Maine
She placed a pile of notebooks on top of Richard's table. His office had transformed into a detective's lair after their meeting with the lawyer.
"What are those?" He asked.
"Just my notes, old cases I-"
"So you're an investigator now?" He tried to stifle a laugh, which earned him a slap on the arm.
"Fact checker by day, investigative journalist by night, at least within the four walls of my apartment. Don't look at me like that, this is really fun."
"Sabi mo e, Ms. Investigator. Now, where do we start?" He reached for one notebook but she swatted his hand away.
"Where! Where it happened. Is there a way for us to get a copy of the CCTV on her floor that afternoon?"
"The police probably have the original copy. There were clips in the news, but it was heavily butchered. I think Atty. Legaspi left a copy of the features here somewhere," he said as both of them started ruffling through the files.
They talked back and forth like that until night time. They watched the footages until their eyes hurt and when they were still fruitless right before midnight, they decided to give it a rest.
Maine walked towards a bookcase at the opposite side of the room that she never noticed until now. There were books about Business and Marketing and even some of the Classics. At the second shelf from the top was a photograph of a middle aged lady holding a cake for a bedimpled little boy.
"Ikaw to? And your mom?" she asked as she took it from the shelf. She didn't even notice that Richard had already moved right next to her.
"Ah, yes. That was my 7th birthday. Ang cute ko no?" he quipped, his eyes glued to the woman in the picture.
"Nasaan na sya?." she regretted her question the moment she saw his face. Stupid naman Maine, diba nabasa mo na yung nangyari sa mother nya? "I'm sorry, forget I asked."
"Ok lang. Ok na. Masakit parin minsan, pero ok na. Kaya na," he took the frame from her and placed it gently back to where it was before.
"Ganyan ren ako, I lost both, well, unsolved mystery parin yun kay Tatay, but essentially, I'm an orphan. So believe me when I say I know that pain, yung longing for someone na alam mo namang hinding hindi na babalik." she wanted to reach out her hand and comfort him but she just ended up rubbing her own arm.
"What happened to them, if you don't mind me asking. Pwede reng di mo sagutin, maiintindihan ko." he said as he looked at her in the eye, as if trying to read her.
She thought about whether or not to open up to him. This was something she did not discuss with anyone, not even her brothers and sisters.
"Si tatay, bigla nalang isang araw, hindi na umuwi. Parang bula, bigla nalang naglaho. That's one mystery I had always wanted to solve pero kahit anong halungkat ko, wala. Para bang di sya nag-exist, wala syang iniwan na kahit anong trace." She sighed.
"Si nanay naman..." she paused, her heart suddenly picking up pace.
"Yung panaginip mo?" he asked, holding her arm that gave her a much needed support.
She nodded and fought back tears before continuing, "Gabi gabi hinihintay nya si Tatay, hindi sya tumigil sa pag asa na baka isang araw, kakatok nalang si Tatay, magpapahanda ng pagkain. Naririnig ko sya kapag natutulog, tinatawag nya ang Tatay. She got very depressed, until one day..." he was holding both her arms now, trying to look at her turn downed face. "Hanggang isang gabi, nag decide na lang sya na di nya na kayang maghintay," hot tears fell down her face.
