..." He suddenly felt like crying. His mother looked at him. 'You're leaving?" His tears started to flow. He went to his mother and embraced her. 'I'm sorry, Ma... I know I've been doing some bad things lately. I promise to change that." Olivia also embraced him. 'It's okay…" Joshua looked at his mother. 'I'm really sorry..." 'Joshua, I want you to remember that I am just here, as well as your siblings. If you have a problem, we'll help you," Olivia said. Joshua nodded before hugging his mother again. After their heart to heart talk, Joshua ate breakfast, then went to his room to bathe and shave as well. But before going out again, he called his manager to resolve some things first. 'Josh... How are you?" Christy sounded very worried. 'Auntie... I'm sorry..." Joshua feels like crying again. Christy was the talent scout who first discovered Joshua, and she was also his first manager. Because of him, she became a full-time talent manager, until she established Rise Up talent agency. Now she manages not only Joshua, but other actors and celebrities as well, including Caitlyn Soriano. 'I understand... Caith told me everything." Joshua was stunned. 'I'm sorry, Josh. I should have known. Now I understand why Caith always requests Tony to be her handler on her shows abroad and out of town. That is because there's something going on between them." Joshua felt sad. 'You did not do anything wrong, Auntie. Even me, I didn't suspect anything." 'It never occurred to me that Caith doesn't really love you. I thought she feels the same as you do for her." 'We all thought like that." 'I'm really sorry... I understand if you would not like to continue with the love team." 'Auntie, that's actually what I want to tell you." He gathered all his courage to tell her his decision. 'I want to rest from showbiz." Christy did not answer. Joshua continued explaining. 'I want to focus on myself first, on my family. I cannot make other people happy if there's something that's bothering me." 'I understand," Christy said. 'So, you're not renewing your contract?" 'Yes, Auntie," Joshua answered. 'I don't know when I will be totally okay. I don't know when I could come back." 'Okay. Take your time." Joshua smiled. 'Thanks, Auntie." 'How about your issue with Caith?" 'I don't know." Joshua has no idea what to do next with his thing with Caitlyn. 'Time will come that you have to tell the fans that you two broke up." 'I guess I'll just wait for the right time." Surely, the time will come when the fans will learn about the breakup. Maybe he'll just take advantage of that and confirm that they're no longer a couple. 'Then, if you need me, just call me." 'Yes, Auntie. Thank you." The next person that Joshua called is his personal assistant. He told him that he's taking a break from showbiz and that he can look for another job for the meantime. But Joshua asked him to stay in his condo as the caretaker, to which the PA agreed. It was past nine AM when he finished his calls, which is perfect for the next person he needs to see. He went out of the house and told his mother that he will be seeing a friend, which is true. Before going to his destination, he decided to buy some flowers from Sweet Stems. He looked at his Cupid Phone to know her favorite flower. He chose the yellow tulips because tulip is her favorite, and yellow has this property that can lift anybody's spirit. He just hopes she will like it. Ria looked at the yellow tulips as she met Joshua in their living room. Joshua felt glad that she's kind of attracted to the flowers. 'I'm sorry..." he said, looking at her earnestly. 'Give me the tulips first." Joshua smiled. He gave the bouquet to Ria, making her smile. 'Thank you." 'You like them?" 'I'm not fond of yellow, but, they're nice." She's smiling at him already. Maybe she has already forgiven him? But Joshua had to ask anyway. 'So, am I forgiven?" Ria scowled. 'Just sit down!" Joshua smiled. He sat down as Ria sat on the armchair next to the sofa. 'How have you been? You look like you rediscovered bathing." Joshua smiled shyly. 'Was I that bad?" 'You were stinking… But it seems you're coming back slowly, so that's good news." 'I'm sorry about what I said last night." 'You're forgiven," Ria said. 'I understand why you said those things. We all have those moments, you know." 'I asked Destiny about what happened to you..." Ria was dumbfounded. 'I'm sorry to hear about your parents." Ria smiled, quite sadly. 'So, you already know..." She looked down. 'I guess it was all my fault. My dad comes home just for me… My mom asks him to go home for me to think that they are still okay. But then, I heard them talking and I discovered everything." 'But... were your parents..." 'Yes," Ria finished. 'They were red threads." 'How...?" 'I guess not all red threads end up together." Joshua still could not understand. Isn't that what a red thread is supposed to do? 'I stalked my Dad, to confirm what I heard. I found out where his other family lives. I confronted him and the woman, and he was so mad he forced me to go home. He took me to his car, and on the way home, we were arguing… fighting… Then, there was a truck…" She paused. Joshua waited for Ria to continue, as he doesn't know what to say anyway. 'It was meant to be…" She smiled bitterly. 'Because of that accident, the other woman was supposed to give up my dad. But while I was on my astral form, I saw my mom. I realized, for so long she didn't have peace of mind because of me, because of that perfect family that I should have. So, I asked Destiny to fix everything." 'My father ended up with the other woman," she continued. 'My mother moved on and just focused on me. She decided to travel and see places, and she took me with her. Suddenly, it was seven years already." Joshua can see that Ria is beyond the pain now. It sure took some time for her to reach that level. He kind of admires her for being strong. 'Anyway, let's talk about you," Ria told him. 'What made you come back?" 'A guy met an accident, and it's because of me." He told her what happened last night, and Ria did not spare him from scolding. 'That's how bad you were last night? You were out of your mind!" 'I know, I know!" He's also frustrated because of guilt. 'Destiny said it was meant to happen. It just happened that I was the one who's there." It seems that Ria realized what he said. She looked at him quietly. 'I won't run away from my responsibilities. I will pay for his medical expenses." 'Well, you should!" Ria exclaimed. 'Whether or not it was destined to happen, you were still a part of it." Joshua nodded. 'I know that." 'How about… your problem? What are you planning to do?" 'Well, I'm taking an indefinite leave from showbiz. Maybe, I'll focus on business for the meantime." 'So your fans won't see you for the time being?" 'Maybe I could do guestings… or commercials… But definitely not movies, or TV series." 'How about Caith?" 'I don't know... I don't know how to tell the fans about us breaking up. It's not just because I don't want to hurt them. I also don't know how to tell them the truth without ruining Caith's image. Yes, they've hurt me, but I still can't make them look bad." 'Even if it's the truth?" Joshua nodded. 'I don't know. I just... I don't feel right about doing that." Ria looked at him seriously, as if examining him. 'I'm taking back my word." 'Huh?" Joshua frowned. 'You're not dense." Ria smiled. It took a while before Joshua realized what just happened. He smiled when he finally understood. 'I guess I'm a fast learner." Joshua knows that he still has a lot to do to fix himself completely. Yet he is glad he had somehow accomplished something. Somehow, he had made progress. Little by little, he knew that he would be able to move on to a new part of his life. On to the next chapter.