We Fell In Love at Dawn

Chapter Two

The wound on my face already healed. Good thing it doesn’t leave a scar. Buti na lang din nakita ako ni Mia by the time I collapsed. She said na bigla na lang daw akong hinimatay at nasahid ng corner ng mesa ang mukha ko kaya nabundol ang labi ko ro’n. I haven’t clearly remembered what happened after I collapsed but they told me na minor na mga sugat lang ang natamo ko. Napag-alala ko pa tuloy sila Mama. 

It’s been two weeks since Hans died. Masakit man tanggapin, ay wala kaming magawa. Until now, I haven’t recovered nor moved on at all. Hindi ko pa rin matanggap, pero gaya nga ng sinabi ko, I can do nothing. He suffered a lot, so we just consider his death as his rest. I hate to think this way, but maybe, okay na rin na nakapagpahinga na siya para hindi na siya magdurusa pa.

I was typing and editing my scrips para sa call ko mamaya. Oh right, I didn’t mention it. I already got a job three days ago. It was a call center, with and non-voice setting about sa publishing company in U.S.A. Pahirapan ang makapasok dito, pero malaki naman ang expected salary at may commissions pa. My role here is to talk some authors, encourage them to sell their books with the assistance of our company, edit their books, read, and proofread it. Yes, a very tiring job! Day 3 pa nga lang ay parang umaayaw na ako since I am in a night shift schedule so I need to adjust my body clock. I would sleep almost whole day and stay awake at night.

Time flew, I was doing the same process on my job until I reached the 15th day of my work and got my first ever salary. I was very happy and excited, although half pa lang ang ibinigay sa akin, kasi sa 30th day na naman ang other half. Kahit papaano, ito ang unang ambag ko sa bahay financially, and I feel very grateful. What I did is, ibinigay ko kay Mama ‘yong 10k, and the rest 2k was for my personal things. Masaya naman sila at nakadagdag puhunan pa ang natirang pera.

I yawned as I faced the computer again. It’s been around 12 noon na, kagabi pa ako walang tulog since 9PM to 6AM ang duty ko. But I was waiting from 6 in the morning ’til now for today is my 4th salary day. In short, it’s been my 2nd month for this job, and ngayon lang sila na delayed ng payment na umabot pa sa apat na oras. I understand, baka na busy lang ang finance branch. Ang OA ko naman siguro para mag-demand kaagad, eh apat na oras pa lang naman. 

I was about to lean back on my seat and take a short nap nang biglang mag-ring ang phone ko. It’s Ma’am Bea from the local finance office. She’s the one who’s in charged for our salary galing main finance branch.

"Good morning po, Ma’am," I greeted first.

"M-Miss Kaede, I am very sorry to inform you— all of us, the company doesn’t transfer any cash today. I’ve already contact the others, kahit ako wala pang sahod ngayon, and in fact, I’ve been working here for 4 months but iyong sahod ko for the 4th month hindi ko pa natatanggap. Dalawang sahod ko na ang kulang nila sa akin," mahabang tugon niya. 

So far, sa lahat ng katrabaho ko sa agency na to, si Ma'am Bea lang ang lagi kong nakakausap, that’s why we can freely express our feelings during communication. Hindi pa nagsi-sink in sa utak ko ang mga pinagsasabi niya. What is she trying to say? Na posibleng hindi na kami sasahuran nito?

"Po? Baka delayed lang nang kaunti, baka busy pa iyong main finance. Naghihintay pa nga po ako, eh kasi malaki-laki iyong trabaho ko this past 15 days. I was expecting higher commission din po," I chuckled, remembering how I pursued so hard lately. Parang wala nang bukas ako kung mag-trabaho kasi I was promoted and they promised me to increase my salary and commission rate. Nanatiling tahimik ang kabilang linya, kaya tinawag ko ulit siya. "Hello?"

"Miss Kaede, I don’t want to ruin your expectation and your dedication for job. I know how hard working you are. But I want to tell you this as an awareness. Magli-limang oras ka pa lang naghihintay, ako isang buwan na. Imagine, I’ve processed your last salary on the past 15 days, I am the local finance manager, I transfered all of your salaries, pero ako mismo walang sahod until now. I’ve contact the main finance kung bakit hindi ako kasali sa payroll but wala silang respond. Pero pagdating sa pagtanggap nila ng clients, they’re very active!" I creased my brows. "I’m planning to file them a case," dugtong niya. I listened to her seriously and my head starts to ache but I still choose to calm down.

"M-Maghintay lang po kaya muna tayo, Ma’am? M-Malay niyo po ibigay rin sahod mo for 30 days—," she cut me.

"Okay, one week. Sa oras na ’di pa rin tayo masasahuram, magfa-file na ako ng kaso." I agreed to her.

"Kami rin po, magfa-file rin sa kanila. We’ve strive hard too, Ma’am, so we deserve to get paid," I assured her and hang up the call. Pasandal pa lang ako sa upuan nang biglang tumawag si Mama. I answered the call, and wala pang isang segundo ay sumisigaw na siya sa kabilang linya.

"Bakit ’di ka ma-contact?" inis na pasigaw niyang latinya sa kabilang linya na may halong hikbi.

"Sorry po, Ma. Tumawag kasi si Ma’am Bea—"

"N-Nasa hospital kami ng Daddy. Nabundol kami ng sasakyan, w-wala pa ring malay ang Daddy mo hanggang ngayon," she explained. My eyes widened as I heard her phrase. Wait, what?

“Pumunta ka muna rito, Haviana. Magdala ka ng makakain namin. Wala kaming dala rito at hindi rin ako makalabas. May galos din ang paa at braso ko. Diyos ko! Iyong sasakyan natin ’di pa ’yon fully paid,” ani ni Mama.

“Papunta na po ako r’yan, Ma. Huwag mo muna isipin iyan,” I replied to her trying to be calm.

“Ingat sa pagpunta rito, ’nak.”