Home

We started our day by getting off the dust. It was awful since it's early in the morning and we just took our bath to get soaked with dust. The exterior of this stall is really unattractive. It doesn't make the customers interested of what's inside. The color of the wall is too pale and is unmatched to the atmosphere of the interior which is pretty dark. Just by staring at the stall, it's really impossible to have atleast 5 customers per day. 

We left the apartment earlier than the other days. I also prepare clothes for me to use if ever I got too untidy from cleaning. Miss Chim prepared us packs of sandwiches we can eat for snacks. There's a strawberry jammed sandwich and the other one is coatwd with cheese and ham. She is really the sweetest.

The most exciting part of today is meeting Miss Mia's kids. She told us that they come to visit the store every Sunday afternoon. Two young girls are what I am expecting. One is an elementary schooler and the other one is a teen.

While we are cleaning our respective areas, Sir Flinn came back from his house. The reason why is he changed his clothes and forgot to bring 'something important' but we got no idea what is it. He was holding nothing when he came back.

“What did you forgot to bring, Sir Flinn?” I asked as I wipe the door.

He stood there beside me and then he came closer afterwards. He patted my shoulder and spoke.“ I bought a dictionary.” He said making me lean my back and gazed at him. He then tap his pocket and took the pocket-sized dictionary. As he opened the door, I followed where he is heading and he stood next to Tim who was moping the floor. I saw the same reaction when he told Tim about his dictionary. He is really serious.

Yesterday when I asked Sir Flinn about the funds, he told me to don't worry about it and he'll be the one to handle it. I still don't know Sir Flinn. I don't even know his last name. One time he told me that he never thought of ending this business. He's always optimistic to the point he doesn't care if he got no income at the end of the day as long as the business is still going on. I want to ask him the reason why but I am too scared it is too personal.

We ate lunch together. Miss Mia cooked something delicious for us. Tim sitting beside me and Miss Mia is sitting beside Tim. Sir Flinn is facing us, eating silently. It was a quiet time and pretty awkward. All of our attention is on the food. The only thing I can hear is the sound of spoon and fork being touch to the plate. 

“Do you guys have any idea what to name the business?” I asked in an almost whisper voice.

Sir Flinn glance at me for a second then went back to eating again. I gazed at Tim and he acted like he didn't hear me at all. This work is not really easy. Never in the wildest dreams did I imagine I will be running in the business field with no idea what to name the business at the first place.

“Home.” 

I stared at Sir Flinn's direction as he uttered the word. Miss Mia was almost on her way to the kitchen but she went back to the table when he heard Sir Flinn. She seemed speechless like me and looking at Tim, he didn't expect it, too.

“ 'Cause there's no place like home?” Tim spoke softly. 

Sir Flinn nod.

“ If people would come here, we will let them feel they are home. A place that belongs to them. We will not just be after the menu or the design, we first need them to trust us by making them feel they are home.” He explained to us then stood up from sitting. “Trust me and trust yourselves that we'll be home soon.” 

He walked out, leaving us wordless. At that moment, we exchanged stares. Stares of hope we will get there. This is it. We're building a home. 

When I was a child, I thought that the house is the home. I thought home is a place because I always hear from them that there's no other place like home.But for me, home is a feeling. The feeling that drives you to be free, to rest, to continue amidst of all the chaos. I've been searching for that feeling. Never in my life, I felt being close to home. I always need to act okay. Act fine when I'm not and lie about the way I feel. 

I met Miss Mia's kids earlier. Names are Kira-the teen, and Merliah. Both pretty and kind at the same time. Kira is the shy type but I can sense she is an intelligent kid with a bright future ahead. Merliah is the extroverted one. She's jolly and a curious cat that she came to the point of asking me what's my favourite planet. The time we spent together is short since they need to go home. Miss Mia is an independent woman and I admire her for raising two great kids without any man helping him raise her kids- aside from Sir Flinn who's paying her salary.

It's Sunday today and Miss Mia said that this is the busiest day of the street today until nine in the evening. More likely because most workers are on their rest days and it's a day for family. That is why most stall opened so early. The first street to get filled with customers is our street since most customers are dining out their breakfast. While watching the sunset, Miss Mia told me that other businesses here are run by big time millionaires and it's a secret for only few people. She said that they even dress like ordinary people, so you really got no idea that the one who serves you food is richer than you.

I just realized that people like them are really existing. Those who are already living a great life, the ones who don't have to work hard, silvered-spoon, but still chose to work in the streets instead of going back and forth in their huge offices.

“Maybe they are not happy being rich.” said Miss Mia who's sitting beside me, just outside our stall.Tim and Sir Flinn are arguing about how to pronounce the word they saw in the dictionary, but later, they will found out both of them are wrong.

“ Maybe. They could have all the money, all the fancy treasures, but they are still not happy. They want to find something that will worth their time and their remaining days. They just want to-"I paused and glanced at Miss Mia. 

“Feel alive.” I continued.

I saw her half smile. “ This world is too noisy and busy. Too noisy that I couldn't hear my own thoughts and even my own footprints seems unfamiliar to me.” She gave me a tired look.

“ That is why we are craving for a home. I use to think we're existing because we are here to live and die later. But I realized, living while dying is possible. No one seems to understand us the way we understand ourselves. It's crazy to think we can give comforts to others we wish we could give to ourselves.”

Tim and I decided to have a walk in different sections. Most stalls are filled with overflowing customers. I can't help but to feel jealous and I shouldn't be. The sun is already sleeping but the streets are still busy. The lights are bright and it was like a festival. The flashes of smiles are too good for the eyes. It's a different feeling. 

I shot Tim a look and he's staring at a cute mother-son relationship. I can trace longing in his eyes. It was too obvious. 

“ Miss her?” 

He took a deep breathe and smiled looking at me. “ I wonder if she's proud of me.” he said.

“Sure she is.”

He nod and started walking again like nothing happened. He got that weird habit. He waited for me and we tried going to the street where old tapes, CDs, woodenware moveables are being retailed. We entered the first stall which is nearest to us. The least crowded among others. A nostalgic place. The old song being played matched the room perfectly.

“ Old songs are the best. Deeper meanings.” he said while scanning the CDs. He stood beside me in the left part of the small store. 

“ Like old souls giving a deeper connection, huh?” I asked and give him a sarcastic look.

He shake his head no. “ Old souls are never replaced like songs.” he said. “ They are forever. Forever living or forever dying.”he paused and pat my head.

“Forever dying while living.” he continued making me freeze from my position. He's thinking the same way like me. For once in a while again, he made me feel speechless.

We stayed in that position for a minute. Him staring at me while smiling and me, staring at him with a blank face. My senses came back after he grab me by the arm. It was a sudden action making me to almost slip. He run as fast as he could and I can't do anything but to run fast as well. We run, stop to decide where to go then run again. 

Finally, we stopped. Here in a lonely street. I feel my adrenaline rush and my sweat dripping to the side of my cheeks. After a minute, I faced him with a sweaty face.

“ What's the matter with you?” I asked.

He stood up properly and wipe his sweat dripping from his top head. His sweat run down to his chest causing his white t-shirt to get wet. He faced me and show me an unsmiling look of him.

“I saw your parents.”