Psalm 22

Chapter 6

TODAY IS A WEIRD DAY. I had a one-on-one with my editor. Her words were, “Francess, I know what you are doing.” That got me so nervous but I was ready to stand my ground. “We all know what you’re doing,” she continued.

I looked at her with bewildered eyes. If I speak now, I’m sure my voice would shake and I would embarrass myself. 

Please don’t fire me. I know I may not look like I don’t love my job, but I’m starting to.

I can’t help but think of all the young girls that are getting inspiration from my characters. I don’t want that to go away, not yet. I am not done in this chapter of my life. I want to be more in this field. I could prove more. 

“And we support you,” she declared.

Shock was an understatement. The room suddenly got smaller by the second. I inhaled sharply and focused on my editor’s face. She was smiling from ear to ear. 

I felt calm wash over me. 

We support you. Her words echoed in my mind.

That made me so happy and I was close to tears. I thought, there’s still hope. My editor gave  me all the time I needed, all the resources I would need, and said I should do what I do best. I have a lot of readers, she said.

She assured me I have readers across the country. I couldn’t be happier. 

“Thank you so much,” was all I could muster at that moment. The smile I was wearing in my face would not go away any time soon.

And after realizing the power I have, I blurted all the plans I was trying laser focus on. And she looked so proud. I have so much to thank for today. I’ve been blessed with the companies I worked with. 

I probably should also talk about the contractualization of many employees. I could wrap one story surrounding that topic. I might one day interview a certain mayor of a certain place that regularized a lot of employees that have been working for them for a long time. You know, kudos to that Mayor. He understands the needs of his people.

Not so much for the other running mayors in cities.

But also I want to go back and touch on a few songs of my favorite band. That’s where I started. My love for a band that I didn't want to share at first but realized they need to be recognized. They take me to places I never thought I would experience going to in a span of minutes. 

CJ’s voice was like a cold breeze on a scalding hot day and other times it would feel like he’s serving you a warm coffee on an icy morning. I miss that. I miss those days when it’s simple and I just write and put on work for the day. 

I don’t even have to do this. I can just write twelve chapters every two weeks and collect my paycheck. Sometimes I just wanna do that. I wanna be all romantic and sweet and unproblematic. Full time romance writer. But that’s the beauty of it. I can do both by writing romance novels while indulging myself with the current events that are based on facts. 

Honestly, I get little respect now because I am only a romance writer. But hey, at least I’m doing something to wake the sleeping and romance-centered minds of my readers. 

I can finally feel that I’d enjoy writing those stories now that my editor is guiding me and that I got her approval. 

Why is it that if you’re a writer in the Philippines, you get so little recognition, while the books of the contemporary writers from abroad sell in an instant in every bookstore. 

***

I TRIED TO VISIT THE hospital room of the guy that got hit and almost bled to death. I wasn’t allowed, I wasn’t a family member. But I can talk to his family members. 

Anyway, I found out that it was a simple hit-and-run. I thought, okay? I don’t want to buy that angle but I disappeared as soon as I got that statement. When I went back to the place where it happened, I saw a lot of establishments with CCTV cameras and thought I should ask these small-time businesses to see what really happened that day. 

Only the bakery agreed to show me because the owner was really worried. He said he was the one who called for the ambulance. So he showed me the clip and it was clear that it was a hit-and-run. The good thing is I got the plate number of the car. Why isn’t there a manhunt for the owner of the car? The family didn’t mention anything about that.

I stopped by Kurt’s house and told him about my day.

“What angle are you working on?” he asked. He looked like a melted ice cream on the sofa c***k. We call it the buttcrack where the center of the sofa meets. He just sits there glued to his seat. 

“No angle. I just want the plate number to run on the system and see who it was,” I responded before I could criticize the way he sits and looks. 

“How are you gonna do that? Just ask?”

“Ever the pessimist,” I commented.

He looked at me smugly. “Your sources dropped you, remember.”

I nodded and said, “Thanks for reminding me. I’ll get this to the family or to the city hall. Talk soon.”

“Wait,” he called. He sat up straight and looked me dead in the eyes.

“What is it?”

“It’s gonna happen next week.”

I saw him swallow.

“What will happen next week?” I asked as I watch his face closely.

“We’re gonna sign the papers. Next week. We will both be free.”

This is big news.  “Finally!” I exclaimed. They’re finalizing their divorce papers.

“Will you be there?” he asked, embarrassed by the request.

“We’re gonna march like we’re going to reenact Nicole Kidman divorcing Tom Cruise,” I said. 

A smile appeared on his face. 

“Big day,” I reassured him. “I’ll be there. Always.”

“Big day,” he seconded. He looked like he struggled to erase a wisp of pain that was clearly visible on his face. “Oh, by the way. I heard from Pindet that CJ will collaborate with him. I don’t know if the whole band will be involved.”

My eyes widened upon hearing that. “Really? Wow.” I didn’t know that. But that’s good news.

“I know, isn’t that great? I hope this will snowball into other artists joining them once the word got out that CJ is joining Pindet.”

“Right on.”

He stood up and reached for my hand. “Congrats about the editor giving you approval.”

I thanked him sincerely. “We’re really doing this. Part two?”

He smirked. “The miscreants are back at it again. Trolls will be back, hating on us. So yeah, part two, it is.”