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"Nami hija, come here. Just stay there okay?" paalala ko sa apo ko sabay turo sa sala, nasa kusina kasi ako kanina at siya'y lumabas kaya naman pinapasok ko na dito sa loob. Hindi pa naman siya sanay dito sa pinas.

"Lola, I'm not a kid anymore, I know what to do na po. No need to teach me where to go po" saad niya na sanhi ng pag-tawa ko, iba iba talaga ang tawag niya sa'kin. Lola, granny, grandma, nanay, inay at kung ano man ang maisipan niya, itatawag niya sa akin. Talagang napaka-pilya! Naalala ko tuloy ang kabataan ko dahil sa kaniya.. Maging siya ay naalala ko dahil natatandaan kong siya lagi ang aking kinukulit mula noong mga bata pa lamang kami.

"Food's ready hija, come here and let's eat na" saad ko nang makalapit sa kaniya, tahimik siyang nanonood ng peppa pig sa sala, halos araw-araw ay 'yon ang pinapanood niya kaya hindi na ako magtataka kung pati ang accent niya-na natural na fluent sa english at medyo bulol sa tagalog-ay mahaluan ng british accent. Sumunod naman siya sa akin at kami'y kumain na. "Inay, when will mom and dad come back to get me here?" tanong niya habang nagliligpit ako ng aming pinagkainan, nakaupo lang siya sa isang upuan sa harap ng gatas na nakapatong sa dining table. "Aren't you happy here? With me? Gusto mo na ba ulit iwan si Grandma?" tanong ko sa kaniya, may bahid ng lungkot sa boses. Hindi ko alam apo kung kailan babalik ang mama at papa mo, o kung babalik pa sila...hindi ko lang masabi sa iyo. "It's not that I want to leave you po, I just miss them.. And our life there in LA" malungkot na sagot niya. "Forget about it, Lola's here naman, finish your milk na and let's sleep." sabi ko sa kaniya at tinapos na rin ang pagliligpit.

NANG MATAPOS ay sinamahan ko na ang aking apo sa kaniyang kwarto. "Granny, can you please read me some story before we sleep? Pleaseee" She's Nami, anak siya ng pamangkin kong si Zherrane. Lumaki siya sa Los Angeles ngunit dito na siya sa akin ngayon matapos nilang magbakasyon. Iniwan muna siya sa akin ni Zherrane at Doyle dahil hindi siya gaano naaasikaso doon dahil nga parehas silang may trabaho.

"Hija, I've read all the bedtime stories here on your mini-library, gusto mo ba na kuwentuhan kita ng bagong story?" tanong ko sa kaniya. Ngumiti siya at tumango. I think it's about time to reminisce some of my precious memories again with him.

"Here's the story..."

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"One Frappuccino for Ms. Smith!" sigaw ko, lumapit sa akin ang isang maputing babae at kinuha ang kaniyang order. "Have a nice day ahead ma'am!" masiglang bati ko, ngumiti lang siya't nagpasalamat bago umalis.

Nagtatrabaho ako dito sa San Idelponse bilang isang barista sa Morganisha Café. It's owned by the name itself, Miss Morgan and her family. Ayaw niya talaga na tawagin siyang ma'am o kung ano mang pag-galang dahil kasing edad ko lang siya ngunit para sa akin ay kawalan ng respeto iyon kung kaya't kahit ayaw niya ay miss ang tawag ko sa kaniya.

"Nattriashi, punta ka daw sa office ni madame" saad ni Elle, kasama ko dito sa café. Si Elle ang janitress namin dito, kadalasan ay siya din ang nagde-deliver ng mga pantries at coffees sa mga customer habang si Loyd naman ang taga kuha ng orders at taga-mando(taga bantay) sa cashier. "Natt na lang Elle, buong buo naman yung Nattriashi. Bakit daw kaya?" tanong ko sa kan'ya. "Hindi ko alam e, punta ka na lang, kami na bahala dito wala pa naman gaanong tao" sagot niya. Nginitian ko na lang siya at umakyat na sa office ni boss. Dalawang floor itong café, ang ground floor ay ang café at ang 2nd floor ay ang office ni miss morgan at may dalawang kwarto din para sa aming mga empleyado. Doon kami nagpapahinga kapag libreng oras namin at mayroon namang papalit sa amin habang kami'y nagpapahinga, sina Luhan, Yuwen, at Fatima. Si Luhan ang barista, si Yuwen ang janitor, at si Fatima sa cashier. Halos dito na kami nakatira sa 2nd floor ng café, magkahiwalay ang kwarto naming tatlong babae sa kwarto ng tatlong lalaki. Parang sa isang boarding house, double deck at isang foam ang higaan namin, ako sa foam, si Elle sa taas, at si Fatima sa baba. Ganoon din ang set-up sa kabila ngunit hindi ko sigurado kung sino sa kanila ang sa foam o ang sa double deck.

NAKARATING na ako sa office ni Miss Morgan at pag pasok ko ay nakita ko siyang nakaupo sa kaniyang swivel chair at sa kaniyang harapan ay ang lamesa niya kung saan naroon ang kahoy kung saan naka-ukit ang kaniyang pangalan. Bukod sa nameplate niya ay may nakapatong din doong mga folder at nang maka-upo ako ay inabutan niya ako ng isa sa mga iyon. Kulay asul na folder.

"Well, hi Ashi! I missed talking to you! How's it going?" tanong ni Miss Morgan sa akin. "We're doing well Miss, how 'bout you? How's London?" sagot ko sa kaniya, isang buwan na din sila sa London at kakauwi lang nila kahapon. "Oh dear, drop the formality, tayo lang naman dito! Anyway about your question, we've had a lot of fun! We explore many things---". Nagkuwento lamang siya ng ilan sa mga ginawa nila at ganoon din ang ginawa ko, nag-report ako tungkol sa progress nitong café. She's glad that the café is doing good and she said she isn't worried about her decision-which is, i didn't know by the way. She proceeded telling me the real reason why she called me into this room-her office, rather.

"So about this blue folder, this contains all the details about the café from when it started until now" saad niya matapos kong ipaliwanag ang mga pangyayari dito. "Why did you handed me this ttrice?" tanong ko sa kaniya, ttrice ang tawag ko sa kaniya kapag ayaw niya talagang tawagin siya with formality. Her full name is Beattrice Morgan L. Shukawazi, her father was half Japanese, half American and her mother was a full blooded Filipina. The café has three branches, Novilletta, Amedaeo, and here in San Idelponse and she's the one who is managing this branch. "Well, Ashi I have a favor to ask you.. We're going on vacation this week on Japan to visit our relatives there and you're the one that I wanted to manage this café while I'm away." mahabang litanya niya na ikinagulat ko. "But there's Krisha, why won't you leave the task to her? It's not that I don't want it but I'm not sure if I can do that" sagot ko naman. "You can do that I'm sure! And I don't want to let Krisha manage this café again 'coz she's the one who managed it last time right? I know you can do this, you've been working hard to keep this café going. You deserve this promo--I mean, offer, hehe, payag ka na pleaseee!" saad niya, promotion ba dapat yung sasabihin niya? Wait.. I thought this was just a favor? Ugh! Frustrating! I don't think I can do this, like really! But anyways, "Sige na nga, but I'll ask for help on her if I can't manage the café well okay?" patanong kong sagot, tumango siya. Krisha Lauhreign R. Kashiwazi, half Japanese, half American ang mama niya while his dad was half Filipino, half American. She's Beattrice' cousin and she's in charge of the café when Beattrice isn't around, she's more likely to be 'our boss' since Beattrice and her family were always out of the country, probably managing their other businesses and having a vacation. We're not that good-when i said we, it's me and Krisha-and in fact, we didn't really talk to each other even though we see each other everytime when she's managing the café, probably because there's nothing to talk about and of course, the professionalism that takes place in between us-workers-and them-who's highly respected due to their positions-we don't want to be the talk of the town in which, gossips would fly that 'the workers and owners of Morganisha Café's branch here in San Idelfonso weren't professional, they talk a lot as if they're just friends, respect isn't seen on their workers since they all act casually, formality is gone' and other stuffs. Anyway, despite the fact that we-me and Krisha-doesn't have a conversation yet, I hope she'd help me when I got problems with handling this café when ttrice and her family went to Japan. I want her to be my mentor, well, for me to learn on proper ways on handling the café and creating better ways to make it grow since she really is amazing at managing things and leading people and their works through success. I actually didn't know how to address her that's why I'm really anxious about being in charge in this café.

I hope that it'd turn good at sana hindi makasama sa café na ako ang mag mamanage dito.

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EDIT (OCT 20 2021) I DECIDED TO CUT THIS INTO TWO PARTS BECAUSE I AM REALLY GETTING A HARD TIME OF THINKING FOR A PLOT.