CHAPTER 6: THE FAVOR

I talk to Simon about her wife because I am ready to meet her for Simon. I am ready to help him. Even though I haven’t seen Michael for two days now since we drank the wine that she took from heaven. I don’t know what happened to her and I am trying to contact her through my mind. Let me see if it will work with telepathy even though I don’t know if I am doing it correctly but at least I will try. They said that angels have a natural ability of mental telepathy. Well, let’s see. I closed my eyes and concentrated and tried to contact Michael and then wait for a couple of minutes if what I am doing is effective. After minutes of calling her. She is not answering well, I guess it didn’t work because she is not responding and until now she is still not here. I guess I did it wrong. I took a deep breath and looked at Simon.

“Are you ready to see your wife again?” I asked Simon and he nodded and smiled at me. I know he is waiting for this, that is why I can feel his excitement.

“Just tell her that I love her and the name of the mastermind of killing me,” He said.

I looked at Simon and told him that I can tell his wife that he loves her but I can’t assure him if I can tell her the name of the mastermind who killed him. I saw him frown and look away. I feel his disappointment and worry too that his death might not be solved because the enemy is rich and a manipulator through money, but I promised him that I will do my best to help him and give justice to his death. He looked at me and smiled again. I suddenly see hope on his face. I took a pen and paper and left a note for Michael just in case she will come and leave it on the table where she can easily see it. Even though I know that she can read minds, I still left a note for her just in case.

“Are you ready, Isaac?” He asked while looking at me. I nodded.

I looked outside the window and I saw the neighbor having a party. Not in Tania’s house but in the house of what she called “Tatay Celvo” I don’t know but my eyes are like a telescope. I see them celebrating the 100 years of living of the old man. There were a lot of people. I guess it’s his sons and daughters as well as his grandchildren. They surrounded the old man who was sitting in his wheelchair and a woman was singing while holding a cake. I can hear their celebration loud and clear and I don’t know why. I saw that Tatay Celvo looked at me, as if he could see me he smiled at me. I closed my window and thought for a second because I was surprised that the old man could see me even though I am far from him. It seems that he is waiting for me. It seems that he is waiting for his death.

Simon told me where he was leaving and we were about to go there when Tania called me. I immediately locked my door and looked at her smiling at me.

“Where are you going?” She asked but I didn’t answer because I don’t know what to say. I can’t tell her that I will go to the next Barangay for Simon to talk to his wife because Simon is here with me. Standing beside me but she can’t see him.

“Do you want to go to tatay Celvo’s 100th birthday?” She asked while looking at me and still smiling, hoping for me to say yes but I didn’t answer again.

“Everybody is invited… come on let’s go,” She said but I shook my head and looked at Simon and looked back at her.

“I have an important thing to do first, but maybe later I can go with you” I answered. Finally,

“Okay, I will wait for you,” She said with a smile and I smiled back at her and nodded.

“See you later,” I said.

“Uh-hum” And then she nodded and watched me leave.

I went to the next barangay where Simon is living and looking for Jackie. The place is just like our place. The difference is they are living near the creek which makes the place stinks and full of flies and mosquitos.

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

“I am looking for Jackie,” I said while listening to the closed-door because I can hear a sound inside the house but I can’t hear any voice.

“Jackie” I called and knocked again but nobody was answering. I am sure that I am knocking at the right door because Simon is with me and he told me where their house is. Maybe because she is not home. After five more knocks, I decided to leave and come back the other time, because nobody is answering when I heard the door open and I saw a woman standing in front of me and,

“Yes, how can I help you?” She asked. I looked at her and looked at Simon. I saw the excitement on his face that made me confirm that the woman standing in front of me is Jackie and she is pregnant. I guess she is seven months pregnant. She is wearing a spaghetti strap and shorts. Her hair is bunned and she still looks pretty even though she is pregnant.

“Jackie?” I asked just to make sure.

“Yes” She answered

“I am Isaac and I am Simon’s friend,” I said and she just looked at me. With a question in his eyes.  How?

“I don’t remember him having a friend like you,” She said, still questioning me by the way she looked at me.

“I mean… his new friend,” I said and Simon whispered to me that I need to mention to her about his death and who killed him. That is why I looked around and I went closer to her and whispered,

“I know who killed him” He looked at me with surprise and she looked around and she immediately opened the door and we went inside the house. She closed and locked the door just to make sure that nobody could hear us talking about Simon’s death. As if it’s a threat to her life if we talk about her husband’s death.

“He’s receiving death threats these past few days before he gets killed, right?” I asked Jackie to make her believe in me. After Simon whispered it to me, I saw her eyes grow wide and I can feel like she wants to cry. She became emotional in an instant.

“Yes, he told me about it because he caught the son of his boss stealing money from their store,” She said while trying not to cry.

“And it’s worth P55,000 right?” I asked again and she nodded.

“And the son got mad at him because he was scared that Simon might tell until he framed up Simon and told the police that Simon is the one who stole the money and let him hold the bag, or else they will shoot me,” She said and she started crying.

“Simon doesn’t want me and his son to be endangered. That is why he ran as far as he could… away from me… and I heard the gunshot… I saw him dead already” She cried. She is full of pain and I don’t know how to subside it. I looked at Simon and I felt his urge to hug his wife but he couldn’t. That is why I hugged his wife. I tapped her back and looked at her.

“I want to know the name of the son but what’s it for?” She asked me and wiped her tears. She tried to hold her pain and looked away. Thinking about how to say it.

“I can’t give justice to Simon anyway… they are rich and we are… we are poor,” She said and she looked at me. I feel pity for her in an instant when I hear her say that, because of the money, her husband died and there’s another child who will grow up without a father. I am thinking now about how to give justice to his death. He was murdered and his life is stolen.

“Tell her how much I love her,” Simon whispered to me.

“Simon says, he loves you so much” And she smiles “I love him so much too” She replied which makes Simon smile.

“Tell her she needs to take care of our baby and herself” Simon whispered again to me.

“Simon says… you take good care of yourself and your baby” She cried again.

I know her pain because I can feel it. She is trying to be strong for the baby inside her womb, even deep inside she is already crushed by losing her husband in an unacceptable way. I held her hand and looked at her while she wiped her tears and tried to hold her tears, for her not to cry again and looked at me and thanked me for visiting her and telling her because she is alone now knowing the truth in Simon’s death. I know it’s hard to keep to herself that is why knowing that there’s someone who knows the truth is a relief to her.

“I promise to help you give justice in Simon’s death” I surprisingly said and I don’t know why I said it. It just suddenly slipped off of my mouth. I wet my lips and she smiles at me like I give her hope to give justice for her husband’s death.

“Thank you so much, you’re such an angel in disguise,” She said and I cleared my throat because I am.

I say my final words that Simon wants me to tell her because I am about to go now. Tania was waiting for me and I told Tania that we will go to the party together. I know she will not go without me. I open the door and I am about to leave when Jackie calls my name and she wants to say something.

“I don’t know if I have to believe you but my instinct told me to believe you…” She said and looked around. She makes sure that no one is listening.

“Can you talk to Simon? Can you see him?” She asked secretly. I looked at Simon and waited for his answer if he would let me tell her the truth. He nodded so it meant yes.

“Yes”

“Please tell him to come to visit me, because I miss him so much,” She said with a smile. I nodded. She looked around again and immediately closed the door. I heard her lock it and we left. It seems that she’s so scared that someone might know that she is talking to someone about Simon. Is that how dangerous the person behind Simon’s death is? Well, I don’t know. Let’s see.

“Thank you so much,” Simon said in a shaky voice. I looked at him and saw him wipe his tears.

“Are you crying?” I asked surprisingly because I didn’t know that the dead can cry too. He didn’t answer but even he didn’t answer. The wiping off his tears says it all.

We walk home and think about Tania because this is my first time going to the party with her, and hopefully it would not be my last. It would be my first time to join a party without any expensive gifts and expensive celebrations, away from high-class and high-maintenance people. I am thinking about Michael too and what happened to her, because I haven’t seen her these past two days.

“Hey! newbie” Jopher said and laughed while blocking my way. Newbie? yeah right. He looked at me while chewing gum. His friends stand behind me and I know what they want. Well, they will get it, if they start it.

“How long have you been with Tania?” He asked but I didn’t answer. I smell trouble even if I don’t want to.

He inhaled, scratched his nose, and walked near me. His friends are still standing behind me. I saw Simon shake his head. I stayed my cool down and I didn’t show any aggressiveness even though I know deep inside of me hides a beast that can be awake anytime once it is provoked. I didn’t say a word but I am keeping my eye on him. I let him think that I am scared of him. For him to think that he is winning even if the fight hasn’t started. He looked straight into my eyes as if he was going to beat me anytime soon, with his backup friends of course he is brave. Even though I know he is no match to me.

“You stay away from her,” He said and the way he delivered it. I can say that he is jealous but not about love, but with lust. Yes, he thinks that I am making love with Tania and he doesn’t like it because he wants Tania’s body, but he doesn’t have a chance because Tania doesn’t like him. Of course, who is going to like him? He is a drug addict, a drug seller, and a man with no future.

“Stay away from her,” He said again as if I hadn’t heard him say it for the first time. I remain silent. I also remain calm.

“STAY AWAY FROM HER!” He said again and this time his words were emphasized and he pushed me.

“STAY AWAY FROM HER!” And he pushed me again but I didn’t push him back. I remain calm and silent while looking into his eyes. I know it’s an insult to him. Looking him in the eye as if he is not scary which is he is not. Even he is trying to empower me now by pushing and shouting at me. I heard his friends laugh behind me but I didn’t mind them. I didn’t even look at them because I know the situation will be fine.

“STAY AWAY FROM HER… understand?” He asked but I didn’t answer because it’s too late now. I like Tania and I want to know more about her. He pushed me for the last time, gave me a look, and left. I watched him leave.

“Are you okay?” Simon worriedly asked and I nodded.

“He always does that… if he wants a girl he is getting the girl by hook” Simon said and makes me shake my head at what he said because I know he will not do that with Tania. I will keep her safe. I will protect her.

I saw Tania waiting for me and her eyes grew big when she saw me. She went to me because she is excited to see me. She didn’t expect that I would go back right away just to be with her at the party. Her smile matches her dress. No accessories, just lipgloss is enough. She is already pretty with no effort. I looked at her for a moment because I knew that she already captured my heart. We went to the party which was just a few blocks away from our apartment. I know she is comfortable with me and she feels safe every time she is with me. That is, I didn’t tell her about what happened a while ago because I didn’t want her to worry. I am fine and it’s nothing to me. Jopher is like a jealous kid to me. He is not a threat to me but I will be a threat to him if he touches Tania.

We reached the house and we could hear their noises from inside. The house is simple and it looks like an old, vintage house that makes it classic and looks like a historical house. It has a second floor. With a big window and curtain where I saw tatay Celvo last time.

“Tania!” The lady from the window called and waved at her. Tania waved back and I bet they were friends. The lady hurriedly went down and opened the gate and hugged Tania.

“How are you?” She asked with excitement to see Tania.

“I am fine,” Tania answered “How about you, how are you?”

“I am fine, just tired from a long trip” Her friend answered. She looked at me and looked back at Tania.

“Is he your boyfriend?” She asked Tania with a malicious smile. Tania looked at me, blushed, and looked back at her friend.

“No, He is my friend” She answered

“Isaac, she’s Sheila, and Sheila he is Isaac” Tania introduced us to each other

“Nice to meet you,” I said “Nice to meet you too”

We went upstairs and Sheila offered us a seat. Tatay Celvo looked at me and said with his shaky voice, “Oh my Angel” and then he laughed “Aren’t you going to pick me up now?” He asked but I didn’t answer.

“Tatay, stop that joke, you will still have more birthdays to come,” Sheila said and left us to get some food.

“Tatay Celvo has a lot of adopted sons and daughters and I guess they are twelve, and one of them is Sheila… He didn’t have a wife or a kid on his own because he believe that we are already crowded and there were a lot of abandoned children who is longing for a parent love and that is what he did… he adopted a lot to save those children and now… look at them they were all professionals” Tania said that inspired me about tatay Celvo.

I looked around and saw his adopted sons and daughters. They look all professional. I bet there’s a nurse, police, teacher, and even doctor or a businessman. They are so happy to see each other again and some of them already have a family of their own. Children are playing too. It’s Tatay Celvo’s grandchildren. I salute Tatay Celvo for being a good man. After a moment. Sheila returned with food for us and a beer for me. She gave it to me and told me not to be shy because later her brothers will be going to drink with me. I handed the beer over while I was still looking around because it was my first time to have a party like this. Simple but happy.

We started eating and I am getting to know Tania little by little. She is so simple and conservative. She didn’t drink liquor or smoke cigarettes and that makes me like her more. I watched her talking to Sheila while drinking my beer because I enjoyed watching her, just her beside me makes me whole again and I don’t know why. Maybe I am already in love with her because if this wasn’t love. Well, what is this?

I finished three bottles of beer and I knew the beer wasn’t kicking in yet but I saw my Volumina Fumi suddenly appear from nowhere. They are going in one direction. Someone died. I could feel it and I suddenly heard Simon crying giving me a headache. I looked at Tania and then everybody. I feel like they are spinning and that makes me dizzy. I tried to fight my dizziness but it is getting worse every time I fight it. I touched my head when I saw a vision about a pregnant woman who was killed by stabbing inside her house. I saw the man who did it too. Simon's cries get louder and louder when I suddenly remember Jackie. My eyes grew wide and said, “No”