Chapter 4 The New Job

Carl's POV

I got up early to go jogging to get my body back on track. I need to move on so this is part of what I will do. I was just out of the yard when I met Daddy who was coming home from exercise. I was tapped on the shoulder when I met him right in front of the gate.

I felt even better when I breathed in the fresh air. I started running slowly. I had reached ten kilometers and I was back to where I came from. I've met a lot of people exercising.

I met a group of women when I got back. I was shocked to hear them shout. I ignored it because I knew they were thrilled. This is always the scene when we do an exercise when I am still in service.

I went straight to my room to take a shower. After I got dressed I went out and went straight to the kitchen. The table was just set, so I quickly sat down to eat. I was with my parents.

We are two brothers, my brother is in Dubai working as an Engineer. Once a year it goes home, sometimes it takes another two years. I focused on my food when Daddy spoke. I temporarily looked at him before bending down and munching on my food.

"After you eat, come to my office," my Daddy said.

"Let's talk about you!"

"Yes, Daddy, I will come."

We ate because I was the only one quiet. My parents were talking about their friend who is also from Tagaytay. A successful businessman, although he and his wife are doctors, their business is flourishing all over the world, and their product is known when it comes to social media platforms. I often hear this story from Daddy, but I don't ask who his friends are, his friends are mostly rich businessmen.

I finished eating first, holding my cup of coffee. I decided to be there first in the gazebo in the middle of the garden. I'll spend some more time before entering Daddy's office. I wondered what else we were going to talk about?

When I go home there is always a Job Proposal coming to me. Invites to another job. This is how Daddy has a lot to offer him when it comes to my profession. I know this, our family is known for the honors I have achieved for seven years.

After thirty minutes I got up, I went through the kitchen to wash my cup. When I was honest with Daddy's office door I knocked on it. The voice inside said that it was open.

I opened it and Daddy was already waiting for me. I went to the couch while Daddy sat in his swivel chair. Enough for us to hear each other in our conversation. A folder sitting on the center table grabbed my attention.

"Open that folder," Daddy pointed to the center table.

I saw Daddy stand up, turn away from my habit and face the billiard table. I picked up the folder then I opened it. I'm right, this is another job proposal. I read it and understood the content.

"The details are complete. Everything you want to ask, there is an answer there. It's just your decision that's missing," Daddy said at length.

I couldn't speak right away, I saw Daddy playing billiards. After all, he was here in his spacious office.

I stood up and accompanied Daddy in his play. My father and I had fun because of the betting. We temporarily forgot what we were talking about earlier. Until we got tired of the ridiculousness, we didn't want to beat each other.

We rested as I spoke. I don't have to think about the proposal anymore. Daddy just looked at me, he probably already knew my answer. But just waiting for it to come right out of my mouth.

"Alright, Daddy, I'm accepting the new job, I'll start on Monday."

"Good!" He responded quickly to what I said. I left at Daddy's office.

For the rest of the day, I will use it to wander around and meet my friends here before starting work again. I went out of the house to unwind here in the fresh air and cozy atmosphere. I remember all my happy days here especially when I was still a student. My accomplishments with the troops.

I just missed a lot in my life. I will temporarily bring them back now while I am here. I went to the basketball court here in town. I know that many people are watching the game.

I will play basketball, it is my favorite game. Surely many will be happy here because I am one of the veterans in our town and not one to brag about. The spectators of the game were shouting, many were betting again. My companions were young people, at this time the other men were still at work.

I played a second time. My group won again. The spectators were very happy. Earlier, there were only a few people, but now there are more.

They are the ones who bet on their fellow spectators. They are just having fun. I love playing basketball especially since there are so many people watching. We finished at nine o'clock in the evening.

Over the day, I get tired. When I got home I just ate and slept. I comforted myself, I gave time to the things that made me happy. I made every move worthwhile.

The brain succeeded, not my heart. I opened my mind even more than all events had just passed. One night, I was in a hurry to get home because we had dinner with the family I was serving. This is Daddy's family friend I saw in the proposal.

When I got home Mommy and Daddy were already dressed. Currently watching TV in the living room. After I greeted them, I went upstairs. Confused, I took a shower and got dressed.

I was wearing blue jeans, the same color as the polo I was wearing that was folded to the elbow. Black leather shoes on my feet that shade my belt. It's easy to fix my hair, I don't need a comb because it's an army cut. I sprayed perfume and then hurried out of the room.

When I went downstairs, my parents were gone, they were already in the car. I hurried to the car. I drove to the venue. It was less than thirty minutes before we arrived immediately.

We move fast and here we are in a restaurant. It is close to the viewpoint, Taal Volcano is visible through the lights. It's a full moon now and the stars are twinkling. When we arrived at a table three people were sitting and we were on our way.

When we saw each other, the couple who were the same age as my parents. They shook hands and kissed. A young woman stood up to shake Daddy's hand and kiss Mommy. I was shocked to meet her.

She is the woman I saw in the hospital in Manila who, she stares, is pure. Even though she was surprised, maybe I should face her. She was stunned but also recovered quickly. She smiled at me but I just shook hands with the three of them.

We sat down, the set-up of our seat facing Stephanie. She was beautiful, white, and innocent of everything I had just noticed. At the hospital when I saw her I could not stare because my mind was busy. She smiled at me again but I didn't return my smile until she bent down and just distracted herself with the cellphone.

"I will be her bodyguard? Will she be my boss?" I asked in my mind.

"What a small world!"

I can't imagine that she is the son of Daddy's friend. She turned out to be Stephanie Alonzo. I didn't even bother myself to take a good look at her photo on the Job Proposal.

So this orientation immediately happened to me. Imagine this dinner includes work. Stephanie shook my hand again when she knew I was her bodyguard and I gladly accepted. Her hands were soft as my palm touched them.

The two of us were silent while both of our parents were still talking.

"Can we take a picture?" a soft voice I heard.

"Yes,hija," our parents replied.

To get us all, Stephanie stood beside me with our arms almost touching. I saw on the screen of her cellphone her very sweet smile. While I was looking seriously. I was the only one not smiling at the camera while my parents were happy.

"Thank you," that's what I heard after we took the picture.

After dinner, we went home first. Even though it's only Saturday tomorrow, I've arranged my important belongings because we're still going to Manila on Sunday night. I can go home to my condo before I start work. I changed my clothes into sleeping ones and then I went to bed and fell asleep.

I remember we still had a basketball game this morning in case my Daddy ordered me to deliver relief goods to Alonzo Charity. My eyes narrowed when I read their last name again.

I am an obedient child so I brought it and I also wanted to know something because I was not updated about what happened here in Tagaytay. When I arrived at their office, I was greeted by a staff member. I introduce myself as the son of a Sponsor of the Villaverde Family.

Everyone I see is busy, they have white outerwear. Most wore shorts and wore sports shoes. There is a sign on the front of the dress that reads "FUN RUN." I was not informed of this program, maybe I am a participant now.

At least a week later I came home. So no one will inform me. It doesn't matter the next time I will join and I should know right away when something like this happens again. I was amused by what I saw so I observed it first.

My eye was struck by a beautiful lady who turned away. She is similar to the clothes of most people. Her body is slender and her straight blond hair is curled upwards. Later she was approached by an elegant man who, if I am not mistaken, was the same age.

They lined up in the crowd because the program was about to begin. They were both shaded so I couldn't see the girl's whole face. I was stunned when the girl removed her shades, it was Stephanie and it's different now she's naturally beautiful. I even saw her wipe her face before putting on the shades again.

All participants ran. They even passed in front of me without me noticing. In the distance, I saw Mister Alonzo. He saw me and he approached me.

"Oh, so you're here, Hijo?"

"I came here to bring relief goods for the Charity."

"I know, Hijo, because your father called me before you got here. Come inside and have a snack first," he invited me.

I nodded to him and then went inside. I caught up with Mrs. Alonzo who is currently arranging donations including the one I brought. When she saw me she smiled at me then thanked me. I just heard that half will go to the Orphanage.

While listening to what Mrs. Alonzo said, I saw the juices and slices of cake on the center table. We ate and drank the landed snack together. Mr. Alonzo spoke and looked straight at me. I waited for him to say something.

"Since you will be our daughter's bodyguard, you will be able to join the charity, Hijo, in various activities. If you had come home earlier before the FUN RUN, maybe you would have been with our daughter. It's good that Brandon is there to be trusted; Stephanie brings aid to the Orphanage every Friday afternoon and to bond with the children there.

"We're sure that when the kids see you, they'll be happy, they'll be called older brothers. You'll enjoy being with them even more, they're mean. When Stephanie is there, it's like a child running with them. That's why this one pours time into children," Mister Alonzo's long story.

After a long conversation, I said goodbye to them. The couple took me outside. Leaving the car, I saw the couple still waving their hands. I ran straight until I reached our house.