[Wattys 2021 Winner]
After discovering that her mother was alive and that she has an older sister, Candida Graciela Cordova, the proud owner of Avian Airlines, took off on a mission - traveling across Europe finding them, alongside dealing with thre...
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Veintiuno
It was at twilight when I got the message from Tita. Why am I not surprised when she invited me to a small house on the outskirts of the city.
Pilit kong pinapakalma ang sarili ko habang hinihintay na tumigil ang taxi sa destinasyon ko. Kanina ko pa tinext sila Brice at sinabing sumunod na lang five minutes after me para hindi naman maalerto si Tita at umalis agad.
My breathing hitched when the taxi stopped. I gulped, I feel like I will be having a panic attack any time soon.
"Ça va,mademoiselle?" the driver asked if I'm okay that almost made me jump.
I gave him a fake smile before responding. "Oui! Merci beaucoup, monsieur."
Napalunok ulit ako nang makababa. I can feel my fingertips getting cold and trembling while gripping the folder. I exhaled a large amount of breath before entering the compound of this house.
Does she own this? Right now I really wish that I had any kind of weapon that would be nice in this kind of situation, or even a pepper spray would be useful. My mind was too clouded to even bring one.
Pumasok na ako sa bahay na nakabukas na lahat ng ilaw. The house would be a comfortable place to stay in if it wasn't for the one who owns it.
"Oh, Grachi akala ko hindi ka na pupunta," salubong sa'kin ni Tita, agad naman lumipad ang mga mata niya sa hawak hawak ko. Her voice sends shivers through my spine pero hindi ako nagpahalata. She's wearing that wide grin again that I always find creepy.
"Do I even have a choice?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Nice place."
"Right? It's a cozy little house."
I was starting to get uncomfortable with the atmosphere at hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin nahahanap ng mga mata ko si Olsen.
"I guess you have decided? Oh I won't even ask you, alam ko naman kung ano ang pipiliin mo." She was smiling at the folder that I'm holding. I'm three feet away from her.
"Parang marami naman akong pagpipilian."
"Wala ka yatang kasama?" she asked teasingly. Kaunting tumalikod siya sa'kin, I bet hiding her smirk.
"I travel alone."
"That's too bad, don't you think?"
"Hey!" I backed away immediately when I saw that Olsen was the one who nicked the folder from my grasp. He looks intimidating but I maintained my composure.
I was giving them both dagger glares. I watched Tita opened the folder and disappointment already painted her face. I exhaled sharply when she closed it immediately and placed it on the table.
"There's no signature, am I getting a no, Grachi?" she playfully asked me.
My lips twitched and for once, I didn't know what to say. I just stared at the folder, then her, I gulped but I stayed silent.
