Chapter 8: Forgiveness and encounters

The old woman was waiting silently and her eyes were restless waiting for someone to knock, or call her. She didn't open the carinderia because she wanted things to settle between her grandson and Honey first.

Nanay Lin frantically stood up when she saw Honey and Jenny. Another young man was with them, not the one from last night.

"Uhm... Come in..." She invited and arranged the chairs.

"Good morning!" Jenny greeted, seconded by Percy.

They sat on a long wooden chair and she sat next to her grandson sitting on the old couch.

Honey took a deep breath and looked directly at the old woman,

"Nay, I don't want something like this among us. But... Is it okay for me to leave your carinderia? I don't want your grandson to leave." He said with a tight smile.

Nanay Lin's mouth opened as if she wanted to say something but she didn't know the right word so she closed it again. She did not expect what he said.

"I'm just over there on the other side, Nay. It's just, you won't see me often anymore." Honey added, bringing tears to the old woman's eyes.

"Is that really your decision?"

"Yes. I don't want to let you choose. That's… That's nonsense." Honey held her breath as she let out the words.

Next to Nanay Lin was Boyong who was quiet and just bowed. Boyong doesn't want to lose his Lola Lin either. He was just protecting her, but it seems like his way was wrong.

"Boyong?" He looked up and right at Honey's eyes full of emotion he was stunned. "Nanay is old. Don't let her suffer more. It's hard here in Manila. Anyone can stab you in the back here. That's literally. You're still young, and all right... I'll forget what you did. Just, here's the talk. You will take care of Nanay and keep her safe." Boyong didn't know how to respond to what Honey said and gave him a bright smile that he didn't think she would give.

He thought he would be bullied, despised, because he's never get a proper education.

"There is a school near here. What did you finish? I know someone there, I'll talk to them for you." Jenny intervened in the conversation because Boyong just needed to be guided correctly.

"If you're going to be a top student at your high school graduation, I can help you. In my old university, there was a scholarship if you wanted to be an engineer as well." Percy added that Boyong couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was as if he was dreaming.

"What is your dream?" Honey asked that he couldn't answer.

What is his dream?

His whole life was next to his sick grandmother. They are often at the dock waiting for people who want to lift their luggage, just for a meager coin.

Honey handed him the picture of Percy wearing a hard helmet with the finished building in the background that Tita Karie had given her.

"Here, those are pictures of Percy when he was in Singapore." He looked up at Percy who was on Honey's left.

"I was an engineer there for 6 years. I'm based there." Percy smiled.

"It's like this... The ones I saw wearing by the workers in construction when we came here."

"If you change, especially if it's for Nanay. We can help you."Jenny added as a reminder.

The old woman couldn't believe the help he heard for his grandson. Her heart filled with joy because it didn't seem like this was the conversation she was expecting.

"Yes. I will do it for Lola. And I'm sorry too, Ate Honey." He asked for forgiveness full of sincerity and humility. Honey smiled hugely and hugged him.

Jenny was looking at Percy with folded arms as if he were a specimen she was studying closely.

To be honest, she didn't care about his and Cody's drinking session last night but she heard something that they should discuss in depth.

"What's that, Jenny?" She didn't answer and stared at him now.

"I hope you answer my question." They are now in front of an auto shop and Jenny offers that she will buy Boyong school supplies because she has already sent some money to her family.

And Honey forces Percy to join her where his car suddenly breaks down. He just bought it, and it's broken right away?

"We haven't even left town yet, it's already broken! But hep! I heard you and Cody last night!" She flicked him on the forehead because they were just facing each other in the shop owner's waiting area.

Percy's knees went weak of what she said. What does she heard?

"What?" He stammered back.

"He knows Doc Tony!" Another flick from Jenny hit his right eye. She immediately apologized but did not divert the conversation, "Answered!"

It is an order that even if what she said is not a question.

"Cody and Doc Tony only met because of Cody's uncle." He answered. He was relieved that she didn't hear anything else they talked about.

"Wait! They're exes?!" Percy was stunned by her sudden exclamation and burst out laughing. He didn't think that was how she registered what he said.

"No! HAHAHAHAHA!" Jenny hit the table next to them so hard that he stopped laughing. It's a steady recovery.

"Hey, what?!"

"Listen carefully... Doc Tony and Cody's uncle are best friends. When he was still in college, he often hung out with them so they became acquaintances. It's okay now?" The young man explained because she might throw the wooden table on his head

"Yes. But when we were there, was he grumpy with Doc?" Jenny scratched her chin.

Percy lower his head and remembered why Cody acted like that to those close to his uncle. "Cody's first love is the first slash ex girlfriend of Kuya Jonas."

Jenny's left eyebrow is raised because why is he harsh, even those who are close to her?

"Is Kuya Jonas the uncle?"

"Yup!"

"I won't ask, maybe, he had a terrible experience."

"I agree."

"Did you know that Honey is in love with a man whose name is also Jonas? Actually, she said it was just a crush, but for me, I don't think so? Honey is in love." Jenny's startedthat she can't help but remember Manley's full name, which she has already mastered because of Honey.

"Is she in love?" Percy responded in disbelief because the word love doesn't seem to be in her eyes?

"Yes! I don't know anymore! Older than us. You know, they say age doesn't matter." Jenny just shrugged.

Because that's what my friend always says.

"Honey's open to that, huh?" The young man asked in disbelief because he had never encountered anything like that.

"That just for now now. I don't know that of all people, it was Doc Tony's friend at the hospital!

"Doc Tony's friend at the hospital?"

"Yes! Cody's uncle's name is also Jonas. The name is Manley Jonas Asuncion. It's just shocking because of Honey I already memorized his freaking name." Jenny couldn't help but roll her eyes because Honey asked her to find out hid name because she was the first patient between the two of them.

Percy responded with a timid smile when he heard that. He excuse himself, suddenly his head hurts for staying up late to avoid Jenny's questions when he became quiet. He asked her to go home, but she refused. He'll just close his eyes for a moment and it will better.

The whole day Jenny's words were lingering in his mind. But why? Cody hates everything that can be associated with his uncle.

Maybe, it's childish but there's something deeper than that. And he doesn't know if he should tell Cody or, he should tell Honey?

--

One week before the class starts, Boyong's school stuffs for the entrance are complete. He said he finished elementary school by persevering to cross three mountains and four long rivers to get to their school. He also tried to go to secondary school, but when his grandmother's condition worsened, he completely stopped and left it up t to take care of him.

His parents died when on their way home from selling the harvested coconuts and sweet potatoes in the capital. They didn't know that the same day there was a typhoon. It deviated from the forecasted expected path and went through their province. It was halfway to the village when the landslide occurred and they were on the way.

Boyong deeply regrets letting them escape so that he can prepare for his graduation from elementary school.

"Knock Knock!" Boyong stopped in his thoughts when he heard someone calling.

They had just finished selling so he was busy washing the dishes that the customers had cooked and eaten. He let Nanay Lin rest first because she felt dizzy due to the heat of the weather.

He first left the sink and wiped his hands, and peered at the one who had been called.

It was Percy.

He approached him and asked what was needed. "Jenny bought it for you. She said she passed by a shop, and the bag looked like it fits you, so she bought it." He was handed a large paper bag with the contents of the bag still in plastic. Brand new.

Boyong couldn't help but shed tears because of the blessings they were giving, even though he had done something wrong. "Thank you."

Percy approached him and put his arm around him, "Oh, just study hard. That's fine! But, we are different…" It changed its tone.

"What is it, Kuya Percy?"

Percy's eyes narrowed and he whispered, "Which of the two is your type? Honey or Jenny?" He immediately removed Percy's arm and defended himself.

"No, Kuya! They are nice and that's it!"

"Promise? Hope to die?" It encourages those who do not believe.

"Yes! You, who do you like among them?" He asked back here that Percy wasn't prepared for.

"Ahmm, it's..." He thought Percy was going to answer this but he just hit him. "Don't be a wuss! Alright, I gotta go and I still have work to do." He straighten his polo shirt.

"Be safe."

"All right." He said goodbye before heading to the car parked not far away. He nodded before walking away.

Percy loosened his polo shirt and sighed. He almost answered Boyong's question. Why did he even think to ask that? He tweaked and scolded himself. "You're going to ruin yourself, Percival!"

When he got to the office, he cleaned a table in the warehouse and moved it outside his office. Since Honey accepted the job, she had to clean the space outside her office. He doesn't want to have an assistant, sometimes it's just a disadvantage. If it was just him, he could save money and not be fooled by the stupidity of the secretary.

But it's different now because there will be. Honey didn't know his work capacity, but it was up to him! It needs work.

"Sir Montenegro, the space outside is ready." Confirmation of an employee that he instructed.

"Here, have a snack." He handed a thousand. He thanked her before he completely passed her and went straight to the elevator.

He still couldn't figure out how to hide what he found out. It's not a secret, but it shouldn't be known either. Cody is starting to worry about other people as usual, so as much as possible he wants to make things right between him and Honey.

-

"JENNY, go to table number 9!" Her co-worker Minchi patted her.

"Alright!" Jenny immediately went to table number 9 and she was lucky.

She winced at what she saw on the table. A happy family.

She convinced herself, be professional.

Those are just monkeys!

Jenny approached them and gave her sweetest smile. "Good day, ma'am, sir! May I take your order?"

They hold the menu card. The smile on the man's face disappeared when he saw who it was. She just smiled at him and looked at the boy with them.

"Aunt Jenny!" He greeted her and immediately stood up to hug her.

She patted him on the shoulder and smiled, "Kurt, go back to your seat." She asked the boy but he just frowned.

"What a trick you are, Tita! You said we're going to wander around the circus!" This explosive clapping.

Jenny didn't know what to do, fortunately Kurt's father scold him. "Kurt! Come back here!" This is an authoritative command.

The boy didn't do anything else and just sat down. Jenny was so sorry, "On my birthday, visit me. Your Aunt Honey will bake."

The boy's face lit up as if he liked his offer and gave a thumbs up.

While the woman with him at the table was already wondering, but before she could ask, the man who was also with him, Mark, ordered.

Jenny's smile disappeared and her lips just went straight. After getting their order, she asked Minchi to take the delivery. She still mad, but the truth is, she is much hurting inside.