CHAPTER- 2
2020 Words
JAZZY
I had been staring blankly into nothing for hours, replaying the conversation I had with Andro. Had I made the right offer? Did I sound too desperate? Maybe he thought I was the one eager to make the first move. But that was the truth, wasn’t it? So why was I suddenly hesitating now?
Besides, if he refused, it wouldn’t be a problem. I wouldn’t force myself on him. At least I tried.
“Hi, Ma’am Jazzy.”
I jolted at the familiar voice calling my name. My heart began pounding erratically, as if an earthquake had erupted inside my chest. It was the first time I’d ever felt anything like it, and I couldn’t understand why.
“What are you feeling?”
I could see the concern etched on his face.
“Nothing… I think I’m just lacking sleep, that’s why my body feels weak. Umm… is today your schedule, Andro?”
“Yes, Ma’am Jazzy. It’s Wednesday, isn’t it?”
“Oh... right. I forgot.”
“I’ll just get changed, Ma’am Jazzy. I’ll leave you here for a while.”
“Go ahead, Andro.”
I slipped into my small room, something I had requested for moments like this, when all I wanted was to lie down. Sometimes my back would ache out of nowhere, probably a lingering effect of the accident I had years ago. But it had been so long… why was I still feeling the pain? Especially when I sat or stood too long. The ache would strike without warning, and when it did, I preferred lying on my stomach.
As soon as I reached the room, I lay face-down on the bed.
A few minutes later, the discomfort began to ease. I thought of staying in that position longer; I barely slept last night, after all. Maybe I was overthinking my offer to Andro. And what if he refuses? Who in their right mind would agree to such a deal?
But I was willing to pay him... and making deals was part of his job. It wasn’t that different from the services he already provided me as a masseur.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
I quickly turned my head toward the sound of his voice. How did he know about this room... and why was he here?
“Andro, how did you find this room?”
“Once, I accidentally walked in here when I was supposed to go to the dressing room.”
“I see… My back started to feel strained, so I decided to lie on my stomach, hoping it would ease the pain.”
“Remove the pillow. I’ll massage your back.”
“It’s fine, Andro. The customers might look for you.”
“The two other instructors are there. I won’t take long.”
I obeyed. I removed the pillow I was lying on. I felt his fingers as he lowered the zipper of my one-piece suit. But the moment his warm hands touched my bare back, my skin tingled, goosebumps rising instantly.
“What time will you be home tonight?”
“After work, I’ll go straight home. Why do you ask?”
“I’ll stop by to give your back a proper massage. And if a few days pass and nothing improves, you need to go to the hospital to have your old operation checked. I suspect you might need therapy for that part of your back.”
“All right, Andro.”
I felt him zip up my clothing again. What I didn’t expect was the sudden way he lifted me in his arms, then gently arranged me on the bed.
“Stay. We don’t have many customers right now. I’ll call you if they need you at the counter.”
“Thank you, Andro.”
“You’re welcome, Ma’am Jazzy.”
When Andro left, my eyelids began to grow heavy, and within moments, sleep finally pulled me under.
When I opened my eyes again, I was startled to find the surroundings already cloaked in dusk. I stood up, preparing to head home.
As soon as I stepped outside, I spotted Andro sitting in the waiting area.
“Andro, is everyone gone?”
“Yes. They all left. I’m just waiting for you... then I’ll be heading home too.”
“Come with me. I’ll drop you off at your house.”
“Oh, no. Don’t bother. You’ll just be going out of your way. Our house is in the opposite direction from yours.”
“I have a car. It’s not far, Andro.”
“I still need to pass by the market, so really... you don’t need to take me home.”
“Come on. Just ride with me. Besides, it’s already late. If you're still going to the market at this hour… Let’s just stop by a restaurant and get takeout for your mother.”
“If you insist... fine. But I’ll be the one driving.”
“Why? Do you even have a license?”
“I do, Ma’am Jazzy.”
“So, you have a car?”
“I used to, but not anymore... not since we needed a large amount of money.”
“What illness does your mother have, Andro?”
“Breast cancer. Stage two.”
“What did the doctors say?”
“They said her chances of recovery are good, but she must never miss a single chemotherapy session.”
“Is she missing some?”
“Yeah… Sometimes I just don’t have enough side jobs. And her medication alone eats up most of it. And I can’t bear watching her suffer every time her chemotherapy ends. She nearly faints from the pain she goes through.”
“But she needs consistent chemotherapy if she wants to fully recover.”
“I know. But like I said… sometimes we simply don’t have the finances.”
“Accept my offer... and I’ll personally take responsibility for your mother’s treatment.”
“And if I accept… are you certain I’ll allow you to leave me in the end?”
“It’s only a three-year contract... like my husband. If, after those years, there’s truly no chance for us… then we part ways.”
I changed my answer, softening it as best as I could.
“So… if our relationship turns out well, we’ll stay married?”
“Yeah. Why? Don’t you want that kind of setup?”
“It’s not that. I’m just worried about you... because of my reputation. I’m afraid your relatives and friends might look down on you because of me.”
“No one’s opinion matters. I’m not affected by what people say. They’re not the ones I’ll be living with.”
“Think carefully about the offer you’re giving me, Andro. I don’t want you to regret it once we’re already there.”
“Are you willing to be my husband, Andro?”
“Yes. I’m not a hypocrite who would reject such a good offer. It’s not just for me—my mother’s life depends on my decision.”
“Come to the house tomorrow for the contract. And prepare your mother as well. She’s coming with us, and she’ll continue her chemotherapy there.”
“A—Are you really sure?”
“Yeah.”
We stopped at a restaurant for a moment. I didn’t get out of the car at first, letting Andro go inside to buy takeout. But after a while, I stepped out, too afraid he might end up choosing something too simple. Not that I looked down on him, but as he said, they had to save every peso.
Besides, I planned to eat dinner there so I could have company.
“What did you order, Andro?”
“Just two dishes. That’s enough—”
“I’ll order. I’ll be eating dinner here too, so when I get home, I can go straight to sleep.”
“All right, your call.” He stepped aside, and I took his place in line.
After about fifteen minutes, we returned to the car with our bags of food.
“Ma’am Jazzy… I’m apologizing in advance for what you’ll see later. I haven’t had time to clean the house, so it’s probably messy.”
“Don’t worry about that, Andro. After we eat, we can clean together. At least we can burn off the food right away.”
“Oh no, you’ll get tired.”
“Come on. When I’m full, I feel the need to move around. Cleaning is a good way to help my stomach settle.”
“I feel embarrassed… I already owe you so much, Ma’am Jazzy.”
“That’s why you should accept my offer... so you can pay me back.” I teased with a smile.
“Well… I guess I have no choice but to say yes.”
We both laughed. And for the first time, I couldn’t stop myself from hoping that Andro and I would get along. He might not have money, but I knew he had a good heart.
I straightened up when we stopped in front of a small bungalow.
“Come in, Ma’am Jazzy—”
“Andro, from now on… call me by my name.”
“O-Okay… Jazzy.”
“Thank you, Andro.”
He handed me a pair of indoor slippers as we entered the house.
“Here. Wear these. The floor’s dirty. Stay here for a moment... I’ll go get Mom.”
“Go ahead, Andro.”
Once he turned away, I quietly followed. I wanted to see how he cared for his mother. I stood by the slightly open door.
“Mom, I’m home.”
“Son, may God bless you. Are you with someone?”
“Ah, yes, Mom. My boss is here. Come, I’ll introduce you to her.”
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“No, Mom... she’s my boss.”
“I see. Wait, don’t carry me. I can walk on my own.”
“But you might get tired, Mom. Let me carry you to the dining area. Boss will be eating here, and she’ll be joining us.”
“Is your boss pretty?”
“Yeah. As beautiful as you, Mom.”
“Really?”
“Yes. So, are you ready, Mom?”
“Okay, Son.”
When I heard Andro’s footsteps approaching, I quickly ran back to the spot where he had left me earlier. I sat on the sofa and waited for them to come out.
And when I finally saw them, I immediately stood and greeted his mother with respect.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“Thank you, Ma’am Javier.”
“Call me Mom... so there will be two of you calling me that, just like Andro.”
“All right, Mom.”
“Thank you, for visiting me.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied with a small smile. I wanted to ask her so many things, but I didn’t want to appear too forward at our first meeting.
I followed them to the dining room, where Andro gently settled his mother into a chair.
“Come here… what’s your name again?”
“Jazzy. My full name is Jazzy Mae Delos Reyes.”
“You’re very beautiful, Jazzy.”
Her compliments made me blush with embarrassment.
“Mom, save the stories for later. You need to eat first... you still have to take your medicine.”
“All right, let’s eat, the three of us.”
While we ate, Andro kept taking glances at me. I didn’t know why, but I could feel my face warming. Did I have something on my face, and he just didn’t want to tell me outright?
I nearly froze when he suddenly got up and came close, far too close, and wiped something from the corner of my lip. Our faces were barely a hand’s width apart.
Instinctively, I glanced at Andro’s mother. She was smiling sweetly at us, so I forced myself to smile back, even though my heart was pounding so loudly I thought she might hear it.
- Writer
