"Ate, where are you going? Don't you have work?" Tricia had just got off her 24 hour shift and returned home when she saw Aika preparing to go out.

"Hey Trish, I was just going out to get breakfast. I have a day off work tomorrow since I'll be working on Sunday...do you want anything?" Aika grabbed her wallet as she waited for Tricia's order.

"Bread please! One chocolate mochi, one pizza and one glazed donut from my favourite bakery down the road please? I love you Ate!" Tricia sent her older sister a cheesy flying kiss as Aika slammed the door behind her jokingly.

"Ms VP, do you happen to need lunch today?" Aika texted her mama as she walked out of the condo.

"A free lunch would be good. Drinks will be on me, Aiks." Aika grinned as she sent her drink order. It had been a while since she had a lunch date with her mama.

"Sorry pero...hindi ako nagsasalita...o nakakaintindi ng filipino..." Aika looked up to see a flustered-looking man in front of her. He was trying to converse with a taxi driver in broken Filipino, making it obvious that he wasn't a local. He looked around for help but no one seemed free enough to stop.

"Hi, do you need any help?" Aika approached the man and offered. The man broke into a relieved smile at his saviour.

"Thank god for you! Uh, she's running a high fever and I need to get to the nearest hospital...I tried getting a Grab but no driver wants to pick us up. Could you please help me tell the driver to send us to the nearest Emergency Department? Thank you so so much, Miss..." The man was carrying a little girl in his arms, who was all sweaty and pale. Aika nodded and turned to the driver.

"The hospital is 10 minutes away, we should be there soon..." Aika tried to calm the man down. He was frantically trying to wipe the beads of sweat off the little girl when he raised his head to look at Aika.

"Thank you. You didn't have to come with us, but you did. I would probably with stuck on the road if not for you..." The man thanked Aika profusely, making Aika a little embarrassed.

"I happened to be free today anyways...how about you lie her down on my lap? It's better than carrying her in your arms like that." Aika tapped her lap as an invitation. Noticing the man's hesitation to trouble her further, she gave him an assuring smile as she carefully held the girl's head and laid it on her lap gently. The rest of the trip was spent with the two adults looking worriedly at the sleeping figure across their lap.

~

"Sir, Ma'am, how can we help you?" The nurse at the Emergency Department asked as the duo rushed in with the girl in the man's arms.

"She's running a high fever..." The nurse signalled the man to lie the girl on an empty bed nearby before calling for a doctor. Aika stood silently by the bed as the man paced anxiously on the spot while waiting for the doctor's diagnosis.

"Don't worry too much, she doesn't have any other symptoms and you mentioned this is the third day already? Her lethargy and sweating should be from her body fighting hard against the virus. We'll observe her for a few hours and if her fever drops, I foresee that we won't need to ward her." The man bowed to the doctor as he left to attend to another patient.

"Hey Princess, how are you feeling now? The doctor said you're getting better..." The little girl was now awake and less cranky. Instead of answering, she looked at Aika, who was standing awkwardly at the front of her bed.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry...It slipped my mind that you were here..." The man looked even more embarrassed and apologetic than before.

To be honest, Aika didn't know why she stayed on either. She was supposed to be getting bread for Trish and thinking about what lunch she was going to have with mama...not standing in a hospital with two strangers.

"Sir, Ma'am...I need one of you to follow me and register your daughter." Aika was about to speak when the nurse interrupted her. The man looked reluctant to leave so Aika jumped in, hoping she wasn't overstepping her boundaries.

"I'll stay with her until you come back..." The man broke into a relieved smile and gave Aika a nod before following the nurse to the counter.

"Hello, my name is Aika. What's your name?" Aika sat next to the girl and stretched out her hand.

"I'm Jamie!" Jamie wrapped her tiny hand around Aika's as she gave her an adorable smile that melted Aika's heart.

"Your uncle went to register your name at the counter but he'll be back soon! Is it okay if I stay here with you?" Jamie nodded at Aika's question but signalled her to come a little closer.

"He's not my uncle, he's my Daddy!" Aika bit her lip in embarrassment as Jamie corrected her. The man did look a little young to have a daughter as old as Jamie but Aika chided herself for making assumptions.

"I'm sorry about that. How old are you, Jamie?" Aika sweetly helped Jamie wipe a trail of sweat from her forehead.

"I'm 4, turning 5 soon!" Jamie held out her fingers to show Aika her age, the endearing gesture reminding Aika of a younger Natalia. Natalia was equally cute when she was Jamie's age too.

"Wow, you're a big girl! I have a niece that's slightly older than you too!" Aika and Jamie continued to chat happily until her father returned.

"Daddy, say hi to tita Aika! She's my new friend!" Jamie excitedly held Aika's hand.

"Gosh, where are my manners. I'm sorry that I have yet to introduce myself after causing you all these trouble. I'm Nathaniel Lee and thank you again for keeping this little one company." Nat held out his hand and flashed Aika a bright smile.

"Glad to finally exchange names too, I'm Jessica Marie Robredo." Aika returned the handshake with a charming smile. Nat and Aika made eye contact that lasted a tad longer than they both expected.

"Yay! Now Daddy, tita Aika and I are all friends!" Jamie clapped excitedly, breaking the silent staring game that the adults were in.

"I really shouldn't keep you here any longer...I'd love to send you home personally but my car is being repaired and that's why there was this entire mess. Could I at least call a ride back for you? I feel so sorry for everything..." Nat scratched his nape out of embarrassment.

"It's really no problem, I didn't have much to do today either." Aika shrugged it off, not wanting Nat to feel sorry for being a worried parent.

"If you're free, can you stay with me?" Nat's eyes widened at Jamie's question, frantic at his daughter’s 'outrageous' request.

"Jamie, let's not bother Ms Robredo anymore..." Nat tried to shush his daughter but she wasn't having any of it.

"Don't listen to her, Ms Robredo...I'll call a ride for you back. So sorry for everything..." Nat gestured at the exit.

"Please, tita Aika? Pretty please with cherries on top?" Jamie held onto Aika's hand and begged with her glossy eyes.

"If it's okay with you, I don’t mind staying for a while more? You may need help with her discharge later..." Aika looked at Nat, who looked torn.

Nat really didn't want to hold her back yet he couldn't deny the fact that having Aika here made him feel at ease. Plus, Jamie seemed to really like her...

"Of course. Thank you so much, Ms Robredo. You're such an angel." Jamie cheered at her father's reply.

"It's really nothing. Plus Ms Robredo sounds a little too formal, you can call me Aika like Jamie does." Aika grinned at she sat back down next to Jamie.

"I'll be sure to repay you, Aika. Also, please call me Nat." Nat took the seat opposite as Aika raised an eyebrow at his words.

A/N:

Please tell me Nat said the right thing in Filipino🤣