Chapter Three : The Doorbell

October 15, 2019

THERA placed the cup of hot coffee on top of the glass center table. Her cellphone rang, and Laida handed it to her from sitting on the single sofa.

“Hello,” she answered before Laida could even tell who was on the other line.

“Thera?”

She drew a harsh breath the moment she recognized the voice. She shot Laida a glare, who could only bite her lower lip.

“Thera, help me, please. Joshua is in jail. I don’t know what to do. I don’t have the money to bail him out. I-I just gave birth. I had no one to turn to.”

“R-robbery. But he was not one of the thieves. H-he was just falsely accused.”

“And do you really believe your husband was falsely accused, Wela?” She smirked. “I can’t help you. I don’t help people who deserved to be in jail.” She ended the call. She threw the phone on the sofa near Laida. “Save the number.”

“You don’t want me to block it, Madam?”

She picked up the cup. “Let her call non-stop.”

Joshua was Thera’s first cousin, and Wela was his live-in partner. Four years ago, they cut the ties that bound them together. After a long time, the two got in touch with her. Well, they needed something. As usual. But they were wrong to think that she’d give them help just like before. She was not the kind of person who easily forgets and forgives. She could only be fooled once, and it won’t happen again.

She was turning thirty in a few months. She had learned her lesson in the hard and painful way possible. She swore to herself that she would never let people without a slight drop of shame and gratitude use her again. She forgot she still had surviving relatives. They were not even worthy of being part of her life.

Thera glanced at her gold-plated wristwatch. Quarter to eight. She planned to go to The Palace to personally see the outcome of Yumi’s effort.

By this time, there must be news of hunger strike, threats to report to the Department of Labor, or resignation from the two marketing staff.

“Get the car ready, Laida.”

A few minutes later, Thera was in her car on the way to the office. She was putting her cardigan on when her phone rang.

“Your secretary,” Laida informed.

“I’m almost there,” she told Yumi once she brought her phone near her ear.

“Attorney called regarding your cousin who was involved in a robbery.”

“I’m not gonna help. Let him rot in jail.”

“The thing is… it really looked like Joshua was falsely accused.”

THERA wore her big sunglasses that was large enough to cover half of her face before she opened the door at the backseat.

“Ma’am, do I have to wait for you?”

Thera paused from getting off from the car. Her eyebrow arched in an instant. “No, don’t. Leave me here and go pick up other passengers. You can even go to the transport service all you want. After all, I’m not the owner of this goddamn car .”

The driver lowered his head. Thera got off with a frown and closed the door forcefully. Why did he have to ask that? Stupid.

She sauntered to the house across her car. It was made of concrete and wood. It was small, yet it wasn’t fully furnished. She used to live there. Sixteen years ago, it already looked like that.

Nothing had changed except that the gate became rusty and old, and the termites started to take over the door. The paint from the wall began to peel off, and the hinges of the windows were about to give in anytime.

She smirked as she noticed that the old doorbell was still attached beside the door. She had too many bad memories with that doorbell.

Before Thera could even realize it, slowly, as she stared at the doorbell, the past began to flashback.

NOVEMBER 15, 2009

Baguio City, Philippines

THERA was panting when she reached the door of her Uncle Jaime’s house. She got caught in the rain before she could even arrive at the one-story home. It had only two rooms, but she was not occupying any. The first room belonged to Uncle Jaime, and the other one was for his only son, Joshua, who was in his final year in college and two years older than her. She was staying and sleeping on the wooden couch that was as old as her. It was located in the small living room beside the television.

Thera’s uniform was already soaking wet. Thank goodness, tomorrow is Saturday, her class would begin in the afternoon. She could hang her uniform dry in front of the electric fan after washing it before bedtime. She got home late because of her new part-time job. She was hired as a cashier slash barista in Sean and Tan’s Tea Caf, and she had been working for almost two weeks already.

She went straight to the coffee shop once her class was over. Her duty was from five-thirty to eight-thirty in the evening during weekdays and opening during Saturday. She had no class on Sundays, but the coffee shop was closed. Thera knocked on the door. Uncle Jaime was not around. He had an overnight in Tagaytay along with his friends in Laguna. She and Joshua were the only ones left in the house.

She pressed the doorbell when no one opened the door after knocking. She was sure her cousin was inside. She could hear soft music within the house.

“Josh?” she said as she knocked once again. She was shivering with cold, and her black shoes were filled with rainwater. If it got soaked a little longer, her sole would eventually split the next time she used it.

Thera sighed in relief when the door finally opened. She was shaking the longer she stood there. But instead of letting her in, Joshua blocked the small opening. He was topless, and only wearing boxer shorts.

“Didn’t you get my text? Didn’t your co-worker tell you that I have a visitor?” he asked grumpily.

“Who’s that co-worker? The rain is heavy, and my cellphone will get damaged if it got wet.”

“Which got me wondering why your antique phone is still working,” he murmured.

“What?”

“Just come back tomorrow,” he said in an irritated tone.

“I have nowhere to go.”

“Well, that’s your problem.” Joshua was about to close the door, but Thera stopped him.

“Josh, I’m soaking wet. My clothes are inside.”

“Josh, come here.”

Thera stopped. A woman’s voice coming from inside the house was sweet. Joshua took it as an opportunity. He closed the door after pushing her away.

Thera did not know whether she’d get mad with her cousin or feel sorry for herself. The latter maybe. What was her right to get angry? The house was not hers. If her cousin wanted to bring a woman in the place his father owned, she could not do anything about it.

She walked away from the house. The rain was still pouring hard. Where would she go? Should she spend the night in a twenty-four-hour convenience store near town again? She did not have the money to buy food there. Her salary was not coming sooner. She could not stay at Kisses house’s either because it was small.

Then she thought of Sean and Tan’s. She had the key for the opening tomorrow. She was sure no one was around at that time anymore. She left with Kisses a while ago because she was hired as a waitress the other day.

Thera wrapped her arms around her as she waited for a tricycle to drop her at the coffee shop. A few minutes later, she was already outside Sean and Tan’s. She went inside and did not bother turning on the lights. Passers-by would only wonder. She reached for the wall which she knew would eventually lead her to the other end of the coffee shop where the sofa was. She could sleep there while she dried her clothes.

Thera was expecting something soft to feel. But it was warm and hard, and she had no idea what it was when she reached the end.

“Take your hands off me…” that attractive, deep, masculine, yet very cold voice commanded.

THERA shook her head. She removed her sunglasses. Her blood boiled whenever she thought about the owner of that deep voice.

It was done, her lawyer took care of Joshua’s case according to her orders. Her cousin’s name will be cleared and will be released in no time.

Why did she even have to come here? Her socialite look was not suited to the filthy environment. If she stayed a little longer, her lungs would suffer. The area was not polluted only with garbage and dust—even the people living there.

She remembered how they gathered around her and worshipped after she got married to Sean. They were asking and wishing as if they had forgotten that she was human, and not God or Buddha.

When she had not granted everything, they spread lots of nasty rumors about her. She thought they would be grateful for the help she gave them. Work, loaned money without needing to pay it back, gadgets, donations. But the gluttons were not contented and almost became a parasite.

As she grew older, Thera realized that there was no such thing as one time to those people. If there’s the first wish, a second one will follow, and there would be a third even. And once you refuse one time, they would make you feel that you were a worthless person. You’d wrong them big time, and they’d stab you in the back non-stop.

They were all stupid for turning their backs on her. Unfortunate and annoying at the same time that sometimes, she wanted to question God why He created them. Those goddamn gold diggers and ungrateful bitches—they were her pain in the neck. If only they could phase out and expire just like medicines in the drugstores. She would probably be happy living on earth. No pollution, zero garbage. Happy life. Happy environment.

But that’s just impossible.

Thera was about to return to her car when she almost bumped into three women passing behind her.

“Sorry, Miss.”

She lifted her gaze. She returned her composure when she realized the woman who was wearing glasses. It was Jiera. Her eyes widened as she stared at her.

“T-Thera?”

She glanced at the other women she was with.

“OMG! It’s you!”

She rolled her eyes. How OA.

October 15, 2019

THERA's cellphone rang. She placed the cup of hot coffee on top of the glass center table, and waited for Laida who was sitting on the single sofa to hand it to her.

“Hello,” she answered before Laida could even tell who was calling on the other line.

“Thera?”

Thera drew a harsh breath the moment she recognized the voice. She shot Laida a glare who bit her lower lip and lowered her head.

“Thera, help me, please. Joshua is in jail. I don’t know that to do. I don’t have the money to bail him out. I-I just gave birth. I had no one to turn to.”

"Why is he in jail?" She asked.

“R-robbery. But he was not one of the thieves. H-he was just falsely accused.”

“Do you really believe your husband was innocent, Wela? Stop being so naive and stupid. Joshua is a con artist even before he was born.” She smirked. “I can’t help you. I don’t help people who deserved to be in jail.” She ended the call and threw it on the sofa near Laida. “Save the number.”

“You don’t want me to block it, Madam?”

She picked up the cup. Smiled. “Let her call non-stop.”

Joshua was Thera’s first cousin, and Wela was his live-in partner. Four years ago, they were the one who cut the ties that bound them together. After a long time, the fools got in touch with her again. Well, she was not surprised at all.  Remembering her means they needed something. As usual.

But Thera had enough. They were wrong to think that she’d give them the help they were asking. She was no longer the kind of person who easily forgives and forgets.

Thera was turning thirty in a few months. She had learned her lesson in a hard and painful way possible. She could only be fooled once, and it won’t happen again.

She swore that she would never let people who do not have even a slight ray of shame and gratitude use her again.

Thera intentionally forgot she still had surviving relatives. Because why not?They were not even worthy of being part of her life.

Thera glanced at her gold-plated wristwatch. Quarter to eight. She planned to go to The Palace to personally see the outcome of Yumi’s effort.

She expected to hear news of hunger strike and threats to report to the Labor Union. She'll get giddy if she'd find  resignation letters on top of her desk from the two staffs from the marketing department.

“Get the car ready, Laida.”

A few minutes later, Thera was in her car on the way to the office. She was putting her cardigan on when her phone rang.

“Your secretary,” Laida informed.

“I’m almost there,” she told Yumi the moment she brought her phone near her ear.

“Attorney called regarding your cousin who was involved in a robbery.”

Thera's eyesbrows furrowed.

“I already said I'm not gonna help. Let that rat rot in jail.”

“The thing is… it really looked like Joshua was falsely accused.”

THERA wore her D&C sunglasses that was large enough to cover half of her face before she opened the car door.

“Ma’am, do I have to wait for you?” asked Ringgo.

Thera paused from getting off from the car. Her eyebrows arched in irritation. “No, don’t wait for me and just leave me here. You can even go to the transport hub and drive for other passengers if you want. After all, I don't pay you enough and I don't think you know that I'm the owner of this darm car.”

The driver looked away and lowered his head upon seeing her sharp glare. Thera got off with a frown and closed the door forcefully. Bird-brained. Does he really have to ask her that?

Thera sauntered to the house across her car. The old house was made of concrete and wood. It was small and was not fully furnished. She used to live there.

Sixteen years ago, the house already looked like that. Nothing had changed except that the gate became rustier and older and the termites started to take over the door. The paint from the wall began to peel off, and the hinges of the windows were almost giving in.

She smirked as she noticed that the old doorbell was still attached beside the door. She had too many bad memories with that doorbell.

Before Thera could even realize it, slowly, as she stared at the doorbell, she was having a flashback..

November 15, 2009

Baguio City, Philippines

THERA was panting when she reached the door of her Uncle Jaime’s house. She got caught in the rain before she could even arrive at the one-story house.

It had two rooms, but she was not occupying any. The first room belonged to Uncle Jaime, and the other one was for his only son, Joshua, who was in his final year in college and two years older than her. Thera was staying and sleeping on the wooden couch that looked as old as her. It was located in the small living room beside the television.

Thera’s uniform was already soaking wet. Thankfully, tomorrow is Saturday and her class would begin in the afternoon. She could hang her uniform dry in front of the electric fan after washing it before going to bed.

She got home late because of her new part-time job. She was hired as a cashier slash barista in Sean and Tan’s Tea Caf.  She had been working there for almost two weeks already.

She went straight to the coffee shop once her class was over. Her duty was from five-thirty to eight-thirty in the evening during weekdays while she's assigned to open the coffee shop every Saturdays. She had no class during Sundays. And the coffee shop was closed.

Thera knocked on the door. Uncle Jaime was not around. He had an overnight in Tagaytay along with his friends in Laguna. She and Joshua were the only ones left in the house.

She pressed the doorbell when no one opened the door after knocking. She could hear soft music within the house. She was sure her cousin was inside.

“Josh?” she said as she knocked once again. She was shivering with cold, and her black shoes were filled with rainwater. If it got soaked a little longer, her sole would eventually split the next time she used it.

Thera sighed in relief when the door finally opened. Topless Joshua appeared.

Thera was already shaking. She's worried she'd got sick if she'd stay there longer. But instead of letting her in, Joshua blocked the small opening. He was topless, and only wearing boxer shorts.

“Didn’t you get my text? Didn’t your co-worker tell you that I have a visitor tonight?” he asked grumpily.

“I didn't get any text and who's co-worker are you talking about?”

“Just come back tomorrow,” he said in an irritated tone.

“But I have nowhere to go.”

“That’s your problem.” Joshua was about to close the door, but Thera stopped him.

“Josh, I’m soaking wet. My clothes are inside.”

“Josh, why are you taking so long. Come here already.” the woman’s voice coming from inside the house was sweet.

Thera was stunned. Joshua took it as an opportunity. He closed the door after pushing her away.

Thera did not know whether she’d get mad with her cousin or feel sorry for herself. The latter maybe. What was her right to get angry? The house was not hers to begin with. If her cousin wanted to bring a woman in the place his father owned, she could not do anything about it.

Thera walked away from the house. The rain was still pouring hard. Where would she go? Should she spend the night in a twenty-four-hour convenience store near town again? Kisses house were small she could not stay there either.

Then she thought of Sean and Tan’s. She had the key since she's the one opening it tomorrow. She was sure no one was around at that time anymore. She left with Kisses a while ago. She was also hired as a waitress two days after Thera got the job as barista.

Thera wrapped her arms around her as she waited for a tricycle to drop her at the coffee shop. A few minutes later, she was already outside Sean and Tan’s. She went inside and did not bother turning on the lights. Passers-by would only wonder. Thera reached for the wall which she knew would eventually lead her to the other end of the coffee shop where the sofa was. She could sleep there while she dried her clothes.

Thera was expecting for something soft to feel when she reached the end. Her imagination went wild when instead, she grasped something warm and hard.

“Take your hands off me…” that attractive, deep, masculine, yet very cold voice commanded.