Another month passed, and I can finally use my crutches more comfortably now. But this progress didn't feel like something to celebrate… not when we heard the dreadful news no one saw coming.
Elana was supposed to be imprisoned according to the sentence she was given. But days before she could even be locked up, her life came to an end.
It took me seven whole days to come back to my senses. I asked my boss for a week off. I couldn't focus on work at all. I'd rather stare into nothingness.
Sir Lorenzo and Ma'am Rowena got involved in the investigation to find out the truth behind what happened. But it's been a month now, and no real answers have turned up. I refused to take part in the investigation myself. It haunts me too much. I haven't even fully moved on from Wenzo's death, and now, suddenly, another death, someone connected to me, happened like that. They invited me to her funeral, but I said no.
I feel completely stunned. In every way. Literally and mentally.
I walked myself to the patio. Glanced up at the CCTV camera installed on the ceiling to my top left. Its head moved as if it were following me. Watching me. Staring.
I took a picture of it and searched online to figure out what model it was. And that's when I found out… It's not an ordinary camera. It has so many features. It can record footage, has night vision, and the resolution is super clear. Users can watch live or recorded video anytime. It detects movement and saves clips with a time stamp. But what amazed me the most? It can also record sound from the footage and even has two-way audio, so someone watching could actually talk to people near the camera. I never had any idea CCTVs could do all that.
“Shamikha!” The kids shouted my name and ran towards me.
They saw me at the patio. I opened the small gate of our house to welcome them.
“Oh, hi, what are you kids doing?” I beamed.
“A woman is looking for you.”
One of the kids’ mothers, who also lives within the compound, approached me to fetch the other neighbor’s daughter.
“Kid, your mother’s looking for you,” Maria told the girl.
“Yeah. She will be meeting you in a moment. She said she’s Amilah Junayo. Junayo’s your family name, am I correct?”
I creased my forehead. “Yes. Did she mention what she needs from me?”
“I didn’t ask any further,” she glanced at her back. “She’s here.”
A woman, probably in her 50s, 50s? is standing in front of the house.
“She’s Shamikha, the girl you’re looking for. And Shamikha, she’s Amilah, the woman who’s looking for you bearing the same family name as yours.” She held the wrist of the girl. “I’ll leave you.”
All of them left me with an unknown woman. I cannot fully recall if I’ve seen her before.
The kids resumed running and playing around.
“Ms., are you Shamikha Junayo?”
She had these soft streaks of gray running through her hair, and deep eye bags, which made her look weary. Her skin was fair, and she wore a simple white t-shirt and blue denim pants. What caught my attention, though, was the dark brown birthmark right under her left eye. It was small but noticeable, and for some reason, it made me feel curious about her.
“I am, Ma’am. May I know you, please?”
“U-Uh,” she paused for a bit. “I am Amilah Junayo, your relative.”
I froze in a moment. Is this for real? For the first time, except for my late grandma, I have a relative.
“You know my grandma?”
“Yes. It’s been years since I last kept in touch with you. Look how beautiful a young lady you’ve become.”
What she did next caught me off guard. She bent her knees and hugged me tightly, caressing my head like I’ve been a good girl.
“You are so big now. I almost did not recognize you! How are you doing?” she stared at my legs. “What happened?”
“I got in an accident. It was sudden, but I am recovering.” I smiled to ease her worry. She’s clearly disturbed by me.
She hugged me again. “Forgive me for not visiting you. I didn’t know you went through such an experience, you shouldn’t have.” She sobbed.
“Wait, Ma’am, which relative are you specifically?”
“Your grandmother’s side. I am a distant cousin of your mother.”
“Thank goodness you’re doing all right even without me.”
“Come in,” I invited her inside the house.
“How did you find me, Auntie?”
“When I hear m-your grandmother died, I wanted to come back here in the city from the province. But I only get the chance today.”
I offered her a seat on the sofa.
“It feels like a dream. I couldn’t believe I am holding your hands right now. It seems like a nightmare turned into a sweet dream. But this dream has become a reality.” She wiped the end of her left eye.
“It surely is,” I got teary-eyed too after witnessing I still have a relative. “How are you, Auntie? Where have you been all this time?”
“I have been living in the province alone and working there.”
“Do you have your own family? I have cousins?” I asked enthusiastically. I would love to meet my cousins!
She lowered her head. “I’m single, living alone for years. Life has been harder for me since the last time I visited you.”
“We met before?”
“We did. You were an adorable child.” She got something out of her right pocket in her denim pants. “Here’s the picture I kept through the years to be reminded of you.”
She handed me an old photo of me when I was five years old. In the picture, Amilah had slightly bent her knees so we could be the same height, and both of us had the biggest, brightest smiles on our faces.
I stared at it, my forehead creasing as I tried to remember. It looked so familiar, but at the same time… I barely remember ever meeting her before. I glanced up at her face—at that dark brown birthmark under her left eye. The same mark the woman in the picture had.
It really was her.
I glanced back down at the photo, then at her again.
You really need a picture so you can remember me, huh… Auntie.
“And you? Who are you living with?”
I snapped when I heard her ask me.
“I am with a good friend. He offered to let me live with him to help me recover. He’s Ravael, my classmate in college.”
“He sounds like a good person. Will I meet him later?”
"He usually comes home really late at night because he's juggling two jobs at once. On weekends, he's mostly free. He's a genuinely kind person. I could never bring myself to ask anyone for help, not even my closest girl friends. But, e was the one who offered me this opportunity when no one else did. And somehow, over time, we became really comfortable with each other."
“How long have you been here?” she gazed around the house.
“Half a year. This house may not be as big and as homey as the one I had before, but I couldn’t deny I am happier living with Ravael here and in the neighborhood.”
I do miss my house, yes. It still holds so many memories of my grandmother. But once I save up enough money, I plan to move out immediately, not because I want to leave Ravael, but because I don't want to be a burden to him anymore. He keeps telling me I can only move out once I can walk fully again. It almost feels like he's clinging to me, you know? And honestly, I get it. He doesn't live with his family anymore, so maybe he's scared of being alone. That thought makes my heart ache a little. So, I stayed a few more months longer than I originally planned.
"I went to that house you told me about. But you weren't there anymore. I asked so many folks in that neighborhood if they knew where you were living now. All they could tell me was the name of your new barangay, so I had to try my luck there, too. I asked around again, and since there aren't many people in wheelchairs around here, I finally found you."
My neighbors in my grandma’s house were so worried when I left there in an instant, so I couldn’t help but at least tell them the barangay where I live now. But being in a wheelchair made me more popular than before.
“I moved out recently. But I will go back once I settle things here.”
She held my hands. I felt the warmth from hers. “How is your recovery?”
“A couple supports me. They will also assist me with my last year in college. I can leave this house the moment Sir Lorenzo and Ma’am Rowena stop supporting me financially.”
“It’s good to know that many people support you.”
I smiled. I couldn’t ask for more.
“Have you met my mother? How’s she like? How about my father? Grandma told me they left me when I was young and… they died.” I gulped. The last part was hard to utter.
She was silent for 10 seconds. “I never really had a lot of memories about your parents. We weren’t close then. I don’t know much about your mother when she had you. But your father, he left you and your mother.”
“Grandma lied to me?!”
“No, he died when you were two years old.”
“Do you mean they left me?” I clarified.
“Your mother left you in your grandmother’s care after your father left your mother.”
“They did not want me?” Tears have fallen.
“No, no, it’s not like that, Shamikha.” She held both of my arms, comforting me. “I am certain that your mother didn’t want to do it. But she had no choice but to leave you for work.”
“If they left me, why didn’t they bother visiting me?”
“It was more complicated. They had reasons for sure.”
She’s right. If it didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have spent my entire life living with my lovely grandma. She was my everything.
She moved slightly to her left, facing me directly. “I want to make it up to you.” I looked at her, intensely. “I want you to live with me, Shamikha.”
My eyes widened. This is unbelievable,
“I didn’t mean to shock you. But since we’re relatives now, maybe it wouldn’t be too bad if we lived together?”
“Why would you want to live with me?”
“I want to take care of you. Without your grandmother, I know this has been difficult for you, raising yourself in this condition. We lived alone. Isn’t it nice to live now with someone who’s a relative?”
“Is this serious?”
“Absolutely,” she assured. “I will move in here to your grandmother’s house. I’ll leave everything in the province to start anew here with you. I may not be able to keep your expectations of how your grandmother was, but I will do my best to take her role this time… as your guardian.”
Stop calling her my grandmother.
I glanced at the picture I was holding.
“Just like the ones who are in this picture,” I murmured.
“Yes! We were so lovely there. We can retake a picture with the same pose and smiles together. Isn’t it nice?”
“It’s nice.”
“I want to make up for the times I was absent for you. It’s not too late to start again,” she pleaded with yearning eyes. Looking into her sincere eyes is stirring my emotions.
“I will let Ravael know of all of these for sure; it will surprise him, but it’s better than giving him a burden he doesn’t deserve. I’ll think about it if that’s okay with you.”
“No problem with me. I would be glad to meet him as well.”
“Where do you stay right now?”
“I rented a dormitory in the city while looking for you. I will be staying for a couple of days before going back to the province. We can bond for the meantime.”
I smiled.
“I missed the city… and you.”
“What else do you plan to do in the rest of your days in the city?”
“I want to spend it with you. We can go out sometime.”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll see you again. Let’s connect.” She hugged me after getting my contact details. “I’ll visit you again tomorrow.”
She left the house. I stood by the patio and waved goodbye to her. Right before she turned to go, she glanced back at me with a big grin on her face. She was genuinely happy. It was a heartfelt encounter. And for a moment, even with everything I've been feeling now, I couldn't help but scowl at her back walking outside the compound.
The next morning, before Ravael left the house, I told him about my auntie who had come by yesterday. He looked really happy and surprised by her sudden appearance. He left for work, and I was alone in the house again for the whole day.
I sat there, staring at the space between my crutches and that door, waiting patiently. Waiting for Auntie's reply. Waiting for her to show up. I walked to the patio. The hours melted away, leaving me feeling hollow inside. Every little creak of the floorboards or sound of distant footsteps made me hold my breath, hoping it was her. But it never was.
She said she'd come by again today to visit me. But now… the sun has already set.
“Whaaa!” That was Nathan's screaming voice.
“It’s my turn!”
“Blehhh”
The carefree kids are playing outside the house again. Their laughter is so loud, echoing everywhere. I can hear their tiny, quick footsteps as they race around. A boy dribbles his ball and throws it straight at our gate. One kid bumps into the gate with a loud clack and groans. But that wasn't the worst part. A girl starts crying, a loud, full-blown crying fit that bursts out of nowhere. It made me twitch. I couldn't take it anymore. I covered both my ears with my hands and tried to block it all out.
I leaned my crutches closer and opened the gate. “Will you, rugrats, stop bustling!”
They stopped moving around and stared at me.
“Ey,” Nathan smiled at me. “Let’s play!” He threw the orange, brown, rough rubber ball at my face.
I twitched. It hit my nose.
“S-Sorry!”
The other kids laughed at me.
I bent all the way down to the ground and grabbed the ball, which rolled to my left foot. I raised both my hands and swung them forcefully, aiming at Nathan’s face, but his fast reflexes dodged it.
“Oops, that was a close shot!” Nathan exclaimed happily as he won.
My eyes twitched. “Laugh now, Nathan, because you’ll die soon.”
“Nathan!” Maria shouted at Nathan.
He might have dodged the ball, but he cannot dodge his nagging mother, whom I hit coincidentally. She was walking behind Nathan, which I just noticed.
Nathan grinned at his mother with a guilty face.
“Enough of it. Go home now!”
The poor boy cried when his mother spanked his butt. He ran towards their house.
“I’m sorry for hitting you. I didn’t see you were behind your son.” I apologized with a blank face and flat tone.
She'd better counsel her son about his behavior. This is why people who cannot handle their future kids should prevent themselves from reproducing.
She looked at me, her reaction uncertain. She walked away without saying a single word.
I stepped back inside the kitchen, opened the stainless casserole, and stared at the food I had cooked for lunch and dinner, now completely cold. I slammed the wet lid back on, frustrated.
Living with someone who's a relative, you say? Honestly, I'd rather live with thoughtful strangers. At least they took care of me better than my own blood ever did.
She never even asked me if I wanted to live with you. She announced it like you were doing me a favor. She said she wanted to live with me to atone for your sins. But it was never really for me, was it? It was to make herself feel better. To cover up all her mistakes and shortcomings.
I'm not a kid anymore. She could have tried to fix things fifteen years ago. Fifteen years too late!
With all the noise from those kids outside? Complete chaos. I couldn't focus on my work at all. I kept rocking myself on my crutches, constantly glancing at the door, waiting for someone to knock. The only knock I ever heard was Ravael's.
“Shamikha?”
I turned to him. “Welcome home, Ravael,” I smiled at him and rolled myself near him. “You went home early.”
It was only past 6 PM.
"I left work early to meet your aunt, remember?" He glanced around the house. "Where is she?" He placed the bags on the table. "I brought us some local desserts and a red sparkling wine. We don't really drink alcohol, so this might suit our taste better. The salesman said it pairs well with the desserts. I'm not sure if your aunt would want any sweets, so I ordered one of each, plus the savory flavors, just in case she's not into sugary stuff."
He looked so proud of what he bought. Carefully, he placed the desserts on the dining table, arranging them. That's when I noticed something different about him. He had groomed himself more than usual. His shoes were neater, his hair had gel in it, and he even smelled faintly of perfume, something he never really bothered with before. It made me smile, wondering who he was trying to impress.
After setting everything down, he walked to the kitchen and lifted the lid off the casserole. The warm aroma of the food inside floated through the air, making the whole house feel a little more like home.
“Wow, this smells good.” He also opened one lid to another. “You even cooked this? It’s like a feast. Can’t wait to eat these. Exactly, my stomach’s churning.”
Ah, yes. I even invited Ravael to join us for dinner tonight. And she didn't even bother sending me a text to postpone our meeting. Not a single message. Now I feel bad because I bothered him at work for nothing. He left early and everything…
I noticed he forgot to close the gate, so I went to do it myself while he was busy checking the dishes I had cooked. That's when my glimpse caught Nathan. He was standing there, looking at me, holding a small paper bag in his right hand. The color, the design, the logo, it was the same as the bag Ravael had, the one with the desserts. He looked at me for a moment, but the second our eyes met, he instantly turned away.
I closed the gate and went back inside.
“She won’t come,” I announced to Ravael.
“What? Why?”
“She didn’t notify me if she’s going or not.”
“You said she’s coming today, right?”
“Yes. I waited hours for her. I followed up through texts and calls. Nobody answered.”
He held his nape with disappointment on his face. “Oh…” he sighed. “How about tomorrow? We could keep these refrigerated.”
“I don’t know.”
I prepared our plate and utensils on the table.
“Let’s eat,” I invited him.
He sat on the opposite side of me. “Okay. Let’s finish these.”
I went to the patio for some fresh air, taking a 5-minute break from online work, and opened the gate to see the kids playing. I took the desserts out of the fridge from last night.
“Kids!” I called them. “Come here.”
They smiled, approached, and greeted me.
“What’s that?” A girl pointed at the plastic container sitting on my lap.
“Gather around and get one.”
They giggled and got one of each dessert.
“Where’s Nathan?” I asked them.
“Nathan! Shamikha has food!” A boy shouted.
Nathan ran to us. “Where?”
I gave him the last piece, and he smiled. They finished the dessert in a flash, racing each other. I was about to head back inside after taking a short break when I noticed something by the side of our house. A familiar paper bag. Just lying there on the ground. I walked over and picked it up. I wasn't mistaken, it was the same bag. Same color, same design, same logo. Someone had thrown their rubbish where it wasn't supposed to be thrown. I held it in my hands.
“You won’t get away with this, Nathan. You might be alive and running for now, but you cannot outrun death, who’s faster than you.”
I glared at the CCTV that had moved now. I crumpled the paper bag in my hands, crushed it, and threw it straight into our bin in the kitchen.