Shaira's Inbox

12- Indebted

Snake! 

Shaira could not contain this job anymore. Just yesterday she was left alone after a client's investigation on a rainy night. If not for Leonil, she would have gone home at midnight. Her cheap pair of shoes got soaked. She almost got sick. Good thing she took lemonade and multivitamins that night.

And now, she and Gemma were sent up the hills to follow up a client who had a past due in his account. She was thinking why would they lend money to these people when they were not in to business. Most of them were farmers because of their rich land.  The weeds were taller and the paths were filled with dried leaves.

Two hours earlier...

Knock. Knock.

There was silence. The house was small. It was made of wood that it almost looked like a shack. Shaira wondered how it would be to live in a place like this. It seemed very simple. Away from the complexities of city life. Probably, away from heartbreak too. She can fall in love with nature instead. It would be a very nice place to find writing inspirations or subjects for her paintings.  

Mr. De Guzman?, Gemma called. Shaira's thoughts of inspiration went back to reality. They went there to collect money, not to search for inspirations. 

A brown dog barked. And there was another black dog which had a white spot on the left eye that approached them. An awkward teenager came to see who were calling from the door. He looked tensed, as if he anticipated that these ladies would come. He was wearing a faded green shirt that looked like he just came from the farm. 

"Is Mr. Simon De Guzman here?" Shaira inquired.

"You are his son, aren't you?" Gemma asked, searching for sight of Simon.

"Y-Yes. Wh-why is it?" the boy answered.

The dogs sniffed Gemma's bag, then to Shaira's feet. It seemed that as they were interrogating the boy, Shaira and Gemma were also being investigated by the sniffing dogs. The brown dog barked again, then left.

The dogs looked cute,  Shaira thought.

"Can we talk to him? We are from the lending company. We would just want to know if he would be able to pay now? Gemma was always diligent with her job. She knows how to deal with people smoothly, especially in cases like these. 

"W-wait... I will call him." the boy stuttered as he rushed back towards the kitchen.

The dogs were barking again without their masters but not for the girls. They were trying to chase the chickens across the pathways. The chickens cocked and Shaira found it amusing while Gemma was a bit nervous of what to say next if the client appears without any centavo to pay.

Gemma called Mike's team who were just nearby the barangay.

"Hello Mike! How's your meeting with the clients?"

               "It was fine. Some were not yet able to pay. And I think we can't do anything about it. We don't hold their cash, do we?"

Gemma smiled. "Yes, but we need to find strategy so they would pay as soon as possible."

               "I understand. But how is our baby girl doing? Leonil wanted to know too." Mike giggled at the other end of the line. It seemed that he was teasing Leonil.

"She's fine also." Gemma shifted her eyes to Shaira as Shaira intently listened.

"Yeah, I'm doing fine big bro!" Shaira interrupted. She was happy that he had these big brothers who looked after her.

"Hello? Baby girl, you have to go home early or else, some unknown people might get you there." Leonil kidded.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of your baby girl. We really have to come back to the office soon because we have a meeting." Gemma assured.