Kabanata 12
"SERA? MAY PASOK ka pa bukas, 'di ba?" Ma'am Asunta asked while I was busy serving the customers.
"Opo, Ma'am." I smiled.
"Uhm, wala ka bang exams?" aniya.
"Mayro'n po, pero kaya naman."
"Alam mo, ayos lang kung hindi ka muna mag-serve. Marami namang empleyado ngayon at kaunti lang ang customers kasi gabi na." She smiled gently. "You can study first if you like."
Agad akong umiling.
"Hindi na po," tanggi ko. "Duty ko ngayon. Nakakahiya nga po, minsan lang ako pumapasok tapos magpapahinga pa ako."
"You need it, hija," she said softly.
"Salamat po, Ma'am." I smiled. "You're so kind to me, even if I don't deserve it."
"Ano ka ba?" She pouted. "Everyone needs and deserves kindness and love, mga bagay na hindi nabibili ng pera."
I nodded, smiling.
"Tama po kayo. Salamat, Ma'am."
"I used to think money could give you everything, but I was wrong. It can give you what you want, but never what you truly need emotionally and mentally."
She smiled, stepped closer, and touched my arm.
"Napakabuti mong bata, Sera," she said tenderly.
I laughed and shook my head.
"Naku, Ma'am, hindi po. Siguro minsan, pero most of the time hindi. Masama po ang ugali ko," I admitted.
"People have a fair share of evil." She shrugged.
"I agree, kahit hindi tama, minsan 'di maiiwasan kung para sa mga taong mahal mo."
She continued looking at me fondly. "I wish you could meet my sister."
"P'wede naman po."
"Well, I wish she were still here." She smiled sadly. "Pakiramdam ko matutuwa siya sa 'yo. You've got a heart of an angel, Sera."
Oh, I don't think so.
"Hindi naman, Ma'am," tanggi ko kasi alam kong 'di naman talaga.
"I really wish she could see you."
"Tara na ba, Ma'am?" I joked. "P'wede naman natin bisitahin."
"Unfortunately, she's gone," she said lowly.
Naramdaman ko ang hapdi dibdib at inabot siya.
"S-Sorry, I didn't know..."
"It's alright," alo niya. "Matagal na 'yon, Sera."
"Pasensya na, Ma'am, akala ko talaga..."
"Ayos lang." She smiled again. "Pero samahan mo ako minsang bisitahin siya?"
"O-Opo!" I nodded quickly. "Oo naman po, sasamahan kita."
She nodded, then surprised me with a gentle hug. I hugged her back immediately.
"Salamat, Sera," she whispered.
"Walang anuman po."
I continued working through the night. When I finally got my thirty-minute break, I sat in the staff room, going over my notes for tomorrow's exam.
Mahirap man pagsabayin ang trabaho at pag-aaral, kailangan kong gawin. We had to hire a nanny to assist my brother—medyo kalakihan ang bayad, pero para kay Miggy, worth it 'yon. As for Tatay, ilang beses ko na siyang sinasabihang magpa-check-up na dahil nahuhuli ko siyang humahawak sa dibdib niya, pero lagi niyang sinasabi na ayos lang siya. When I save up enough money, I'll force him to see a doctor.
BINABASA MO ANG
Dancing With Fire (TO BE PUBLISHED)
General Fiction[REVISED EDITION, 2026] Lost Island Series #4: Dancing With Fire "A love that risked everything, knowing it might leave ashes behind, yet choosing to burn anyway." Money. For Serafine Veronica Mendez, money is everything. A self-proclaimed rich ki...
