Chapter 2 My house

Chapter 2

I snapped out of it when I heard Quiy's tiny voice calling my name. She sounded upset again.

"I've called you like ten times, Mommy." She pouted and crossed her arms.

"W-What is it?" I stammered, quickly wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"Why are you crying?"

"I just suddenly thought of something," I replied, fixing her position on the bed before tucking her in. "Go to sleep now, okay? I'll sing you a song," I added, which made her frown.

"No nee-" I quickly covered her mouth with my palm to stop her.

"Don't say anything. I know my voice is terrible and it might keep you awake. Just close your eyes and give your mouth a rest too. You've been talking all day; let others have their turn tomorrow."

She nodded before closing her eyes. I gently caressed her forehead, and after a few minutes, I was sure she was asleep, as her breathing had become steady.

I adjusted her blanket once more. I kissed her forehead before leaving the room to put away her toys.

While tidying up her scattered toys, I heard a knock. It was late at night, so I paused to think about who could be knocking at this hour.

Not coming up with anyone, I asked, "Who's there?" I asked, still not moving from where I was standing.

Could it be a drug addict or a drunk? The thought made me more anxious. Or maybe a cult member? Or worse, a ghost?

"It's Heidi," she replied, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

My goodness. I thought it was something or someone else.

I quickly walked to the door to let her in. She greeted me with a broad smile.

That's kind of creepy.

"It's late, isn't it? What's up?" I asked, puzzled.

"I just wanted to give you this ticket." She handed me a small piece of paper. "It's from the Governor. It's like an invitation to enter the venue for the event he's holding as a thank you for his election victory," she explained.

"Oh, Paige, I know you're wondering, but you know how the Governor is. Even without an occasion, he'll suddenly have one because he's that thankful. You know, even when he was just starting out in politics, he was already like that. This is also for his birthday on Sunday. We're invited because he owes us a lot, especially those who volunteered to pack relief goods that were sent to Tacloban after the last typhoon," she explained further.

"Ah... So, this is like an entry ticket, right?"

She nodded. "Exactly. It's one ticket per household, but you can bring your whole family. That's what I was told."

What? The whole family with just one ticket? Isn't that embarrassing? But then again... it's the Governor, not me. If he wants to spend a lot to feed the entire district, that's not my concern since it's not my money. It's his, and it's not even from the taxpayers, so all good.

"Thanks, Heidi. I'll think about whether we can go since we might be busy, but I don't think so since it's Sunday. It's good that it falls on my day off," I said.

"Oh, Paige! If I were you, I'd go, because we might get to see the Governor's handsome nephew!" She squealed, making me almost cover her mouth.

It's late, but she's still so loud, which is embarrassing considering our neighbors are probably resting by now!

"Hey," I scolded. "You're squealing like that, but don't you have a boyfriend?" I asked, recalling that fact. Her expression suddenly turned sour.

"We're not together anymore. I kicked him out of my house because he was just using me to support his mistress. The nerve of that guy!" she exclaimed, and I grimaced.

"But forget about that. I don't want to have a boyfriend for now, so even if the Governor's nephew is handsome, I'll let you have him," she said before squealing again. She even acted like she was giddy, making me cringe even more.

"I heard he's single, but his parents are already looking for someone for him to marry because they want grandchildren," she shared.

"Where did you hear all that, and why do you seem to know so much about the Governor's nephew? It seems like you're more interested in the nephew than in the food and giveaways," I remarked, noting her focus on the nephew.

"That's what the Governor's sister, the nephew's mom, said, so everyone knows. I'm surprised you don't know anything about this," she said. She leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms as she continued her stories.

How would I know about these things when I'm busy with work? And besides... should I even be worrying about that?

"You know, almost everyone around here with a daughter of the right age is going to the event not because of the food and invitation but just to catch the attention of the Governor's nephew."

She paused to roll her eyes. "Of course, they'd hit the jackpot if their daughter marries him because I heard their family is really wealthy," she continued, as if I was supposed to know all this.

"Oh, whatever! I'm really going to set you up with him. I haven't even seen his face yet, but I just feel like you two are a perfect match!" She squealed again, jumping up and down and clapping her hands.

Good grief. Even if he's handsome, if he's not kind... it's pointless. And besides... I don't even plan on getting married anytime soon. What matters to me is Quiy and her future.

"Okay, let's get some sleep so you can have your beauty rest. There's no doubt in my mind that the Governor's nephew will fall in love with you at first sight. I'll bet my brand-new frying pan on it!" She squealed before letting herself out.

I was left there cringing.

She's really crazy, that one!

Sunday came, and everything was a mess. How could it not be? The sun hadn't even risen yet when Heidi showed up at my house just to drag me to the Governor's event she'd been talking about.

She wanted me to go so badly that she practically did all the house chores I hadn't finished yet.

"Mommy, will there be food at the place we're going to?" Quiy asked while we were eating.

Look at this kid. She's eating, but she's still thinking about food.

I was about to answer when Heidi butted in again. She even put her hand in front of my face to stop me from speaking.

"There's going to be so much food there, goddaughter, so help me convince your mommy to come with us," she said to my daughter, trying to get her on board with her dark plan.

"Really, Auntie-Godmother?!" Quiy's face lit up even more. My shoulders slumped in defeat because I knew she had finally convinced my child.

Heidi nodded repeatedly while grinning. It was clear she had a hidden agenda, but since she was talking to a child, Quiy had no clue about it.

So, after we finished eating, we got ready to attend the event. Thankfully, we didn't need to wear anything fancy. As long as we looked presentable, that was enough. What mattered was that we honored the Governor's invitation.

"Don't get into any trouble here, Quiy, okay? This isn't our house, so behave..." I reminded my daughter when we arrived at the venue.

Actually, I thought it was going to be held somewhere else. That's what was originally planned, but it seems like it was changed at the last minute, so instead of being held at an auditorium, the event was held at the Governor's house.

If you ask me, I'm nervous because I can't ignore the dirt in the world of politics. The Governor's house is open to the public, and it's not far-fetched that someone might try something dangerous. But from what I've seen of the Governor's lifestyle and how well he treats his constituents, the chances are slim... though caution is still necessary.

"Yes, Mommy... I'm only interested in the food," she said. She even raised her right hand as if swearing while a wide grin spread across her face.

Her belly was already bloated because we had just eaten before coming here, but her mind was still on food.

I really need to put this kid on a diet before she just bursts.

"Later, okay? Let's hold off on the food for now," I cautioned her, alarmed by how her belly always seemed to grow bigger. "You can play with the other kids, but don't overdo it," I added, and she nodded repeatedly in response.

Not long after, the Governor came out at the entrance of their mansion. Beside him were two uniformed men, his wife, and another lady. He greeted everyone and thanked them for coming and reiterated the purpose of the gathering.

After his greeting, I thought that was it, but everyone was surprised when the Governor asked for a bit of silence because he had someone to introduce.

Even before he could say anything, I had a feeling I knew who it was, judging by Heidi's stifled squeal beside me. She kept pinching and squeezing me, so I tried to move away from her, but she kept pulling me back to use me as a shield for her uncontrollable excitement.

Seriously, is she really over her breakup? It doesn't seem like she even felt any pain.

To Be Continued...