CHAPTER 2

When their patron who sells bananas entered the backdoor premises of the resto, she and Daayiee immediately bought some. She still remembers when he applied for a job with her, his eyes swelled up. When she asked if he was all right, he said "Why is it when a woman or a man is heartbroken, it's drama? Why if it's gay, it's comedy?" 

She was touched by what he said. He looks so pathetic. And since then they have always been together. He often tells her that she reminds him of Faith, his cousin and best friend. It's just because they don't get along anymore. Besides the fact that Daayiee is ashamed of what he did to his cousin, the woman also has her own life with her family.

His cell phone rang while they were having a snack. He immediately hid it when it was read. That's how he is when Bruno texts.

She was not shocked. "Is it Bruno again, witch?"

"Kebz," he replied, although she knew he wouldn't forget that text message. It is likely that when she is gone, he will reply to the man. Her friend could not just stop himself.

"When are you going to wake up to the truth?"

"It's true, Diaz," he said her last name. He does that when she annoys him a bit. "You don't trust me. I really don't want to anymore.”

"How many times have I heard that from you."

“This time, it’s true.”

"You keep on telling this time. Later, you sent your entire salary there again and you're in debt again forever."

He sneered. "It's true now. I don't want him anymore. Alright, I'll prove it to you." He removed the cell phone's SIM card and threw it in the trash. When he returned to the chair, his eyes were wet. "I really have to do it, girl. Even if I love him, if he doesn't love me, I'm the only one who's miserable. I have no intention of erecting a statue just because of my martyrdom."

"Really. Imagine what your statue would look like."

"With a flower in the ear, carrying a jumbo eggplant."

They laughed. They planned to participate in a contest. Daayiee likes that. According to him, participating in beauty pageants was one of his sources of income. But since she doesn't have the courage to participate in that, they participate in other contests from time to time --- that cooking contest. She's always the one doing with the beverages, while Daayiee is the one who does with the main dish. They have already won three trophies in their two years of participating in such competitions.

They dream of having their own name in the culinary industry one day. They really plan to be a team. That's the system they see with chefs and cooks, although the cook is always becoming more popular than the bartender. But it doesn't matter to her when they become famous and Daayiee is better known than her. She is not after fame but money.

When their break was over, they automatically went inside. Customers tip big in that resto. She and Daayiee both can do some bartending. But, she excels more than him when it comes to bartending. While Daayiee excels more than her when it comes to cooking, which is really his expertise.

According to him, with just a little savings they can start their own restaurant, and their income will be better. She wanted that to happen for a long time because she couldn't count on her sister. Only her mother, she, and Daayiee are together in life now. Daayiee is with them at home. He had his own room, she and his mother also had one.

She no longer lets her mother work, although she sells Avon products and other such products. She also sells her own homemade tocino and longganisa. They left the province when her sister stopped sending money. She was the one who suggested to their mother to leave because she thought that they would not be able to survive in the province when her mother's just-started cafeteria went bankrupt due to her being too good. She lets everyone debt her dishes until no one pays them back. She told her that success is in Manila and she intends to take it there.

They finished around midnight. They were both tired but smiling. They went home immediately. Just around the corner, they saw Charles, her suitor. He is handsome and hardworking. He sent himself to school and now he works in a BPO company. There was even news that he and his family would soon move to another place. He immediately smiled at her. Daayiee immediately elbowed her.

"There's Dakota."

"Sshh! Stop it!" She glared at her friend. Even then that was his nickname for the man. Cause he said that what he carries looks big.

"Say yes to him, girl. He's handsome, and he looks delicious."

Her reason for not answering the man was simple --- she didn't feel they would get anywhere if she made him her lover. No thrill, no excitement. It seems better to make him a friend than a boyfriend.

“Good evening, Bells.”

Daayiee answered. "Good evening. Can you treat us some Coke?"

The man immediately agreed. He's always game in anything because he's really nice. They talked and he said that next month they will be moving. He simply included in the conversation that they should go out, even the three of them.

"Oh, I'm game with that, Charles. As long as you treat us some canton, huh?" said Daayiee.

She burst out laughing. "Daayiee is crazy. But okay, I'm game, Charles."

They agreed on when they would go out, and then she and Daayiee went home.

"Oh, how was your day?" asked her mother when they arrived.

"Busy, Madir, as always," Daayiee replied. He also calls her mother "Mom" or "Madir". He even kissed her mother’s cheek. She knows that he also misses his own mother whom he rarely sees. The old woman was also angry at what he did because of Bruno.

"Eat first."

That's what they did. They started talking again as if a whole day spent together at the restaurant was not enough for their conversation. Then they watched TV.

"I called your sister earlier," her mother said later.

Her attention was immediately focused on her mother. She said to her that if it was her, she would never call her sister. Her sister should be the one to call them, they're not the ones who want to be noticed. Just by her mother's tone, she could already guess that she was going to say something bad. After all, there was no good news from her sister. Daayiee immediately turned down the volume of the TV.

"What did your good firstborn say?"

"Stop being like that, Bella. She's your sister. She'll call you later."

"Is She having a problem again or is She going to let us clean up?"

“Bella.” Her mother’s voice was mixed with a warning. She immediately fell silent. That's how she is towards her. "There's a problem, yes. And you're the one she needs to talk to.”

"I wonder what that is?" she said absently.

Daayiee sneered. "Don’t mind, girl." He knows the story of her family because she has told him.

Her cell phone rang. She answered that. Her sister was on the other line. "Ate Mia, what’s the problem?," she said.

“I need something from you.”

"Can't you get a housemaid?" She couldn't avoid being sarcastic. For her, a sister is a sister, not a helper. They are not something that you take out when you need it and put away when you're done until you need it again.

"I don't like your tone."

Let's be fair because I don't like your attitude either. "What do you need, Ate?"

"I want you to watch over your brother-in-law."

“Ha?”

"You know I'm in America right now, I can't go home. I heard something bad. If possible, stay in our house first. I'll take care of you."

"Why don't you just go home?" She doesn't work in America. As far as she knows, her sister is her husband's business assistant. What is she, a guard who has to watch over her sister’s husband? Also, she didn't want to see that man either. She doesn't like him.

"If I can go home, I should have been home." She really has the urge to talk to her like an idiot. That's another thing she doesn't like about her. She looks like a fool when she talks to her sometimes. She often repeats what she says, as if she doesn't understand.

"I have work, Ate, eh." She is not like her mother who simply follows her sister’s wishes.

"I'll take care of you."

"This might be disrespectful, Ate, but the last time you gave me when I was cleaning your house, it wasn't enough for a fare back to the province." When she looked back at her mother, she glared at her. She just turned her back on her.

"Please let me talk to Mom." Her sister seemed irritated.

She was forced to hand the cell phone to her mother. She went away and talked to her sister for a long time.

"Your sister needs your help. It's only for a moment," said her mother when she returned to the living room. "We're family, we have to work together in this situation. Your brother-in-law, just look after him."

It hurts that until now their mother seems like her sister is still controlling her. "What about my job, Mom? When I come back, it's gone."

"Your sister will give you money. A large amount. I said you are starting a business. I mentioned that you and Daayiee want to build your own restaurant. She said she was willing to lend five hundred thousand pesos. She said she would send the advance tomorrow ."

She was shocked for a moment. When she understood that such an amount was just a coin for her sister, she was shocked. "For a period of time, this is the time she would only give, and she will not just simply give it. It is even a loan. Then there will be something in return immediately ---"

"Bella," her mother scolded. Her voice is emphatic.

She was silent, her heart was sinking. When her mother entered her room, she turned to Daayiee. He's smiling.

"What the hell, girl? Five hundred K is five hundred K! That can do a lot!"

"That's right. The thing is, I don't want to see my brother-in-law anymore. He's just annoying."

“The art of not minding.”

"Three hundred K... That's fine."

"Totally fine, you fool!" he screamed.

Later they were jumping with joy in the living room. It looks like their plan to build their own business sooner is already within their reach. All night they planned what to do and before she fell asleep, she smiled. Her sister's coin means her future. Well, what if her brother-in-law is not her type? She will just keep an eye on him.

The next day, her sister called her again to say that she had sent the money. She sent fifty thousand, which will increase every month, and how much is lacking, she will give in full when she gets home. She gave her an instruction. She said that her brother-in-law should not know that she was there at their house to keep an eye on him. The reason her sister told her brother-in-law was that she needed a temporary place to live because their mother had returned to the province.

Even though she didn't fully understand what kind of trip her sister had, she understood on the other hand that women like to watch over their husbands if their husband seems like doing something fishy behind their backs. That's normal. Their colleague at the restaurant even will not come to work just to follow her husband. And since her sister is in America, she is the only one she can count on. It would be a shame if other people knew that she was doubting her husband.

That same day she had to go to their house in Dasmariñas Village. She packed. She went to the restaurant to say goodbye properly, then headed to Makati.