1 Chapter One | To London

Eirene

From: freddiediaz@gmail.com

To: eireneblairdiaz@gmail.com

Subject: To my dear René

Dear René,

How are you? I am still working here despite the heavy snow blanketing all of London. You can see in the picture the majestic Big Ben, which is also covered in snow. There is another picture taken from London Bridge. That's just some of what you'll see here, sweetie. This place is so beautiful, and the people are so kind that I can afford to stay here. I miss you so much, my daughter. Let me work hard, and I'll come home to see you when I save up.

'Till here, René

Love,

Dad

***

I thought of re-replying to Papa after receiving his email. Papa and I exchange emails twice a week for about a month or two now. He's in London right now, working in a firm I want to be part of.

I am an interior designer with extensive experience in sales, marketing, and fieldwork. I have worked with some famous construction firms with good feedback on my Yelp account. I am working as a freelance interior designer since I got fed up with hierarchy issues, a biased system, and a maniac boss.

I want to follow my passion, but living in the Philippines is hard. In addition to that, my mom's whole new family is counting on me. There is no problem if it's just my Mom, but her new husband and his offspring become an additional burden to me. The worst is, they're stealing from me!

I don't have a sibling on my mother's side, and I thought that would be better than making my burden even heavier. I want to leave and visit Papa in London, but my savings are insufficient. I have enough savings in the bank only for my basic needs. I put it in the bank because Tito Ysmael's children kept stealing from me. He and Mama do the same thing when I'm not home.

Why is life so unfair?

Why am I left with Mama when Papa has a good job in London?

Questions that I still can't answer. I stretched out of bed and stared at the dark ceiling of my room.

"Can I just run away?"

I quickly got up after hearing a scream outside the house. I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I confirmed what was happening. Tito Ysmael is drunk again and brings another drinker into the home. They always thought it was okay to do that, but to me, it's not okay and will never be especially when we are all girls here.

Mama and I are the only ones here at home because Tito Ysmael's children were temporarily taken from him. Also, because of its ugly tendency to drink every day, he lost rights to take of care of his offspring.

I stood up and went out of my room. I looked for Mama, who I immediately found in the kitchen.

"Mom, are you both drinking again? Our house is not a bar," I complained to my mother.

"It's better here than having your uncle get in trouble outside again," she answered me without hesitation.

I couldn't believe what my mother had just said. Not being able to get Tito Ysmael in trouble seems more important to her than to me, her daughter.

"Mom, it's fine if it's just the two of you, but if there are other people -"

"Shut up there, Eirene! You cannot talk to me like that, as if we owe you more than you give. I'm still your mother, you must remember that, and this is my house, too, in case you've forgotten."

Here she goes again with another blaming series.

If it's just in that department, I'm the one who should blame her, not the other way around. She never was a mom to me while growing up. She is busy changing partners almost every day, drinking and smoking. She thought that what she was doing was good, as if Mom was only collecting points so that she could score a one-on-one interview with St. Peter.

"I told you I'm fine with the two of you drinking, but this is unacceptable."

"Go away! Go to your father, who kept lying to you. Get together and be a vagabond in another country,"

"Papa has a job in London."

"Really? Did you believe it right away? If there were something, shouldn't he have been sending us money to live?"

"How can he send you money if you're like this? Drunk, there's another man -" A strong slap stopped me from speaking, but that didn't hurt me. I must be numb because I can't feel anything anymore. This wasn't the first time I talked back at my mother. She loved to hit me, grab my hair, and drag me to a dark place back when I was a kid.

So you see, I'm numb.

"Your Uncle Ysmael made up for the lack of your father, who is a liar, Eirene. If you want to see him, go ahead and get out of my care. I won't be able to milk you anymore because you have no job and no money."

"Don't say that -"

I quickly ran back to my room and looked at my savings. It was depressing to see that it was empty; all I could do was cry. I would have added the coins to my savings in the bank.

I sniffed and wiped away my tears.

I'm screwed, and I'm leaving this place. At this point, I quickly packed up and left nothing in my room. I cannot live like this always. I think it was the right decision for me to cleave from my mom's care rather than live a miserable life.

I'm going to London by hook or by crook!

***

From: hrdept@gcguk.com

To: eirenediaz@gmail.com

Subject: Gridley Construction Group/In-house Interior Designer Job Offer

Dear Ms. Diaz,

We were all very excited to meet and get to know you over the past few days. We have been impressed with your background and would like to offer you the position of In-house Interior Designer formally. This full-time position is from Sunday to Friday, 9-6 pm. You will be reporting to the head of the GCG HR department.

We will offer you a gross salary of £3,500 a month and £1,500 additional pay. You will also have full coverage health insurance and company mobile, and since you're coming from the Philippines, you can reimburse your travel expenses with us. You are entitled to 15 days of paid vacation per year. I am attaching a letter with more details about your compensation plan.

Your expected starting date is May 06, 20xx. You will be asked to sign an employment contract and a non-disclosure agreement at the beginning of your employment.

We would like to have your response by the end of the week. In the meantime, don't hesitate to contact me via email if you have any questions.

We are all looking forward to having you on our team.

Best regards,

Gwendolyn McNeal

HR Director, Gridley Construction Group UK

GCGUK_Contract_Of_Employment.pdf

GCGUK_Non-Disclosure Agreement.pdf

GCGUK_Compensation_Plan.pdf

***

I almost jumped when I read the email I received the day I left home. I was accepted into my dream company, which I applied to through the POEA portal. The salary is high, and there is additional payment. I can live and build my own house because of the big paycheck. I didn't expect to be accepted because the place where I live before was too noisy when I had the interview.

"So, what's your plan, Eirene Blair?" question that aroused my silent planning of what to do when I get paid at GCG.

"I'm going to London," I said simply to Marishka. I went to her house carrying all my things right after I left home last night.

"How? You said you don't have enough savings?" I handed her my slightly battered laptop and read the GCG UK email. "Hey, isn't this your dream company?"

"Yes."

"Your father works there too, doesn't he?"

"Yes!" We both stood up and hugged tightly. "I'll see Papa, and I'll pay you back!"

That last statement of mine broke our hug to each other. I don't owe my friend anything yet. I'll plan to borrow money from Marishka today after receiving the email. I will borrow from her to supplement my plane ticket and pocket money in London.

"I think I heard something wrong,"

"All right, Mari, please lend me some extra money. Did you see my salary? I can pay you right away when I get paid. Please, support my dream, hm?"

"You know I'll use the money for more important things, right?"

"Yes, but I will return it right away."

"Do you have to go abroad?"

"Nothing will happen to me here. Even if I start an interior design consulting company, I still need money. So it's good that I have a job to bring back the savings I can use to leave."

"About your father? Are you sure he's in London? Those pictures he sent yesterday were taken from the internet."

Marishka was the one who noticed the watermark, but it didn't diminish my hope to work in London. I also want to see Papa and will go with him there if possible. The two of us will live in one house. I was again encouraged by the thought of Papa being alone on the other side of the world.

"I'm sure he'll be there."

"Have you seen him now? You don't even have a picture, just an email,"

"At least I have a name."

He had a name on his email before the last one I received. I get excited when I think that I will be able to work in my dream company and I will see my dad. I was still a baby when he left to go abroad and work there. That's the start of my hell life which I ended last night. Everything is over, and I will start living alone again.

Away from toxic family members that I will never regret leaving, no matter what. Never really.

"And that is?"

"Jaziel."