8 Catch up

When Lanie went home, her Grandmother was already preparing to cook their meal.

"Oh! Did you enjoy your swimming?"

"Of course! I saw my friends and they said they will come tomorrow to visit us."

"That's good! It's been a while since they last came here."

That night, she slept with a happy heart. A feeling that she only feels when she is here. This place feels like home. A thing that she is longing for.

Before afternoon, Jake and others finally arrived. They hung out in the backyard of the house. Fresh surroundings and they can see the whole rice plantation. Between two mango trees, there is a swing. Table made of bamboo and one long chair that was made up of Narra trees.

"How's life in Manila? How many years since you left again? 2 years?" Pauline asked. Grandmother Cesille served them juice and fried bananas as snacks.

"Hmm. Almost 2 years, I guess? But I like it here more than in Manila. We don't have this clean air and silence there."

"Can't you stay here?" Jake said, hopeful.

"I can... but, I have work in Manila. It's pretty fine, high wage. And, I can still come here if I have time."

"Why don't you say if you are coming home? We are always free! We can visit!" Jules asked.

"It's because I didn't stay here for too long. Sometimes, I come here for a day and then, I'll drive to Manila at night. I just visited. I'm quite busy." Lady felt apologetic to them for not telling them that she was there.

"Pauline is already an elementary teacher. Jules is a staff member in the municipality. I'm in the navy now. I just came home yesterday, that's why we decided to go to the falls." Alex explained. Lanie was very happy with their conversations right now. She was able to know their journeys for the last 2 years that she was not there, with them.

"How about you? What are you up to?" Lanie sat beside Jake on the swing. Pauline and others went inside to check on the grandma. They left her with Jake.

"I'm helping my father in his furniture business. Some clients want to buy his works and probably want to import to Manila." Lanie was smiling while looking at him as he told him that to her.

"I'm glad that your life here is becoming stable. And your family has a business, too."

"Yeah. Maybe next time we will be going to Manila for our customers. My father also found a place there where we can build our branch in Manila."

"Wow! When you arrive, just contact me so I can come over." Jake smiled at what she said.

"Are you okay in Manila?" he seriously asked.

"I am fine. I am still coping." Lanie said slowly.

"It's still coming back?" He knew her well. Jake knew what Lanie had been to. She was comfortable with him so she told him that story. Lanie only told him, that of all of her friends here, Jake was the only one who knew that. After all, they have been together for four years.

"Not at all. If there is something that will trigger me, it is." He still was looking at her seriously.

"I'm fine. Don't worry. I'm visiting a doctor." Lanie assured him. Jake signed. She knew he wouldn't buy that.

Jake messed up her hair and gently squeezed her cheek. "Fine. Recently, something came up at the hotel I'm working in. Murder and suicide." He held her hand tight as she told him what happened. "I saw both of them lifeless and with a lot of blood."

"That's enough. You don't have to tell me. It's okay." He rested Lanie's head on his chest.

"When I visited my doctor, she said that the only way to cope with this trauma is to... tell what I saw that night. And I am the only person who can give that family the justice they have been seeking for years." He let out a heavy sigh.

"She's right. But will you be okay?"

'Am I going to be okay?' Lanie asked that also in her mind.

"Maybe, I will. Someday..." She whispered.

"Take one step at a time... and do the next right thing. You don't have to force yourself. Take it slow, little by little." He said and hugged Lanie tight.

"Hey, ex-lovers! Time to eat! Flirt later!" Pauline shouted. They laughed together. Their bonding continued until dawn. They decided to go home when it was already dark.

A happy and calm night. Lanie wished it could stay forever like this. But life isn't always about happiness. It's about sadness and pain, too.

"Take care, darling," Grandma said. 

"Of course. You, too. I'll text you once I arrive in Manila. I'll visit again, soon." 5 am when she drove back to Manila. She still has work in the evening so she has time to rest when she is home. Lanie came home at noon to her apartment. As she promised, she texted her grandmother. She ate before she slept and she also set an alarm so that she won't be late for her night duty.

She was on her way to the hotel when Mark called saying that he was coding and needed a car to pick him up. It was okay, his house was on the way.

"Hey." He greeted her when he sat in the shotgun seat.

"Good evening!" Lanie greeted him.

"How's your day off?"

"Fine. I enjoyed it."

"Next time, we'll go there. That place is so beautiful and you didn't even bother to tell us!" He said.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Next time, I promise."

When they arrived at the hotel, they went to their locker room to wear their uniforms. Althea and Pauline are both on morning duty. Lanie checked the guest list. Hmmm, there are only a few new guests.

"You can go to VIP suites and I will go to the regulars," Mark said. Sometimes, there are more commands or demands in the regular rooms than in the VIP suites. "Thanks. I'll help you once I finish at the VIP suites."

Lanie assisted first with the rooms that needed cleaning. She called for janitors or janitresses if their guests want to clean their rooms. She knocked three times like she always does. Before she even spoke, the door opened.

"Good evening, Ma'am. You requested to clean your room, right?" Lanie politely asked.

"Oh! Yes! Come in!" She's wearing her earrings when she lets them enter.

"I'll leave you, then. I'll just go to a bar downstairs so that you can clean properly here."

After an hour, they finally finished the room and went out. Then, they went to the next room.