FERNANDO
WE FINISHED QUICKLY. Then Cole led me to a door that led to the kitchen. When we entered, we found the two gentlemen there busy cooking.
"Uncle Morris, Brother Onin, this is Brother Ando, our new helper, and waiter," Cole introduced us.
I greeted them, "Good evening."
The two men are busy cooking. In fairness, their kitchen is clean and the two are even wearing uniforms that look like real chefs.
"Welcome, Ando. I'm Morris," introduced the older man. He first wiped his hand on the apron he was wearing and then handed it to me with a smile. I also smiled and shook his hand.
"Thank you." We let go, shaking hands.
"What's up, bro? Onin here," said the younger boy, who waved at me and didn't come closer because he was at the other end of the kitchen counter. I just nodded at him.
"Is there any food yet, Uncle Morris?" Cole asked.
"There is. I'll just heat it up," Morris replied, returning to cooking. Onin prepares the spices.
I don't know anything about the kitchen, so I'm in awe of men who know how to cook. It’s a plus point because that's what most women like. In the end, even though I am not a master in the kitchen, I have other ways. Ahem.
"Let me help you. Just continue what you're doing there. You sit there first, Kuya Ando," Cole said.
I was about to sit down when someone shouted again.
"Kapre! Mom, the kapre is in the kitchen!" She was at the door and was looking at me very scared. Kapre is like a tree giant. A tall, hairy giant that lives in big trees.
We all looked in the direction of the speaker. This is the same kid who called Cole earlier but was also yelling to leave when she saw me.
"What are you saying?" A woman appeared behind the child. "You've been saying "kapre" for a while. What "kapre" are you talking about?" The woman asked the little girl. The child is probably her daughter. Well, she called her mama.
"Mama, that's him! That's him! Kapre!" The child pointed at me.
I don't know what my reaction will be to what the little girl said, but the boys with me started laughing.
"Hey, kid! That's not a kapre." Frustrated, the child's mother scratched her head.
"Mama, mama, kapre," the child, who was still terrified, clung to her mother's legs.
I just laughed softly. Onin and Cole were dying of laughter. Kuya Morris was also giddy with laughter.
So, that's why she came back to the restaurant crying when she first saw me at the entrance. I'm sorry if that's the case. She's so funny.
"Tali, that's not a kapre," Cole said, and approached the little girl. The child immediately hugged the teenager, so Cole just carried him.
"What's that, Brother Cole? He's scary because he's so tall," said the little girl who was tightly hugging Cole. The eyes of the cute child were peeking in my direction.
"That's a new brother," Cole said. He approached me while carrying the child. "Meet Brother Ando, Talitha," Cole introduced me to the child. "And Brother Ando, meet Talitha, or you can call her Tali."
I smiled sweetly at the child. "Hi Tali, nice to meet you."
The child didn't react but just peeked while still hugging Cole.
"She is still shy, Big Brother. But she is a good kid, even if she is a little naughty," said Cole. I just nodded.
"Come on, Tali. Just go to your God mother's office." The woman earlier took the child from Cole. "Why are you here... What's your name again?"
"Ando..."
"Ando, why are you here?" the woman asked me again.
"Ah, I'm your new helper here at the resort, and I'm also a waiter. I met Ma'am Carmelita at the port. She welcomed me kindly when I asked her for a job. I'm just a newcomer here on the island. Besides, I need a job," I explained.
The woman watched me intently. I gave her a quick glance. She is also beautiful and sexy, even with a child. Her skin is tanned, her black eyes are a bit chinita, her nose is cute, her lips are red. If I'm not mistaken, they are the same height as Carmelita. Who could this be?
"Is that so? Alright. Welcome to Mairaos Resort. I'm Agatha, the general manager here. If you have any questions or needs, you can ask me or any of us."
"Thank you."
"Hey, I'll talk to you later and I'll feed this child first. The bar will open by 9 pm, so get ready," she instructed. I just nodded and she left.
I'm finally sitting down. Cole prepared food for us. And while eating, he briefly discussed with me what they were doing at the resort, especially when the bar was open.
Because it's still a weekday, the bar isn't busy yet, but on weekends, it's said that there's a rush of customers. It's not just vacationers who go there to spend time with, but locals too.
Cole said that people flock to their restaurant on the island because of the delicious food and the friendly staff. Cole isn't lying, Morris and Onin cook really well.
I also found out that Brother Morris is actually a chef and only settled here on the island because of his daughter. Onin is also a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management and prefers to stay here on the island, so he looked for a job here because his father is also here and he could not leave him.
I also met Cole's twin, Dylan. The two look alike, but the difference is that Dylan has no dimples. Compared to Cole, Dylan has a bit of a bad boy look. He is also humorous, while Cole is quite serious. So you won't get confused with them.
I also found out that Cole and Dylan are only twenty years old, Onin is twenty-five, and Brother Morris is forty-four. Agatha, who is Carmelita's best friend, is the same age as her, which is twenty-six years old. Her cute daughter, Talitha, is four years old.
They even have a housekeeper, Aling Ingrid, who is helped by her high school daughter, Madeline. But at night they are not there, only during the day. They have one guard, whose name is Arman, but he is said to be on leave because he went home to the other town to visit his sick son. He will be back tomorrow.
After all, they are understaffed here. But I haven't seen how big the resort is so I'm not sure if Carmelita's staff is just right.
They are all kind. They are funny. I actually get along well with them.
I also simply asked about Carmelita and they answered. I found out from them that Carmelita is a caring and kind boss. I didn't ask about her affairs first because I was just a beginner and I might get a bad grade on my first day for being nosy.
"Where are you from, Ando?" Kuya Morris suddenly asked.
The three men were looking at me.
"I'm from Manila," I answered.
"Why did you come here, Ando? It’s okay if you don't want to share it," the old man said.
"Ah, because..." This is what I didn't prepare for, but I decided to tell them the truth, except for my true identity. "Because I was cheated by my ex-fiance. I was traded for a rich old man." I half-smiled and scratched the back of my neck.
When I remember what Callie and Daddy did to me, I feel like going to the bar and drinking alcohol.
Those in front of me were silent. I can see sympathy in their eyes, but I don't need that.
"Have you finished eating?" A woman appeared in the kitchen. When we turned around, it was Carmelita.
She looks so dazzlingly gorgeous in her fitted white polo and black slacks. Her hair is tied in a perfect bun. This girl is really beautiful. But like other beauties, she uses her beauty to deceive. Wasteful.
"We are done, Carms. What can I do for you?" Onin quickly approached the lady and was all smiles. Hmm... Onin is very obvious.
"Get ready," said the woman, and she looked at me first. I smiled at her. She just raised an eyebrow. She is really cute. "Cole, you take care of the newbie. The crowd is getting bigger." And she left.
Those in the kitchen have started to get busy. Cole and Dylan took me to the employees' staff house. Guess what, the employees also have their own lockers. Cole gave me my uniform, which is a simple yellow floral short sleeve and khaki shorts. I also borrowed rubber shoes from Onin because our shoe sizes are the same. I had a pair of shoes with me, but they were obviously expensive, so I decided to borrow his shoes instead. I also took a shower and cleaned myself. I did not bother to shave my beard, but I just fixed it and combed it well.
The uniform is a bit tight, but that's okay. Cole even complimented me on being macho. Anyway, since I don't really know how to be a waiter, he said that I should just take orders and he and Dylan would take care of other tasks. Carmelita also has an additional instruction that if there are no orders, I will be the one to watch or guard the place because Arman is not there.
Well, I have to impress my new boss. So I will do everything to make her fall for me. Sorry to Onin. But he should thank me because I will stop Carmelita from hurting him. He's just a humble chef who's not the type of that woman, and I know he's not rich. Onin will thank me and the others who will be hurt and get hurt by Carmelita. Thanks to me, they will get revenge.
FERNANDOMY FIRST DAY WAS EXHAUSTING. I'm used to staying late, but it's really different when it comes to manual labor.It was five in the morning when Cole and Dylan kicked out by themselves the few local and foreign customers who had fallen asleep in the resto-bar due to drunkenness.You can say I am hands-on with our businesses, like visiting the factory and our fish farms, but only for a limited time. The work I did today cannot be compared to my previous work. Luckily, I slept on the barge yesterday, but I'm still sleepy. But I have no right to complain because I am just an employee here. We still need to clean up."Brother Ando, Sister Car called you to her office," Dylan yawned as he approached. I am currently arranging the chairs and also cleaning the table. "Leave it there, Brother. I'll take care of that," he added and grabbed the rag I was holding."Alright, Dylan." I yawned and walked to Carmelita's office.Wait... Where is her office? I walked in one direction to look fo
FERNANDOCARMELITA GOT INTO THE RESTOBAR REALLY QUICKLY. I increased my steps to catch up with her. She had already started fixing up the restobar when I found her."Ma'am, let me do this." I grabbed the chair she was about to put down on one of the tables."I can do this," she insisted and did not let go of the chair."No, ma'am. Let me do this. Just rest. I'll clean up the place," I told her.Carmelita looked at me and raised an eyebrow again. Her eyes are really beautiful, especially when it’s bright outside. Her blue eyes shine like seawater."I said I can do this," she said. We stared at each other.Ah, this is what she wants."No, ma’am. I can do this." I pulled the chair from her. She lost her balance and crashed into me. Carmelita clings to my chest for support. Maybe because of instinct, I grabbed her arm to support her.Our eyes met. I can feel a tickle in my core because of that simple touch. I don't like how I feel. I admit that I am attracted to her physically, but that's
FERNANDOONE WEEK HAS PASSED since the kidnapping incident of Talitha. Everything is somewhat back to normal now compared to the past few days when people were too busy at the resort.We all kept a close eye on Talitha.I felt a little sorry for the child because she seemed to be traumatized for a while and was always quiet since her own father kidnapped ]her. I can only imagine the confusion she's having. But because she was still young, her old vigor was also restored. Thanks to her brothers and sisters at Mairaos Resort for making her happy again.The child and I became quite close. She is the one who approaches me first and tries to get close to me. Well, I can't blame her. I am really a likable person.Anyway, back to regular life on the island I guess. But Carmelita is still the same, grumpy and always frowning. That woman always seems to have her period. I do not know. But she is always angry with me. Maybe it's because I always make cute smiles at her. That's why she always sc
FERNANDOCARMELITA AND I WERE NOT SPEAKING DURING THE RIDE. I also drive quietly while glancing at her from the rear-view mirror. As usual, she was just sitting in the back of the car, folding her arms, and looking out the window.It won't be long before this girl will have a stiff neck.Anyway, I just decided to turn on the stereo so it wouldn't be too quiet. It's a bit awkward. I've been engaging her to talk to me for a while now, but she only answered a little and then her answers were just answers that I didn't know what to ask next. Although my questions are open-ended, she has this way of just killing the conversation. So I can say that Carmelita is also smart. It’s difficult to outsmart her.That's why I was challenged by Carmelita even more, she is also a very strong opponent. No wonder she is so good at deceiving. I need something to move things around. I will not allow people like her not to be taught a lesson."You keep staring at me. That’s rude, you know," she said to me.
FERNANDOWE ARRIVED AT THE BARANGAY HALL. Carmelita got down without saying a word after I parked the car properly. I don't know if I will follow her or just stay in the car. She didn't say anything.Anyway, I decided not to follow and just hang out in the car. I recline on the back of my chair. I leaned back and decided to close my eyes. I need energy later because I know the resto-bar will be busy again.The stereo was just on, and I was listening to a random song that the DJ was playing on the radio.♫Two old friends meet againWearin' older facesAnd talk about the places they've beenTwo old sweethearts who fell apartSomewhere long agoHow are they to knowSomeday they'd meet againAnd have a need for more than reminiscin'Maybe this timeIt'll be lovin' they'll findMaybe now they can be more than just friendsShe's back in his lifeAnd it feels so rightMaybe this time, love won't end ♫I was drifting to sleep and the music was perfect to put me to sleep, but I was surprised w
FERNANDO "ARE WE GOING BACK TO THE RESORT, MA’AM?" I asked the woman who was sitting in the back of the car again. She was sitting pretty there while looking out the window."No. Let's go to the town market first. I need to buy something there," Carmelita said without even looking at me.Gosh, she thought I would buy it. If I know, she just wants to be with me for a longer time. Damn, you are so conceited, Fernando. Of course!My alter ego is teasing me again.Anyway, I didn't react anymore and just followed her order. But I forgot to ask for directions."Ah, ma'am...""What again?""What’s the direction to the town market? Well, I haven't memorized the streets here yet," I said to her."There's a GPS, Ando. Have you forgotten? Can't you read?"Ouch. She is angry again. "Oh, yes, the GPS." I tried to smile. I'm so stupid for forgetting that there’s a GPS. Ugh!"Do you know how to navigate that?" asked the woman.I was about to answer when I was surprised when she suddenly moved forwa
FERNANDO WAITING FOR CARMELITA is one of the most dreadful things I have ever done in my entire life. It's puzzling and panicky at the same time. I hate feeling vulnerable. It reduces confidence and masculinity.I know you think I'm scared, but it's not like that. I'm just a little afraid of being abandoned. Besides, it's been quite a while since Carmelita went to get some help. I didn't realize the time, but in my estimation, she might have been missing for forty-five minutes.Did she get to the highway? Did she get lost? Those are some of the questions that come to my mind while thinking about Carmelita.It's impossible for a woman to go astray. If I am from here, I should know the ins and outs of the island. Plus, the road is not too far from here. I am sure that she should have arrived there in about twenty minutes.But maybe no one is passing by yet? Or did something bad happen to her? Argh! This is so hard! I can not do anything!The worst thing is that I can't stand properly e
FERNANDOA WEEK HAS PASSED since the accident happened. Everything is fine, and Carmelita and I are fine. She has been checking on me and has given me a week off to allow my leg wound to heal.I was only in the employee quarters, and food was always served by the twins. They were my personal support at that time. I was embarrassed, so I insisted on helping, but Carmelita just scolded me. So I didn't just insist on what I wanted.She also said I can help them more if I am fine, which makes sense.The woman became extra caring, and I didn't push too hard anymore. I don't know if it was just for the week, but I was happy even if it was temporary.We had a follow-up check-up last Friday and were cleared by the doctor, who said everything was fine. I felt relieved and was totally worried-free.It is Sunday now, and it is our day off. I still need crutches to support my feet, but I am totally fine. I managed to go to the market on my own. I rented a tricycle to take me there.Carmelita just