Umuwi si Moira na hulog ang balikat. It's been three days already, pero lahat ng pinuntahan niyang kumpanya ay either walang vacancy o nakuha na kaagad ang trabaho. Nagpasa rin sya ng resumé online, pero walang tumatawag sa kanya. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit. Noong nag-check naman siya, may mga vacant naman. Pero kapag nagpupunta na siya sa office for an interview, walang tumatanggap sa kanya.

"O? Ano'ng nangyari?" tanong ni Neri sa kanya. May hawak-hawak na naman itong Yakult. Vince brought a few packs last Sunday. Pati pinsan niya, ini-spoil nito.

"Ayun, wala," malamya niyang tanong.

"Don't worry. Three days ka pa lang naghahanap. Iyong iba nga dyan, buwan ang binibilang bago makahanap ng bagong trabaho e."

"Alam ko naman 'yon e. Kaso parang hindi sila interesado sa 'kin. As in, hindi pa man ako nai-interview, ramdam ko na kaagad na rejected ako. May mali ba sa 'kin?"

"Maybe your clothes?" Tiningnan siya nito mula ulo hanggang paa. "Tumatanda ka sa suot mo."

She looked down on her clothes. Balik na naman kasi siya sa pagka-manang. She wanted them to focus on her qualifications rather than her looks. Saka hindi naman ganoon kaluma ang suot niya. Ternong gray plaid suit iyon at may panloob siyang blouse na kulay plum.

Red kept on calling her for the past few days, asking if she would consider the job. Tinaasan pa nito ang offer sa kanya. But she's not giving up just yet. So she asked for a few more days before she could decide.

Meanwhile, Vince had been busy being a perfect dad to Kelvin. Punong-puno na ang kwarto nito ng mga bagong laruan at damit. Gabi-gabi itong dumadalaw sa bahay nila para doon maghapunan. He would only leave once Kelvin is sleeping.

He's also being nice to Neri. Palagi itong may dalang pagkain para sa pinsan niya. And he also promised Joem that he'll find clients for him. Those were his ways of thanking the two for helping her raise Kelvin.

At ano naman ang para sa kanya? Nothing. It's not as if she's asking for anything, but she was just feeling a little bit left out. Nakadagdag pa tuloy iyon sa frustration niya sa paghahanap ng trabaho.

--

"Russell just called," bungad ni Rose kay Vince. Nakasilip ito sa awang ng pintuan ng opisina niya. "My friend, Russell, from KA."

"Russell na head ng HR?"

Rose nodded. "Moira was just there earlier. And as you instructed, they shooed her away."

"Good," he said. He looked back on the contract he was reading.

"Hindi ka ba naaawa dun sa tao? Araw-araw na lang syang naghahanap ng trabaho, and she's always being rejected."

Tumunghay siya. Nasa loob na ng office niya si Rose. Nakapamay-awang na naman ito. Noong Lunes pa siya nito pinagagalitan dahil sa pagpapahirap niya kay Moira.

"She needs to realize that there's no better job than what this company has to offer."

"But there are other ways to do that."

He knows that. He could simply ask. But he doesn't want to appear like he wants her there, kahit gusto niya. Tingin niya ay lalo nitong aayawan ang trabaho kapag siya ang nakiusap.

--

Friday. Moira dressed sharply, determined to get the job she will apply for in a few minutes. Isinuot niya iyong dress na binili ni Vince para sa kanya. She paired it with her black louboutins and put on a little makeup.

When Kelvin saw her, he immediately thought that she was going out with Vince.

"I have a job interview,"paliwanag niya sa anak.

"It's too sexy for an interview," he critiqued. He pulled at her skirt, trying to stretch the fabric so it won't be as body-hugging as it is.

"You think so?"

Tumango ito.

"Just wear your ugly clothes again. I don't want anyone looking at you funny."

Ginulo niya ang buhok nito. Her father's been away for so long at wala siyang kapatid na lalaki. Joem has Neri. And she's glad that she has Kelvin. Makulit ito at protective, na para bang tatay, kuya at boyfriend niya all rolled into one.

"I can't change. I'm sorry," she told him. "I'll be late."

Ngumuso ito. "Okay, but don't dress like this again, unless you're going out on a date with daddy."

So... never again? she wanted to ask.

--

An hour after the interview, Moira breathed out a sigh of relief, thankful that she actually went through it. Kasi sa iba, kahit chance wala. But this time, she actually was interviewed and accepted. The offer wasn't that great and there's no guarantee that she'll be regular after 6 months. Six times a week din ang pasok niya, from Monday to Saturday and she's already asked to start the next day.

Pero ayos na rin sa kanya. Mukhang mabait naman ang magiging boss niya. He's just a little intimidating.

Inasikaso na rin niya ang mga requirements at ipinasa ang kaya niyang ipasa. Mag-a-alas kwatro ng hapon nang matapos siya. Bumili muna siya ng mi-meriendahin bago umuwi dahil alam niyang maghahanap na naman ng kakainin si Kelvin.

And true enough, pag-uwi niya ay nakasahod na ito, tuwang-tuwa nang makita ang pizza na dala niya.

"So, how did it go?" he asked.

"It went well. May trabaho na si mommy!" she announced.

"Yey! Celebratory pizza pala 'to," sabat ni Neri. Kumuha ito ng dalawang slice ng pizza bago bumalik sa harap ng laptop nito.

"I'll start working tomorrow," anunsyo niya.

"What? But we're going out tomorrow!" reklamo ni Kelvin.

"Kayo na lang muna, baby. Sunday lang ako pwede e."

Ngumuso ito. "Can't you just ask you boss to free your weekend?"

Umiling siya. "It doesn't work that way."

Alam niyang may usapan na ang mag-ama since last week na lalabas sila tuwing weekend. At kina Vince ito matutulog, kasama man sya o hindi. Vince had been making a lot of effort to please Kelvin. Pansin niya ring gabi-gabi itong maagang umuuwi mula sa trabaho para makasama sila sa dinner.

Like later that night. Wala pang seven o'clock ay nasa bahay na nila ito. And like the days before, may dala na naman itong pasalubong. Parang ini-spoil nito ang mga taong nasa paligid niya, maliban sa kanya.

"What's for dinner?" he asked her.

"Tinola," sagot nito.

Vince took the liberty of buying the groceries last Sunday kaya punong-puno ang cupboards at ref nila ng pagkain. She had to admit that it's been such a huge help, considering na malaki naman talaga ang nagagastos nila sa pagkain. Mahirap kasi kapag may kasama ka sa bahay na isang bata at isang buntis. Maya't mayang may nagkakalkal sa kusina.

--

Medyo sanay na sa kanya ang mga kasama nina Moira sa bahay. Joem wasn't really that bad. Ni hindi siya nakakaramdam ng selos dito. Neri's very accommodating. She never fails to give him a smile whenever he walks in the room. Kaya hindi naging mahirap para sa kanya ang makapalagayan ng loob ang dalawa.

Laking pasalamat na rin niya na tanggap na tanggap siya ni Kelvin. Siguro ay dahil matagal na rin siya nitong gustong makilala kaya ganoon. Only Moira shows discomfort in his presence. She doesn't look him in the eye and avoids him as much as possible.

"Dad, where are we going tomorrow?" Kelvin asked.

Nginitian niya ito.

"Well, plano ko sanang manuod tayo ng movie. Would that be okay with you? May magandang animated movie na showing ngayon e."

Kelvin nodded excitedly.

"So, what time will I pick you up?" he asked. He directed the question to Moira, because ultimately, she's the one who has to decide.

"Mommy's not going," his son told him.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Why not?"

Kelvin wants them both to be there. He wants them to bond. That's why he freed his weekend. Kaya hindi sya masyadong nagtatrabaho, because he wants to make time for the both of them.

"I have work tomorrow," sagot ni Moira.

Lalong kumunot ang noo nya. Paanong may nahanap itong trabaho? Did he miss to inform a company? Did she apply outside the metro?

"Work? Where?"

He made a mental note of the company when she told him. Kilala niya ang boss doon. And he doesn't like Stan. They're almost the same age but Stan has a bad reputation when it comes to his employees. Isa iyon sa dahilan kung bakit walang nagtatagal ditong sekretarya.

Alam niyang nasabihan na ito ni Rose. He's unsure why Stan didn't comply. It was very clear that it's an ultimatum. Was he so taken by Moira that he had to go against his wishes? Did Moira beg to get the job? O talaga lang na sinusubukan nito ang pasensya niya?

Stan was just recently promoted to the highest position in his company. Tatay talaga nito ang matagal na nilang kasosyo. He liked the old man, kaso ay nagkasakit ito and had no choice to to appoint his son as his replacement. Stan had been so eager to take the job. Pakiramdam kasi nito ay handa na ito para sa trabaho, but everyone around him doesn't agree.

Until now, he's still being monitored and guided by his seniors.

He tried to be okay with Moira not going, but the thought of her spending time with another man is irritating him, kahit pa para sa trabaho lang iyon. And it's not just him. Kelvin also didn't like that idea. Nang matapos kasi silang kumain ay tumambay silang dalawa sa sala at nanuod ng palabas sa bagong bili niyang TV.

Kelvin loves the flatscreen TV so much, kaya pagkatapos kumain ay diretso kaagad ito sa tapat noon.

The kid asked if he could make Moira go and was disappointed when he shook his head.

"I thought mommy will work for you again," kumento nito.

"She can't. Rose will get mad at me if I replaced her too soon."

"Rose?" Kelvin frowned. "Who's she?"

"She's my secretary."

Sa hindi mawala-walang kunot ng noo nito ay alam na niya agad ang iniisip nito. With a smile, he ruffled his son's hair and assured him that it's not like that with Rose, whatever he was thinking about.

"She's already married and has kids. She's like an older sister to me," paliwanag niya.

But the thing that made Kelvin want to meet Rose was the fact that she likes Moira for him. It's clear that Kelvin wants a family, 'yong buo at hindi kumplikado. Sino nga ba naman ang aayaw sa ganoon? For years, he's been trying to push away every guy that has attempted courting his mother. He was then paving the way for him, the father.

And he doesn't want to put all that effort to waste. So, nang umuwi siya, gumawa kaagad siya ng paraan para maayos ang gusot na hindi niya akalaing makalulusot sa kanya. It only took one phone call to straighten things up, but unfortunately, it also put him on a bad spot, which he wouldn't know until Monday.

--

 When Monday came, Moira thought that it was going to be the start of a new work life. Na-realize niya na hindi pala ganoon ang kaso. Kung gaano kaayos ang simula ng Sabado niya, ganoon naman kasama ang simula ng Lunes niya.

Pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya ay kinausap siya agad ng boss niya.

"I'm sorry, but I have to let you go," hinayang na hinayang nitong sabi.

And when she asked why, he gave her the most bizarre excuse. She didn't know how Vince got involved at first, until he explained and it made her blood boil.

"I don't know what the deal between the two of you is, but I'm not willing to put my company at stake for you, no matter how smart and pretty you are. I hope you understand that my small business is not yet ready to go against a tycoon."

"I understand, sir," she said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, Carlene. And best of luck to you."

It was embarrassing. Ni hindi pa man nasasanay ang likod niya sa sandalan ng upuan at hindi pa ayos ay access niya sa computer ay pinaaalis na kaagad siya sa kumpanya dahil kay Vince. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang plano nito sa buhay. Did he do that to make her suffer, to pay for her mistakes? Dahil ba sa pagtatago niya kay Kelvin mula rito? What she couldn't accept is the fact that he had to do what he did without giving her a fair warning that he intend to make her life a living hell.

Sa sobrang inis niya ay plinano niya itong sugurin sa office nito, pero hindi siya makalusot sa guard.

"Sorry po, Miss Carlene, hindi po talaga pwede," sabi ng guard na nakabantay.

Ayaw naman niyang ito ang mawalan ng trabaho dahil sa kanya. It's a good thing that Rose happened to be outside. Nakiusap siya ritong hayaan siyang makapasok.

"You knew," sabi nito. It was a statement and they both know what it meant.

Nang tumango siya ay ito na mismo ang nakipag-usap sa guard para hayaan siyang makapasok.

"Thanks, Rose."

"Nasa meeting pa si Vince, but he'll be back in a few minutes. Patapos na rin naman 'yon."

Pinapasok siya nito sa opisina ni Vince. Naghintay siya roon hanggang sa dumating ito galing sa meeting. He was surprised when he saw her there.

"Hi! What are you doing here? Is there an emergency?"

She answered him with a slap in the face. Maang lamang itong napatingin sa kanya. Pinigilan niya ang sariling magsisigaw, dahil ayaw rin naman niyang mag-eskandalo.

But she did say something that she hopes will put an end to his schemes.

"Don't play with my life just because you can!"