(Read part 1 here. Part 2 is here.)

One Monday, soon after Holy Week, Weng didn’t show up. I called and texted, but there was nothing. Oneal had meetings at work, so I stayed home. He hurried home as soon as he could, so I could go to the office and a dinner with friends.

In the afternoon, I tried calling her again, and finally she picked up. She said she had the flu–which I could believe. The week before she was already coughing and sneezing, and the rest of the household had gotten sick too. She said she’d sent me several text messages, saying that she was sick and needed to rest. I didn’t get them, but I figured that the network was wonky.

Okay, rest, and tell me when you’re coming back, I told her.

That weekend, I texted her. She said she was still weak. Okay, come back after a week, I said.

The following weekend came, and I texted her again. This time she said she had liver problems, which she had mentioned before. She said she’d gotten a checkup, and her doctor prescribed so many medicines, and rest. She said she was advised not to carry anything heavy.

That was the last straw. I could understand that she had health problems, and that she needed to recuperate. But I also needed a nanny for Lucas, so that I could work. We decided that we weren’t going to wait for her to come back.

True enough, two months passed, and no word from Weng. Oh well.