We started our day by getting off the dust. It was awful since it's early in the morning and we just took our bath to get soaked with dust. The exterior of this stall is really unattractive. It doesn't make the customers interested of what's inside. The color of the wall is too pale and is unmatched to the atmosphere of the interior which is pretty dark. Just by staring at the stall, it's really impossible to have atleast 5 customers per day.
We left the apartment earlier than the other days. I also prepare clothes for me to use if ever I got too untidy from cleaning. Miss Chim prepared us packs of sandwiches we can eat for snacks. There's a strawberry jammed sandwich and the other one is coatwd with cheese and ham. She is really the sweetest.
The most exciting part of today is meeting Miss Mia's kids. She told us that they come to visit the store every Sunday afternoon. Two young girls are what I am expecting. One is an elementary schooler and the other one is a teen.
While we are cleaning our respective areas, Sir Flinn came back from his house. The reason why is he changed his clothes and forgot to bring 'something important' but we got no idea what is it. He was holding nothing when he came back.
“What did you forgot to bring, Sir Flinn?” I asked as I wipe the door.
He stood there beside me and then he came closer afterwards. He patted my shoulder and spoke.“ I bought a dictionary.” He said making me lean my back and gazed at him. He then tap his pocket and took the pocket-sized dictionary. As he opened the door, I followed where he is heading and he stood next to Tim who was moping the floor. I saw the same reaction when he told Tim about his dictionary. He is really serious.
Yesterday when I asked Sir Flinn about the funds, he told me to don't worry about it and he'll be the one to handle it. I still don't know Sir Flinn. I don't even know his last name. One time he told me that he never thought of ending this business. He's always optimistic to the point he doesn't care if he got no income at the end of the day as long as the business is still going on. I want to ask him the reason why but I am too scared it is too personal.
We ate lunch together. Miss Mia cooked something delicious for us. Tim sitting beside me and Miss Mia is sitting beside Tim. Sir Flinn is facing us, eating silently. It was a quiet time and pretty awkward. All of our attention is on the food. The only thing I can hear is the sound of spoon and fork being touch to the plate.
“Do you guys have any idea what to name the business?” I asked in an almost whisper voice.
Sir Flinn glance at me for a second then went back to eating again. I gazed at Tim and he acted like he didn't hear me at all. This work is not really easy. Never in the wildest dreams did I imagine I will be running in the business field with no idea what to name the business at the first place.
“Home.”
I stared at Sir Flinn's direction as he uttered the word. Miss Mia was almost on her way to the kitchen but she went back to the table when he heard Sir Flinn. She seemed speechless like me and looking at Tim, he didn't expect it, too.
“ 'Cause there's no place like home?” Tim spoke softly.
Sir Flinn nod.
“ If people would come here, we will let them feel they are home. A place that belongs to them. We will not just be after the menu or the design, we first need them to trust us by making them feel they are home.” He explained to us then stood up from sitting. “Trust me and trust yourselves that we'll be home soon.”
He walked out, leaving us wordless. At that moment, we exchanged stares. Stares of hope we will get there. This is it. We're building a home.
When I was a child, I thought that the house is the home. I thought home is a place because I always hear from them that there's no other place like home.But for me, home is a feeling. The feeling that drives you to be free, to rest, to continue amidst of all the chaos. I've been searching for that feeling. Never in my life, I felt being close to home. I always need to act okay. Act fine when I'm not and lie about the way I feel.
I met Miss Mia's kids earlier. Names are Kira-the teen, and Merliah. Both pretty and kind at the same time. Kira is the shy type but I can sense she is an intelligent kid with a bright future ahead. Merliah is the extroverted one. She's jolly and a curious cat that she came to the point of asking me what's my favourite planet. The time we spent together is short since they need to go home. Miss Mia is an independent woman and I admire her for raising two great kids without any man helping him raise her kids- aside from Sir Flinn who's paying her salary.
It's Sunday today and Miss Mia said that this is the busiest day of the street today until nine in the evening. More likely because most workers are on their rest days and it's a day for family. That is why most stall opened so early. The first street to get filled with customers is our street since most customers are dining out their breakfast. While watching the sunset, Miss Mia told me that other businesses here are run by big time millionaires and it's a secret for only few people. She said that they even dress like ordinary people, so you really got no idea that the one who serves you food is richer than you.
I just realized that people like them are really existing. Those who are already living a great life, the ones who don't have to work hard, silvered-spoon, but still chose to work in the streets instead of going back and forth in their huge offices.
“Maybe they are not happy being rich.” said Miss Mia who's sitting beside me, just outside our stall.Tim and Sir Flinn are arguing about how to pronounce the word they saw in the dictionary, but later, they will found out both of them are wrong.
“ Maybe. They could have all the money, all the fancy treasures, but they are still not happy. They want to find something that will worth their time and their remaining days. They just want to-"I paused and glanced at Miss Mia.
“Feel alive.” I continued.
I saw her half smile. “ This world is too noisy and busy. Too noisy that I couldn't hear my own thoughts and even my own footprints seems unfamiliar to me.” She gave me a tired look.
“ That is why we are craving for a home. I use to think we're existing because we are here to live and die later. But I realized, living while dying is possible. No one seems to understand us the way we understand ourselves. It's crazy to think we can give comforts to others we wish we could give to ourselves.”
Tim and I decided to have a walk in different sections. Most stalls are filled with overflowing customers. I can't help but to feel jealous and I shouldn't be. The sun is already sleeping but the streets are still busy. The lights are bright and it was like a festival. The flashes of smiles are too good for the eyes. It's a different feeling.
I shot Tim a look and he's staring at a cute mother-son relationship. I can trace longing in his eyes. It was too obvious.
“ Miss her?”
He took a deep breathe and smiled looking at me. “ I wonder if she's proud of me.” he said.
“Sure she is.”
He nod and started walking again like nothing happened. He got that weird habit. He waited for me and we tried going to the street where old tapes, CDs, woodenware moveables are being retailed. We entered the first stall which is nearest to us. The least crowded among others. A nostalgic place. The old song being played matched the room perfectly.
“ Old songs are the best. Deeper meanings.” he said while scanning the CDs. He stood beside me in the left part of the small store.
“ Like old souls giving a deeper connection, huh?” I asked and give him a sarcastic look.
He shake his head no. “ Old souls are never replaced like songs.” he said. “ They are forever. Forever living or forever dying.”he paused and pat my head.
“Forever dying while living.” he continued making me freeze from my position. He's thinking the same way like me. For once in a while again, he made me feel speechless.
We stayed in that position for a minute. Him staring at me while smiling and me, staring at him with a blank face. My senses came back after he grab me by the arm. It was a sudden action making me to almost slip. He run as fast as he could and I can't do anything but to run fast as well. We run, stop to decide where to go then run again.
Finally, we stopped. Here in a lonely street. I feel my adrenaline rush and my sweat dripping to the side of my cheeks. After a minute, I faced him with a sweaty face.
“ What's the matter with you?” I asked.
He stood up properly and wipe his sweat dripping from his top head. His sweat run down to his chest causing his white t-shirt to get wet. He faced me and show me an unsmiling look of him.
“I saw your parents.”
Timothy Williams lied. I punched him many times but it wasn't too much like what he truly deserves. Everytime I ask him “ Was it true?” or “Did you really saw them?” His forehead wrinkled and his lips are slightly open, then he would reply “ I'm... quite unsure, I think.. it's just me or maybe... my eyes are getting worse.” Then I would punch him, again and he would act like he's hurt and fall to the ground.I couldn't sleep properly because of it. Even though he already admitted it was a lie, there's still a part of me keeps on believing it.'Cause what if they are here?Are they searching for me?Are they worried?Will they take me back to that small village?And if they are really here, I shouldn't be afraid. They can't force me to go back to where I came from. Two decades are enough for me to get st
“Tim!” I shouted as I knock on his door. It's already 8 in the morning and he still didn't show himself for breakfast.I got tired from knocking and walked downstairs. I saw Miss Chim so I took the chance to ask her, but she spoke before me.“Oh, Kathareen. ” she said and then wiped his wet hands with her apron. “ Tim left earlier. He said it's an urgent emergency.”“Emergency?” I repeated for assurance.She nod and took some eggs in the refrigerator. “He don't want to wake you up since you are tired.” I froze. Speechless.After hearing it, I said goodbye to Miss Chim and excuse myself for not being with her in the breakfast table. I took the bus so I could be there faster. I got no idea what is the emergency all about.I can a
It was already weeks since Merliah's funeral. It was a day of loud cries. Seeing an angel inside a coffin. Her classmates came that time. They would say, “ She's just sleeping,right?”, “When will she wake up? We haven't finish our homeworks yet. Can you wake her up?”. It broke my heart into million pieces.I always keep my eyes on Kira and Miss Mia. I know, they are the most affected here. I would sometime catch Kira crying in the corner when no one's looking. I couldn't afford to see her like that. No words could comfort her, tight hugs are what I can give.Miss Mia- she's the bravest. When someone sends their condolences, she would give them a warm smile, trying really hard to not break down. I admire her that. I want to give her a hug every minute to let her feel that she's alone in this battle. Even though she's strong enough to carry all th
Miss Mia smiled brightly and clapped her hands. “ I love it!”Tim and I exchanged look of disbelief. It's just- like.. lighting.I thought they are just joking, but we are really opening tomorrow. TOMORROW. I kept on asking Sir Flinn what he meant by tomorrow. Then he took his dictionary and said," the day after today".They put the soft carpet covering the the dirty floor, then the lightings.Finalize the arrangement of chairs and tables. Placed the flower vase in the middle of each table that are being covered with soft white fabric.I scanned the whole stall and it was far from how it looked before.“How about the menu?” I asked Miss Mia.She gave me a proud nod.She patted my shoulder and
Mom walked going to my direction. Her eyes are in perfect despair. She colored her hair and now dark brown from being blonde. Seeing her going nearer to me is like the chances of being back to that village is getting bigger. Seeing her took me to flash back from being a prisoner of my own life. How I isolate myself thinking no one wants to be with me, how I waste all the years and life's only revolves inside a small place, and how I need to escape just to find a home. Before she could get a hold of me, I immediately run going out. I saw how customers gazed at me-they don't have any idea of what's going on. I heard Mom screamed my name-like the day Dad slapped me and Sir Flinn asking
Days pass since that day. A lot of changes happened.But there's a lot of things that stayed the same. Our store is filled with customers everyday.I sometimes feel different when Sir Flinn would call me his granddaughter, it's heartwarming.The first time he hug me as a granddaughter, he cried. I let go the last because I want to feel his soul. Guess being a veteran at hiding emotions runs in our blood. I don't want to ruin my relationship with Sir Flinn, he's part of my home and I don't want to mess anything with him. He didn't do anything to make me burst in madness, he's the man who help me and he's has a space in my heart.I wish I knew him when I was a child. He's not a typical grandpa who's back is aching. He's tough physically and mentally.But everything happens for a reason- I may not know him sooner as my grandfather, atleast I know him as Sir F
I haven't got a long sleep. I've been awake since we went home and now here I am sitting on the floor preparing my clothes and other stuffs. They really mean it when they said "tomorrow evening". They didn't listen to me when I told them it's quite early and we need to plan it. Miss Mia laughed at me and told me I'm like a kid who's scared of adventure. It was only a joke, but it's really true.When we are already in the apartment, Tim rush to his room and gave me a quick goodnight. He's excited, really. He was even talking about the foods he want to eat during the camp, the first thing he'll do, or the time he'll go to sleep. I don't know what will happen with this unplanned trip, but there's one thing I am sure of, we will be the happiest.This will be my first time going on a camp. Since I was a kid, I would ask Dad how being in a camp feels like. He'd tell me, it's a great feeling.
I felt like I lost my voice- from singing and screaming and laughing too hard when Tim sung out of tune and it was really hilarious that we need to stop the van because Sir Flinn can't control his laughter. My cheeks are really tired from laughing and my eyes are crying with the happy tears.Tim, Miss Mia, and me are the vocalists while Sir Flinn is the one who keeps on singing the instrumental parts and it sounds extremely weird. And to my calculation, we played almost 458 songs and the unfinished one when Sir Flinn said we arrived.The resort is called "London Beach", and it's funny that is sounds like "London Bridge". And the fact that we are not in London, it made me think how crazy a person's mind is.I got amazed when I saw how lively the place is even though it's already quarter to fo