THE JOB OFFER

Chapter 1

“Date me…that’s the payment I want.” her voice stung his ears. It took him aback. It was his first time to meet a girl like her. In their sleepy hometown, where the conservative outlook was standard, girls like her will be the topic of gossip and derision. Gabi Ariola was a bad egg.

The church bell toll from afar. Reminding people that the six o’clock mass in the morning is already approaching. She tried to block the noise but her mother’s shrill voice keeps on nagging her to wake up for their Sunday mass. She hides behind the pillows and stuffs her ears but the bell combined with her mother’s insistent call pushed her to wake up from a very good dream. Dreams that even no saint will blush. Grudgingly, she pulled herself up from the bed thumped down to the “everyone’s bathroom” located on the ground floor. They only have one bathroom despite how big their house is.

It was an old house built before the war of 1942. Her parents bought it from a widowed aunt who did not need much bathroom since she doesn’t have any children nor husband. The aunt sold the house when her relatives start coming to her house and living with her. In her own words, “The leeches are waiting for me to die so that they will spend my money. Might as will sell my house and enjoy the last days of my life in luxury”. So, that is how her parents took hold of the property. Since the budget was tight, her parents end up scrimping the little money they have and making do with the present situation.

            Perhaps, the best outcome of their move to this sleepy town called Galas is that the neighborhood is pretty safe and everyone knows anybody. She also grows up just around this place since her grandparents were quite popular in this town. The name is well respected, especially on her mother’s side. Her dad, had only his name when she married her mom but soon after because he was married to a Moran, who was the youngest daughter of the town lawyer he was given an opportunity to work in the old mill owned by her mother’s parents. With her father’s supervision, the mill has expanded into a grocery store. Now, the people produced can also be sold in the grocery store that her dad owns.

            “Gabi! You stop staring at space and get your ass in the bathroom!” her mother Pam scream at her while setting up the table for breakfast.

            She sighed and lumbered towards the bathroom and pushed open the door when she hears her sister scream, “Sorry!” she called out at her sister Sam.

            “Here, eat your breakfast first then have your bath later after Sam.” Her mother pulled the dining chair and pushed her in one of the chairs.

            “Will be late for church if I will eat breakfast now. I will eat later once we’re back from the mass.” She stood up and walked back to the bathroom and knock on the door.

            “Sam if you will not be out in 10 seconds, I will enter the bathroom. One…two…three….” The door swung open and her sister furious face emerged with her head still wet.

            “Next time when you start your counting game with me, I will punch your face!” her sister stormed upstairs muttering a threat at her sister.  Gabi grinned as she watched her sister departing figure. She whistled and entered the bathroom. Hers at last.

            They arrived at the church late. And the worst part, they arrived during Father Joe’s sermon. Her bushy white brows furrowed and his eagle eyes followed their small group as they entered the church to look for a seat. Gabi tried to disappear between the rows of pews but she knows it to no avail. Some churchgoers, turn and looked at them and she felt that they committed a mortal sin to be late. Her family tried to look for an individual seat on her own while she manages to squeeze in the middle of the pews and sat down between snobbish Ella Aquila and an old man who stared at her with cold eyes. His haughty handsome feature galvanized her for a moment then she smiled apologetically at him. Everybody knows Julian Mariano. He owns half of the land of Galas and he lives in a huge mansion with his nephew Rafa.

            The priest looked at her and continued to say, “What happened to the women who were late because they were not ready with their lamps? They were not permitted to enter the gate for the wedding. Today, we saw the same thing happening over and over again…people lost the value of time. They think the world waits for them…” Gabi flushed in embarrassment as their priest chastised the latecomers using the story of the bible of the parable of the ten virgins. It was a long sermon and her ears were singing by the time Father Joe was done with them. She cannot believe that his sermon extended fifteen minutes more just discussing the value of time. She felt her hair at her back crawl as some churchgoers throw them a look and some even murmured about the extra minutes which was caused by their family.

            To her, it was twice as long as the usual mass. She sighed in relief when the priest ended the ceremony and to tell them to go in peace. She smiled at the old man beside him and said, “How are you today Mr. Mariano?”

            “Not so good…my schedule was hampered due to a very long sermon.” Gabi’s face turns red.

            “I’m sorry…showing up late triggered Fr. Joe to expound on the sermon.”

            “Well, it would not have mattered to me but I have a cinema to open. Sunday is the best time people will come to see movies. It looks like it could open late. It’s hard to find someone to do it on Sundays.” He stood up putting back his cap and using his cane with Lion’s head handle as a prop for him to stand up.

            She blurted excitedly, “I could help you…I’m free on weekends.”

            The old man stared at her for a long time. Then he said, “Start next Saturday. “He ambled his way out when he remembered something, “What is your name again?”

            “Gabi Ariolla.” She smiled happily at the man. “I’m David and Pamela’s daughter. We own the grocery which delivered to your home weekly.”

            “I figured…when you arrived late together with them.”

            She bit her lip, “You’re not letting me go with my lateness, are you?”

            “Nope child…I don’t want you to be late. If God is more forgiving. I’m the opposite. You only get one chance. Understand?”

            “Yes sir, loud and clear” she gamely saluted at the old man.

            He shook his head and ambled away muttering to himself, “The youngsters of today…”

            Gabi skipped her way towards her parents who were talking to some friends. They looked at her worriedly. Her mother grabbed her hand in concern as she approached them.

            “What did Mr. Mariano say to you?”  her mother asked.

            “Not much…” Dramatically she paused then flips her long hair and said, “I just been offered a job to work on weekends in his cinema.” Of course, she didn’t need to know that she volunteers to work there.

            Her father proudly touched her head and said, “That’s great Gab! Working for the man is a great experience for you, once you graduate you can easily get a job anywhere here if you’ve worked for the man”

            Pam looked at her suspiciously, “Is that true? Did he really offer you a job?”

            “Mom, you doubt your daughter? For your information, I will be working on weekends. It’s not full-time because I have school.”

            Her mother smiled, “I’m just surprised. You just sat with him in the pew and he offered you a job. That’s quite er…outstanding.”

            “He must be impressed with me my, ahh…character?”

            Her sister Angela pipes in, “I’m pretty sure your character is impressive and I suffered it my whole sixteen years.”

            David, her father warns his youngest daughter, “Enough…stop already. “

            Gabi clipped her words when she saw his father’s upset face. She would love to give her sister a wordy thrashing but her father glared at the two of them while his father friend watched them amusedly.

            “I’m sorry Bud…daughters could be a handful at times but they are really good kids you know.”

            Bud laughed. “Well, you should try having sons too. They are the worst. My two boys always ended with black eyes or bloodied nose.”

            “I always like to have a son but God instead gives me two pretty daughters. I guess he realized having boys would make all my hairs disappear.” They laughed at the idea. His father still looked young with his hair full while Bud, his friend has a receding hairline that shows some sign of baldness.

            Gabi and Angela race towards their home. The first one to arrive will be spared from washing the plates they left in a hurry because of the mass. Angela’s long legs sprinted home while she followed with her lungs bursting with her effort. Angela was taller and had long legs. Her slim body and long limbs made her look like a model. While she is the opposite. If her sister had already had a boyfriend and lots of suitors, Gabi, was the opposite. At eighteen, she remained single and never had an experience with having a boyfriend.

            “This is not fair Angie…your taller and faster than me…” she gasped in between breaths. Angela laughed triumphantly.

            “Sis, nothings fair in this world. Just do the dishes while I get back on my bed.” She pokes out her tongue at her. Madly she dashes towards her sister but she too is agile and ran upstairs laughing at her futile attempt.

            Gabi walked back towards the kitchen and started washing the plates. Their parents arrived later but left again to check on their grocery store. She was left alone doing housework. She doesn’t mind, she enjoys doing it. Besides, today was a special day, she just has a job that made her closer to the man she silently admired from afar. Rafa Mariano.