Chptr 5 Auntie Lave

When morning came, Ajy woke up by the alarm in his gaming bracelet. He has just received his reward in the game when he was forcefully awaken.

During morning, Ajy would always do his routine, jogging and exercises to keep his body fit. Then he would cook his breakfast, change his clothes and goes directly to work.

Two years ago when Ajy learned of his son, his boss gave him a promotion after working for months in the construction site. At first, he was only a regular employee but due to him being respectful and industrious, he became a supervisor after six months. He was about to be promoted to the managerial position when their company branch in Thailand needed a qualified and trusted supervisor, Ajy chose to help their company branch instead of the promotion.

And after a year and a half of working in Thailand, Ajy returned and it will be his very first day again to work back in the Philippines.

Arriving at their company, Ajy was greeted personally by his boss whilst some employees, supervisors and managers who knew him welcomed him personally with smiles.

Since it was his first day again after working abroad, his boss just told him to make himself comfortable and let him take his time to adjust his body and mind to the environment he used to work.

Having adjusted himself, Ajy was about to start working when his boss urged him to spend three days vacation before going back to work. His boss knew that Ajy never asked for a leave nor vacation in the entire two years of working in their company, this three day vacation was just a small gift for him.

As a workaholic, Ajy wanted to retort and work but his boss forced him so he has no other choice but to go home walking as he really have no idea where to spend the rest of his time. He wanted to go home fast and spend his time just playing W.A.R. but he decided to try the delicacies outside first since he missed a lot of Filipino delicacies after working in Thailand for a year.

Entering one of the stalls in the city he used to eat, Ajy felt the atmosphere very comforting as the place never changed much. He was also excited upon seeing the old lady who use to serve him and even treated him during one Christmas holiday.

The old lady even invited him at her house to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays as his best of friends couldn't accompany him as they were busy pursuing their dreams.

"Madam, it's great to see you again after two years!" Ajy greeted at the old lady.

"Oh? Young man, where have you been all this time?" The old lady smiled happily upon seeing Ajy.

"I moved to Thailand to help my boss' company branch there," Ajy explained smiling.

"Oh! So you went abroad? Anyway, I'm happy to see my regular customer today, so I will treat you this time!" The old lady smiled at him but before Ajy could retort, she continued, "And no buts!"

Having the usual delicacies he used to order, Ajy also ordered some delicacies he haven't tried and enjoyed the food that was served.

Having finished the delicacies he has missed so much, Ajy was about to bid goodbye when he heard that the place was being taken by a loan shark.

"I have given you one year and a half to repay your debt but since you can't still pay it, I shall make this small stall of yours disappear immediately and I will even taste your granddaughter." A chubby bald man threatened at the old lady while maliciously licked his lips staring at the girl beside her.

"Please! I beg you, I can give you everything, just not my granddaughter! Please!" The old lady begged as she kowtowed in front of the chubby bald man.

The bodyguards of the chubby bald man immediately kicked the old lady and forcefully took her granddaughter who was screaming in pain while crying, "Please! Don't hurt my grandmother. I'm willing to give myself to you!"

There were people looking at the scene but were afraid to do anything as they knew the identity of the chubby bald man and how cruel they were.

On the other hand, Ajy who heard everything and watched how the scene played, he got pissed as he dashed forward and simply kicked one of the bodyguards then gave the other one a punch in the face.

They were about to retaliate when another skinny man stopped them. This skinny man was a co-worker of Ajy who was also the brother of the chubby bald man, "Ajy, why do you have to interfere?"

"Are you trying to protect them?" Ajy glared at the skinny man.

"No! But you are interfering in our business." The skinny man glared back at Ajy.

"I wouldn't have interfered if you are being gentle with the old lady and her granddaughter," Ajy calmly said still staring at the skinny man.

Then, the skinny man kicked the two bodyguards who immediately growled in pain and then he glared at Ajy, "Are you happy now? Or do you still want to interfere?"

Without removing his glare at the skinny man, Ajy calmly asked, "How much do they owe you?"

"Brother, how much do they owe us?" The skinny man asked his chubby bald brother.

Calculating using his finger, the chubby bald man suddenly said, "They owe us this place and a hundred fifty thousand pesos!"

"Liar! We only owe you fifty thousand pesos!" The granddaughter of the old lady shouted pointing at the chubby bald man.

"Fine! I'll pay for their dept and we call it even," Ajy stated like it was nothing to him.

"But..." The granddaughter of the old lady still wanted to argue but was stopped by her grandmother, shaking her head.

"Pay by cash then!" The skinny man smirked looking at Ajy.

Immediately, Ajy called his boss borrowing a sum of hundred fifty pesos. And after twenty minutes of waiting, his boss arrived followed by his own bodyguards.

The arrival of his boss made the skinny man shivered upon realizing that their very own boss came to help Ajy. He never imagined that Ajy was not a simple person, "Sir, I didn't know that you will be coming."

"So instead of working, you are here extorting some poor old lady and her granddaughter?" Their boss asked the skinny man with authority.

"Forgive me sir but I was just helping my brother in his business," The skinny man tried explaining. "Ajy, since you are my co-worker, you can drop the hundred thousand and just pay me fifty thousand pesos."

"No need!" Ajy said without hesitation as he threw the money to the chubby bald man and supported the old lady and her granddaughter outside.

Their boss told the skinny man and his brother to scram as he immediately followed Ajy and the two outside, "Ajy, be careful next time. Those kind of guys aren't someone you can offend."

"I know sir! Thank you for helping me this time, I owe you one!" Ajy gratefully thanked followed by the old lady and her granddaughter. They also thanked his boss.

When Ajy left with the old lady and her granddaughter, his boss was still looking at his departing figure when he murmured, "Actually, I owe you three lives Ajy."

Walking side by side, the old lady thanked him multiple times while tears strolling down her face, "I don't know how I can ever repay you Ajy."

"You don't have to madam," Ajy smiled sweetly at the old lady, "You were the only one who treated me like a family in this city so I will also treat you like a family. By the way, where's the old man?"

"Just call me auntie Lave," Then auntie Lave suddenly became emotional after saying that, "That old man missed you so much and wanted to see you one last time before leaving but unfortunately, you never came back again!"

***Note: Lave (Read as Love)

"I'm sorry auntie, if only I knew!" Ajy forced a smile as he remembered the face of that old man he used to tease.

"Grandma, where will we be staying now?" The granddaughter of auntie Lave asked worriedly.

"You can stay at my place," Ajy offered making auntie Lave awkward.

"You've helped us quite enough, I don't dare to accept anymore of your help," Auntie Lave exclaimed feeling grateful at the same time shy.

"Oh, I forgot to say, no buts!" Ajy smiled lovingly at Auntie Lave as he gave her a hug. This action made the old lady cried feeling blessed.

"Don't copy my lines!" Auntie Lave exclaimed feeling grateful as she gave Ajy a slight punch on his chest.

After that, Ajy offered his help once again to carry their luggages but was suddenly declined by Auntie Lave, "You've done enough, we don't have that much luggage so we can manage on our own. We'll see you at your place later!"