BLESSY sighed as she returned to church. She doesn’t seem to be able to talk politely to a man named Fender Hearst. She sighed sadly for the man. She knew that what he suffered was not for nothing and he fell into the water like Manong Ben's story.
"Sister Blessy?" Sister Pearl mentioned her name. Like her, she is also a Juniorate and is in the Second Stage.
In fact she is in the First Stage of the Juniorate and one of those she swore to serve the needy and help the sick. They don’t stay in one place for long, they move around as Medical Mission Sisters. Only now did Sister Pearl and her spend some time in the village of Felopina according to Mother Jean's request.
"Looks like he doesn't want to talk right now..."
“That person is unfortunate. He looks a good guy even though there are many tattoos on his body and in the neck."
She did not say a word. How good a person's heart is is not based on outward appearance. It doesn’t mean that a person’s body is dirty because of ink, it’s bad.
"Sister Pearl, did you talk to Mother Jean?" She changes the subject.
“Ah, yes. I've talked to her Actually, we'll only be here for four weeks. We will return to Manila as ordered by Mother Jean.”
She was sad. In the few months she has been in this place, she has fallen in love with the children. They go out but only to town and mostly, just buy food and necessities for the children in their care.
“I will miss the children, Sister. This place. The people. The church and even Mother.”
“It’s really like that. You know that being a nun, there are many tests to be done."
She nodded. She knew that thing. But that did not hinder Blessy's heart from her chosen vocation. Ever since she was young, she dreamed of becoming Mother Superior one day in the church she grew up. The only one who cared for and raised her was her uncle Priest who was assigned to Manila.
"Sister Blessy!"
"Sister Pearl!"
She smiled as the children greeted them. Show them each one by drawing and coloring on paper. Somehow, someone sends them a monthly donation for the children and the church. One of the things she thanked God was that there were still good people in the world.
"Look at what we drew!"
She looked at Leah. The child has been adopted by this church since it was left outside the church. Sadness welled up in her eyes but she didn’t let the child notice. What she draws on the paper is a happy family. This is what the children in their care always draw: a happy family.
"Do you think Mom will come back to here and get me?"
Sister Pearl looked at them and it took them a long time to answer. This is the first time a young child has asked them.
She just smiled and gently stroked her hair. “Of course! You are a good child and one day God will give you what you ask for."
"Really?"
She just pinch her cheek and accompanied the children in what they were doing. When the time they left Barrio Felopina, she would surely miss the children here. They are already dear to her. If only she could, she would adopt them and take care of them but she can't.
“Why can't we see brother Fender? Is he home yet?”
She smiled and shook her head at Raiza's question. The kid was sitting in an old wheelchair. "He's with Manong Ben."
At the same time, they nod as she slowly sighed. She wants to talk to the man but he always pushes her away.
It is no longer common for her when strangers ask for help to church. Somehow, the memory that nothing awful had happened to the man made her calm. They take an oath as junioriate to help people who are sick or in need. The man's actions in the cave were quite perilous. It can die with only one bad move. It was difficult to operate on one's own wound, so she prayed in the cave that the man would 'simply not die.
"You think to much, Sister Blessy."
Sister Pearl, her friend, caught her gaze. That's true, she's thinking about something but can't tell her what it is. Her friend will undoubtedly provide her with more than just questions and sermons.
"First, Sister, I'll go to my room. I'll leave the kids with you for a while."
She stood up when it nodded. She adjusted her clothing and her viel. She also said her goodbyes to the children, entrusting them to Sister Pearl's care. Sister Pearl mentioned that they will return to Manila after a few more weeks of being at the church and convent with the children, and she even met Mother Jean in the corridor.
MR. HEARST sat under the large tree the next day and slept peacefully, which made Blessy sigh. The man was not the reason she went to that area. She used to go there every Saturday to pick lovely flowers and medicinal plants for the church.
She was only a few steps away from the man, and she could see him sleeping peacefully.
She sensed that the man was concealing something. When she wanted to relate a story, however, as a woman who will one day be a full-fledged nun, she simply let it go. She even desired to help this man in regaining his trust in God. Because the truth is, she could sense his heart's enormous rage.
"He's pitiful..." she said nearly in hushed tones. She feel sorry the man and all she could do was pray for him.
"I'm not pitiful," he says.
When the man spoke, she was taken aback. Fender Hearst was sleeping, all Blessy knew, and the word that came out of her mouth earlier was nearly silent.
She apologized and bowed gently, saying, "I'm sorry if I disrupted your rest." She had been accustomed to his cold gesture.
"Isn't nuns like you solely work in the church and convent? What brings you here by yourself?"
"I've come to get flowers for the altar, Mr. Hearst."
"The cathedral is surrounded by flowers. Why don't you take it?"
She took a deep breath and sighed softly. She doesn't understand what he's trying to say. She is a nun, not a fortune teller. Her brow furrowed as she asked, "What do you want to happen, Mr. Hearst?"
"Get yourself away from here or I'm the one to leave."
"I can't understand you," she frowned even more.
He remained silent. He simply stood up and gave her a hard stare. Every time she looks into his eyes, she sees hatred, anger, and revenge.
He turned and walked slowly without saying anything. He was dressed in a torn pair of ragged jeans and an old white shirt. She notices a big mandala tattoo on the man's shoulder that extends from the neck to the entire right hand. Anyone would assume he's an addict when it comes to appearance and body colors because he wears a black rings on his finger.
"Mr. Hearst," she started.
It stopped for a brief moment before continuing to walk away. She freely followed him with her attention and decided to go flower picking in order to come back to church as soon as possible.
WHEN Zerus arrived at old Manong Ben's hut, he let out a heavy sigh. He is the one who avoids the situation in which he is currently struggling. He will not quit as long as his heart continues to feel strange.
"Hijo!"
He look at Manong Ben. It was carrying tilapia and catfish that were still alive and dangling from the abaca fiber
"I brought our food! What exactly do you want it cooked? Sister Blessy and Mother Jean will be relieved. They enjoy ginataan catfish with a lot of chile."
The old man suddenly drew his attention. He took a look at the fish he was hauling, and they were quite big. He grinned, "I'll cook that." And walked over to the kitchen.
"Wait a minute, are you sure? Your wounds haven't healed yet."
"Manong, the wound is not in my hands. Okay, I'll cook, and then you can relax."
"If you insist, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop you. Wait a minute, I'll just put these I got in the sink."
He simply nodded and grinned quietly. If this is the case, he should be the one to make the meal and let Blessy taste how excellent he cooks.
Zerus wounds in his thigh and abdomen did not stop him from preparing the necessary seasoning. He began by pulling out the coconut milk and washing the fish.
He let Manong Ben sleep and rest outside on a rattan hammock. He will prepare ginataan catfish for the woman. He knew he had mistreated her, but he couldn't blame himself. For two years, he determined to forget the woman who belonged to some God, but here he is now, close to realizing that not only his life is in jeopardy... His heart, too.
She'll forget she's a nun thanks to the delicacy of my cooking.
He burst out laughing at his own joke. He has no intention of seducing the woman. When he leaves this area, the madness he is feeling will disappear. Everything is only fleeting.
"I didn't expect you to be a good cook, Son."
He did not respond. He first tried his food on the old guy, who had awoken with a delicious smell. Manong Ben's excitement was shown on his covered face as he sat on the wooden chair. He's finished cooking the rice and special ginataan catfish.
"It'll be a hit with Sister Blessy!"
He stopped when he returned inside the home to retrieve an old pitcher and glass. "Really?"
It smiled broadly and continued to eat. He decided to keep going inside the hut to retrieve the pitcher and glass.
"It's you, Sister Pearl."
Later, Zerus heard the old guy say that term. He peered through the bamboo wall's gap. He noticed a female nun carrying flowers. He was uninterested. He kept scooping water into the old jar.
"Was Sister Blessy here, Mr. Ben?"
“No. Why did you inquire, Sister?"
He was surprised for a time before peering inside the hole once more. He was waiting for the woman to speak out.
"She should have returned to church earlier. She hasn't arrived yet, and I can't find her. That's all fine, Manong. I'm going to leave. Father Alex, by the way, is looking for you. I believe he will assign you a task."
"Okay, Sister, I'll follow after I eat."
The nun simply nodded and walked away. As Zerus had pondered. He dashed back to Manong Ben with the pitcher and glass in his hand.
"Could you please bring the catfish I cooked to church and give it to the nun? All I'm going to do is go to the waterfall."
Even though he was treading cautiously, he hastened to the waterfall. There was no difficulty because his thigh wound was far distant and his bone had not been damaged. The only thing close to the gunshot wound was his side abdomen, which nearly killed him.
He has strong feelings that something bad is going to happen to Blessy, and he never fails when it comes to his intuition. He taught himself to flee the world once he was enslaved as a result of his inclination.
"What the hell! Where has she gone?"
He didn't have the wound. He wanted to make sure the nun was all right and that nothing awful had happened to her. His attention was drawn to every tree and tall plant that passed by.
"Blessy!" he dared to say, but no one responded. He couldn't even say the woman's name correctly. It bothers him that they are at odds with the rest of the world. And liking it is a great craze for the lone Fender Hearst disguised as Zerus Craige.
When something caught his eye, he stopped. Some flower petals were scattered on the ground. He dashed over there and grabbed it. He sniffed the flower and stared at the flower he was holding for a few seconds.
"But where the fuck is she?" He snatched the sad flower and tossed it aside.
He is a calm individual. But this time, he doesn't give a damn! His heart was beating as he searched for the woman. He could kill a man if something awful had happened here!
"Blessy!"
He waited a few minutes for her to answer, but she never did. He, too, has come a long way. He was already at the waterfall's right end, where there was a lot of grass and a ravine next to it. Those who are unfamiliar with the area may be frightened.
“Blessy! Where have you gone?"
Fuck! This is not good. This is terribly bad! He was frustrated when the rain began to drop. If he wants to murder it now, Heaven is still upset!
Bullshit! Where exactly are you? Have you encountered a shattering event? I should not have left you like that before and merely let you roam so I could keep an eye on you. Oh, damn!
He was already bathing in the pouring rain, but Zerus did not stop looking. He is unbothered by the rain. All he wanted to do was see the woman. When he called her name, he was met with ear splitting lightening and thunder. Heaven was furious with him, and he could sense it.Blessy, where are you? Oh, crap!When the heavens roared again and drew lengthy lightning, he darkened. He was simply disturbed and proceeded until he stopped abruptly, shocked.“Bullshit! Blessy!" He was faster than the clock as he stepped the steep cliff. He was unconcerned about the possibility of falling due to the force of the storm and the slick rocks. He even forgets that he is still injured. He instantly hugged the unconscious woman while the flowers she had pick were near her."Blessy? Hey, Blessy!" He tapped the woman's pale cheek, but she didn't respond.Blessy slipped and plunged off the cliff. That's what Zerus was aware of. When he felt her wrist's feeble pulse, he instantly caressed it and calmed d
"Mother Jean is speaking to you, Sister."She looked at the elderly nun, taken aback. Her face was full of concerned as she stared at her, waiting for her to speak."Mother Jean is wondering what happened yesterday and why you are unconscious."She bowed and apologized to the elderly nun. She told the truth about why, but she didn't say that Mr. Fender Hearst kissed her. Mother Jean only lectured her and warned her to be cautious the next time. In response to Mother Jean, she only nodded."Rest once more. I'll bring you some soup and medicine to warm your stomach. Sister Pearl, come with me."She nodded, and the two of them turned away. She was the only one in the room. She decided to get up and check on herself to see if she was all right. She only realized she had a fever when she touched her neck and forehead.She was like that for a while, sitting up. Sister Pearl returned with a tray full of food that still smoking. As she placed the tray next to her, her eyes widened."Ginataang
When Zerus realized Blessy's right shoulder was shot, he took a deep breath. He sent a man to see the woman, and his heart almost stopped pounding. He was on a building's rooftop, facing the woman's room, and he freely watched her sleep through the binoculars he was carrying.He set aside the plan to depose Dr. Hayes first. Ramona is the first one he'll encounter, and Zerus knows exactly where to find her."The premises have been secured. Mr. Craige, you'll have a difficult time getting in. Every patient room has facial recognition technology. Dr. Hayes is doubling the building's security. Every corridor has CCTVs, and they are not ordinary CCTVs.”In response to the man who reported to him today, he simply laughef. It's on the other end of the line, and its also a Doctor."Is she completely fine? Make certain that my pyscho sister cannot enter her room. ""Noted."He quickly removed the binoculars and placed them in the pocket of his jacket, which folded up and became the size of a s
THE YOUNG BLESSY was stunned when the young man she had been waiting for almost 1 hours didn't appear. They promised they would meet this bridge but Fender still wasn't there. She sighed and threw stones into the water. How many rocks had she thrown into the water while waiting for him? She doesn't think she can count. She even wore a beautiful dress that she bought at a thrift clothes shop yesterday for twenty pesos. Goodness! 20 pesos is a lot money.“Where is he? He may have forgotten we had a date.” she sighed again and counted from one to a hundred in her mind. If the young man does not show up, she will leave under the bridge.She finished counting from one to a hundred but no Fender appeared. She stood up sadly and looked at her newly washed clothes. She was going home and had to work in the streets again to buy food."Blessy!"Her eyes lit up when she heard Fender's voice. It finally arrived! She immediately greeted the young man with a tight hug. Laughing, he let go of her em
Many garbage trucks passed by. There were also people carrying sacks and sticks. There are minors and there are elderly who started making a living from garbage dumped by trucks. They took garbage that can still be used. Rubbish for others but to poor people like them, it's like a gold. She was suddenly sad in that part. There are many questions in her brain and why not everyone is equal. But all that remained in her brain, she had no plans to question God’s creation."What are you thinking?" Fender later asked her. He put the water back in her bag and tapped her lightly.She turned her gaze to him and smiled sparingly. "Nothing," she looked at his arm and legs with many bruises. She hasn't commented yet, and she might cry again. "Why are you so sane?"He grinned. “Because, I'm handsome?”She smiled somehow. Fender always really shows her that his okay even tho he's not.LAUGHING, Blessy watched Fender as he played catch-up with the children. These are their neighbor's children and so
She were at church early the next day with Indang. She clutched the rosary Fender had given her with both hands. She silently praises God because God still does not abandon her despite the trial God has given her. They went straight to the market after attending church. They simply walked around and look for him. Blessy has no problem with long walks because she is used to them."The market is kinda big so how can we locate your boyfriend?" Indang had her arm around her. This is because she is familiar with the area. "Hide your beauty, Blessy. Those who will see you might charmed your beauty."She lightly slapped her arms. "You're insane. I'm not beautiful!"She simply shrugged and yanked her away. They began to walk around the market courtyard. They went to the wet market first, then to the rice paddies. They examined the young men they saw as tall and about the same size as Fender, but they were disappointed. There isn't even a single trace of the man."He's not working here. But wh
"Blessy, I know you can't understand me right now, but I can only say one thing: I've been doing all of this for you, Blessy.""I really don't understand. We're happy here. I'm contented with what we have now. All that matters to me is to be with you, Fender. You don't have to do all of this for me."He sighed and kissed her on the lips. "I love you. I always do."She didn't respond, and tears welled up in her eyes. Blessy knew Fender is leaving, and she couldn't stop him. "Don't cry please? I find it hard to watch you cry." He wiped her tears away since she couldn't do it on her own, it always the one to wipe away her tears. When it comes to Fender, she's both strong and weak."P-please, don't go with them," her sobbing grew louder. She doesn't want him to go with those men she believes will be detrimental to the man she loves. "Didn't we promise each other? We promised and you know that! Please don't go with them tomorrow. If you do that, I'll go insane." She took his hand in her a
ZERUS immediately left the Hospital after they make love inside the hospital room, he quickly returned to his car. Before Blessy closed her eyes and fall asleep, she begged him not to leave her for the third time.As he stared into her beautiful eyes, he felt as if his head would explode in pain. He knew he had forgotten something in his past, but he wasn't sure. He vividly recalls his youth, when he lived on the streets and suffered like a rat. He recalls living in a dumpsite for a few months and making friends, but he has no memories of Blessy. He has no memories with her and who is she in his life. He exhaled deeply and shook his head. He needed his friend's help and he think he's going insane trying to find the woman's information in his head. He wished he could recall Blessy's lovely face from his past, but he couldn't recall anything. His mind was like a locked door.He immediately went to his friend's private bar. When he saw him, it immediately run to him."You're alive, Zeru