You and I, Wolf

Chapter 2

It was already past 11 in the evening, Carmen and her daughter had already fallen asleep, but Veena's mind wouldn't let her fall asleep.

She could only think of all the things that she had been through in her life prior to reaching that moment. She started remembering the memories she had with the man she loved, Luke.

Flashback

“Veena,” the head of the orphanage called her up.

“Yes, Mrs. Fullerton? Why do you need to speak to me?” she courteously asked, standing from across Mrs. Fullerton's seat.

“You know that when the kids here turn 16, we then let them try their luck outside our institution. This is to give way to the younger ones who might need our care.”

Veena pressed her lips, she could feel her tears as they were already filling up her eyes. She was scared, even though she knew that there would really come a time when she would need to leave the orphanage.

“Don't cry, we are not kicking you out just like that! Look, we found a possible job for you, sweetheart. How would you like to work in the local market? It's not going to pay you big, but it will definitely not make you go hungry. There's also a chance for you to study.”

“Is that true?” she asked, smiling as her tears started to fall from the outer corners of her eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart. The store owners are good people, and I have talked to them about you already.”

“When do I leave, Mrs. Fullerton?”

“This afternoon, Veena. We will take you there, and we will also visit you there from time to time.”

“Can I also visit here?”

“Of course, and we will be expecting you to do that,” Mrs. Fullerton narrated, getting up and moving towards Veena. “Come here, sweetheart.”

Veena was afraid, but there was also an excitement that she was feeling inside her heart. “Thank you for everything that you have done for me, Mrs. Fullerton. Someday, I will go back and help you run this institution.”

“Make me proud, Veena! You are intelligent and beautiful, and you have limitless opportunities outside. Trust me, this is the best thing for you.”

Veena's life outside the orphanage was very challenging, luckily for her, the store owners who got her were really good people. Her job wasn't tough either, and the owners trusted her because of her honesty and intelligence.

She had two days off from work, Monday and Thursday, and she spent those days reading books at the city library. Even the librarians were amazed by her eagerness, and from time to time, she would teach her and suggest some books to her to read.

That was her routine for the next two years, and when she was 18, the store owners allowed her to have her own apartment.

She met some people, and she found out that she could make use of her free time to still earn some money. She wanted to send herself to school, believing that a formal education could make her learn more and open up more opportunities for her.

She got a house cleaning job, and she was referred to by one of her friends. She enjoyed it, she thought it was not really a difficult job. She had a couple of clients already, but her favorite was her mysterious client. It was a condo unit in Bangkok, just a few blocks away from Siam Square. She had not met her boss yet, for she usually arrived there when no one was in the apartment.

The owner would usually leave the payment for her on the dining table. She knew that her boss was a man, because of the clothes that she washed whenever she went there. She had been taking jobs from him for almost three months already at that time, but she still had not met him.

After her cleaning jobs, she would spend the rest of the day reading in the library, and she got very interested in history and geography.

“You are very hardworking, Veena,” the woman at the library told her when she came there after cleaning her mystery boss' apartment.

“I just like reading books, Ms. Ami,” she replied.

“Did you hear about this weekend school? I mean, maybe you should try.’

“I can't, I have work on the weekend,” she sadly replied.

“I thought you are also keeping another job, maybe that would be enough for you so you can drop the other one.”

“Unfortunately, Ms. Ami, as much as I want to give it up, I feel that I am very much indebted to the owners of the store that I work for at the supermarket.”

“You are working for them, stop saying that you are indebted to them, Veena.”

“Without them, I wouldn't be able to begin my life on my own, Ms. Ami.”

“I know, but you have served them for two years now, Veena. Maybe you should try something else for yourself now."

“I don't know, maybe I'm not just ready yet. Plus, I don't have a diploma, I didn't even have a formal education to back me up.”

“I really want to insist on this, Veena. I know that I can help you! If you decide to leave them, let me know! I will try and figure out something for you. Okay?”

“Thank you, Ms. Ami! You have been so kind to me, and you have been teaching me so many things since the first time I came here."

“I am so passionate about teaching, Veena! I saw the eagerness and the determination in you, and you are very intelligent to neglect.”

When she went home to her small apartment, Veena started pondering about so many things in her life. She realized that the librarian was right, and she was contemplating on her words for her.

Not that she was not treated right by the store owners, but she was expecting them to help her have education as they promised her. She also thought of what Mrs. Fullerton told her, about the better opportunities that would be coming her way if she had her mind open.

The next day, Veena had formally talked to the Thai couple who owned the store. They were sad to let her go, but they believed that they could not give her more opportunities, so they sadly let her go.

After that, Veena remained fearful, thinking whether she made the right decision or not. She visited Mrs. Ami at the library and shared with her the news of her departure from the store.

“I also have a very good news for you, Veena!”

Ms. Ami greeted her with a huge smile, hugging her tightly in excitement.

“Really? What is that?”

“Remember the girl who cleans here daily? She resigned yesterday, and since the management is looking for her replacement, I told them about you.”

“Is that right? Oh, what did they say about me?’

“Well, I personally recommended you, so they have no choice but to take you in!”

Veena could not hide her emotions, the happiness inside her heart was overflowing. She hugged Ms. Ami and thanked her for being so kind to her.

“Don't worry, I will be working your schedule out. You don't have to drop your side hustle of cleaning houses. Monday and Thursday, I am thinking of giving you an afternoon shift, since you told me that you clean houses in the morning, and you are usually here after lunch.”

“I have no words, but thank you, Ms. Ami! I promise you that I will not disappoint you!”

“Don't be so excited about your new job here, Veena! You have to be more excited about the weekend classes that you are going to attend.”

“How much will it cost me, Ms. Ami?”

“Zero! You are my scholar, and since I also teach there part-time, you don't have to pay even a single cent.”

Veena cried some happy tears, realizing how life had been so kind to her ever since she left the orphanage.