One Road, Six Ways

One Road, Six Ways - Part 13

The four girls opened the letter that was addressed for Luz.

The letter was indeed from the parents of Luz. According to the content of the letter, Luz parents had the address in Cyprus from the agency in Manila. They wondered why Luz, who was already more than two months in Cyprus did not sent a letter when she promised them to write as soon as she arrived to the destination. The letter was full of reminders, reminding Luz about to have fear of God, to value honor and dignity and that must write to them soon and often.

The four girls could not comprehend what the letter was trying to tell them. It was very clear, if they have to believe the letter, it clearly telling them that Luz was not in the Philippines. Luz did not or had not came back to the Philippines. Where was Luz then? Was she still in Cyprus? Strange very strange!

Grace with Dimitri and his mother went to the Philippines and got married there. Seemed Dimitri was really a blessing to Grace life. Grace family was satisfied if not happy. The future of Grace and her family gave a sign of stability thanked to Dimitri's love to Grace, a love one can described, love at first sight. Dimitri used a harsh way in demonstrating and getting his love and maybe, Dimitri knew by himself that he must move quickly or else it will be too late. One can say he take advantage the situation, he used his money which difficult to a person like Grace to refused. Whatever the thoughts of Dimitri, he did it fighting for his love, to justify that love conquers everything, and everyone if not all knew, one did killed, one did sacrificed, one did all ways to succeed in love. Whatever, who was someone to judge or will judge? As saying said, 'All is Fair in Love!'

The four girls continued their life as directed by circumstances. 

When Grace returned from the Philippines she was eager to let seen her wedding album to the other girls. She told them what had Dimitri done to her family.  Dimitri let built a comfortable house for her parents and siblings. A stone house to replaced the Nipa hut made of bamboo and palm leaves. 

The four girls came always to Grace house. They saw how thoughtful and loving husband Dimitri was. Grace was well taken good care, both from Dimitri and his mother. Grace became pregnant and the group noticed as they saw it from Grace eyes, the sparkles of love.  Yes, Grace was falling in love to her husband, the man she hated before. Of course who will not fall in love to a man like Dimitri? A man that made a woman like Grace a queen? Love developed and it's a kind of love that almost always lasted forever.

The four group have forgotten already the letter that concerned Luz when another letter came. The letter was from the parents of Luz. They opened the letter and read, it confirmed that indeed Luz was not in the Philippines.

The four girls decided to asked Dimitri about the matter as they believed that Dimitri knew where Luz was or what happened to Luz as they strongly believe that Luz was not in the Philippines.

"If you wanted to ask Dimitri, you can asked him!" Grace answered when Carla talked to her about the letter from the parents of Luz.

"Because it was very strange!" Carla said to Grace.

"When we were in the Philippines, our flight have connections directly to Cotabato. I did not tried to contact Luz but if I did then maybe I will know for sure that she was not in the Philippines." Grace reasoned out why she did not tried to contact Luz.

"Already two letters. The parents of Luz were already very worried." Thelma told Grace that they already received two letters, letters that were for Luz and they dared opened it and read.

"It's better to answer the parents of Luz and tell them that Luz was almost four months gone and went back to the Philippines!" Grace answered the girls.

"Who will do it? Not me!" Luisa said. "Then they will knew that we opened the letter that was not ours. If we just let the letters returned to sender we don't have these problem. When they received back the letters they knew then that Luz did not received it."

"No blaming! We did it all together! We have no problem here, only we are curious about the letter and we just wanted to know where Luz was." Lorna answered Luisa.

"I am not sure if Dimitri could answer or knew about Luz. I learned that he did not actually worked with the syndicate. When he picked us from the airport, a friend just had asked him because his friend cannot for a very emergency reason." Grace told the girls that Dimitri actually have nothing to with the syndicate.

"Why for a quite of time, he's the one picking and bringing us to work?" Thelma asked.

"She did it only for free, to be always with me!" laughingly Grace said to the girls.

"What, how sweet!" Luisa exclaimed.

"That's why he did it no more when you two were married!" Carla understand why for a quite of time Dimitri did not brought and picked them up from their work.

"He was just an ordinary farmer!" Grace said.

"A rich farmer! Grace, you are lucky! I started to envy you!" Thelma said. "Imagine! A big vineyard, orange plantation and that not only, he also owned a olive plantation!" 

"Dimitri inherited the farm from his father. He was the only child. I learned he had worked hard that's why he forgot to got married. He and his mother were very thrifty, they both worked hard, earned money and saved!" Grace told to her group more things about her man Dimitri.

"We are happy for you, Grace." Carla said. "Back about Luz, seemed Dimitri could not help us!"

"I will talked with Dimitri. I will asked him if he knew something about Luz." Grace promised to the four girls. " Comeback next Sunday."

But the girls could not talked with Dimitri, because the next day, a Greek they saw for the first time came to their apartment.  Within three days, the girls have to be prepared to travel, they will leave Nicosia. The girls just realized, they stayed already in Nicosia for six months.

Six months, working with no salary. The six months salary of them were to pay the board and lodging, their flight tickets. 

"If we leave this place, where will they bring us?" Lorna asked while they were busy packing.

"I began to like this place. Every week we could visit Grace." Luisa said.

"Six months working and we still have no money." Thelma said.

"Nobody had sent money to the Philippines!" Carla also commented about their situation.

"From my customers tips I'd saved money, I think where we go, we have to find a way to send money to the Philippines." Lorna said.

"I saw how you entertained your customers. You gave them free hand to touched all parts of your body!" Luisa said to Lorna.

"And you? You don't do that?" Lorna answered Luisa with question. Although by herself she knew that Luisa was talking the truth yet she felt insulted.

"Well, Why I will deny it? Yes, they can touch parts of my body but they have to pay! And you know how much they have to pay? The above parts they have to pay at least a minimum of two pounds" Luisa answered Lorna. Carla and Thelma said no words. They knew already who Luisa was, naïve and brutal, sometimes childish.

"And the under?" irritated Lorna made herself engaged with this kind of conversation with Luisa.

"Under? Off limits!" and Luisa laughed. Lorna then kept quiet. She knew already who Luisa was but sometimes she cannot controlled herself to react.

Carla who was only listening how the two squabbled, thought by herself, how low they fall down. She knew that even she did not told it to the other girls, the girls knew that few times she came out with men who paid her for pleasure. She knew also that Lorna did it and so Thelma. Luisa with her naivety, brutal and childish ways had maintained or had controlled herself not to sold pleasure to any man. One way or another she admired the youngest girls in their group. ****to be continued****Remedios Dorio