"Yes, so hurry now because I'm on my way down," Yva answered, turning off her phone.
It had been raining recently, but at least it offered them the opportunity to soak their bodies in a little sunlight in the morning. Yva examined her attire for the day, but she didn't bother looking in the mirror because she might alter my clothes later. The most crucial aspect of her clothing is her shoes; she chose not to wear white shoes because the afternoon rain may catch up with them.
"I hoped they hired a driver," Gamaliel murmured as he positioned himself in the passenger seat. He had been my passenger princess ever since Yva obtained my driver's license.
"But I don't think that's their top priority right now," Yva confidently said.
They arrived early since they were still prepping for the flag ceremony.
"I hope there will be a celebration," Gamaliel said quietly as they looked at the Mayor's Toyota.
The flag ceremony followed the introduction. Each department had recently hired people. The majority of them are recent graduates, as evidenced by the hope in their eyes. Yes, they give the impression of wanting to be a useful member of their beloved municipality. Each department received what they required: new and young people. Unfortunately for them, there was only one recently hired employee at the tourism office; he wasn't even employed because he was a government intern. Gamaliel and Yva shared a disappointed gaze. There is no driver for them.
They welcomed themselves to Sir Marcelo's office and waited there after they had reported to the Mayor's Office.
"We can have our welcome dinner; choose your best chicken," Sir Marcelo replied, looking at them expectantly.
"And I'm sure you already know his name, Yohan. Come to meet your coworkers," Sir Marcelo added.
They went home after having coffee in their office; their coffee tasted different this time; perhaps they changed suppliers. Yva was sad to let go of her fattest, native chicken, but it was money, and she got to enjoy it as well. Fortunately enough, she had gathered some wood before the wet season, so they were able to cook meat over a wood fire. When meat is cooked over a wood fire, it has an authentic flavor, as does its soup. She believes it is their specialty because Sir Marcelo constantly requests that they cook it for special occasions, or perhaps he simply pities them. She does not know.
They arrived sooner than expected, which was a good thing because she was starving. Gamaliel just grabbed the pot off of the heat after things calmed down a little. Yva intended to offer them coffee before dinner, but she knew they had already had it, so she instead offered them lemon grass.
"I can't," replied Sir Marcelo. "It's good but it's bad for my ulcer, I started feeling it again"
So she offered it to Yohan, and she believed he simply accepted it because he was too shy to decline. Yva purposefully held on to the sugar because she wanted to see his reaction first.
"Oh, is that lemon grass" Gamaliel inserted before Yohan could exhibit his full grimace. He could feel gratitude in his eyes as he gazed at Gamaliel, who had saved his life by handing out the sugar to him. Unfortunately, Gamaliel did not witness Yohan's reaction. Yva instructed Gamaliel a million times to drink the tea without sugar, but he just wouldn't drink it without it.
The dinner went great. Native chickens were the greatest, especially if they were home-bred and paid well. Sir Marcelo rose and started getting ready, and she was growing anxious since the huge bags they had brought in were still in the corner. What are these?
"Maybe you forgot something? Yva said expectantly.
"Oh, you've already cleaned the house below, correct?"
"yes?"
"Yohan will be staying there now," Sir Marcelo stated with certainty.
The blackness of the night was obvious as the lamppost shone brightly, revealing a hundred steps leading down to Yohan's new home. Gamaliel was carrying only one bag, Yohan handled most of the baggage, and she carried his freshly washed blankets and pillows. The lights and pathway leading to Yohan's new home highlighted how isolated the house was, given its location in the center of a garden. However, he can still feel neighborly because the lights from their house can reach this location.
"Good night," Yva said as they left him standing on the door frame. And he made sure they got to their house before going inside and turning out the lights for a good night's sleep.
Yohan was unable to sleep that night, so he simply waited for a good early morning. The prospect of coffee made him want to wake up, but he was surprised when he was served coffee. Yva's note on his door invited him for coffee and breakfast. He could have ignored it, but he had reached the age where he no longer cared, so he went for a coffee and breakfast.
Yohan was greeted by a bark of a dog then followed him while wagging its tail. Gamaliel was already occupied, arranging their breakfast plates. When Gamaliel noticed him standing outside, he was gestured to sit down. It wasn't until this day that Yohan became fascinated by the house. It was a modernized old wooden house, and the door frame was majestically old. The entire home shouts antiquity to it, even though it was modernized just by the presence of its massive glass windows. For him, modernity implies that some elements of the house have been fixed with cement, while oldness means that he still has to climb a wooden stair to access the house. The owner and the house are opposites of one another. Maybe that's why it smells youthful.
Their breakfast consisted of yesterday's leftovers with Chinese cabbage sprouts on the side. The coffee arrived after they had finished their breakfast. Along with the coffee, there is a natural conversation about getting to know one another. Yohan could tell the age difference between the three of them; he felt old because he couldn't answer some of their questions. After all, they mostly consisted of things he no longer cared about; and at the same time, he felt younger than them because they spoke so concisely about their culture.
"Just wait for me at the waiting shed," Yva yelled as Gamaliel and Yohan went through the endless steps with its yellow bushes.
"I thought you lived here? " Yohan questioned, trying to divert his tiredness from simply looking at those steps that they had to accomplish. Yet those insect-like yellow bushes planted on the side of the pathway made it look like it was an adventure to reckon.
"No, I live along the road. "I just came here for breakfast...and by the way, how do you want to be addressed? It's awkward to call you by your name when we already know you're older than us."
"Anything…."
"So how about *Manong* Yohan?"Gamaliel asked with a gleeful face"
"It's okay"
They had dropped off Gamaliel along the national road and then Yva drove to the municipal office Yohan had been wondering why Yva had to do the driving. But he doesn't want to know it. He doesn't want to care about other small things except that he should care as she can't be the only one driving them every time they go to work. This vehicle they are on right now seems just like okay enough to bring them to their destination. It was an old 2004 Mitsubishi military jeep; it's functional and it's great enough since it can climb rocky rough. And it seemed like it served and it can serve its owner more time.
They arrived at their office earlier than their boss or Yohan's uncle and boss at the same time. Sir Marcelo is his father's brother so he guesses that he called for work as it's his responsibility to take care of his younger brother's children. He had been in this municipality several times except when it was for any occasion that they would be invited to or for a special occasion like November or his father's death anniversary and he stopped doing so ever since he went abroad only his younger siblings and mother had continued to do so.
His father was the only connection he had in this place but now this place would be his workplace and hoped that it would be not just a workplace. He wants to be connected with his father. He wants this place to be his home away from home. He wants the Buguias municipality as his home now.
Sir Marcelo had told him to start encoding the audio they had obtained. That's the first duty he was assigned as an intern. This intern program is only for six months, and if they are satisfied with his work, they may hire him as a full-time employee soon. His temporary residence for the next six months will be in a separate building from the municipal office, and it is a lonely-looking office, just like his living quarters. He has his place, a table, and at least one computer for work. His desk faced the main door, and right in front of it was a little lounge where visitors could sit and wait. A modest knee-length table was put amid four elongated wooden chairs, accompanied by a plain coffee cup and thermos.
They do not have a kitchen, but there is a makeshift kitchen in the very rear of the office. Only an electric kettle and a canister of coffee grinds were on that long white plastic table, which he referred to as his kitchen. The comfort room was on the back left side of the office, and the opposite side of the comfort room was another area that made him uncomfortable. A room full of documents that he wished he hadn't opened since the heaps of paper made him unable to breathe. Overall, everything appears to be for him to stay here longer than six months.
It wasn't until Yva appeared at the door that he realized it was nearly five in the afternoon. Yva acknowledged him with a smile, prompting him to return the gesture. This day was well spent at work, as his boss gave him a comforting smile when he shut off the computer. He was unaware that Yva was lagging behind them until Sir Marcelo called her name.
"Yva will assist you purchase items for your home. Sir Marcelo stated, "I can't go with you so she can help you buy your goods.
Yohan fidgeted as their basket began to fill up. He hadn't brought his wallet because he didn't think he needed it, and he felt humiliated as he played with the coins in his pocket. He was preoccupied with his circumstances, allowing him to smile at his demise. They marched to the cashier's counter, and he had already calmed down after seeing Yva open her purse before he arrived.
"I'll pay you tomorrow" Yohan stated as soon as they entered the car.
"You can pay it to Sir Marcelo," Yva said kindly.
"Okay"
Gamaliel helped them in unloading their previously purchased items. The street lamps were still turned off, convincing them that they had just spent a short time purchasing his belongings. He watched as the two young people led the way, smiling with each stride, and he wanted to do the same, but not in front of anyone. Yva and Gamaliel are waiting for him at the front entrance; he is sorry, even if he does not want to be. And he can't help himself because his body isn't functioning as well as he would want. His sweat is visible on his forehead and philtrum when he reaches them.
"Let's have dinner at my place" Yva stated when he walked them out the door. He felt thankful once again for the invitation and was willing to climb up those unending stairs.
"I'll follow later; I'll fix these things first," Yohan remarked, pointing to the boxes they'd hauled earlier.
"Okay," the youngster both said.
When he took the final step, his breath almost stopped. Fortunately for him, it did not rain today, allowing him to walk as quickly as possible because he did not want to be a burden to them. Then he slowly climbed the five stairs to the house door. Other footwear was present in addition to Gamaliel and Yva's footwear, so he concluded that another person had arrived. And he was correct.
"Come, come hurry, eat it while it is hot," ordered the elderly lady who greeted him at the door.
Gamaliel delivered a brief explanation, prompting Yohan to nod to the older lady. The four of them eat dinner while listening to interviews from the older lady, which Yva had to occasionally interrupt because she was an open-minded person. Although she can be regarded as both sweet and bitter. She boiled and prepared a taro plant, promising them that it would not itch later. Her creamy cooked taro plant was served with fried potatoes and delicious warm camotes. Just the camotes themselves had to be discussed by this old lady.
They should finish their dinner with the hot tea the old lady recommended. They were holding their mugs when the old lady gently ushered Yva to have a quiet talk on the terrace, leaving Gamaliel and Yohan in the kitchen. Gamaliel knew that there were a lot of questions concerning the house, so he initiated the conversation.
"What do you think of this house? It's quite nice, right?"
"Yeah, it's nice and old...I think," he said, looking at the darkening timber ceiling and earthen and rock-filled kitchen floor.
Yva had been communicating with Lola Lita for quite some time now. She can't get what she claims to understand.
"Lola Lita, do you need my help or not?"Yva said in a louder voice.
Yohan, who was near the door, paused briefly before continuing when Yva turned to him and directed him to the exit.
Lola Lita had been speaking for a long time, but there appeared to be no point.
"Who is in pain, Lola Lita—you or your daughter?"Gamaliel asked quietly. So Yva stared at Lola Lita at once. And she had a glimpse of her pain.
"My daughter is in pain." She had told me earlier, but we dismissed it, unaware that it had been years," Lola Lita sheepishly replied.
"But you know what it is, correct?"Yva inquired.
"I'm not sure, but I believe that's the reason," Lola Lita responded.
"But can we keep this a secret if what I'm saying is true?
Gamaliel and Yva gazed at each other. They could, but it'd be difficult to keep this stuff private.