Love Thy Neighbor (Completed)

Chapter 2 - After a Long Time

Sunshine's Condo Unit

As soon as she enters the unit, she quickly throws herself on the bed. She has been longing for this in the past fifteen hours. This place will be her home for the next two weeks.

She feels too exhausted and wishes to get a good sleep as she is set to go to Quezon tomorrow to visit her father, Teddy Obispo, the only reason why she's back in the Philippines

///

Two months ago ....

Sunshine was trying too hard to convince her father to sell their grocery store in Quezon. Her father had a heart attack and was advised by his doctor to have a long rest if he does not want to consider retiring at the moment.

"Tay, bakit kasi ayaw nyo pang ibenta yang grocery store, hindi na po kayo pwedeng mag-manage nyan kasi makakasama sa inyo ang mapagod at ma-stress" Sunshine said

"Alam mo kung ano ang sagot ko dyan Sinag, ang negosyong ito ang tanging alaala ng Nanay mo sa atin. Pati na rin ikaw, napakalaki ng hirap mo para maitaguyod muli ang grocery na ito. Bakit ba kasi napakadali para sa iyo na ibenta 'to eh ang laki rin ng sakripisyo mo sa negosyong ito." Tatay Teddy said

"Tay, mas gusto ko na lang po na ibenta ang negosyo kesa mas lalo po kayong magkasakit sa pag-aasikaso ng tindahan" Sunshine insisted on explaining her side

"At paano na kung ibenta natin 'to? Paano na ang mga taong umaasa sa tindahan natin? Paano na yung mga mawawalan ng trabaho? Alam mo naman na karamihan dito sa barangay natin, dito sa tindahan natin nagtatrabaho" Tatay Teddy said

"Hindi ba pwedeng sarili naman nating ang isipin natin ngayon Tay? All this time puro ibang tao ang inaalala natin, pero hindi naman nila tayo naalala nung halos isara na natin ang tindahan" Sunshine said

"Hindi ako makapaniwala na naririnig ko yan sa iyo Sinag. Yan na ba ang nagawa ng pananatili mo sa ibang bansa, ang maging makasarili?" Tatay Teddy asked

"Natutunan ko lang pong mahalin ang sarili ko nung nagtrabaho ako dito Tay, wala naman po sigurong masama dun" Sunshine explained

"Kasabay ng pagmamahal mo sa sarili ang matutunan mong suwayin ang magulang mo" Tatay Teddy said

"Alam nyo pong hindi tutoo yan Tay" Sunshine frustratedly replied

"Kung mali ako katulad ng sinasabi mo, aasahan kong uuwi ka sa lalong madaling panahon. Anim na buwan lang naman ang hinihingi kong oras mo anak" Tatay Teddy said then hangs up.

Sunshine just blew a huge sigh upon learning that her father already hangs up. She has been convincing him to live with her in Paris where she is now a professional fashion model. She has been into this profession for four years already. Her longtime friend Katrina helped her to get a good job as an IT assistant in Singapore where she met her Filipina agent Beverly, who introduced her to the fashion modeling world.

"Kung ikaw nga hindi ma-convince si Tito Teddy, what more kung ako. I tried talking to him about selling the grocery store and settle here in Paris with you pero ayaw talaga. Mas lalo lang daw syang magkakasakit kung dito sya mag stay sa Paris. What's your decision now, should I coordinate with Rosales Holding Company" Beverly said

"Alam mo, yun nga ang hindi ko maintindihan kay Tatay. Ibebenta rin naman pala ang grocery store, bakit hindi pa nilubos-lubos. Nagtira pa ng 55% ng shares, tapos ako ngayon ang kukulitin na temporary na magmanage sa store, eh ipinaliwanag ko nang may existing contract ako dito para sa mga modeling stint ko" Sunshine said

"Six months lang naman ang hinihingi ni Tito Teddy, pagbigyan mo na lang, ako na lang ang magkikipag-coordinate sa Rosales Holding Company para sa schedules mo" Beverly said

"You sounds like pumapayag ka nang umuwi ako for six months, hindi mo kilala ang tatay ko Bev, yung six months nya, pwedeng maging six years" Sunshine said

"Your father is sick, ayokong makonsensya kapag lumala ang sakit nya" Beverly said "I'll just make arrangement with Rosales Holding Company on your schedules para hindi tayo magkaproblema sa mga commitments mo dito" Beverly said

"Ikaw na nga ang bahala Bev, you know what's the best thing to do" Sunshine said

"Are you sure about this? Ok lang sa iyo to work with Benjamin Rosales?" Beverly asked

"What do you really want me to do Bev, why do you have to remind me about that Benjamin Rosales?" Sunshine asked her faithful agent

"I am just reminding you, I may not know him personally but I heard so much about him. Marami ring naikwento si Katrina tungkol sa iyo at kay Benji Rosales" Beverly teases

"At naniwala ka naman kay Katrina, walang dapat ikwento tungkol sa amin ni Benji Rosales. First and foremost, we were not even friends and I doubt if we will ever be" Sunshine said

"Ok Fine, eh di hindi kayo friends, sabi mo eh" Beverly said

"Alam mo ba, isa pa yan sa hindi ko maintindihan, ang dami namang pwedeng maging partner sa negosyo bakit sa mga Rosales pa ibinenta ni Tatay ang 45% shares ng grocery" Sunshine lamented

"Di ba sabi ni Tito Teddy, mas kampante sya kung si Benji ang makakatulong mo sa pag-aasikaso ng grocery store nyo. Mukhang malaki ang tiwala ng Tatay mo kay Benji Rosales" Beverly said

"Kaya nga hindi ko maintindihan eh, ano ang ipinakain ng mga Rosales sa Tatay ko at ganyan na lang kalaki ang tiwala nya sa kanila" Sunshine said

"And the way you speak, it seems that you don't trust Tito Teddy's decision on selling a portion of the grocery store." Beverly said

"I don't trust those people who bought the shares" Sunshine admitted

"You don't trust the people or you don't trust Benji Rosales?" Beverly maliciously asked

"Can you stop mentioning that name, he is not the only Rosales that my father have dealt with" Sunshine said

"Ohh didn't I mentioned to you that Rosales Holding Company is solely owned by Benjamin Rosales? Walang kinalaman ang pamilya nya sa business venture na ito, it is just between him and your father" Beverly said

"What????" Sunshine surprisedly asked

///

Sunshine came back to her senses upon hearing her stomach growling. She realized that her last meal was her lunch at the plane. It's nearing nine in the evening and her hunger could no longer wait if she calls for food delivery. She changed to a more comfortable clothes as she decided to grab a sandwich from subway which is just a few minutes walk from GabRo's building.

The half foot vegetable sandwich will help her survive the rest of the night while she prepares her things going to her hometown. Jorge will pick her up early tomorrow morning, so she needs to be ready before seven in the morning.

She took her purse and leave her room then took the elevator, all set to have a dinner all by herself. As the lift reaches the ground floor and the door opens, Sunshine got her biggest surprise for the day.

"Sinag" Benji who is standing just infront of her said.

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"If it is meant to be, it will always find a way" 😉😉😉😊😊😊

Sana hindi kayo mapagod sa pagsuporta sa mga stories ko, dahil hindi ako mapapagod sa paggawa ng mga 'to hangga't kaya ko pa.

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