II. His Name

Even though the mind forgets, the heart can remember it all. It was a classic saying insufficient for Essi to pull as her last card. Because how could she be sure that she was in Oneil’s heart? Her best friend, Geovensia, keeps telling her that Oneil had no feelings for Essi and that all his actions were just courtesy, the fruits of being a well-mannered gentleman and a filial son.

Essi defended that at least Oneil could make her comfortable. 

“You’re not hurt, good. But my concern is that you should at least not have feelings for Oneil. Make it fair. It’s your defense in case he would begin to distance from you.”

“How can I not like him when I know Oneil is nice?” Essi unabashedly says. His entrance into her life was like the threshold of summer. He was altogether familiar but new. He was elusive but warm. Essi was close to him since grade school but never heard about him after ten years.

 Essi had liked Oneil even before they met again and still does though the gentleman cannot remember her. She wanted to cry about how troubling her current times were but couldn’t begin. She must show her friend that she had no problem with Oneil. Keeping this a secret meant putting her friend away from trouble. Who knew what the Mercators might do if they knew that Geovensia teamed with Essi in covering Oneil’s condition? 

“Well, lucky you. You have Oneil. In case the two of you return home, just inform me so that I can prepare your fanfare,” Geovensia said with sarcasm. She already complained about why Essi would not tell her when will they go home. “You have to compensate a great thing to me. I am all alone in Willoughby. I’m dealing with new stubborn kids messing with the horses.”

“I miss Willoughby,” Essi said.

“You sure do,” Geovensia suddenly responded with sincerity. “Tell me if you have any troubles. Maybe I can help.”

“Thanks, Geo. Let us halt our conversation for now. My load balance is rapidly decreasing, and the signal is fluctuating.” By that, Essi ended the call before she could get urged to unveil her conflict. After all, she could still handle it –or so as she could convince herself.

After a week in Bayanihan, Essi had adopted their way of life. The town would already be peaceful by 6 P.M., unlike Bordeaux filled with many people at nine in the evening. She brought her phone to light her way to a sari-sari store. Coffee and tea were more available in this area than her favorite grape juice. Other people advised that if she found men enjoying drinks near a store, she must avoid them to prevent tension.

But Essi noticed that they were inviting Oneil to join them. Tata Ramon told her that some men would invite others to drink as a sign of friendship. It meant to welcome Oneil since he was also new to the place. Essi ran fast toward them to stop the invitation.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you guys. But Oneil –I mean, Riley, cannot drink alcohol,” Essi said in the most polite way she could.

“What alcohol? It is beer. We do not drink rubbing alcohol here, young lady,” one of them replied jokingly.

“I know, and you have friendly intentions for Riley. However, Riley is allergic to these kinds of drinks," she explained. One of his doctors mentioned that there were beverages that contained allergen. He could be allergic to barley. But the best way for him to avoid peril is never to drink alcoholic beverages.

“How can you tell? We don’t see any rashes on him anyway,” they said. It was strange how someone could be allergic to beer.

Essi’s mouth was left ajar because of what the man said. It only meant that Oneil had already taken a glass of beer. Oneil looks at her with confusion.

“Oh no, Oneil. Why do you have to drink?” she said in utter panic. She immediately dialed for a town ambulance.

The men helped him to take a seat. Oneil started to have heavy breathing. It convinced them that he was allergic to alcohol. The woman next to them was telling the truth about the person they only knew as Riley. They were fortunate that the town hall was near their place. So assistance sprung to assist Oneil to the public hospital.

“Essi, we are sorry for causing such trouble to Riley. It was supposed to be a token of friendship. We never knew it would end up this way,” one of them said.

“It is not like you meant to harm him anyway,” Essi replied. “At least he is now fine.”

Essi remained to guard Oneil in the ward. She was supposed to buy sugar for her coffee. Perhaps, she had to provide sweetness like one even to the distant Oneil. Yet, her moment to look at the sleeping Oneil halted at the entrance of Marika. The woman that Bayanihan would call Oneil’s real girlfriend. But could she be when Oneil is a stranger of Bayanihan?

“What happened to him?” Marika almost shrieked while worried.

Before Essi could respond, Marika ran outside the ward and searched for a doctor to inquire about her Riley.

“It seems like she would not believe me,” Essi said while shrugging. She kept her gaze on Oneil. She became the first person in sight as he gets conscious of his surrounding.

“You’re that relentless fiancee of Oneil, right?” he asked as if he was talking about another person.

“I am,” Essi responded. She folded her arms against her chest. Maybe it would remind him about her purpose.

“Then why are you here?” he asked.

“Because relentlessness seemed like a compliment these days?” she half-joked. “You needed help. I’m your friend. That’s why I extended some,” Essi added while trying to make her speech friendly.

“Why are you talking in that manner? Short syllabic sentences.” Oneil found it weird.

“ Je n'ai pas envie de vous embrouiller,” Essi casually stated. She used to do it when it was just the both of them alone. She did it subconsciously.

“I’m not confused,” he answered softly. It surprised Essi.

“Did you know what I just said?” Even without an answer, Essi is already glad.

“Judging how you said it, I think it has something to do with my confusion.” Oneil seemed to master the skill of taking away Essi’s gladness on a vague confirmation.

“Vous-pas compris,” she blabbered faintly.

“I’m sorry,” Oneil replied.

“Don’t worry, Oneil. I’m still your friend. I will always try to understand you,” she reiterated what she used to say to him when they started to get closer. “You can count me as your friend.”

“My name is Riley,” Oneil clarified by a thing Marika and her family taught him to believe.

“That is your pseudonym." Essi smiled not to offend Oneil.

"Alright then, I could be Oneil."

They stared at each other, admitting to themselves that they were comfortable. But Marika broke the scene by her entrance. She wanted Essi to come out from the ward.

“Why do you keep on lying about Riley’s identity?” Marika challenged. “See on what you filled up for his details in this hospital. You wrote it, Riley Ramirez, just as we know he is.”

Essi only kept her face straight, unbothered with her confrontation.

“If it is true that he is Oneil, then you should have written it here,” Marika said while pointing to the paper with rage. “You didn’t write that because your claims are not true. Or else, you will be sued by the hospital for writing the wrong information.”

In Marika’s thoughts, Essi was just playing safe. She believed that there was no Oneil at all. Essi had no choice but to suspend her claim and write Riley. “Who are you, and why are you messing with Riley? He has nothing to do with you! He is not your Oneil.” She fired her words while charging against Essi.

But Essi placed away her index finger but did not let it go. “You would thank me for writing Riley Ramirez. Or else his family will get notified about what happened to him, and your family will be subject to their fury. Do you know why?”

Marika felt a lump in her throat when suspicions arise to point out the chances of getting wrong about Riley.

“Because he is their precious child that is allergic to alcohol. And that is something you will never know because he is not Riley as you think he is,” Essi revealed. “So don’t stand in my way of taking him back.”

She left Marika stunned with her talking. When Essi was out of sight, it was only then Marika recovered the sting of her mouth. “She is just like those spoiled fiancees who would brush off real girlfriends. As if Essi can do it. She is not the heroine,” she uttered.

Essi shook her head with disbelief that Marika thought of her that way. Instead of arguing, Essi proceeded to pay Oneil’s hospital bills. She noticed how many times the nurse would steal a glance at her while processing her payment. 

“Is there anything wrong?” Essi asked gently. She does not want another person to get terrified by her question.

“Nothing, ma'am," the nurse replied. "By any chance, do you know Miss Gwyneth Mercator?” she whispered while handing out the papers.

Essi felt the rushing of waves inside her. 'Even the farthest province of the Philippines heard of the Mercators.' She leaned to the counter to talk with the nurse, “Yes, why?”

“So it was you on the live video she had?”

Essi batted her eyes in an attempt to remember. “What is it?”

“It was just a brief clip on her video as she is training at Willoughby,” the nurse answered. “Ma’am, I’m an ultimate fan of Miss Gwyneth. I see myself in her as she improves in her equestrian venture.”

Essi nodded while grinning. “I see.” She thought it was something else.

However, the nurse turned her voice even more soft, almost inaudible. “Ma’am, if you would train with her again, please send her my regards.”

“Yes, sure,” she replied.

The nurse squealed in contentment. “And also, if you meet her cousin Oneil, send him my regards too.”

Essi concealed her chuckle. The nurse will never know that the Oneil she was talking about was just around. She could be lucky, and so was Essi, when she realized that there was one post that could prove her claims to be true. May the mobile services grant her favor.