Chapter 5

“Thank you, sir and ma’am. But do you need my answer now?” Maricris asked the mother and the son who were both looking at her. Though the offer was tempting because it would provide place and food for her and for her daughter and on top of that, she could earn and save so she could go back to Ildefonso. She wanted to go back there to take her son from Xandro and his family. She wanted the custody of her son though she knew that it would take time and a lot of money for her to be able to do that.

Jovanie nodded his head. “Yes, please. If it’s possible, I want to have your answer right away. Or else, I can just look for someone else. I am sure that there will be some people who want to grab the opportunity right away. Since you cannot easily find a job that will offer free food and lodging.”

Everything that Jovanie said was true. Maricris couldn’t help but swallow a lump on her throat. It was a tempting offer and who would resist it. She took a deep breath. Maricris knew that she had to make a decision before someone else could take it.

She closed her eyes, and she imagined her child. She took a deep breath as she justified in her mind the decision that she was going to do.

“Yes, sir, ma’am. I am going to accept the offer,” she uttered. Though her heart was pounding so fast as she didn’t know what exactly was waiting for her and for her daughter in that place.

“That’s great,” Jovanie said while smiling at her. And then after that he looked at Mrs. Valdez. “Thank you, mom.”

The old woman nodded while she threw a glance at her and Jovanie.

“Don’t mention it, my son. Though I lost a great employee, I know that you will take care of Maricris. She is like a daughter to me. Also, if I can ask you one thing, I prefer a woman like her to be my daughter-in-law,” Mrs. Valdez exclaimed as if she was not around.

Maricris’ cheeks turned red because of what the old woman said. She didn’t know but she could sense that Mrs. Valdez meant something else about what she just said. But she immediately removed that thought in her head because it was just so impossible for her to be the right woman for Jovanie. She was nothing compared to them.

They were heaven and earth. On top of that, it looked like Jovanie was older than her. She was just like a sister to him. She shouldn’t be thinking that way and mistaking the kind offer for something else.

“So, shall we go?” Jovanie’s voice brought her back from deep thoughts.

“Huh? But where?” She couldn’t help but ask. Her eyebrows suddenly knitted together. She got suddenly confused. What was he talking about?

“In Manila,” Jovanie said in a very casual way. It was as if they were just going to the next street.

She agreed but she didn’t expect that they would be moving out quickly at the place.

“Wait, what?” She said as she looked at him. “Do you mean as in right now?” She asked in disbelief. Her eyes were widened while looking at the man.

She looked at Mrs. Valdez as she waited for their confirmation.

The old woman nodded to her surprise. She began to wonder if she had done what was right. Was her decision the right thing to do for her and for her daughter?

“Yes, dear. You need to go now with Jovanie. He needs to go back because he has a meeting to attend with the new investors of his company,” the woman explained. “Oh, I forgot to mention that he doesn't just own a restaurant. He has a chain of hotels in the country. And probably, my son is also planning to expand his business abroad in the future,” the woman added, which made her stunned, but she couldn’t deny she sensed the proudness in the voice of Mrs. Valdez.

It looked like she had a great son. Jovanie was just a bit older than her and yet he already had a lot of achievements. Anyway, it couldn’t be helped since he also had a successful and supportive mother like Mrs. Valdez.

“So, shall we go?” Jovanie said and then at the same time, he stood up. After that he went to his mother’s side. He gave the woman a hug and a kiss on the cheeks.

He was so sweet to his mother.

Maricris suddenly wished that her daughter and her son would be like Jovanie when they already grow up. She remembered her son who was snatched by Xandro. She silently wished that his father was taking good care of him. She felt a cold sensation wrapped in her heart as she reminisced the last memories she had with her son.

“Thank you, mom. I am sorry if I have to leave right away. Please don’t work too hard, “ Jovanie even said to his mother which made Maricris’ heart to be touched. It was such a great scene. She could really tell that the two were very close to each other. Suddenly, she envied Mrs. Valdez. She wanted to see herself to be this close as well to her twins, but she had not been given a chance to be a mother for a long time for her son. Her son who was taken away from her by his own father.

“I love you too, my son. Please, do not worry about me. This is the only thing that I can do right now. Managing the restaurant keeps me busy unless you are going to give me a grandchild that I can take care of. I am just going to hire someone to manage this restaurant if that happens,” Mrs. Valdez said as she hugged her son and then she winked at her.

Maricris couldn’t understand herself, but she suddenly felt conscious after she heard what Mrs. Valdez said. She felt there was meaning behind the old woman’s gaze at her. She was trying to tell her something that she couldn’t understand.

Mrs. Valdez was acting so weird.

“Dear, please take care of my son for me, okay? Tell me if he is doing something wrong or if he isn’t taking good care of himself,” Mrs. Valdez turned to her. And her words made her more confused.

But she just nodded and smiled in response to her.

“Let’s go,” Jovanie said and then the man went to her side.

Maricris felt weird as her heart was beating so fast. She couldn’t explain why the feeling inside was so intense. The way that their elbows touch made her heart somersault.

Maricris silently scolded herself. Jovanie was her boss so she should act like a professional in front of him. She couldn’t believe all the reactions that she was having. It was as if she just saw a man for the first time in her entire life.

“Thank you, Mrs. Valdez,” she said to the woman and then bowed her head. She was grateful in silence because she didn’t stammer.

The woman smiled from ear to ear. There was a different kind of sparkle in her eyes.

“God bless you, my dear. Please take care of yourself and your daughter. I pray that you have a better life and also my son,” the old woman suddenly said as she stood up and walked into her side.

Though she couldn’t understand what Mrs. Valdez meant by her words, she just gave her a hug.

Maricris and Jovanie walked at the back door of the restaurant but before they could even come out of the place, she spoke.

“Sir, I am sorry but can you wait for me? I will not be long. I just want to say goodbye to Ana,” she said as she remembered the woman who had helped her ever since she arrived in Baguio. She couldn’t afford leaving without even saying how grateful she was for all the help that they had given her. If it wasn’t for this woman and her family, she didn’t know what already happened to her and her child.

The man stopped from walking and then he looked at her.

She bit her lower lip as she thought that Jovanie might be mad at her.

“Alright, I will wait for you outside. I will be in my black BMW car,” Jovanie said and then he stepped out of the restaurant.

She went back to the dining hall and then she looked for her friend, Ana. She roamed around her gaze, and she finally saw her. She just finished serving the customer.

Maricris hurriedly walked in Ana’s direction but before she could even talk to her, Mrs. Valdez spoke from behind her.

“Ana,’’ Mrs. Valdez called her colleague’s attention.

“Yes, Mrs. Valdez? Do you need anything?” Ana asked as she turned her head to their boss.

“No, but I just want you to know that your friend, Maricris, already accepted the offer to let her go with my son in Manila and work in his newly opened restaurant. So, it means that we will be needing a new person to replace her. By the way, I am giving you a bonus and a salary increase but you must not tell anyone about Maricris whereabouts, okay? This is just between you and me,” Mrs. Valdez said to Ana which confused her.

Why was the woman doing that? Was there really a need for her to do that?

Maricris saw when Ana looked at her. Her eyes were full of questions. But Maricris just shrugged her shoulders because she didn’t know why did Mrs. Valdez said that. She really had no idea of what was going on.

Ana nodded her head even though Maricris knew that her friend couldn’t understand what exactly was going on.

“Please take care of Maricris. Are you going to get Alexis in the house?” Ana turned to her. She could see no reaction to her friend’s face. It was as if she was even ready to hear the news that she was already leaving.

“Yes of course. She's going to get her daughter. Alexis is coming with her. I couldn’t imagine Maricris being able to survive a day without her daughter on her side,'' Mrs Valdez replied as she looked at her.

She smiled timidly. The old woman was right. Maybe, she would lose her mind if she would be leaving away from Alexis. She had lost her son and there was no way that she would allow her daughter to be living away from her.

Maricris walked near her friend and then she gave her a tight hug.

She was trying her best not to be emotional.

“Thank you, Ana. I will not be where I am right now if it’s not to you and your husband. I am grateful that I have met you. Please tell your husband. Tell Marco that I will pay you a visit when the time permits,” she said to her friend.

“Sure, I will tell him that you have been assigned to a different place. It’s sad but I know it’s for the good of your daughter. Please take care of yourself and Alexis. Just keep in touch,

Ana said with tears in her eyes.

Mrs. Valdez was in front of them, and she could see that the old woman was also getting emotional because of the scene that she was witnessing.

“My dear, I am so sorry,” Mrs. Valdez said in teary eyes which she couldn’t understand why. Now, she felt like her heart was hammering inside her ribcage. She couldn’t understand why Mrs. Valdez uttered those words. Her words were making her fall in a deep thought. Her words were like a puzzle to her, and the last piece was missing for her to be able to understand what she was trying to say.