Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Cam
I f Christmas Eve was a quiet affair, New Year’s Eve was a whole other thing.
Nikki welcomed local musicians and artists to Cuppa Jo, and we all jammed to good music as we waited for the clock to strike midnight.
Some tables had arts and crafts supplies laid out, while others had cards, board games, and even a full mahjong set.
Readers sat on floor cushions, engrossed in their books, and then there were those who were content to talk over good food and drinks.
There was no pressure to try to fit in. So long as you respected other people’s space, you could do whatever you wanted—which was just how I liked it.
I wandered away from Nikki and Eric, who were chatting up the last singer, and watched Jo play with Milo. Milo licked Jo’s arm, and she squealed and giggled at his antics. It was enough to put a smile on my face despite my worries about work.
Noticing me, Jo hurried over. “Tita Cammy, what happened to your Manila boy?”
I reminded myself not to swear. “What?” I had successfully pushed him out of my mind, and now he’d popped up again, prompted by the one person I never expected to mention him.
“You know, Tito Ally. The tall man who could lift me up to the ceiling.”
“He’s not my Manila boy.”
“But you call him Manila. And Ma said you kissed him.”
“Your ma told you that?” My question came out louder than it should have, but I couldn’t help it.
Jo hummed, waggling her head from side to side. “I heard her and Tito Eric talking about it.”
I could strangle them. What could I say to this girl without lying to her or giving her the wrong idea?
Clearing my throat, I decided on, “Sometimes grownups do things without thinking and they make mistakes.” That sounded good enough, right?
Jo scrunched her forehead. “So kissing Tito Ally was a mistake?”
“Yes.” The biggest I’d made in a while.
“But he’s cute. I bet he could also lift you to the ceiling.”
I hated to agree, but there was a big possibility he could. The guy was stacked.
“Joey girl,” I said in my most serious voice. “Just because a boy is cute and tall and strong, it doesn’t mean he’s worth kissing. Remember that, okay?”
You should remember that yourself , my conscience told me.
Jo nodded solemnly. “But he’s nice too.”
“People can be nice and still not be good for you.” It was the nice ones who ended up hurting you the most because you never saw it coming. I’d learned that lesson once and wouldn’t let it happen again.
“Does that mean we won’t see Tito Ally again?”
“I don’t know,” I murmured, wishing I could say no for sure. Hating that a part of me wished otherwise. “But we don’t need a man to carry us, do we?”
She frowned. “Well, you can’t carry me up to the ceiling.”
My five-foot-one self could not deny that. But it didn’t mean I had to concede. “I could if I stand on a ladder. There’s always a way, Jo. We just have to find it.”
Alonzo
I stared at the hand that Gabe had spread on Jason’s fancy card table. “Again?”
Gabe shrugged, but one corner of his mouth tipped up as Luna let out a dramatic groan. “Pusoy,” he said.
“Against all of us?” I compared the four sets of cards, confirming what I’d guessed.
“It was a lucky hand.”
“You’re always lucky,” Luna grumbled.
Nodding, Gabe said solemnly, “I am. I have you.”
Now it was my turn to groan.
Meanwhile, Luna beamed at him and Tala chuckled.
“Seriously, man?” I shook my head. “I thought Jason was the cheesy one.”
“Oh, that’s tame compared to what Jason comes up with,” Tala said. “But it still amazes me, coming from my grumpy best friend.”
“Blame your sister,” Gabe told me.
“I gladly accept the blame. Also, that was a good one, professor.” Luna gave him a peck on the cheek, and I ducked my head under the guise of counting out the money I owed Gabe.
Between the two of them, Tala and Jason’s engagement high, and my parents’ steadfast devotion, I felt drunk on love—and not in the good way. Nothing reminded you more of your shitty relationship status than being surrounded by couples who were clearly doing it right.
I excused myself from the next round, calling Jason in to sub for me. Then I headed to the bar to grab a fresh beer and a snack. The sounds of a random New Year’s countdown party on TV settled into the back of my consciousness as I tore open a bag of chicharon.
“I’ve been waiting for someone to open that,” Gabe said from behind me.
I offered the deep-fried pork rinds to him. “Why’d you stop playing? You were on a streak.”
“I thought we should give your parents a turn.”
“Ate L was getting extra competitive, huh?” I asked before biting into the crunchy snack.
He chuckled. “We both needed a break. She’s coaching your mom.”
“Nice.”
For a minute or so, there was only the crunching of chicharon and the music from the TV. Then Gabe spoke up. “Did you ever think of studying in the US?”
Of all the questions I thought I’d hear, this one came out of nowhere. “Of course. But I couldn’t leave Mama alone. I considered applying to law school there but”— Dani’s here , I caught myself from saying—”my life is here.”
He nodded. “That was a good thing that you did. Staying with your mom.”
A lump lodged in my throat. “How could I not?” Did I wish I’d gotten to experience the freedom and opportunities that my sisters did in the US? Sure. But I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had left too and something had happened to Mama while I was gone.
“If you ever decide you want to try transferring, just let me know. Or either of your sisters.”
How he’d zeroed in on a thought I’d been stewing on, I had no clue.
I’d wondered how life might have been if I had gone for that option, or whether this mess was a sign that I should consider it again.
It boiled down to one thing, I realized.
“I wanted to become a lawyer so I could help the people that mattered to me. Most of them are in the Philippines, so it makes sense to pursue my career here,” I told him. “But I appreciate the offer.”
Another nod. “I’m not good with relationship advice, but if there’s any way I can help?—”
“What?” Jason’s voice boomed, pulling my attention to the game area overlooking the balcony on the other end of the room.
Gabe and I looked at each other, then rushed over to them.
“Thanks for letting me know, Nat,” Jason said into his phone. “Let me talk to Tala and get back to you.” Ending the call, he took Tala’s hand, his face the picture of worry and anger.
Tala sighed. “It leaked?”
“Yeah. It leaked.”
Cam
“You guys are dead to me,” I declared to Nikki and Eric.
Jo was busy playing with some other kids, and I’d finally gotten the two of them alone.
Nikki looked at Eric and said to me, “Again?”
“We must be cats with all the extra lives we’ve got,” Eric commented.
“Or zombies that keep coming back.”
I rolled my eyes. “Hilarious.”
“Thank you. Glad you finally acknowledged it,” Nikki said. “So what’s the reason for our demise this time?”
“Your daughter asked me about Manila because she heard you two talking about us—kissing.”
Her eyes widened. “Shit. She was supposed to be sleeping.”
“I had to find a way to answer without lying or gaslighting her. You should give me a prize.”
“Your next shake’s on the house.”
“I don’t need the freebie,” I said, though pretty soon, that might actually be necessary with how my job search was going. “I need you to not ruin my reputation with your daughter. She happens to be my favorite.”
“She’s my only daughter.”
“I meant my favorite person .”
“That’s fair. She’s mine too.” Nikki reached out and side-hugged me. “I’m sorry, Cam. I’ll be more careful talking about your sex life when Jo’s around.”
I stiffened. “I did not have sex with him.”
“Yet,” Eric said.
I transferred my death stare to him. “I haven’t heard you apologizing.”
“Technically, I wasn’t the one who talked. I was an innocent listener.”
“As if you didn’t have your own thoughts about the topic,” Nikki teased.
“You guys are so annoying,” I grumbled. “Luckily, I know the perfect way you can make it up to me.”
“You can’t have my daughter,” Nikki said immediately.
I reared back. “As much as I love Jo, I don’t want a kid right now.”
“How much do you need?” Eric asked.
“I’m not taking money from you.”
“A job then?”
I sighed. “Yep. Carlson killed my contract yesterday.”
They both gawked at me.
“Seriously?” Nikki grabbed my elbow. “I’m so sorry, Cam.”
“The fuck were they doing, springing that on you two days before New Year’s?” Eric muttered.
“Right?” Nikki exclaimed. “So much for valuing loyalty.”
“I know.” In the span of twenty-four hours, I’d run through a spectrum of emotions, from shock and denial to depression and anger to, finally, acceptance and determination.
I had also checked my bank account and figured I had two months of runway if I didn’t land any new projects. Less if an emergency came up.
As much as I hated it, I had to face the reality that I needed a full-time job, so I’d be guaranteed a steady stream of income. If I had extra money from side gigs, all the better.
It wasn’t my ideal scenario, but a girl had to be practical. I could deal with a full-time job so long as I got to do it from here.
“You’re hired,” Nikki said.
“Thanks, Nikki, but my original sentiment still stands. I’m applying for work in my field. I just need your help with—” I curled my lip. “Interviewing.”
“You need me to pretend I’m you? When’s the interview?” Nikki offered without missing a beat, and my chest swelled with gratitude at her complete willingness to help.
I took her hand and squeezed it. “If they hired me based on an interview with you, I’d never hold down that job. You’re way too nice.”
“I was going to say they wouldn’t hire you at all if Nikki did the interview,” Eric said.
She glared at him. “Hey.”
“Nix,” he said in a fond but firm tone. “You’re great at parenting, running a business, cooking…so many things. Computers aren’t one of those.”
“I already have too much to do as it is,” Nikki complained. “I’m not wasting my time messing up the computer when one of my best friends is a freaking whiz.”
“You don’t have to either,” I told her. “Thanks for the offer, but I have to do this myself. I just need some tips so they’ll actually like me. You know I suck at talking to people.”
“Only the ones you don’t want to talk to,” she said in my defense, ever the loyal friend.
“To be fair, that makes up the majority of the human population.”
Nikki nodded. “True. Ooh, we can do practice interviews!”
“Nix can be the good cop, and I’ll be the bad cop,” Eric suggested. “So you can learn not to snap at the interviewer when you’re getting annoyed.”
“Yeah, you need to practice controlling your facial expressions too,” Nikki added. “You can’t glare at them just because they piss you off.”
I groaned. “You’re right. Damn it.”
“When’s your interview so we can schedule your practices?” she asked.
“None yet. I’m thinking ahead.”
“Good, we have time.”
Eric said, “We’re going to need it.”
“Operation Get Cam a Job is our first priority this new year.”
And this was why they could never be truly dead to me. They gave me a hard time—and it was mutual—but at the end of the day, they had my back and I had theirs.
Hopefully, their help would be enough to get me one step closer to my goal.