[under editing]
Keenan Aisenyev is different. He was born and raised solely for one purpose: to stand as a pakhan and takeover the Russian mafia at a young age, after his father, the former russian mafia boss (pakhan), unexpectedly died.
He and his...
Few weeks have passed. After the day that I arrived back home, kaagad akong naghanap ng bagong lilipatan. I have a small savings left. Galing pa iyon sa pagtugtog ko ng piano noon. And I realized that I can use it to start a new little life.
Thankfully, I was able to find a small apartment in the city. It's a nice cozy little space and the best thing is, it has a bakery below it. Pagkatapos kong makahanap ng tirahan ay naghanap naman ako ng trabaho. I have a degree in business administration but I never got the chance to practice it. I am disabled. Having that degree is not going to be useful for me kaya nagfocus nalang ako sa pagiging professional pianist ko noon. It's funny that I can't even bring myself to play it proudly now.
I passed by a newly opened flower shop, and luckily, they are hiring for a florist. Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago pumasok at mag apply sa loob.
"Hi ma'am! Good morning! How may I help you?" bati sa akin ng babae sa tapat ng counter. I am 28 and she looks like around my age. She has a neatly done brown hair, a beautiful pair of light brown eyes, and she's dressed in nice flowy dress. She's so feminine. She looks really pretty!
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
Inilabas ko ang flashcards na ginagamit ko para di na ako mahirapang magsulat. Nakakatipid din sa oras.
"I am looking for a job." I showed it to her. Ngumiti naman siya at tumango sa akin. "Gusto mong mag apply as a florist?" tanong niya. Tumango naman ako. "I am a person with disabilty. I am mute but I can hear well." ipinabasa ko ulit sakaniya ang flashcard na hawak ko.
"Do you like flowers?" tanong niya ulit sa akin.
"I love them." sagot ko gamit iyong flashcard.
"Then you being disabled doesn't matter! As long as you love flowers, you are welcome here." she shook my hand, at saka siya lumabas sa counter.
"You are free to start whenever you're ready!" masayang saad niya. "Alam mo bang matagal nang nakapaskil iyan sa labas? Walang nag-apply, ikaw ang first!" napayakap pa siya sakin. Saka ko lang napansin ang umbok sa bandang tiyan niya. She's pregnant?!
"Naiisip ko na sanang isara ang shop. Maselan kasi ang pagbubuntis ko, and my ob-gyne told me that I have to completely rest. Yun din ang gusto ng asawa ko. And thank God! Dumating ka! You are literally heaven sent!" I didn't noticed her baby bump at first because she is wearing a flowy dress. "Hindi ko na kailangang magsara!" Ngumiti naman ako pabalik sakaniya.
"And oh! I forgot! I am Yvette. the owner of this shop. No need for fomalities. You can call me anything you want." she happily introduced herself to me. Kumuha naman ako ng papel at ballpen sa maliit kong bag para magsulat at maipakilala ko rin ang sarili ko.
"I am Imogen. Pleased meeting you." iniabot ko ang sinulata kong papel sakaniya para basahin.
"Imogen? I think I heard your name somewhere? Pero baka delulu lang ako, nevermind!" pagtawa ni Yvette. Eh?
She showed me around the shop. Itinuro niya sakin kung saan nakalagay ang mga supply, kasama ang iba't ibang uri ng mga bulaklak na meron ang shop niya. The shop is not that big, but it is well designed and organized kaya kung titingnan ay medyo malawak. The interior is minamalist, the wall color combination is white and beige, and designed with different potted green plants, which made it look more fresh.
"The shop opens at 9am and closes at 6pm. Depende nalang sayo kung gusto mong mag overtime. And you don't have to worry about the overtime. It is paid!" pagpapaliwanag niya. "I know that it's hard to close the shop alone so I will send my brother or husband to help you with closing the shop."
I am quite lucky that I found a job that suits my interest. Bonus pa na mabait yung may-ari. So this is finally it huh?
Sinabi ko sakaniya na kaya ko agad magsimula kinabukasan. Natuwa naman si Yvette noong sinabi ko iyon. Wala naman na akong ibang gagawin bukod sa magiging trabaho ko kaya okay lang na magsimula ako kaagad.
Hindi rin nagtagal matapos kong makahanap ng bagong tirahan ay nagpaalam na ako sa mag asawang caretaker ng bahay. Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sakanila na hindi nila sinabi kay Keenan na tumuloy ako roon ng ilang araw. Sinabi ko rin sakanila na bibisita ako paminsan-minsan. Nalaman ko rin kasi na hindi pala sila nagkaanak kaya naisipan kong bisitahin rin sila kapag bibisita ako sa puntod ng mga magulang ko.
May mga araw na hindi ko pa rin maiwasang malungkot tuwing naiisip ko na hindi niya ako hinanap. Umasa pa rin kasi ako na baka dala lang ng sitwasyon yung mga nasabi niya sa akin noong araw na iyon.
I am still thankful though. At least I get to experience being cared and loved even just for a short period of time. I am thankful for him, Lana, Bel, and the others for taking good care of me when I lived there, kahit na kunyari lang.
─── ⋆⋅ ♰ ⋅⋆ ───
Gabi matapos ang nangyari kay Keenan, napansin ni Lana na wala si Imogen sa mansyon kahit saang sulok ng mansyon nila ito hanapin. Pati si Bel ay hindi alam kung saan siya nagpunta.
"Have you seen her?" pag aalalang tanong ni Lana kay Seige.
"Pumasok sa siya clinic kanina. That was the last time that I saw her." sagot sakaniya ni Seige na napakunot na rin ang noo dahil sa pagliligalig niya. "Yes. Nakita ko siyang lumabas." pag sangayon ni Lana kay Seige.
"Baka nasa kwarto lang." singit naman ni Hunter na kakalabas lang din galing ng clinic.
"Have you tried to call her?" pagtatanong ulit ni Seige.
"Wala siya sa kwarto. Nandoon din naiwan yung cellphone niya."
"Well they had a small argument inside the clinic earlier..." sabi naman ni Hunter habang nagsisindi ng sigarilyo. "I am not quite sure if it's really small though." dagdag niya pa.
"What do you mean?" Lana asked.
"He made her leave. I can't exactly understand what they were arguing at first because Imogen was using sign language, and I don't know any of that shit."
"Check for the cctv." lalong kinabahan si Lana ng marinig iyon. Kaagad silang nagpunta sa opisina ng security para tingnan ang cctv. Doon nila nakita na umalis siya habang abala ang lahat. Kaagad siyang nagpunta sa clinic para tanungin kung may alam ba si Keenan kung saan siya pwedeng magpunta.
"Keenan." napalingon naman sakaniya si Keenan na nagpapahinga dahil sa mga iniinda niyang tama ng bala ng baril. His condition is much better compared to earlier but he had to undergo a major surgery to fix a bone in his left leg that was hit by multiple bullets.
"What is it?" Keenan answered.
"Do you have any idea where Imogen can go?"
"What do you mean?"
"She's missing." Lana said. Bakas sa boses niya ang kaba at pagaalala.
