KIMERALD

They sat beside each other, in silence, a comfortable silence, her hand still clasped in his. The silence was unexpectedly broken by Gerald, he realized they had been holding hands for too long, Kim turned a slight shade of red and gently tore her hand away from his and placed it on her lap.

“…Sorry, I didn’t—“

He was cut off by a gentle smile.

“It’s fine.”

“…and aren’t you meant to be at the hospital? I’m sure many patients are waiting for you…”

Kim cleared and explained why she took the rest of the day off.

“Uh… I just felt bad for you, I felt as if I needed to see you and apologize… but I can leave if you want, sorry to barge in like this…”

Gerald quickly stood up and cleared out what he had said.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way… it’s just I thought you would have been busy…”

Gerald didn’t want her to leave, he wanted more than ever for her to stay, she was the only one who didn’t give up on him, and it looked like she was actually trying to help, and not because it was her job, but because she WANTED to.

“Kim…. I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t think I will ever be cured; I don’t think I will ever get over her.”

Kim sighed and smiled at him.

“Oh really now? I already see improvement, you’re actually talking Gerald. You’re communicating with me, and you are showing emotion. Before we met, your mom told me she couldn’t get a word out of you, and couldn’t tell if you were angry or upset, you were always motionless and always stayed in your room, or never did anything productive, but look at yourself now, I DO see a change in the Gerald I met a week ago, so if I were you Mr. Anderson, I would start thinking positive, and start to motivate myself to get better, Okay?”

This made Gerald bite back a smile; he nodded and asked if Kim wanted to stay somewhere else other than his room.

“Kim, do you want to go downstairs? Kasi… nakakahiya naman, my room is so messy…”

Kim couldn’t stop her giggles from coming out, she was so amused at this man.

“Ge naman, okay lang yun! But, if you don’t mind, I think I should get going. Thanks, and hopefully soon, you’ll be as good as new..”

Kim continued talking as Gerald followed her down the stairs.

“I believe you have potential Gerald, you’re smart, I can hear it in the way you talk, your good looking, its quiet clear, *laughs* your kind, i'm pretty sure most of the people around you can see that, you just need to have more hope in yourself and believe that you will get better.”

Her laugh was now officially his favourite sound; Gerald was barely listening to her, as her laugh echoed continuously in his brain, how could this woman be so enchanting?

Just as Gerald was about to open the door for Kim, Gerald’s mother walks through, holding many paper bags full of groceries, Gerald grabbed a few and quietly placed them on the kitchen bench, as he did so, he heard Kim and his mom talking.

“Kim, stay for dinner, its only right you do. Thank you for everything, I too see an improvement in my son, thank you so much, we really appreciate it.”

He heard his favourite sound, Kim had shyly laughed.

“Naku, wag na po, nakakahiya naman, pero next time nalang! I enjoy what I do Mrs. Anderson, it’s only natural I help Gerald out.”

Gerald then went back to where his mom and Kim were standing; he cleared his throat and shyly interrupted their conversation, as he grabbed the last of the grocery bags from his mother's arms, Kim too decided to help out.

"Kim, akin na yan"

Kim shook her head and followed Gerald to the kitchen and Mrs Anderson followed; Kim continued the conversation with Mrs. Anderson as they walked to the kitchen.

"Salamat po talaga sa offer Mrs. Anderson, pero.."

She checked her watch and placed the bags on the kitchen bench.

"it's late, and I have lots of paperwork to get through, next time nalang po."

She shyly declined and glanced at Gerald who was looking to the ground, she bit her lip and watched as Gerald stayed quiet and placed the items from the bags into the pantry, Mrs Anderson looked from Kim to Gerald and smiled at Kim.

"Sige Kim, inggat ka ha, we will see you next week."

Kim glanced at Gerald again who remained silent with a weak smile on his face. Why did she feel so soft all of a sudden?

"You know what, i'll do the paperwork another time, I have alot of free time anyway."

She smiled at Mrs Anderson and looked at Gerald who was now looking at her with a slight smile on his face, Mrs. Anderson smiled at the both of them and ushered them out of the kitchen.

Gerald and Kim sat beside eachother on the couch inside the living room getting to know eachother more, and talking about life.

"So, before the whole break up situation... what hobbies did you have?"

Gerald cleared his throat and smiled as he reminisced, Kim watched the glow on his face as he looked so lost in his thoughts.

"Basketball... Football... Soccer... you name it, I did it. I was a very sporty kid I guess, and eversince I was about 6 or 7 I never really stopped playing sport, but then when the incident happened I never had the heart to keep going with it... I guess I looked at her as my "inspiration" in a way, kasi she always encouraged me to continue on with my hobbies, and not to stop just because I had a girlfriend, I think that's why we ended, I didn't have the time for her, but what I don't get is, SHE was the one who encouraged me, SHE was the one who told me to continue on with whatever I wanted to do, I don't understand."

Kim looked at Gerald and felt so soft, she placed her hand on his leg and smiled.

"Hey, you can still keep going you know? That's going to be your goal from now on, even if it's just to get your mind off her, I'm pretty sure you still love those sports until now, right?"

Gerald gently smiled at Kim and nodded.

"Yeah, your right... how about you? What are your hobbies?"

Kim smiled at him and explained a range of activities she loved doing, turns out she was quiet the performer. Gerald laughed, he never thought of Kim that way, though like he thought earlier, she was as pretty as a singer, a dancer, a model, and an actress.

"Oh, so Kimberly Chiu knows how to dance, play guitar, sing AND act? How about a performance then?"

Kim turned a shade of red and she laughed as she lightly swatted him on the arm, she hid herself under her jacket and continued laughing.

"Ayoko nga!"

Gerald smiled, he gently took the jacket away from her and placed it beside him.

"How are you a peformer if you go so shy on me? I'm one person, not a whole crowd."

Kim blushed, well to her, he was.

"Ewan ko ba, I go all shy when it's only one person, when it's a whole crowd.... ewan ko, it's just different."

Gerald nodded understanding what she meant. He smiled hearing what Kim said next.

"Tell you what, one day, I will take you to one of my shows, occasionally on weekends I have a performance, come with me."

Gerald smiled at Kim and nodded.

"Okay then, that's a promise. When is your next one?"

Kim shyly smiled and scanned her brain for the date of her next performance.

"Mmm, two or three weeks from now."

"Looking forward to it."

Kim and Gerald smiled at eachother, and silence hung in between them, a comfortable silence, suddenly Kim's cellphone went off, she apologised to Gerald and excused herself as she dug into her pocket for her cell. Gerald watched as she walked into the hallway, he couldn't help eavesdropping.

"Rick? No, I'm not going home yet... I'm going to be a bit late."

Who was this "Rick" Gerald wondered, well it's not like he owned her or anything, therefore he shouldn't be jealous. Wait, was that what this was? Jealousy? He doubted it, he was barely over his ex-girlfriend why would he go so crazy over this girl, who happened to be his therapist, his psychologist, his everything. Not really HIS everything.... but yeah, you get what he means.

"No Rick, don't wait up for me, just eat whatever is there, and don't bother staying up for me. I'm with a friend, and yes before you overreact, JUST a friend. For god sakes Rick please, we have our own seperate lives, focus on your own and i'll focus on mine."

She hung up and returned to a slightly flushed Gerald.

"Ge, are you okay? You don't look okay..."

Gerald just nodded and asked a simple question, trying not to look so curious.

"He your boyfriend?"

Kim sat beside Gerald again and placed her cell back into her pocket.

"No his not my boyfriend, just a trying hard manliligaw I guess."

"...and you don't like him?"

Kim shook her head.

"No, not at all... I tried to like him, we went out once or twice but that was it, nothing else really developed, I share an apartment with him that's why his calling to ask if I was coming home for dinner or not, but I'd rather be here than wherever he is at..."

Gerald watched her emotion change, she was so beautiful from every possible angle.

"Why is that?"

Kim shook her head.

"I just don't feel like I'll ever like him more than a roomate, or more than a friend, he buys me all these wonderful gifts, but I'm not a material girl you know? I just don't accept gifts because people give them to me, I don't ask for gifts, I just want to focus on my work first, and whatever happens from there, happens."

"Your very driven you know that? You know where your headed. That's good. Your sure to go far Kim, and I'm sure so many guys would treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

Will you be one of those guys? Kim wondered, she knew it was pretty fast to be interested in him, but he was one of those men she admired.

Kim smiled.

"Thank you... well, we've discovered a few things about eachother, haven't we?"

Gerald smiled in return and they stood up as they heard Mrs. Anderson's call.

"Kim, Gerald, dinner is ready."