Chapter 12 | First Daily Bonus
1156 Words
Dante's POV
_I came home to pancakes and $10._
Wednesday.
6PM.
My first night shift back.
Hotel kitchen.
Same station.
New rule: 6PM to 12AM only.
Head Chef looked at me. Arms crossed.
“You sure, Morales? You quit last week.”
“I’m sure,” I said.
“For 6 hours.”
“Why only nights?”
“Because days are for them,” I said.
He didn’t ask who.
Good.
I cooked.
Steaks. Pasta. Risotto.
My hands remembered.
Muscle memory.
My phone was in my locker.
On silent.
But every 30 minutes, I checked.
Dreame dashboard.
Reads: 1,450.
Library adds: 102.
Daily Bonus: $10 unlocked.
Cassie texted at 7:15PM:
`Chapter 12 uploading now. 1,208 words. Title: First Daily Bonus. You’re in it.`
Me: `Don’t make me soft.`
Cassie: `Too late. Mimi already drew you with a chef hat and a heart.`
I almost smiled.
Almost.
At 8PM, the hotel was full.
Wedding reception. 200 people.
I plated 200 plates.
Fast. Perfect.
Like my hands had something to prove.
At 10PM, my phone buzzed.
Not Dreame.
Cassie:
`Mimi won’t sleep. She keeps asking if Daddy’s coming home with pancakes.`
Me: `Tell her yes.`
Cassie: `She said “Promise?”`
Me: `Promise.`
I meant it.
At 11:45PM, I clocked out.
Tips: ₱1,200.
6 hours.
I bought pandesal. Hot. ₱30.
I took the tricycle home. ₱80.
The building was quiet.
4A dark.
4B had a light.
I opened the door.
Cassie was asleep on the couch.
Laptop open.
Chapter 12 published.
Mimi was in her bed.
Asleep.
A paper in her hand.
I picked it up.
Another drawing.
Me. In a chef uniform.
Holding pancakes.
Cassie beside me.
Mimi in the middle.
Under it: _FAMILY + $10_
I laughed.
Quiet.
Cassie stirred.
“Dante?”
“Yeah.”
“What time is it?”
“12:30.”
“You’re home.”
“Yes.”
She sat up. Hair a mess.
“Pancakes?”
“Pandesal,” I said.
“Fresh.”
She smiled.
Tired. Real.
“Thank you.”
I put the pandesal on the table.
Sat on the floor.
Cassie joined me.
We ate.
Quiet.
Steam from the pandesal between us.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“$10,” she said.
“First Daily Bonus. It hit my wallet.”
“Good.”
“₱500,” she said.
“For 1 chapter.”
“Write 2 tomorrow,” I said.
“₱1,000.”
She laughed.
“You’re greedy.”
“For you,” I said.
She stopped chewing.
“Cassie.”
“What?”
“Dreame emailed me too.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Not as author,” I said.
“As spouse.”
She choked on pandesal.
“What?”
“Just kidding,” I said. Fast.
Her face went red.
“Dante Morales!”
I shrugged.
“But they did ask for tax info. For payout.”
“Oh.”
She looked down.
“Okay.”
Silence.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Thank you for coming home.”
“I live here,” I said.
“You didn’t,” she said.
“3 years ago.”
I didn’t answer.
Because she was right.
3 years ago, this apartment was a tomb.
Silent. Cold.
Now it smelled like pandesal and paint.
At 1AM, Cassie stood up.
“I should go.”
“Stay,” I said.
She paused.
“Couch,” I said.
“Please.”
She nodded.
She lay down.
I gave her the blanket.
I slept on the floor. Again.
---
At 3AM, I heard her.
“Dante?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you awake?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not used to this,” I said.
“To what?”
“To being home and wanting to be here.”
Silence.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Me too.”
We didn’t sleep until 4AM.
But we didn’t mind.
---
At 7AM, Mimi woke us up.
“Daddy! Ate Cass! Pancakes!”
We made pancakes.
All three of us.
Mimi poured batter. Made a mess.
Cassie flipped. Burned one.
I fixed it.
We ate.
Syrup everywhere.
Mimi took a picture.
With Cassie’s phone.
“Para sa Dreame,” she said. Serious.
“Chapter 13 cover.”
Cassie laughed.
“You’re our art director now?”
“Yes,” Mimi said.
“Because FAMILY needs photos.”
At 9AM, Cassie opened her shop.
I stayed with Mimi.
We built a fort with blankets.
At 12PM, Cassie came back.
Running.
“Reads: 1,800,” she said.
“Library: 115.”
“Good.”
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Dreame sent another email.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
Cassie read it out loud:
`Featured Book Application: Approved.`
`Your book will be on the homepage for 7 days.`
`Estimated bonus: $200-$500.`
Cassie screamed.
Mimi covered her ears.
“Loud!”
“What does it mean?” I asked.
“It means we’re on the homepage,” Cassie said.
“For 7 days.
More reads.
More money.”
She hugged me.
Tight.
Arms around my neck.
I didn’t move.
Then I did.
I hugged her back.
One arm.
Around her shoulders.
Careful.
Mimi hugged our legs.
“Family hug again!”
So we did.
The three of us.
In the middle of the kitchen.
At 3PM, Cassie’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Torres? This is St. Luke’s Billing.”
Cassie froze.
“What?”
“Your balance. ₱200 remaining from Mimi’s hospital bill.
We’re waiving it.
Anonymous donor paid it.”
Cassie looked at me.
I shook my head.
“Wasn’t me.”
“Who then?”
Cassie whispered,
“Thank you.”
She hung up.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“We’re clear,” she said.
“No debt.”
I nodded.
Mimi climbed on the couch.
“Does that mean Ate Cass can stay forever now?”
Cassie and I looked at each other.
“Dante,” she said.
“Mimi,” I said.
Mimi frowned.
“Why are you both quiet?”
“Because,” Cassie said.
“Grown-ups are stupid.”
Mimi nodded.
“I know.”
She took both our hands.
Put them together.
Warm.
Calloused.
Her small hands on top.
“Hold hands,” she ordered.
We did.
For 3 seconds.
Then let go.
But it happened.
At 6PM, I left for work.
Cassie walked me to the door.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Good luck tonight.”
“Good luck with Chapter 13.”
She nodded.
I left.
The hallway was quiet.
But 4B didn’t feel empty.
Because Cassie was inside.
And Mimi was waiting.
And $10 was in her wallet.
And we were on the homepage.
And for the first time,
I didn’t dread the night shift.
Because I had somewhere to come home to.
_End of Chapter 12_
- Writer
