My Little Moon - 𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗌

02. news

"I'm home!" Sigaw na pasabi ni Imee, "hello? Nasaan na kayo?"

She asked, looking around the living room before sighing and sitting down on the couch. She started recalling about her encounter with the young girl. She couldn't stop thinking about how familiar she looked.

Hindi siya mapakali. The girl really had imprinted something in her. Was it a coincidence that they bumped into each other?

She was too engrossed with her thoughts that she failed to notice Irene standing in front of her, watching her with raised brows.

"Pst! Manang—"

"—anak ng empanada!"

Natawa si Irene habang si Imee naman napa-tingin ng masama sa kanyang kapatid.

"Nangsa-sadya kaba?" Imee watched her sister take a seat beside her. Irene was still grinning but stopped when she noticed her sister wasn't in the mood.

"Bakit ba ang lalim ng nasa isip mo?" Napatanong si Irene, she kept her gaze on her sister and frowned when Imee took a sharp intake of breath.

"May nang-yari kasi kanina. . ." Imee started. Irene perked up, clearly intrigued. Imee didn't wait for another moment and quickly told her sister about what spiraled earlier.

"I took the usual road where my driver picks me up. I was casually walking when this random girl bumped into me, eh nag-sorry naman siya and I forgave her. It was all good up until I got a glimpse of her face."

"Why? Bakit ano ba ang nasa mukha niya?"

"Parang nakita ko na kasi siya. She was really familiar. Ang weird lang because I felt a sudden pull. Like lukso ng dugo, or whatever it is."

"What? Ang weird nga. Maybe nakita mo na siya at sadyang nakalimutan lang?" Irene suggested, but Imee shook her head. Napakunot naman ng noo si Irene.

"No, it's not like that. Iba talaga eh, and you know me naman. I never forget a face. But I can't seem to remember who she was at kung saan ko ba siya nakita."

"Nakuha mo ba yung name niya?"

"Of course. Catrina daw yung pangalan niya—and I made a rushed decision without thinking."

"Hm? What do you mean Manang?"

Imee took a long, deep breath in and began telling Irene what happened. Habang patuloy niyang kinu-kwento yung nangyari, palaki naman ng palaki ang mga mata ni Irene.

"What?! You hired her as our maid?!"

"Sige, sabihin mo sa buong Ilocos."

Agad naman napatahimik si Irene, pero ang gulat sa mukha niya hindi na-alis. She had a questioning look at agad naman in-elaborate ni Imee sa kaniya.

"Yes, I did."

"Eh, bakit mo naman na gawa 'yon Manang?" Tanong niya na pa-hinhin. Imee had the exact same question. Bakit nga ba at ginawa niya 'yon?

"I don't know. It just came over me. At tsaka na awa ako sa bata, ading. Mukhang kailangan niya ang trabaho na 'to and so I offered."

"Ate naman. . .sobrang bait mo. That's not a bad thing but paano natin malalaman kung pwede siyang mapagka-katiwalaan? For all we know, she could be an anti-Marcos!"

Imee stopped and thought deeply about what her sister said. She has a point, pero mayroon talagang nagbubulong sa puso niya na tama yung ginawa niya.

"Tama ka naman. But there's just something kasi eh. I can't explain it. To be fair, Irene, hindi naman siya mukhang nan-lalait ng tao. . ."