"Nay, I told you not to sew anymore... Look at what's happened to your hands!" Madam Vina said worriedly, trying to take the fabric and needle from the elderly woman's grasp.
"Let me do it, Vina. I can still manage these things," the elderly woman said, almost in tears.
"I'd like to introduce you to the new caregiver who will take care of you," Madam Vina said.
"Ah... Good afternoon. I'm Laine," I said to the elderly woman with a smile.
"I don't want it. I don't need care. Leave me alone!" the elderly woman shouted at me, which surprised me.
"Please don't be stubborn. I have a lot of work to do, and no one else will take care of you," Madam Vina said.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I don't need care!" the elderly woman shouted.
"STOP IT, NAY!! CAN'T YOU SEE YOU'RE ADDING TO MY PROBLEMS? YOU'RE EXHAUSTING ME!" Madam Vina yelled louder, which calmed the elderly woman down.
"Laine, you can start now. I need to attend to our business. Can you start now?" Madam Vina asked.
I nodded immediately, unsure if it was because I was flustered and scared of the situation, but I just kept nodding.
Madam Vina explained what I needed to do. The elderly woman was stubborn and needed to be watched and reprimanded, and of course, I needed to be very understanding. We understood each other on the rules, and then Madam Vina and Kath left.
Even though the elderly woman was frightening, I had no choice since I needed the money. It only registered in my mind that I hadn't told Aunt yet, and my shift wouldn't end until midnight, so I was sure to face another long lecture.
"Please make me some milk, dear," the elderly woman said, still sitting in her wheelchair. I quickly went to the kitchen to prepare the milk.
While I was preparing it, my phone rang. It was Alzid calling.
"Oh? What do you need? Can you not call me right now? I'm busy," I said.
"Where are you? I need you right now!" he said authoritatively on the other end.
My blood began to boil with irritation because he was adding to my problems. It was so annoying.
"I'm working right now. Can you not make a scene?" I said irritably.
"Where are you now? I'm coming over!" he shouted. Was he the one having a bad day?
"I've already started work, so you can't come here. Why are you bothering me again?" I said, still annoyed.
"I don't care! Just give me the damn address!" he said, furious.
Frustrated with him, I ended the call. Let him deal with it. Now I felt like regretting the contract I signed. Maybe I wouldn't have so many problems now. It was just so annoying.
After preparing the milk, I went to lola Alina's room. "Here it is," I said, handing it to her.
She finished it quickly. After a while, she tried to stand up from her wheelchair, and I immediately went to help her.
"Let me stand up on my own!" she said irritably, but I still helped her.
"You might hurt yourself. Let me help," I said, but she only got more annoyed and pushed me with all her strength, causing me to fall and hit the floor hard. My hip hurt badly from the impact.
"I told you I don't need your help," she said angrily, trying to stand from the wheelchair but falling to the floor instead. I tried to get up despite the pain in my hip but needed to help her.
"I told you so," I said while helping her up. She didn't say anything more. Maybe she realized she was wrong.
She wanted to lie down on the bed, so I helped her get there. After a while, she started crying.
"Why are you crying?" I asked, concerned that she might be in pain from the fall.
"I'm suffering like this. No one has time for me. I'm just a burden," she said, still crying.
"Please don't say that. I'm here. I'll take care of you," I said to comfort her.
She didn't respond. I felt pity for her. She seemed so lonely. The people here were too busy with their own things to pay attention to her. It was sad.
Time passed quickly. It was midnight, but Madam Vina hadn't arrived yet. I wasn't sure if I should go home. The elderly woman was already asleep. Eventually, Madam Vina arrived.
"Sorry, dear. I had so much to take care of. You can go home now," she said.
So I went home. My salary here was weekly, so I didn't have any money to take home right now. I walked out of the subdivision and headed to the bus stop, but there were no jeepneys coming by, and I was scared because it was so late.
I had no choice but to call Alzid and ask for a ride. "Hello, where are you now?" I asked when he answered.
"Why do you want to know? Did you miss me that much?" he said, clearly teasing.
"Come pick me up," I said.
"Where are you? What time is it? Are you still outside?" he asked one after another.
"I just got off work," I said, hesitantly.
"Forget about that work! Damn, tell me where you are right now! The exact location!" he said angrily.
I told him where I was and hung up. He said he would come.
After waiting for a few minutes, he arrived. "What kind of job is this?" he asked angrily as he got out of the car.
"I don't have a choice, okay? I need the money," I said.
"What if you got hurt? What kind of job is it?" he continued angrily.
"I'm just taking care of an elderly person," I said.
"Get inside the car," he ordered, and I complied, sitting in the front seat next to him.
"Are you this desperate for money?" he asked, still annoyed.
My ears burned with his words. "Yes, why? What's it to you? You say that because you don't have to worry about money since you have plenty!" I shouted at him.
He seemed to realize how angry I was. "I'm sorry," he said. I didn't respond, still annoyed that he didn't understand me.
We often argued, and sometimes I thought I made a mistake agreeing to that contract. I knew and accepted that Keivan wouldn't come back to me. I was just torturing myself with my own foolishness.
When I got home, Aunt scolded me, but I explained everything to her, and thankfully, she understood and allowed me to continue my part-time job.