Though most of our beloved characters use snail mail and email, there are those who utilize chat programs and similar kinds of message-sending apps. These are one of them, and unlike those that receive regular postal mail, they are happy to reply to the messages that are sent their way…
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: Hi, grandma! 😍 I just saw the green light flash under your name so I knew you were online. How are things back there?
The perky lass waits for the three dots to appear and they do. Within a few moments, words begin to appear replacing the moving ellipses.
@the_cool_hot_grandma: Raquel! I've been waiting all morning for you to go online… Where have you been, child? (sparkling heart emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: I kinda overslept, Grandma (teary face with pout emoji). Sorry, but I'm here now and you have me all to yourself until dinner (laughing face emoji). So, how are you? (worried face emoji)
@the_cool_hot_grandma: Thanks to the money you regularly send, I was able to buy medicine to ease my arthritis. (dollar sign eyes emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: That's good to hear Grandma (happy face emoji). Remember, that's one of the reasons why I went away from our town so I could work (excited face emoji). I wanted to help you out with your meds when my parents died in a car accident (sad face emoji). At that time, they were the ones paying for your check-ups and other medicinal needs. (star face with a smile emoji)
@the_cool_hot_grandma: I know, baby girl and I owe so much to you. I should have been the one to take care of you when your parents died. (crying face emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: Don't worry Grandma Katya, I can take care of both of us, no problem, ok? (grinning face with big eyes emoji) I seriously want to do this and it's not a chore, honestly. (grinning face with smiling eyes emoji)
@the_cool_hot_grandma: Alright, if you say so my cute baby. But when do you plan to come back home, Raquel? (grinning face with sweat emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: Don't worry, gramps. When we've saved enough for our needs and have bought a small farm to grow our food, I'll come home at once, I promise. (beaming face with smiley eyes emoji)
@the_cool_hot_grandma: Well, if that's the case child, I don't have to wait too long then. (happy, blush face emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: Why Grandma? (shocked face emoji) Did you secretly win the lottery and you accidentally forgot to tell me? (rolling on the floor laughing emoji)
@the_cool_hot_grandma: No, such a silly girl. (face with tears of joy emoji) But I do admit to keeping a secret since the first time you sent me money. (winking and smiling face emoji) Remember your brainy and handsome genius classmate back in high school? The one you told me before that you had a secret crush on? (winking face emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: BJ as in Benjamin Joseph? How on earth did he find you, Grandma?
@the_cool_hot_grandma: He was helping out as a volunteer assistant in the free clinic at the hospital. So when I went there for my monthly check-up, we accidentally bumped into each other. (hugging face emoji) I'm a little embarrassed to say that he was the one who recognized me first before I did. (Stuck out tongue winking eye emoji) Darn, I must be getting old! (laugh out loud emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: Of course not Grandma Katya. It's just that it's almost a decade ago since I introduced you to him during our high school graduation. (upside down smiling face emoji) So, what did you two talk about?
@the_cool_hot_grandma: I was just getting to that, dear girl… (winking face emoji) He immediately asked about you so I told him about the car accident that killed your parents (pain behind the smile emoji) and our decision for you to travel abroad for the high-paying work you found. (straight face emoji) I think he felt kind of sad when he heard you've gone already. (thinking face emoji) Anyway, he asked me if he would like to invest in his idea for a mobile game app and I remembered how he and his big sister are computer whizzes. (excited face emoji) So I said yes, and gave him our first investment portion when I had extra from what you sent me. (dollar sign eyes emoji) And now, our shares are worth millions according to him. (mind-blown face emoji)
@cute_strawberry_blond_girlie: Whoa! (face with crossed-out eyes emoji) That's amazing news, Grandma! (partying face) But that was quite a risk you took…
@the_cool_hot_grandma: I know, Raquel. (sad but relieved face) But as your late father always said when he was still alive, if you want to win big, you need to risk big too. (wide grinning face emoji) Besides, now that Beige – he doesn't want to be called BJ anymore, he said (face vomiting emoji) - is richer than before, he wants to connect with you so I gave him your Messenger account. (smiling angel face emoji)
Raquel takes a minute to recover enough from what she just read. And though Grandmother Katya and her continue their chat, the troubled talent is still worriedly processing what her Grandma has disclosed to her a while ago as she continues to type her replies…
I don't mind talking to BJ, I mean Beige, since he is a friend former classmate and crush. But how much can I tell him of what I'm really doing now or where I work especially since I've not told my Grandma about those details? For sure, if she finds out she would be horrified and scandalized enough to demand my immediate return. Sigh… I should find the time to ask Myron for advice about this during dinnertime. After all, he is my bestie and I'd rather ask him personally and hear his answers face-to-face, too.
+++
Speaking of sick relatives…
Sergei has just laid down restfully on his clean comfy bed inside his neat and tidy room in the talent's quarters of The Resort. As he fluffs his pillow and turns on the large ceiling fan with the long wooden blades and rattan décor via the panel on his bed stand, 'The Virgin' opens his cellphone and goes on to press the green icon of an email app that has a chat function. The open page greeted him with the familiar and deeply loved greeting:
Valerie Marinetti
Mon, Jul 2, 2012, 12:34 AM to me
me: Hi, Mom! Are you feeling better today?
Valerie: Hello Sergei! Yes, thanks to my last operation which your company paid for, I am so much better. No more chest pains.
me: Thank heavens! God is good!
Valerie: Amen, yes he is.
I wonder if Mom would be that agreeable if she found out the kind of employment I'm in right now. Sigh… the problems of a handsome Pentecostal church-born and bred boy.
Valerie: Oh, before I forget… Please thank your Boss Reuben and Ma'am Marina for sending me that huge fruit and cheese basket. Goodness, it's so big I decided to give some of it to my surgeon and nurses, but none of them wanted to take anything. Not even a piece of chocolate kiss.
Knowing the Castañedas, they probably already gifted the doctors and nurses with their own gift baskets which included letters of thanks and reminders not to take any gifts from Mom, Serg breathed deeply in relief. Bless their souls…
me: Don't worry about that, ma. Instead focus on getting well, alright? That's the most important thing.
Valerie: True, but I am sorely missing you, son. I admit to being extremely happy and proud that you found a well-paying job and caring superiors but why does it have to be so far away?
me: Because I love you, ma and you're the only one that I care for in the whole wide world. Don't worry, I promise to come back someday but not right now…
Sir Rube hasn't found me a client yet and I really need one so I can pay back what I owe The Resort for Mom's heart operation and her subsequent medicine and other medical needs. Sigh, it seems that virgins are not the in thing in the resort since the boss is having a hard time finding me a sponsor… Whoever said that being a virgin would raise my price? That doesn't matter if nobody even wants to buy me.
Valerie: Serge, sorry son but my medical attendant is telling me to close the laptop and get some rest. Goodbye, for now. We'll chat again with you soon. And really, did you have to buy me this powerful and expensive machine in the first place?
me: Of course, mom. You'll always get the very best from me. Besides, I got that powerful compact laptop so you won't have to strain your eyes on a small cellphone's tiny screen when we chat. You did complain of your blurring eyesight, remember?
Valerie: Yes. I know but I was thinking you'd get me new glasses, and not this extra modern thing. Besides chatting with you, my doctor told me not to use it too much or it will affect my health.
me: And we must follow the doc's orders ma. Don't worry I have enough to give you those glasses as well, ok? Just tell the doctor so he can set you up with an ophthalmologist and I'll take care of the rest.
Valerie: But that would cost you even more, son. I don't want to burden you like this.
me: Mom, you are NOT a burden to me. Was I ever a burden to you when Dad died working abroad and I was just a kid?
Valerie: Of course not, Serg but you've already paid for my heart surgery, my very long stay in the hospital, a new high-tech laptop and now this?
me: Ma, please don't worry about anything, ok. Your heart might get affected. Now please, listen to your nice orderly and go to sleep. I promise to chat again with you tomorrow. And if there is ANY problem, please call me on your mobile at once. I just loaded your number with additional credits for those kinds of emergencies, don't worry.
As if, S… As if your mother will stop worrying just because of you saying so, the boyish virgin groans in frustration. She's been like that for as long as I can remember and even her specialist believes that her continuous stress was what made her childhood rheumatic heart disease a lot worse.
Valerie: Alright son, I'll try to do that. Goodbye for now and I'll chat with you again tomorrow.
me: Yes, please do that ma. See yah!
Valerie: I love you, Sergei. Until tomorrow.
me: Love you too, Mama.
+++
Myron Molave has never even considered working in a bordello since he is a BA Education graduate, majoring in Literature and before that was a driver-slash former assassin for his former criminally-connected employers. But when his sister had to go to University Myron's present salary wasn't even enough for their daily needs, monthly rent and utility bills included since he was just a high school teacher now. He and Myrrh agreed that The Midnight Resort was the only way for his younger sister can graduate and get a high-paying job as a licensed Architect. So, since Myron was not hiding anything from his younger sibling and his mom could only help so much with her small pub's earnings along with her real estate sideline, he was the only talent in the whole Resort who was not afraid of other people knowing about his present employment.
And he and his only sibling chose the more modern way of chatting using the Discord app. This is the case that day during noontime after lunch...
MYRON Today at 11:49 AM
(how are you gif) Hello sis. What's happening in your part of the world?
MYRRH Today at 11:50 AM
(happy gif) Same old, same old. The Presidential election is coming to a close and I think our chosen candidates will win even if you didn't get to vote, bro.
MYRON Today at 11:51 AM
(ew gif) Well, I won't matter that much since Bong-bong Marcos and Sarah Duterte are strong contenders with solid political family origins, histories and backgrounds. I wouldn't be surprised if they won by a landslide considering their present adversaries are incompetent, hypocritical and worthless political duds
MYRRH Today at 11:51 AM
I agree Myron. And if they lose, I predict that they'll say Marcos and Duterte cheated and then demand a recount. Hehehe! (laughing face reaction)
MYRON Today at 11:52 AM
And I'm so sure of your prediction, I'm willing to bet a thousand bucks on it! Hahaha! Before I forget, I just sent you your monthly allowance for school, food and other stuff. (thumbs up reaction)
MYRRH Today at 11:52 AM
(laughing out loud reaction)That's great, bro. You don't even have to keep doing this for too long, too. I just got an offer from the biggest architectural firm in our country to work as an intern once I graduate next month.
MYRON Today at 11:53 AM
WOW! (heart-eye reaction) Not even graduated but already up for the running, I see. Good job, Myrrh! (let's party gif)
MYRRH Today at 11:53 AM
(celebrate gif) IKR?! Can't wait to see you back here with me and teaching again, bro!
MYRON Today at 11:54 AM
(go win gif)Don't worry, sis. That will happen pretty soon, I just know it!