A Helping Hand and Hidden Deals

After feeding her siblings, she started doing laundry. That includes the clothes she will wear when she applies for the job. She stared at the clothes as she lathered them with soap. Emy remembered what the saleswoman had said.

Reed continuously monitored Emy. He sat in front of her while she washed the laundry.

"What does she think of these clothes?" Emy lifted the clothes. "A garbage?" Emy uttered those words before taking a deep breath. "The only formal attire I have is this."

"Haist, don't worry about that woman," Reed said. "I've already taught her a lesson," he said, facing Emy, but she couldn't see or hear him. "Just tell me I'll return to her so you can get revenge."

Emy spent several hours doing manual or hand-washed laundry. She immediately hung the clothes in the sun to dry quickly. It was lunchtime when she looked at the wall clock, so she had to cook again. But it disappointed Emy to see that her wallet was almost empty. Emy can only buy candy with the amount of money in his wallet. She looked for money in her bag and found some coins. She also searched the drawer, where she found two roses. Emy accepted it. It surprised her that two roses were there.

Even Emy could smell it, and it smelled good. She smiled, stood up, took a plastic container with water, and put the roses in it. Reed smiled at what Emy had done to the flowers.

"Ate, I'm hungry."

Emy stared at her sibling and pulled at the hem of her T-shirt. She also looked at the other siblings at the door. Emy wanted to cry at that moment. It was as if a needle was piercing her heart.

"You have nothing to eat?" Reed inquired, assuming they could hear him. "Okay, I'll take care of that, and you'll eat delicious food today."

Reed suddenly disappeared next to Emy.

"All right, just wait," Emy said. "I'll lend you some canned goods from the store first."

"Ate, Aling Marga was angry. She said we should pay our previous debts first."

"Is that so?" Emy took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter," she said to her siblings, smiling. "I'll find a way," she said as she looked at them. "Stay here at home, okay?"

"Okay, Ate."

Emy went back to her drawer to get her wallet. However, the voice from outside the house distracted them all.

"Emy?" an outside voice asked. "Emy, are you there?"

Emy left the room, and her siblings followed her to the door. Lorie's voice was what she heard from outside their house. She approached the door and opened it.

"Lorie, come in," Emy said. "Why did you visit?"

Lorie came in and handed Emy the roasted chicken she had brought. "This is for you."

Emy smiled. "Thank you, Lorie." Emy handed the paper bag to her sister. "Divide it so we can have another dish later."

"All right, Ate."

Emy's siblings left quickly, then she turned to Lorie and gave her the monoblock chair. Lorie sat down, and so did Emy.

"Thank you, Lorie," Emy said. "I was about to look for something to eat for my siblings."

Lorie took a deep breath, then smiled. "Your siblings' food?" Lorie asked. "Don't you plan to join them if you find one?"

"It's okay for me, even if it's just biscuits," said Emy. "What's important to me is that my siblings don't get hungry."

"You are very kind," said Lorie.

Emy smirked. "But the world still prefers someone like you, Lorie."

"Who told you?" Lorie asked. She took something from her pocket and handed Emy the envelope with a smile.

Emy accepted it. "What is this?"

"Your back pay, as well as the prorated 13th month," Lorie explained.

"Seriously?" Emy couldn't believe it. Emy had assumed that she would receive no compensation due to the company's termination.

"Of course," Lorie said. "You've been with the company for almost ten years," she said with a smile. "Besides, even if they fired you, you're the only one with back-pay and the 13th month."

Emy smiled. "Just me?" Emy asked in disbelief. "Why just me?"

Lorie smiled a little. "Of those fired by the company, only you have been the longest-serving employee."

Emy lost her smile. Lorie noticed this. "If someone closes the window, someone opens the door," Lorie said. "You can also use that money to apply for a new job, and then you will have more for your siblings."

Emy didn't expect her tears to flow spontaneously, even though she was holding them back. Lorie held Emy's hand.

-

As the days passed, the money Lorie gave her was enough for their food. Emy again saw a rose in her bag, and the other was on her bed. Emy smelled it. She thought that whoever heard her that night had changed her life. However, she also harbors a fear that all the positive experiences she's had could potentially lead to an equal reciprocation. She remembered what she said.

'Whoever hears me, I will trade myself for anything. Just get me out of this cursed life!'

Emy just got herself ready for whatever time it came.

-

On Monday, Emy resumed her job search. She followed what the saleswoman said. Lorie gave her the makeup that she could use to make herself presentable. Emy knew there was good news coming to her that day. Even though she had extra money when she knew she was going nearby, Emy walked to save cash. There is no certainty when she will have a job.

Emy sat sadly on an empty bench in the park. She had walked a long way, and the sun was about to set. No one accepted her, saying only one thing: "We do not accept walk-in applicants." Emy did not know an invisible man had followed her for a while. He stared at her and watched everything she did.

Emy was walking home from her all-day job hunt when she received a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?" On the other line, Emy inquired.

"Is this Emilu Briones?" the other line asked.

"Yes, it's me," Emy asked. "Who is this?"

A car nearly struck her. She couldn't wait to see her father. The public attorney who handled the case prevailed. The lawyer explained everything to them. It turned out that the owner of the fancy car was a scammer. He purposely cut the vehicle's tail brake so that when an accident happened to him and the car, they would get the money from insurance. It's a win-win situation for him; he gets the insurance and cash from Emy's father. But the truth prevails in the end.

"Thank you very much, attorney," said Emy.

"It's nothing, Emilu," the attorney said.

Emy didn't know that someone had handled her father's case. Emy believed her father would remain in detention indefinitely due to their lack of financial resources. She also finds out that SPO3 Guevarra, the police officer who handled her father's case, called and talked to the lawyer. They express their gratitude for their assistance in helping her father.

When they arrived home, the siblings happily greeted their father. They cried after not being with their father for several days. Emy was preparing their bed when she noticed another rose stem lying on it. Because she was used to receiving roses, she smelled them and placed them in the same plastic container as the others. Emy thought that even though she didn't get a job, she still received good news that day.

Emy lay down on the bed and waited to fall asleep. Emy was unaware that a man was lying beside her, intently staring at her. She can't see him. After a while, Emy fell asleep.

The man caressed Emy's hair while smiling and staring at her. 'You're on your way to our deal. I can't wait for you to meet me personally and give me the payment you offered, my queen.'