SPINSTER'S PLANS GONE WRONG

Mariam Acosta, or Yam as her family and friends simply called her, was the oldest offspring of Mr. and Mrs. Romeo and Marina Acosta. Her father worked as an accountant for the local government unit of the Municipality of Juytan, a town in the southernmost part of the State of Los Lillia, while her mother worked as a public high school teacher in Mathematics. She had two younger siblings - Margot and Martin. Margot was two years younger than her, while Martin was four years younger than her. As the first born, she was responsible, confident and conscientious. She mirrored her parents' beliefs and attitudes. She was also a natural leader. But she had the tendency to be bossy. She was also quite a perfectionist. She was a worrier as well. She also put a great deal of pressure on herself to succeed. At 18 years old, she graduated as class valedictorian in Juytan National Senior High School. Then she took up a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy at Loss Lillia State University ,located in the capital of Los Lillia, Madison City. After four years of hard work, she graduated with Latin honors, Cum Laude, at the age of 22. Afterwards, she passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Examination. She immediately landed a teaching job at Los Lillia State University at the College of Business and Accountancy, after graduation. Then she also worked as a freelance CPA as soon as she passed the licensure examination. After a year of teaching, she decided to pursue a law degree in the College of Law of Los Lillia State University, where the classes were scheduled after the official working hours of 8 AM to 5 PM. The classes at the College of Law were scheduled from 6 PM to 9 PM from Monday to Saturday. With her income, she was able to help her parents financially support the studies of her two younger siblings. Margot took up Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the College of Nursing of Loss Lillia State University, while Martin took up Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the College of Engineering of the same university. There she met her first boyfriend, Carlos Medina, who was as old as her. She also became close friends with Kathleen Dy and Dexter Reyes. They were all classmates. After finishing her law degree for four years at the age of 27, Carlos had already proposed marriage to her. Margot and Martin had also finished their respective degrees and passed their licensure examinations by then. But as the preparations for the wedding unfolded, Carlos got attracted to her sister and they had a one-night stand which resulted to Margot's pregnancy. By that time, she, Carlos and their two best friends, Kathleen and Dexter, had already passed the bar examination. The wedding pushed through but with her sister as the bride. She felt so hurt. Upon knowing their betrayal, she didn't renew her teaching contract with LLSU anymore. She resigned and then had a staycation in the hot spring resort owned by the family of Kathleen , located in the Municipality of Vendita, another town of Los Lillia, south of Madison City. Kathleen then asked her, "So what are your plans now, Yam? You have already resigned from your job." Mariam answered, "I would establish my own accounting and law office in Madison City. I have already gotten regular clients as a CPA. I just need to offer legal services next, now that we have already passed the bar examination." Kathleen asked, "Will you not join the Medina and Associates Law Firm anymore? That was our original plan. Dexter and I will already start working there next week after the wedding." Mariam's response was, "Do you think that I can still work alongside him after what he and my sister did? They betrayed me. We have been together for four long years. Then he just threw that away and slept with my sister. Yes, I did not allow penetrative sex between us! So he looked for someone who could give him everything. But why my sister of all people?! The heartache is tenfold more painful, Kat." Kathleen said, "I understand. But your sister was not an innocent participant as well." Mariam admitted, "That is true! That is why it is even more painful. I don't think I will want to even see them ever again." Kathleen stated the reality, "But then we will just be staying in the same city. You will definitely see them again. It is inevitable, Yam. But at least you did not get to marry a cheater. So, just try to move forward. " Mariam responded, "Yes, I will definitely move forward. I will not work in the law firm owned by his family. We might as well see each other in court as opposing parties. I can make it on my own. I have saved a lot. Tatay and Nanay have never spent any centavo of the financial support that I have provided for them all these years. They saved them and they already gave me the ATM card. I will establish my own accounting and law office. I don't need to be in a big firm just to practice law." Kathleen then made a decision, "Then I won't join that law firm anymore. Have me as your employee, an associate. Among the four of us, you are the best, while I am the least. You even ranked tenth among all the bar examination passers in this year's batch. I don't want to be on the opposite side of you. Even if that firm is already well-established and one of the best in the city, I would rather work with you." Mariam told her best friend, "But you will have a much better salary and benefits at that law firm." Kathleen argued, "My family is rich, I do not even have to work. But if I practice law I want to be with familiar co-workers. Just hire me." Mariam suggested, "Let us just be business partners." Kathleen debated, "I don't like the pressure of being a business owner, Yam. It is very difficult. I have tried managing this resort for quite sometime but I gave up." Marian insisted, "How about being an investor?" Kathleen reiterated, "It is still almost the same as being a business partner, Yam. I just prefer being your employee. That way, I will not feel very pressured. Just delegate to me the tasks that I need to do and I will do them. I know how to lead but I am better at being a follower." Mariam then declared, "Then you might as well be the head of the legal services department. We need to hire a legal assistant and an investigator. For the accounting services department, I will hire another CPA, and an accounting clerk. We will start small at first, but we can expand as time goes by. With two lawyers and two accountants, we can then take in more clients." Kathleen even stated, "And we have your achievements being included in the top ten in both licensure examinations as our selling point. I don't mind starting in a small firm. At least you will just be the one superior than me. We must start looking for an office space already." Mariam then recalled, "And I also need to find a new apartment. Good thing, I still have not unpacked my stuff in that cheater's condominium unit." Kathleen then volunteered, "You can have them sent over first to my condominium unit. You can also stay there for the meantime while you are finding your own apartment unit." Mariam expressed her gratitude, "Thanks, Kat. You are indeed my best friend! I cannot go back to my old apartment unit anymore. Martin has rented it already. I should find one near our office." Kathleen added, "And with a parking space, my dear. Your parents had paid for the down payment for a new car as a present for you for passing the bar examination, remember?" "Yeah," Mariam requested, "Then help me find one. Let us search the net now for some listings." Kathleen had a better idea, "I will call an agent-friend who can help us." Mariam was filled with joy, "What can I do without you? You are indeed heaven sent." Kathleen pointed out, "That is why I should work for you and not for that firm owned by the family of your cheater-ex." Mariam childishly agreed, "Yeah," and then teased her best friend, "But I need to buy an espresso machine for the office so you can always have your daily dose of coffee." Kathleen bantered, "Oh, I can bring my own as an office warming gift but I will have to bring it along with me once you fire me." Mariam quipped, "Then it will be at the office forever," and then seriously said, hugging her best friend warmly, "Thank you very much for everything, Kat." Kathleen responded seriously as well, "I should be the one thanking you. Instead of being a low-level lawyer at that big firm. I will be second in command for all your legal service offerings." Mariam brought out again the idea of being business partners, "We can even be business partners, but you don't like it." Kathleen said, "Being business partners could affect our friendship. So better not take that risk, right?" Mariam stated, "I got your point. But I might not be a very good boss." Kathleen responded, "I know all your moods and temperaments, Yam. I am used to them already. You are a born leader. And as your best friend, I don't mind being just a follower, because you are a good leader." Mariam and Kathleen did not waste any more time. They packed and went back to Madison City to start the preparations for Mariam Acosta and Associates Accounting and Law Firm. They were able to find a very nice corner office space with lots of passers by. It is located on the ground floor of a commercial building, near the City Hall and the City Trial Court. The Odessa Commercial Building also had ample parking space for all of its tenants. They had also secured all the business permits, posted their urgent hiring needs, and shopped for office furniture at a thrift shop or a factory outlet. Kathleen had this knack of finding good buys in shops like that. She had a good eye for interior design as well as fashion, being born from a rich family. They were able to find several similar solid wood office desks just need revarnishing for a much cheaper price than the new ones. They were also able to purchase filing cabinets, office chairs, receiving area furniture, and a conference table. With Kathleen by her side helping her out through the process, she felt more confident that she would achieve her career goals. Mariam did not attend the wedding of her sister to her ex-fiancé. She busied herself that day unpacking all her stuff in her new one-bedroom apartment unit. Within the week that had passed, she and Kathleen were already able to hire the employees they needed for their small accounting and law firm. Dexter, Kathleen's boyfriend, was surprised when Kathleen told her that she and Mariam wouldn't be working with them anymore at Medina and Associates Law Firm. Dexter, Carlos' best friend, reacted, "Why did you not tell me about your decision not to work for Medina And Associates Law Firm any more?" Kathleen answered first casually, "Well, for the record, you are not the HR Manager of that firm," and then seriously said, "Do you honestly think that I can abandon Yam after what your best friend did? And with her not working at that firm, then I would rather not work there too, even if you are there. Yam actually wants me to be her business partner but I declined. Being an employee with her as my boss will definitely be better than working for that cheater-bestfriend of yours." Dexter defended his best friend. "He is also a victim here. Yam's sister showed her interest in him first. He was also drunk when something happened to them." Kathleen said, "I don't believe that excuse. If he already knew that Yam's sister was interested in him, then he should have avoided being alone with her. More so, he should have avoided drinking without Yam around. If there is a will, there is a away. He also liked it. And it just didn't happen once. Carlos was not able to resist the temptation. Anyway, Margot is much younger and more liberated. She even looks like Yam. So don't ever try to defend him if you do't want me breaking up with you." Dexter then defended himself, "I am faithful to you, so why will you break up with me? I won't defend him anymore. Yes, he is at fault as well. But, I will still work for his family's firm." Kathleen said, "And I really do not mind. Carlos and Yam's fallout should not be our fallout, either. But I have already made my decision. I will work with Yam in her accounting and law firm. We will actually have our grand opening tomorrow. I had actually distributed our official business cards here at the reception and also, back there outside the church when the ceremony had not started yet." Dexter then asked, "By the way, where is Yam now? Why did she not attend the wedding?" Kathleen knocked at her boyfriend's forehead, "Did you really pass the bar examination, babe? This is supposed to be her wedding. She is supposed to be the bride. Do you actually want me to cheat on you just so you will feel how painful it is? And to make matters even worse, he cheated on her with her sister. So you should not mention their names in front of Yam." Dexter affirmed, "I will bear that in my mind," and then asked her again, "You still have not answered my question, babe. Where is Yam?" Kathleen answered, "She is in Madison City in her new apartment unit, arranging her stuff. Actually, I will go there to help her out after attending this reception. If not for you, I would not even have attended this wedding." Dexter asked, "Am I then invited to the grand opening tomorrow?" Kathleen reminded her boyfriend, "You will already be starting at that law firm tomorrow as a junior associate, Dex. It is better that you don't attend our opening and just focus on your work. That way, you can already buy your own house, and can marry me already. Dexter and Kathleen were already engaged but they were not rushing to get married. Dexter was not from a rich family. He did not even belong to the middle class. His father worked as a family driver for the Medinas, while his mother worked as the head maidservant for the Medinas as well. He and Carlos attended the same school from kindergarten to senior high school. Carlos would have attended the law school of Athenaem de Missi University but he changed his mind at the last minute when he found out that Deter opted to take his law degree at LLSU. Dexter had moved out from living with his parents in the servants' quarters of the the palatial residence of the Medinas when he finished his pre-law degree which was Criminal Justice, which took in LLSU. He then worked as a paralegal at the Medina and Associates Law Firm while pursuing his law degree. His dream was to own a house first for his family and for them before they got married. He did not want to depend on Kathleen's money. And because of that, Kathleen had loved him even more. When Kathleen had reached Mariam's residence that late afternoon after attending the wedding, Mariam was already done arranging all her stuff. Mariam did not have to buy any appliances or furniture because the apartment unit was already fully furnished. She just had to bring in all her personal stuff. Kathleen remarked, "So you are already done unpacking. To think that I came to help you out." Mariam said, "I don't have that many clothes, anyway. I just wore the work uniform of LLSU most of the time." Kathleen recalled, "You also worked there for five years, and now you are about to enter a new chapter in your life." Mariam informed her, "The College of Management and Accountancy still wants me to teach part-time if I have the time. The College of Law also offered me a part-time teaching job." Kathleen then stated, "Tomorrow, you will already be your own boss. Congratulations in advance, Boss Lady." Mariam acknowledged, "To you, I will always be Yam, Kat. And thanks for all your help these past few days. I could not have arranged the opening much earlier if not for all your help." Kathleen responded, "You also helped me a lot, earning my law degree. You freely discussed with me the topics that I found very difficult to understand. I just took up law to prove to my parents that I can also be a lawyer even if I am the only lady among the three offspring. All the males in the family are lawyers. I prove a point and you were very instrumental in that. Now, my Dad wants me to join his law firm at Vendita but I declined. I'd rather work here for Medina And Associates Law Firm than work with the family. But then you have given me a much better option at practicing law. I might not be as good as you are, but I know that I will grow up as a lawyer even more if I am with you." That evening, when Mariam was already about to sleep, she heard a loud knock on the main door of her apartment unit. She looked at the peephole and saw Carlos. Then she heard him talking, "I know you are there, Yam. Please talk to me.Your sister does not love me. She just seduced me because of my social status." It was the first and last time that Carlos came to her apartment building. She asked the management to have him banned.