GREEN EYE

CHAPTER 12

TAGUIG CITY 2013

“Hey honey, this is your first day at work, we will do better things again and avoid those illegal jobs”

“Yes Clarrise, this time we will have a better life now for Sanie”

The husband heads his way to a new job, he stays employed for almost one year until the night he never expects to happen.

“Hey Mom, I am nowhere at the building, where are you?”

“Hey son, I am just fixing things here, you can wait in the lobby, meet there— aaaahhhhh!!”

“Mom??? What is going on? What is happening? I will go up there!”

“Mom?”

“Shhhhhhh…just quiet”

“Who are you mister?”

“I told you to stay quiet!!.....wait….you can't just run!”

“S-Stay away…I said stay away….ahhhhhh…!!!!”

And the son died after falling down from the 15th floor.

SANHIA POV

After having that conversation with Dad, I must admit I kind of hate him though I can't deny that he also might tell the truth.

Damn! My head really hurts this time!

I just had my breakfast after I wake up as early as 6 am again!

I just manage to go to the office early just to avoid Dad; I don’t have the guts to talk to him honestly!

When I got to the office, since it is too early I just had my coffee and read some magazines.

It is almost 8 am now and I noticed that Ms. Bernards isn’t here yet, Darn that woman! We have a lot of things to do!

I keep on dialling her cellphone but she never answers, right now I have no choice but to do all her pending work!

It is already 10 am now and she is still not here but I don’t mind now at all since I am almost done with everything.

I was about to actually take a little break when my phone rings and it is non-other than her, that irresponsible woman!

I answer the call I am a little surprised when she seems to act nice, I mean I don’t hear any swearing or sign of attitude from her, she just informs me to give her at least 45 minutes to get to the office.

A little later she really did what she said, she was here now, and I am surprised when she put a latte on my table which is really weird but yeah nice.

Instead of telling her about few things I just go back from sitting then it's almost an hour passed when she suddenly approaches me with those unexpected questions.

She is asking about the BCC competitor the Carsen Construction Company so I just inform her the things about them that I know but I am a little stunned when she mentions the family surname of the people who put my dad in prison five years ago.

I just act cool about it though I try to ask her what was the sudden question is all about, the thought that she will not be going to tell me, It was another way around.

She said that the person behind the death of her mother is an Arsenas that honestly shocks me.

I want to avoid her from seeking my help but when she holds my hand, I can sense that she really desperate to know it, I kind noticing her acting earlier even this holding hand thingy but I do know is that the reality that she is just seeking justice which we are at the same foot somehow.

I am not sure about my Dad’s case and involvement with them but I need to give him a benefit of the doubt that no one did for him five years ago.

We don’t have money at that time and my Dad is the only person who works for us. That is also the reason why I and mom start to do shits again before I met Mr. Sebastian.

I don’t know how to help her, but I am sure that my Dad can.

“I don’t know either about them but I know who can help us..” I said then pick up my things and head our way to our house.

Upon getting into our house, Ms. Bernards suddenly stop from entering, I look at her and she is looking shocked, when I look to where she is gazing upon… its, its mom and Dad.

“Hey sweety, is she your boss? She is so pretty” Mom said

“Hello there Ma’am, welcome to our humble home,” Dad said greeting Ms. Bernards that is still looking at them.

I try to simply poke her with my elbow and that is just the time she gets back to her senses.

“H-Hi sir, Hi Ma’am” she greeted back them so we both enter the house.

I make her sit on the couch while helping Mom preparing a snack when Dad asks her directly.

“So what help can I give you Ma’am,” he said, honestly I am kind of nervous about this, I mean we really have the worst past with Arsenas, but I believe helping her would at least make my Dad talk about them that he never told us.

I saw Ms. Bernards get her bag and looking for something, then she let out a piece of paper I guess but when she put it up and let Dad see it, I can see that it is a photo.

The smile on my father’s face is suddenly gone which makes me confuse so I walk towards them then look at the picture.

I am also surprised to see my parents with me having pictures with a woman.

Damn, how did she have that? What is really her connection to us?

“W-where did you get that Ma’am?” dad asks while startling

“She is my mom, Samantha Rosas Bernards,” she said that literally shocks me, so they know her mother?

“Y-you are Mhavel?” Mom said

“Yes I am” Ms. Bernards confirm.

“So, what is really your reason for coming here?” Dad asks

“I just want to know about this picture, please tell me,” she asks

Mom sits beside Dad and I just sit beside Ms. Bernards.

As I can see them they are both getting nervous right now.

“ We are all  friends, Ms. Samantha has been always kind to us, even when we are still in France, she helps us with a lot of things, the three of us becomes best friend” Mom explains

“ That picture was when Sanhia is just two years old, Ms. Sam your mom is her godmother, it was Sanhia’s christening that time and it was at the St. Benedict chapel in France” dad explains

“Why did you just want to know it Mhavel? How was Ms. Samantha?” Mom ask

And when she was about to answer mom’s question I speak over her.

“Ms. Samantha is already dead,” I said that literally shocks my parents

“W-what? When? How?” Dad asks while his tears are now forming his eyes together with mom.

“The real question I have is not only asking about your connection to my mom but actually about this picture, look closely, the woman behind you guys that is looking straight to mom, do you know her is she an Arsenas?” she asks furiously

Dad and Mom look carefully at the woman and I can see that they don’t know her.

“I am sorry to disappoint you child but we saw her before and I don’t think she is, I mean we both met the Arsenas couple,” Mom said

“If you don’t mind me asking Ma’am, why do you want to know her?” Dad asks

Ms. Bernards becomes silent first before opens her mouth and face them.

“I and Mom is on the way to our dinner meeting with my Dad when we involved in a road rage, my Mom had a fight with the driver with our driver then that woman suddenly alight from her car, she seems to be the boss of the driver they arguing with, she walks towards Mom and grab her shoulder, my eyes is blurry that time when my head was hit at the window glass when they bump our car, so even I try to listen to what she whispered to Mom but I wasn’t able to, after that incident, Mom becomes weak and pale, she got sick and later die, I know and I believe it has something to do with that woman, especially that she is already existing within our lives even before” she explains that stops us all,

I couldn’t believe she has that kind of tragic experience.

“I am sorry about what happen to Samantha, we really don’t have an idea, we tend to elope for a while after my husband got out of prison,” Mom said

“Prison?” Ms. Bernards ask in confusion, Dad was about to answer that when I start to speak

“He was put in prison for murder, which is why I told you that he knows the Arsenas, he was accused of killing the son of Arsenas” I explained

Ms. Bernards seems to have shocked hearing what I said.

“So you killed him?” she straightforwardly asks which is the reason why I brought her here, she will be the one to interrogate Dad about what was happened.

Dad is the silent one now and I get it if he couldn’t really talk about it but I was shocked when he speaks

“Five years ago I was hired to work at Arsenas Construction in Caloocan, I stayed there for almost a year but something happen the night that their son was killed, I don’t know how to say this but yes, I was there when he falls down to the ground, I am actually cleaning Mrs. Arsenas office when I heard a woman’s shout inside her main office, she has a big office seems like a whole single room with balcony, I quickly get in to know what is going on inside but the room is so dark and I was terrified when I saw a figure of a woman which is very scary, she holds a knife, I could barely see her face since it is all dark inside, then she noticed me and said something in the dark, she said “there you are” which confuse me, I try to recognize her but it is really hard so I try my best to run and hide, but suddenly the door opens and the son of Arsenas walk inside, I pulled him to me and tries to warn him not to create any noise but he didn’t listen, he walks away from me until he got near the balcony I try to run towards him to save him but he seems to see the clear face of the woman with a knife I can see the shock all over his face then the accident happens, he falls down to the ground and I was surprised to see another dead body inside, it’s Mrs. Arsenas secretary, I was accused of killing two people and I don’t have any money to fight for myself so I ended up in prison” Dad explains and my tears is all over my face.

I didn’t know how hard it was for him, I didn’t even try to believe him first…

While I am crying, suddenly I noticed something about the story.

“But Dad, why does the Arsenas son suddenly appear in there? Did he even work there?” I ask

“If I do remember, I know that he is not, but he usually picks her Mom then go home together” he explains that still confuse me about something

“So he is the only key to this case, knowing what happens last five years ago might lead us to answer the mystery about your mom’s death,” I said pertaining to Ms. Bernards

“What are you planning to do then? Don’t tell me you are going to talk to dea—“ Ms. Bernards said that stops her when I guess she already realized what I am talking about.

I just smiled at her and she simply smiled back to me, geez we both look like an i***t.

After the sort of talk, my parents give hug to Ms. Bernards and it later gets into my mind that we are actually connected somehow, her mom is my godmother and my parents Are her mom’s best friend, does it sounds that needed to befriend to her? Nah! Never!

I walk her out of the house and we both facing each other, I noticed her mood somehow becomes light.

“So, are you in?” I ask

“What is?” she asks back

“Going to the old Arsenas building in Caloocan, I am pretty sure his spirit is still there,” I said

“Are you sure that it is a human spirit and not some kind of huge mouse and monster woman?” she asks which makes me rolled my eyes.

“That I don’t, besides we always ready for surprises right?” I said

“Well, aside from that there is a high possibility that I will be possessed again I kind of used to those unbelievable creatures!” she said then smiled

It makes me smile too then I was surprised when she suddenly walks near me then hug me tight while whispering

“Thank you, somehow I find a little chance and hope, I found your parents that my Mom’s usually tells me, thank you for bringing me here” she whispered that stops me,

When she let go of me, I am literally looking up at her face, damn! What is this going on with me, I feel relax with her hug.

After that, she walks towards her car.

And I was about to enter the house when I heard my parents talks.

“Poor child, poor Samantha, if only we can help her, we don’t know who that woman is, the only person who has a huge grudge on her is non-other Catalina Perse,” Mom said

“But she is already dead, remember Samantha told us in the hospital that Catalina was the one who cursed her child that almost killed her when Mhavel survive the curse and got healed she just disappear and reported to be dead” Dad explains.

Fuck! What was really happening now, who the f**k is Catalina? Cursed…is she might be the one who cursed Ms. Samantha but she died a long time ago….damn it! This is too confusing now!

I just enter the house and act like I don’t hear them.

This might be confusing but I must tell Mhavel, and that Catalina? Well, I guess I can locate her with Jhonny’s help so dialled his number.

“Hey Sanie, what’s your next deal now?” he asks, of course he already know that I need his help

“Fine, Can you find something about Catalina Perse,” I said

“Alright, I digging in right now,” he said

“Go ahead,” I said

“It is said here that she is born in Calamba Laguna, the daughter of the farmer couple who was died in an accident, it is also stated here that she just disappear after the tragic outcome to her parents.” He explains

“So she already been missing ever since,” I said then end the call

If she has been missing how come she had become the enemy of Mrs. Bernards?

Gosh! I can't take this anymore, it really makes my head hurts for some reason, I try to go to the washroom and look at my mirror and I was shocked seeing someone else’s face.

When I close and open my eyes it was all back to normal…

Shit, I didn’t even know that face then my cellphone vibrates it is Jhonny and when I check on his message I almost drop the cellphone…

The face of a woman I just saw was….Catalina…

“Sanie this is Catalina Perse’s face”

-From Jhonny.