Between Three Hearts

3

"What's going on, Dad?" I ask, confusion written all over my face.

The day started with a rude awakening, and now we're suddenly at City Hall. Can you blame a girl for being a little lost?

"Patience, Hazel," Dad replies, all mysterious-like, as he guides me through the grand entrance. I can't help but roll my eyes as I follow his lead.

We make our way to the third floor.

Mayor's Office

The door plaque announces, bold as brass.

"Hold up, are you close with the Mayor?” I blurt out, eyebrows shooting skyward. Then again, it wouldn't be shocking - Mom and Dad seem to know everyone and their dog.

"You could say that," Dad nods, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I can't help but snort at the absurdity. "Well, I'm not," I quip, turning my cluelessness into a joke.

"A voter who's never know the Mayor?" Dad retorts, his eyebrow arching in mock surprise.

They thought I'd done my civic duty in the recent elections, but truth be told, I was too busy working on my tan in Boracay. They weren't around either - off at some fancy business shindig. So, I guess we're even Steven.

"The Mayor is Marcus Ferrer, your Uncle Conrad's son," Dad finally explains, throwing me a bone.

"Uncle Conrad?" I wrack my brain, trying to put a face to the name. There've been too many meet-and-greets over the years, too many faces blurring together in my memory.

Dad exhales, a touch of weariness in his tone. "You're so young, yet your memory's like a leaky bucket."

I flash a sheepish smile, biting my tongue. "So, what's the real scoop here, Dad?" I smoothly change the subject.

"It's about getting your feet wet," he explains, "A year of work, fresh out of college."

"Whoa, hold up," I can't hide my surprise. "Work experience? You're not suggesting I'm about to join the nine-to-five grind, are you?" I stifle a chuckle, certain he's pulling my leg.

Dad, though, is grinning like he's won the lottery. "That's exactly what I'm saying!"

"But why here? Can't we stick to the family business?" I press, my forehead creasing with concern.

Before Dad can answer, a man appears, looming over us.

He's tall, well-dressed, with a and carries an air of seriousness.

"Uncle Glenn!" He exclaims, greeting Dad. Is this the famous Mayor?

And let's be real, he's quite the looker and surprisingly young.

"Marcus!" They exchange a firm handshake.

Dad introduces me, and I turn on the charm. "Morning!" I chirp, flashing my best smile.

"Morning." His reply is as warm as a polar bear's nose, his face a blank canvas against my sunny disposition.

Talk about a chilly welcome.

"Let's talk in my office," he says, eyes locked on Dad.

He strides ahead, and we trail behind like lost puppies.

"Dad, are you sure about this?" I whisper, "He's got that 'eats nails for breakfast' vibe. I doubt he'll cut me any slack."

"Stop it! Enough with the drama!" Dad hisses, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel. The idea of work is giving me the heebie-jeebies, and Mr. Mayor here isn't exactly calming my nerves.

"Come on, Dad. Look at him. He's all business and no fun. He's gonna make my life a living hell. Can you picture your little princess going through that?"

I crank up the puppy dog eyes to maximum. It's my secret weapon.

"Life's not all sunshine and rainbows, Hazel. You've gotta face reality sometime," Dad retorts.

I clamp my mouth shut. This chat is heading downhill fast.

I keep quiet until we step into the lion's den... I mean, office.

"Make yourselves at home," Mayor Marcus offers.

Dad and I plop down on the couch, while he perches on the chair across from us.

Mayor Marcus leans in, his voice smooth as butter but with a hint of steel. "So, Uncle Glenn, what kind of work did you have in mind for Hazel?"

Dad’s response was quick and open-ended. "Anything would do, son. Though it would be awesome if she could interact with the public."

"Maybe she could work in charity..."he suggested.

"That seems like a great choice."

Mayor Marcus nodded, "Alrighty then, I'll sort out her paperwork so she can start ASAP."

What happened next totally blew my mind. Dad interrupted, "Hold on, son, that won't be necessary 'cause she won't be getting paid."

"Dad!" I squeak, my eyes nearly popping out of my skull.

Holy guacamole! What's the old man up to now?

Dad shoots me a look that could freeze fire. "Relax, I'm not done." He turns back to Mayor Marcus. "I'll be the one to give her a salary, but I just need her performance report," He grins, glancing my way. "Hazel, from this moment on, you won't be getting an allowance from your mom and me. Your budget will now be your salary — Time to adult like a pro!”

I feel like I've been hit by a truck, struggling to process this info.

"Slack off, and the pay's gonna hurt. Knock it outta the park, and you'll be rewarded with a fat salary." Dad lays it out.

My face twisted into a frown, my lower lip sticking out a bit as I accidentally glanced at Mayor Marcus. Couldn't help but notice his smug smirk. Was he finding amusement in my situation? I wanted to confront him but managed to hold back.

I swear, the universe must be having a good laugh at my expense. It's like I've been living under a dark cloud all year.

Life's been a cakewalk, but now? Bam! Out of nowhere, my parents were forcing me into the workforce. And get this - my allowance? Gone like yesterday's news.

I can almost see my shopping dreams going up in smoke. Those fancy bags, that bling, those bougie beauty products? Poof! Vanishing act.

And those vacations I've been daydreaming about? Now they're just scribbles in my diary.

* * *

So here I am, elbow-deep in rice bags for some charity shindig tomorrow. And wouldn't you know it, Dad picks today to kick off my 'working life'. Talk about timing!

"Sweetie, maybe make it a smidge smaller?" A voice floats over. I look up to see this lady, all sunshine and smiles. "Here, let me show you."

Before I can blink, she's working her magic, her hands moving faster than my allowance disappearing.

It hits me then - a stranger's kindness. In this crazy world, it feels like finding an oasis in the desert. I can't help but c***k a smile.

"Thanks," I mumble, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Not a problem, dear. I'm Candy," she says, exuding confidence as if it's the latest trend.

"Hazel," I mumbled, feeling like a pebble next to her mountain of charisma.

"Pleasure's all mine, Hazel," she grinned, her smile more infectious than a yawn in a boring meeting.

Candy seems nice, but I don't know yet if we'll get along or become friends. We'll see if pigs fly first.

* * *

There I was, feeling like a zombie and barely able to keep my eyes open at an ungodly hour. The day had sucked the life out of me, leaving me as drained as a pair of gym socks from last week.

The road stretched out, empty and mocking. Dad's brilliant new rule? No more chauffeured joyrides with Manong Fred. "Spread your wings," he'd said. Yeah, right. How about some wings when public transport's playing hard to get?

First time flying solo in this concrete jungle, and I was feeling completely lost, like a confused bat. A taxi? Sure, if I wanted to sell a kidney. Dad's last handout had to last till payday, which felt like it was on Mars.

So there I stood, by City Hall, watching time crawl. The world had gone quieter than a library during finals week.

I tried reaching Dad, but my message just floated off into the void.

Cars zoomed by now and then, all fancy—pants private ones, blind to my predicament.

Then, like some noir film cliché, a black car rolled up. My heart did a little jig, but when the window slid down, relief hit me like a tidal wave of puppies.

It was Mayor Marcus, looking fresh as a daisy. How does he do that at this ungodly hour?

"Staying up late?" he asked, his face a beacon in the dim streetlight.

I mustered a zombie-like grin. "Just wrapped up."

"Need a lift?"

I paused. "Actually, no." Liar, liar, pants on fire.

"I can drop you. It's not safe out here alone," he offered, poker-faced. Real concern or just being polite? Well,

Either way, a safe ride home sounded like heaven on wheels. No cold bench for this girl tonight. Voice shakier than a leaf in a hurricane, I asked, "Really?"

No words, just a car door swinging open. How dramatic.

My heart skipped, not from attraction, but pure, unadulterated relief.

"Clock's ticking," he said, snapping me back to reality.

With a soft "Thanks," I slipped into the passenger seat. Twice in one day, I'd shown gratitude. Who am I and what have I done with the real Hazel?

Back behind the wheel, he glanced my way, eyes catching the dim light. Something about them was... mesmerizing. Wait, what?

"Buckle up," he reminded me, all business-like.

My little fantasy bubble popped faster than you can say "reality check". "Right," I mumbled, fumbling with the strap like a toddler.

Beneath that stern exterior, Mayor Marcus had a thoughtful, even kind side. Who knew?

The ride home was quiet, just soft tunes in the background. I felt an itch to break the silence.

"Mayor, can I ask you something?" I tried, my voice small in the car's cocoon.