THE SEVEN HEAVENLY CHILDREN

4TH ACT: THE BOY WITH A RED CAP

"WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT?!" Briel muttered in awe as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was at a restaurant's comfort room and getting into her uniform.

She luckily got hired as a janitress. The shop owner needed someone urgently since the coffee shop's janitor had to leave work that day due to a personal emergency. The restaurant was a bit popular for the locals, so it was a bit crowded. They need someone to clean up the tables and mop the floor simultaneously.

Briel was so happy she got the job. Even if it was only for that day, at least she has earnings. She'll be able to at least buy food for herself without spending their bank money.

Just as Doctor Celestine had promised, they were referred and transferred to a private hospital in Cebu City. They stayed in a private room for more than three weeks now. The doctor was also kind enough to help her sell the remaining black pearls. She was able to earn a lump sum of money out of Johan's precious gift. Throughout, Dr. Celestine had assisted her in choosing a bank for the safekeeping of funds.

She never knew such a kind-hearted person existed. She owed Dr. Celestine a lot and Briel prayed that she could one day repay such kindness. Aside from that, she had to thank her dolphin friend, Johan. She wouldn't be able to obtain those pearls if it wasn't for the anima. It helped them a lot to pay most of their fees from the time they got into Cebu.

She didn't know that those pearls would cost that much. However, she can't be too complacent. Their hospital bill increases by five thousand pesos each day. If this continues, what money they have will eventually run out. That is why she's going to find another job first thing tomorrow.

"Yosh! Here we go, Briel!" She muttered to herself as she pulled her sleeves up. "Let's make this place sparkly clean as possible!" With that, she started to clear up the tables for the new diners.

Briel was not in the least intimidated by her tasks. She was used to doing chores around the house as she pays close attention to every instruction given by her mother. Yelena was a kind mother, but she was also strict and very disciplined. Whatever they do, it had to pass Yelena's high standards. And that very discipline honed Briel well.

She's almost done cleaning the male's comfort room when she felt a peculiar presence behind her. That was odd because no one was there with her. She gulped and slowly turned around to see what it was, Briel was greeted by her reflection from the mirror. She closed her eyes and let out a long sighed. Her nightmares are starting to get the better of her. She was about to get out of the male's comfort room when the door suddenly opened. The wooden door knocked her to the floor.

"Ouch." She groaned as she felt her behind pulsing with pain. Briel looked up to the person who just went in. It was a tall guy with a red cap.

He frantically looked around the room as if he was expecting something ominous inside. He greeted his teeth before the guy's eyes landed on her. He didn't think he'll see someone like her inside the area. He frowned and looked at her.

Eh? What's wrong with him? Briel thought.

"Are you okay?" His voice sounded sweet, but there was a hint of demand in it. His concern felt cold. "Here, let me help you." He offered his hand as he slightly crouched himself to assist her.

Just when Briel was about to raise her hand, a sharp pain shoots her arm. She winced.

Drats. She might have sprained her hand when she fell.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he leaned closer. It was then that Briel had a chance to see his face. The young man was handsome. Too handsome, if she might add. His features were too beautiful to that seeing him hurt her eyes. He also had a pair of green eyes that lazily gazed at her.

She had wished she didn't gape at him. But it was too late. The young man had held her chin and gently pushed it upward, closing her mouth in the process. She wasn't sure if she had just imagined it, but Briel somewhat caught a glimpse of amusement flashed in those emerald colored eyes.

His aura had this "I-know-I-looked-good" attitude and Briel's entire being couldn't agree more.

"I heard you speak earlier.", the guy muttered. "So, I suppose you're not mute." His voice sweet and deep, yet he still sounded imposing. "Miss?" He started to approach her, allowing Briel to get a better look at him. The longer she stared at those eyes, the more they held hers captive. She was speechless.

"Hello? Earth to Miss...uhm..." He looked at her name tag. "Briel?"

The young man's voice sounded better when he was closer and never did she knew her name can sound so beautiful.

Briel had to shook her head hard. "Uhmm. No. S-sorry, Sir." She used her other hand to raise herself, trying not to wince at the process. Her heart pounded hard. She was afraid it would burst out of her chest any second now.

The guy went to pick her mop that lay discarded on the floor. "Here." He told her as he handed it over to her. She accepted it with quick gratitude. "It was my fault. No need to apologize." Though he didn't seem to be a warm person, it was nice to hear an apology from him.

Might have something to do with his beautiful voice? Briel thought again. She can almost imagine what it would've been like to hear him sing. Briel had barely managed to stop herself from drowning in her thoughts.

Briel smiled at the customer. "It's all clean now, Sir. You may use it. I'll excuse myself." Then she left. Almost clumsily bumping into another customer. Good thing her reflexes didn't fail her the second time of the day. She couldn't believe she saw a guy as handsome as him. He definitely could pass as a celebrity. Maybe he was. Briel just didn't know. There's a lot of things in the world that she still did not know.

"Well. It's not like I'm going to see that guy again.", Then she went to proceed with her next task. She switched from clearing the tables, mopping the floors to cleaning the toilet with careful precision, making sure that all instructions are well-performed. Before she knew it, it was already the end of the shift.

"Briel!" The Owner approached her with such delight. "You did such a great job! You saved us today." She said with a satisfied tone in her voice.

Briel shyly beamed at the manager. "Thank you for trusting me, Ma'am."

The woman smiled. "Call me, Ms. Jenny. Earlier, I was doubtful that you could do the job since you didn't look like an eighteen-year-old girl to me."

Briel laughed nervously. That one was a lie. She just recently turned seventeen years old six months ago. However, she needed this job. Everything was all for her mom.

Yet.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Jenny." She smiled sadly. "I lied to you. I'm still seventeen years old. I'm still not legal to work yet. I don't even have proper documents to present." Briel confessed simultaneously.

Yes, she finally had a job. But she couldn't bring herself to deceive another person. No matter how much she wanted to provide for her mother, she just can't.

"I'm sorry. I had to do it for my mother." Briel started to confess. "She's in the hospital right now fighting for her life. I'm sorry. I need a job."

She was about to cry when Ms. Jenny held her hands. "I understand." The woman reassured. "Life's tough, but we have to be tougher." She looked around the restaurant and then back to Briel. "Consider yourself lucky I don't have any remaining close relatives now. You can 'help out' in my coffee shop whenever you are free, my adorable cousin from the province." The woman smiled at her, stressing their new secret.

Briel cannot believe what she was hearing. She just got offered a chance to continue working. She couldn't stop herself from crying and thanking the kind woman in front of her. "Thank you for understanding my situation. I'll make sure not to let you down."

The woman gave out a kind-hearted laugh and then excused herself. Briel then continued to clean up. After closing the restaurant, Briel volunteered to take care of the garbage bags upon leaving the shop.

"Okay, then." Ms. Jenny waved her goodbye. "I'll take my leave first. Be careful on your way home."

"Yes, Ma'am." She bid her boss goodbye and went on to her task. Briel then carried the garbage bags to the dumpster. It was a dark alley, but she didn't pay any attention to it. She finished her task and decided to go home.

Clutching her bag, she looked up the sky. Her heart was full of gratitude. "Thank you." She beamed at the thought of her dad. She was still young when they lost him from an unknown disease, but it didn't stop Briel from continuing to love him. Briel believed that her father asked God to bless her that day.

She roamed her eyes around. The usually crowded streets were quiet and felt a bit empty. She hugged herself as a cold breeze went past her. "Hmm? I wonder why." She told herself as she pulled her phone from her pocket. Her eyes widened. "Gosh! It's already nine in the evening!"

She was so busy at work she had forgotten the time. She has to rush back to the hospital to check on her mom. Briel started to run. "Sorry, Mom. I'm coming!"

When Briel entered her mother's room, the strong smell of antiseptics greeted her. She looked at her mother, now free of life support. Her mother's body was responding well to the treatment. However, Yelena is still under a coma.

Briel had asked the Nurse for their latest billing statement as to monitor the bill. They were already almost half a hundred thousand pesos just for the hospital fees itself.

She looked at the bill sadly. "I guess we'll delay it after a year or two." She muttered to herself, thinking about her studies. Briel hadn't gone to a formal school after her traumatic experience from childhood. It wasn't a part of her plan anymore until her mom had gotten sick.

She decided to get back to school. That way, she can give her mom a chance for a better life. What happened to Yelena has been an eye-opener for Briel. The moment they set out to Cebu, Briel had decided to continue her studies there. Yet, it seemed a bit impossible for her to do it now. Her mom's health is her priority.

Besides, Briel was able to secure a job at the coffee shop. Now, she doesn't have to take money from her bank account for her daily expenses, and she had additional money for buying medicines.

Her phone buzzed, and she saw that it was a text from Dr. Celestine. She smiled at the gentle act of concern. The doctor was asking how they were doing. She quickly replied.

The doctor had helped them quite a lot. Briel gave her a long message of gratitude before checking on her sleeping mother. She grabbed the clean cloth and bathed in the bowl of lukewarm water, gently wiping her mom's face. "Hey, mom. I have a job now." They had always been like that. She had always told her mom everything, how their day went, or any random stories. She missed those times.

"How about you, mom?" She asked tears filling up her eyes. "I had so many adventures already. You'll lose to me if you don't wake up soon." She choked out, barely containing the surge of tears welling up her eyes.

"Mom, I'm so scared." She covered her face, crying profusely. She felt so unsure of what the future might hold for them. She just wanted her old life back, a life with her mother. A peaceful life on their safe island. "Everything's so hard without you." She confessed.

Briel instinctively touched the necklace around her neck, holding on its pendant. She was trying drawing courage from it. It was her father's gift. One of the few memories she can still recall from childhood. She couldn't remember her father's face, but his words rang clear on her mind.

"Until you're ready, this necklace will protect you, so you must always wear it."

Whatever that meant, Briel wasn't sure. But whenever she feels alone or sad, having the pendant gave her strength and courage. It felt warm as if someone was hugging her.

"Dad, " She called out to her father. "You told me if I ever needed help, I'll only call out to you. Right?" Tears fell from her eyes like ocean tides. Everything in her life was falling apart, and she could only watch it all crumble. She remembered her dad, her brother, and now her mom.

"You guys are so unfair," Briel whispered into the air. "Leaving me alone to deal with all this." She stood up and went out to get some air. It was already late at night, but she didn't mind. Back then, when she felt like drowning in pain, she'll only go to the ocean and take a quick swim. The water felt like medicine to her. Now that she's too far from it, Briel felt more lonely.

She started to run to clear her head. After a few minutes of running like crazy, she found a bench. She rested there for quite some time that Briel wasn't sure what time is it. She is capable of protecting herself. Briel knew she should be resting now, but sleep felt so out of reach.

She sighed as she drew her knees close to her chest. She felt so small against a world that was so large. Briel looked at the night sky. The streets were a bit dark, so she had a chance to gaze at the stars like how she did back at their island.

"Pretty." She said in awe as she stretched out one hand as if trying to reach the stars. Briel didn't remember how much time passed when she decided to go back to the hospital. She had only taken a few steps when she heard someone grunting from not to far.

There, she saw two men in dark cloaks trying to beat another man. She didn't hesitate. Even if she was not aware of what was happening, something urged Briel to help the man.

She looked around for a weapon she can use. "Aha!"