I wake up and I feel different.
Stronger. Clearer. The fog that's been in my head since the fever is lifting.
I get out of bed without help for the first time in two weeks. My legs are shaky but they hold. I shower without assistance. I dress in actual clothes instead of sleep clothes.
I look at myself in the mirror and I see Rio Kalinawan again. Not the weak, recovering man. The powerful one.
And I immediately want to fix everything that's gone wrong while I've been gone.
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Lina is already gone. She left early for her company office. A note on the counter: "Your medication is on the table. Breakfast is in the fridge. Don't overdo it."
Like she's my nurse, not my wife.
I take my medication but I skip the breakfast. I'm not hungry for food. I'm hungry for information. For control. For my life back.
I call my office.
