Chapter 4: Decisions

The next day, Jenny's eyes were swollen from crying. Honey forbade her to go to work but Jenny still stubborn and insisted that it was Honey that reminding her to separate her own problems from work and when she wants to forget something...

Get yourself busy.

She didn't let herself be controlled and it still went to work.

Honey slapped herself for her words of wisdom that sometimes are not applicable to the situation. Now that she's home alone, there's nothing to do because Nany Lin looks like it's going to take a while in their province.

She decided to check his email, to her dismay still no reply.

But suddenly a message came in, she thought it was the publishing company, but it wasn't.

It was from a famous restaurant in London. The name was Fionna & Goons so she was surprised.

The letter message, they're inviting her to their restaurant to be their new manager.

Fionna & Goons is w 5 star restaurant that is really known not only in the culinary world but also in the whole world. The price is luxury so the salaries of their staff will also big.

"I will think about it." Honey said and turned off the laptop.

There are so much to consider for me to decide. She told herself.

She hasn't been on Facebook for a few days. She took her cell phone that was charged and looked for his Tita Tessie's number in the contacts. To her surprise, it was calling which she immediately answered.

"Hello!" She answered it and lay in on his bed.

"Hello also. How are you, Honey?"

"It's fine. You Tita?"

"Alive and kicking. Well, having trouble with Marla's tuition. Although there is senior high here, she said she couldn't afford that school. Especially since the land that their school has been sold and all the students that studying there have been transferred. That's why the close ones are all private. I'm afraid she's going to other city where the closest public school were.." Her aunt runts.

Tita Tessie referring to their geographical location which is in the border of the province. And it was far from secondary schools. And the only public schools that offers it been sold to a private institution and planning to remove the said school. The land where the school is located is only leased by the government and it happened that this time the private owner of the land had already done construction on the land.

And the schools that offers secondary schools were private schools and their tuition is no joke.

"Tita! Here. Maybe she can come here. My friend and I were living in the apartment we rented. Then there's a carinderia nearby, even if it's only for penny, it's also good. I will get her work there. I only work there for a mean time while waiting for a call from those I applied for."

"Oh, I don't have tuition, Honey." Tita Tessie refuse thinking that maybe the school here is purely private. She laughed and answered.

"It's fine.. There is a public high school near here, Tita. Just one ride if you riding jeepney. And you can walk it back and forth for 15 minutes or so."

"Maybe Marla will just get in your way?"

"Not at all. As long as she behave I will don't scold her." She joked, although Marla had really experience her wrath before.

"I'm so glad you scolded her for that. She became serious about studying." Honey laughs as she remembered what she did once on vacation.

"I thought you'd be angry then, huh."

"Hahaha. Forget about it! Oh wait, your Tito Buknoy has arrived. Let's talk later. I will call."

"Alright, Auntie. Take care, always. Just say hello to Tito for me."

"Take care too. Don't forget to lock always the door every night before you go to bed."

"Yes."

"Alright, bye."

"Bye." Now she is free again, there is nothing to do. She put down the cellphone and ruffled her hair. "Isn't there anything to do?!"

--

Jenny's co-workers notice that she is out of character. She doesn't really take a break but is seems to stare at nothingness.

So they let her rest first.

Jenny took her cellphone from the locker hoping that Mark would text her as he had changed his mind.

Leaving Rhea, or else fight for her because he loves her. But nothing really.

Even though he turned it off and opened it thinking it might just be delayed, nothing!

Nothing came!

After the break given to her, she was about to return to work when her supervisor stopped her.

"Jenny.."

"Yes, sir?"

"Have a half day today. Go home and rest. The country will not progress with such behavior." His eyebrows meet his old age, but he can still keep up with it.

"But, sir–"

"Alright. If you're okay tomorrow, come in. But if not yet, at least next week. Just don't overdo it, okay." The supervisor said while smiling.

Jenny just nodded and returned to their designated area then, headed home.

--

The owner of their rented house, Karie, arrives suddenly, so Honey stops playing Candy Crush. She combed her hair and put on her pajamas.

Karie can be seen in its bearing and arrangement that the flow of time has become but the beauty can still be seen in its physical form.

Screaming in dignity and elegance.

Which is not applicable for Honey.

"Oh, Tita Karie! How are you? What's with the sudden visit?" Honey open the door widely because she rarely visited especially since she had just paid the rent.

"It's okay, Honey." Karie replied and then smiled.

"Sit down. Is not enough? Did I lack what I paid last time?" Honey asked here.

Karie laughed to Honey's disheveled appearance and said,

"No, I was going to ask for something." Karie answered as she sat down in the mono bloc chair.

"All right. What is it?"

"It's like this... My nephew will be coming home from Singapore on Saturday. The thing is... I'm leaving on Friday and I won't be able to pick him up at the airport. I'll be home next week, or if I'm lucky there's no traffic, sooner. Maybe afternoon."

"Okay, noted. Am I going to watch over Sandy?" Karie would nod her answer specifically to her granddaughter, because Jenny had a job and she wasn't doing anything, which Karie immediately countered.

"Oh, no! I'm with Sandy, because it's her grandfather's birthday on her father's side, so we'll be there all weekend."

"Is that the house I'm going to watch over?" Honey asked innocently, which made the old woman laugh again,

"Oh, no! My nephew, Percy, if you can please pick him up. There is a fee for this, don't worry!"

"Oh! You didn't make it clear!" Honey hesitated to answer.

What is it? Erratic Honey!

"Apologies. Don't worry, Percy is kind– handsome boy! Oh, when you are fall, answer immediately!" Karie exaggerated response was that she was pushing her nephew to her.

"Not me! I have Doc!" She gestured with her hands that seemed to be waving.

"Geez! You told Sandy that you don't want to go there because you're getting married! Alas! You won't regret staying with Percy!" It will really force the will.

Can I take the beauty if I don't love it? Honey said in her mind that she wanted to tell the old woman but kept to herself.

"Push for Jenny, she's more broken hearted!" She laughed at the question, which surprised the old woman.

"Are she separated from Mark?" They are close to Karie so she knows their love life.

"Yes."

"What a waste! Tsk!" Karie click her tongue.

Her reaction was it's like almost winning the mega lotto jackpot.

"Alright, okay. Because I left Percy's picture at home, I'll just send Sandy to you."

"What time is it on Saturday?"

"He said that his plane will land at 1:30. Maybe you should go early so that you don't get lost."

"Alright."

"Oh, Sandy might have left the one I told her to watch over!" Karie excuse herself and left.

The apartment they rent is only five meters away from the owner's house. Apparently, it is a compound.

Honey looked at the clock and it was eleven o'clock, so she didn't continue the plan to lie down and started cooking. Her stomach is also grumbling. She just opened a can of tuna in their storage. Honey can't go shopping yet because Jenny has the budget for food this month. Honey was the one who paid the rent for two months from her savings, so Jenny's turn for the food.

After cooking and serving, Sandy came with a piece of paper and a cellphone. The piece of paper is a picture of a young man who has obviously come a long way.

It is wearing a construction site helmet. Obviously an engineer.

"Ate, Lola said your number!" Sandy spoke energetically and reached for Honey's cell phone.

"Here. I know you already has mine?" She was surprised because they always texting her.

"Lola lost her cellphone. She say it was stolen." Explained the child who was only five years old with her long hair in two ponytails. Her small eyes that are innocent add to its cuteness.

"All right. Is this a picture?"

"It's yours. Fantasize it!" Sandy giggled, still thrilled.

"You! You're still young!"

"I want you to be my Tita, Ate!"

"Kiddo! You don't have to push me to your uncle to be your aunt, okay? You can call me Tita."

"Hey! It just is!" Sandy persisted and then completely left.

Honey faced the food. She looked up at Percy's picture while eating and he stared carefully.

In fairness, he's handsome. But he is right about that! Work first.

--

Honey was having a nap when she was startled by the sudden disturbance. That's why she got up and flipped the curtain of their room. She ran to the banger when she saw that it was her friend. Jenny was crying and her eyes were tearing up.

"Jenny! What happened?!" She asked worriedly but she just hugged her and cried on her shoulders.

When Jenny calmed down, she was just stunned. She looks pitiful and suffering. Honey didn't know what to say because she didn't want to lead it.

Especially in these times where it's still fragile, the pain is still there and it's not healed yet.

She supports Jenny and put her in her place on the double deck. She leaned forward and slowly stared at her.

Honey was so confused then Jenny spoke, "Oh, why?"

Jenny first closes her eyes gently until it is pressed. And the flow of tears just stopped.

Honey scratched because she didn't know what to do to comfort her friend, so she decided to hug her.

"Honey.."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you able to be so productive? I mean, at your worst?"

"Ahm, maybe in the mindset? Because, isn't it, I always say that the brain has a higher position than the heart? So accordingly. But isn't it I said the same. An example of how I can fall in love, 'that whole world! I don't know if I can still do that routine every time I feel bad." And finally Jenny smiled, she smiled too.

"Honey. How to give up? What can I do to make my heart give up on hoping that there might be more for M–Mark and me."

"You know I don't know much about relationships, but I can only advise one thing. Enjoy the pain until you get used to it and it will go away."

"I'm not a masochist!" Jenny suddenly laughs like everything's fine.

"Well, I am not insisting it, 'no!"

"Y-You're right."

--

On Tuesday, Jenny didn't come in work because she wanted to meditate first. Then the very next day she decided to go back to work.

The whole morning Jenny just lay there and just forgot that alone. She saw that there was no food on the table, Honey must have been at Tita Karie's house.

When she caught sight of the clock opposite their bed, she was no longer surprised. It's ten o'clock and Honey's probably watching cartoons with Tita Karie's granddaughter, Sandy.

Jenny stood up instead of thinking about it and it was already noon. She was about to text Honey, just in time her cell phone rang with the charger plugged in that was on their table.

"Really! Thought of charging the cellphone but didn't cook yet!" She shook her head. Instead of disturbing her she cooked alone.

And there lies the problem was she remembered that she hadn't been to the market yet or had been able to give budget for their food.

"Now it makes sense." Jenny laughs at her own comment because there's nothing to cook!

--

"Who is your favorite Tita?" The young Sandy asked Honey who was next to her watching their favorite activity, watching TV.

"Favorite character? Ahm, maybe Lelouch for boys!" Honey replied, still thrilled that she didn't even notice that the child called her Tita.

"He's bad!" Sandy insists expecting a different answer.

"How about you?"

"To me, it's Doraemon!" This is a lively answer.

"Why?"

"Because, he's cool! I dream of having such a pocket! Hihihi!" Honey laugh because Sandy's really young, but they often watched anime except for the SPG version of the anime.

"SANDY! TAKE A BATH!" The old Karie shouted that her voice was coming from outside the house where she was doing laundry.

Sandy has school from eleven in the noon until one in the afternoon.

"Oh, that's right. It's bath time!"

"Yes, Tita! Hihihi!" Sandy giggled and ran out to her grandmother.

"She really stood up to call me Aunti, ah." Honey said as she turned off the TV and removed it's plug.