JIEGO
“I understand your reaction. The parents you grew up with didn’t tell you anything, did they? I guess they didn’t. I have to go to the firm now. Please consider what I said. If you change your mind, here’s my contact number.”
The lawyer dug something from his pocket and placed it on the ottoman in front of him. I was still chuckling from what just happened when he stood up and walked towards the door. Man, my boys almost made me believe in this, huh? I have to say, it’s a nice prank. I was almost victimized. Me, a son of a billionaire?! That may be one of the funniest jokes to ever exist. Politely, I followed the lawyer out of the door. He’s good, huh? He even stayed in character until he was at the end of the hallway, making his way down to the staircase. With a shake of the head, I returned inside. The card he left on the ottoman got blown by the ceiling fan and was on the floor now. I bent over to pick it up. hmm… even the card looked realistic. They really thought of this well, I’m impressed.
I placed it at the desk stand and grabbed the towel for a shower.
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“woah. You look… are you okay?” – Sheila, my co-worker at Daily Grind Convenience Store greeted me as I entered the door.
“hangover.” – I said and looked at myself on the wall mirror. I did look tired.
“oh, wild night with the boys?”
I shrugged. It was pretty much like that. She was preparing the cash register and I went to the backroom to wear the uniform. The same red and white polo shirt I’ve been wearing for years. I had another quick glance on the mirror and applied some hair gel. It didn’t help so after finishing the half part of my hair, I went back to the counter. The door opened and a customer arrived.
No, I’m taking it back. it wasn’t a customer. It was George, one of my boys.
He chuckled the first moment he saw my face. I guess it was the hair…or maybe he now realized the prank they pulled on me. Maybe that “lawyer” already told them about the outcome.
“ha-ha. Very funny. You almost got me there, man. Did you pay that man? He looked too convincing, I have to say.”
George placed two mango juice boxes and a butter cookies packet on the counter. I scanned the prices while talking to him.
“what?”
“you’re already busted. There’s no use to act like you’re not aware.”
I showed him the total price on the screen and he gave me the money to pay for it. After placing his purchase on a brown paper bag, he gave me a frown.
“you still drunk, bro? what are you talking about?”
And I thought he was done pretending.
I shook my head.
“stop it, bro. you almost got me pranked. And you even used Daniel Sy’s name? Are you insane? Wait, I know you are insane, but really?”
Still, the frown didn’t go away.
“I… I really have no idea on what you’re talking about. We just drank at the bar last night then went home at around 1 am. No monkey business.”
I wanted to argue some more but a pregnant woman was waiting on queue. I just dismissed the conversation with a shrug and George went out of the store. When he was outside, I caught him texting on his phone. A moment after and mine rang.
“Can you cover for me for a while, Sheila?”
Sheila nodded and got the price scanner I handed her. I checked the phone and as it was a message from George which says, “We have nothing to do with what you said man. I swear. You can ask the boys too.”
Now that confused me some more.
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The day was tiresome. My hangover made it much worse. I had an argument with two customers today because the smoothie machine ran out of ice, as if that was some sort of my fault. To add fuel to the fire, I also called my other two friends about last night and the weird occurrence this morning and like what George said, they also swore they know nothing about the lawyer. I don’t know what’s going on anymore.
The apartment was on the same state as it was when I left this morning. The throw pillows still have the dents from the guest. The towel was on the bed, the windows were still drawn. Most of all, what caught my attention was the lawyer’s business card on the desk. I picked it up again and looked at the number.
Is it really…. nah, of course it was impossible. I have two living parents who raised me well on a small house at the province. If you connect the statements he said and the life I know to be mine, it doesn’t make sense. There’s no possibility that I am his son. Based on the news this lunch about his death, Daniel Sy and his dead wife failed to have a son. And what does this man look like anyway?
With the card on my left palm, I typed Daniel Sy’s name on my phone, searching the internet for a clear picture of him. It took me less than ten seconds for the results to show. There were more than a thousand pictures of him and I clicked one where he was facing the camera and waving at it. To be fair, he does have the same eyes as I am. Same almond shape and brown color. The creases on his face were a sign of his age but I imagined what he could’ve looked like when he was my age. The face shape was similar to mine… maybe that’s it. Maybe that’s why I was mistaken to be his son.
But… how did he know my name? My full name was written on his testament.
I guess there’s one way to be sure. If I do this, I know it’s gonna answer this huge question in my head. I already know it’s gonna come out negative, but just to be sure. I hope science won’t fail me. Has DNA testing ever failed?