Thirty-Eight

"Tao po!" I called out loudly, knocking on the gate of the house I was directed to—the home of the friend I was looking for. I knew she would be surprised since she had no idea I was coming. I hadn't even thought of calling her because I wasn't sure if I would visit her or head straight to Manila.

"Just a moment! I'm coming!" a female voice shouted from inside, drawing closer. She couldn't see me because of the high gate, but I instantly recognized that voice—it was unmistakable.

"Surprise!!!" I yelled the moment she opened the gate.

"Lui!!!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.

"Wait! Is this real? Is it really you? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I could have picked you up!" she said, still in shock.

"Sorry about that. I know it was sudden," I said softly, finally feeling a bit shy—something I hadn't felt the entire time I was traveling here and searching for her house.

"You really surprised me! Oh my gosh! Come in, come in! Good thing there's no delivery today, so I'm just at home. My mom and I are making slippers because my aunt got a contract with a hotel, so we're helping out. It's extra income aside from what I sell," she said happily as we walked inside.

Their house was a simple bungalow—not too big, but cozy, with a welcoming atmosphere. Her mother and siblings already knew me from my previous visits when they still lived near my cousin's house in my hometown. My cousin's father was her mother's brother, and my cousin was my brother's classmate and friend. Their house had been within walking distance of ours.

"I'm glad you visited Cebu. It's been a while since we last saw each other," said Ainee's mother, Auntie Azon, while busy working on the slippers.

"Yes, but I'm sorry for showing up unannounced."

"Oh, don't worry about it! We're actually happy you made it here. You''e the first of Ainee's friends from Mindanao to visit."

"Have you eaten yet, Lui? You might not have had breakfast. Mom and I just finished eating. We had a late meal because I woke up late, and she waited for me so she wouldn't have to eat alone. Come, let's eat," Ainee said, leading me to their dining area, which was just next to their small living room.

As I ate, we happily caught up. It was only then that I planned to tell them the real reason I had come here so suddenly. I knew my family wasn't aware of Ainee's place, which was why I chose to come here. I was sure they wouldn't bother me, and I wanted to try my luck at finding a job. Since I had just recently visited Cebu for our college Educational Tour before graduation, I had some idea about the radio and TV stations we had visited.

The moment I finished eating, I didn't hesitate anymore. I had to gather my courage—otherwise, coming here would be pointless. I couldn't let fear or shyness hold me back from doing what I needed to do in this new chapter of my life.

"I never imagined something like this would happen to you. But I'm glad you decided to come here," Ainee's mother said after hearing my story.

"Don't worry! We'll look for a job together. At least now, my mom won't have to worry about me coming home late because I have you with me, right, Mom?" Ainee said, smiling. Auntie Azon nodded and smiled warmly.

"I'm really sorry. But don't worry—I'll help with the household expenses while I'm here, as my way of paying rent," I said sincerely.

"Lui, can you stop worrying about that? You just got here, and you're already thinking too far ahead," Auntie Azon replied.

"The important thing is that you're comfortable here with us, and you'll finally have some peace while looking for a job. You'll be with Ainee, so you won't feel lonely or get lost while figuring things out. Just try not to overthink. We're all family here, but I have to warn you—our house can get noisy! Right now, it's just us, but once the kids come home from school, you'll see what I mean," she said with a laugh.

"Oh my, Mom! You beat me to it! I was just about to tell Lui that!" Ainee said, making us all laugh.

"That's perfectly fine with me! Ainee knows how much I've always wanted younger siblings, Auntie. I'm used to having kids around," I replied, smiling. I could feel their warmth and acceptance, even though I wasn't a relative. Their house wasn't that big, and their income was just enough for their needs, yet they didn't hesitate to welcome me.

After our conversation, they told me to rest since they knew how exhausting long travels could be. I had no trouble falling asleep, probably because of our talk, the comfort I felt, and the fatigue from my journey.

The next day, we wasted no time. Ainee helped me print the necessary documents for job hunting. She told me that if I didn't find an opening in the tv network or radio stations I planned to apply to, I could always try the call center companies, which were hiring non-stop. She said they paid well and were one of the booming industries in Cebu.

Exploring Cebu City with Ainee felt exciting and refreshing. I got to visit places I hadn't seen during our Educational Tour. She also taught me different routes so I wouldn't get lost when I started going around on my own.

Two weeks into my new journey in Cebu, I finally landed a job as an encoder at a computer company. The stations I had applied to had already hired new employees before I arrived.

I understood, though—many graduates here had the same degree as I did, and they naturally had the advantage over someone like me who had just arrived and started applying. What mattered was that I now had a job before my savings ran out.

The work was easy, and thankfully, they weren't too picky. As long as I knew how to use a computer, I was good to go. I also got lucky because the company turned out to be reputable, and the salary offer was better than I expected for a fresh graduate. When I told Ainee, she said the company was known for offering good pay, which was why many people wanted to work there. Most of their job openings were for computer-related degrees, but since there was a vacancy for an encoder, I got in after passing the exams and interviews—even though my degree wasn't in computer science.

A month after I started working, I decided to look for a place closer to my workplace so I wouldn't have to struggle with the long commute, especially with how bad the traffic was. I knew they would understand when I told them I was moving out.

In the past month that I had been living in Cebu, I had only called my friends and Georje twice because long-distance calls were expensive. They told me they hadn't heard anything about my family and that no one from my family had gone back to Mitch's house. However, Amal had called once to ask where I was, but just as we had planned, even they didn't know my whereabouts. None of my friends knew I had left, and that was the story I wanted to spread so that my family—especially my mom and my older sister—wouldn't pressure them.

Luckily, everything had played out naturally. It seemed like my family truly believed that I had just vanished without telling anyone where I had gone. My friends were all still in the same place, doing the same things, which made my disappearance more believable. I was grateful my plan had worked and that they had cooperated when I explained everything to them.

I was planning to save up for a phone line so I could get a cellular phone—one of the new communication technologies aside from landlines. But first, I needed to prioritize moving out and buying necessities.

Ainee offered to help me on her day off, which I scheduled to match mine by swapping shifts. She was happy with my decision and even said it would be nice to have a place in the city where she could occasionally stay over. Aunt Azon had no problem with it either—she understood that I would eventually want to live on my own. She only asked that I visit them sometimes on my days off because she would miss me. She said she already considered me like her own child. I felt the same way about her, and I was incredibly grateful to have ended up with them. With them, I had felt what it was like to be cared for and loved by a mother and siblings.

"Lui, take care over there, okay? And don't hesitate to call us if you need anything. We're going to miss you, so make sure you visit when you're free," Aunt Azon reminded me.

"Of course, Auntie. Thank you so much for everything—for welcoming me into your family," I said, my voice almost breaking.

"It's nothing, really! You're always welcome here; you're family, right? Now go, or you'll get stuck in traffic. Take care, both of you."

After multiple rounds of goodbyes and thank-yous, Ainee and I finally left. I only brought a duffle bag and a backpack with me since the things I had bought with Ainee were already in the apartment. She planned to stay with me for a few days to help me adjust and had even brought some of her things so she'd have essentials ready whenever she needed to stay over.

My work was going well, and I was enjoying my new place. My building mates were spme colleagues from work who are also from the different provinces of Cebu, and they were the ones who told me about this multi-story building with rental units. It was just one jeepney ride from the office, making it a convenient place for employees. Each unit had two small bedrooms, a tiny living area, a bathroom (which also served as a laundry room), and a compact kitchen with a dining space. There were five units per floor, and I took the one at the far end of the second floor—the only available one left, as the other two were already reserved.

I only bought the basics at first. I planned to buy the rest later, little by little—a sofa, a TV, and other household items. The most important things were a small dining table, a stove, cooking wares, and eating utensils. For now, I was doing laundry by hand since I couldn't afford a washing machine yet. I also bought a small cabinet for my clothes and a bed, but I didn't want to drain my ATM balance, so I had to start saving again for my next purchases. I didn't need a lot of stuff anyway—just enough to cook once a day and a comfortable place to rest after long nights at work.

"This feels like I'm just playing house," I laughed as I arranged my clothes in the cabinet. I didn't have much to unpack since my mother and sister had taken most of my belongings. Thankfully, I hadn't packed away my freshly washed clothes before I left, or I would have had nothing at all.

"Yeah, it's actually exciting!" Ainee replied, lying on my bed and watching me organize. We both laughed.

"Don't forget our plan on your next day off, okay?" I reminded her. I wanted to start an installment plan for a small fridge so I could save on food expenses. That way, I could store leftovers instead of throwing them away. It would also be safer to store food in the fridge than to leave it on the table, even with a cover.

"Of course! Come on, do you even have to ask? Just wait for me here. We can leave after lunch so you can rest a little longer."

"Sounds good to me. You'll have to tell Auntie I won't be visiting this time."

"Don't worry about her—she'll understand. Actually, we already talked about the fridge thing. She said it's a great idea since you'll be able to store food instead of constantly buying fresh meals. She also mentioned that you tend to just sleep instead of eating when you're too tired."

"Haha! Wow, you really don't know me at all!" I said sarcastically, laughing because she was absolutely right.

"See? You're laughing because you know it's true."

"By the way, have you called your family?" I asked her.

"Not yet. I was supposed to yesterday, but I got asked to work overtime, so I couldn't. I'll see if I can call them later."

"What's your plan with Georje?" she asked suddenly.

"That's another thing on my mind. He can't just disappear suddenly—it'll be suspicious if my family finds out."

"Why do you really want to bring him here?"

"It depends on him if he's okay with it. He could apply at the office if he wants to work. But honestly, I don't know yet because we haven't talked about it again. Long-distance calls are expensive, so we don't get to talk for long," I explained.

"I'm just saying, you might have a hard time if he comes here, especially since you're still adjustment period. But it's your decision. I just feel like one of the reasons you're moving out is because you plan to bring him here."

"I'll admit, you're right. But even so, I'm not really sure if he'd agree to come here."

"You two should really talk about this carefully because this is serious. This isn't just playing house anymore, especially if something comes out of it when you're together. You need to make sure you won't be at a disadvantage in your situation. I know and I'm sure about your feelings for him based on what I see from you. But what about him? Does he feel the same way? Please don't take this the wrong way—this is just sisterly advice. As a woman, I understand what you've been through in your relationship with him. I don't want to see you hurt. Even though he was my high school classmate and I was friends with him first, I'll always take your side because we're both women, and I understand you. I've seen all the effort you put in just to make your relationship work," she explained at length.

"I really admire you because even though you're the woman, you're the one carrying the relationship. It's like you two have reversed roles—you act like the man in the relationship because you're the one making more effort. And to think, he even denied you multiple times to our former classmates. That guy is unbelievable, so thick-skinned! But you—so hopelessly in love—kept putting up with it. You'd get mad, but you'd always give in, which is why he kept doing it," she added.

"Okay, fine. I know what you're going to say next. Martyrs are out of fashion now because they get shot in Luneta," I joked, and we both burst into laughter.

Honestly, I never saw myself as a martyr, but I'd heard that word so many times—not just from Ainee, but also from Ali, Jed, and especially my friends. But I ignored all of it because I believed there was still a chance for Georje to change. I never lost hope that he'd realize his mistakes and finally grow up.

"I'm still hesitant because if they find out that Georje is gone, they'll definitely be suspicious. They might even trace him and find me. That's too risky."

"I'm glad you thought about that. You should hold back for now. You've already done so much and sacrificed a lot for that guy, but when you had problems, he did nothing for you. Think about yourself for once—you need to rest and focus on yourself."

"Okay, not now. And if he does come here, it'll just be for a vacation."

"Wow! You're rich! You're really going to bring him here for a vacation? You really are something! You're the queen of martyrs, totally head over heels for your boyfriend! I give up!" she said, raising her hands as if surrendering.

"Come on, it's not happening anytime soon. Maybe later, when I've saved up."

"And you're actually planning to save up for his vacation here? Lui, I was right—you're the man in this relationship. Because normally, that's something a guy does for his girlfriend or wife! You really love hard, sis! Amazing!" she teased.

"He should be ashamed of himself if he still has any sense left. Because…ugh, I don't even know what to say anymore," she said, shaking her head as if struggling to find the right words.