Chapter 3

My first day in Sitio Maligaya felt completely foreign. Everything about the place was unfamiliar to me. The distant chatter of people outside the house, the sweet chirping of birds, the faint music blasting from a neighbor's speaker, and the distinct rumble of passing tricycles, it was a sensory overload of new sounds. It was a stark contrast to the life I was used to, but this sudden change was something I would never complain about.

I was finally far away from that living hell. This was my new world now.

Sitting up, I stretched my arms before neatly fixing the bed. It was a small, modest bed, but it offered me a profound sense of safety. I was comfortable, and that was all that mattered. Once the bed was made, I walked straight to the bathroom located just outside the room to wash my face. I hissed a curse under my breath when water suddenly splashed all over my clothes, courtesy of my clumsy grip on the plastic dipper.

After tying my hair up into a neat bun, I stepped outside. My eyes blinked rapidly in surprise as I took in the morning scene: locals were sitting around, some enjoying their morning coffee while others caught up on town gossip.

"Miss!"

I wasn't entirely sure if the call was meant for me, but I turned around anyway. My eyes locked with an elderly woman sitting at the lower section of the house. She was seated by a rustic wooden table laden with hot coffee and fresh pandesal.

"Have you just woken up? Come on over and join us. We have fresh pandesal and coffee here," she warmly invited, gesturing for me to come closer. I walked down the steps and politely took a seat beside her.

"Dominic, apo! Fetch another coffee mug from inside!" the old woman called out. It was then that I caught sight of the man who had spoken with Ate Raine yesterday, the very same guy who had assisted us upon our arrival.

So, his name is Dominic? I mused. No wonder he introduced himself as Dom yesterday. It was short for Dominic.

"Hija, what's your name? You're the new tenant, right? My grandson, Dominic, mentioned you to me," the old woman beside me said, drawing my attention back to her. "I was supposed to welcome you yesterday, but my rheumatism flared up terribly, and I fell fast asleep after taking my medicine," she added with a soft chuckle.

"Uhm, is your rheumatism feeling better now?" I asked, a genuine wave of worry washing over me. The sight instantly reminded me of my own grandmother, who used to suffer from the same ailment. I vividly remembered catching her groaning in pain back then.

"Oh, of course!" she replied, beaming a radiant smile at me. My heart instantly melted at the sheer warmth of her expression. "By the way, I am Lola Aida."

A polite smile tugged at my lips. "I'm Raegan. Raegan Denise Cristobal," I introduced myself, gently shaking her hand.

"What a beautiful name," Lola Aida complimented. Just then, Dominic emerged from the house carrying a mug. I noticed he was dressed casually in a white shirt and red shorts, his hair slightly tousled by the gentle morning breeze. Before he could catch me staring, I quickly averted my gaze.

"Here's the mug," Dominic said, casting a brief glance in my direction. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" I nodded in response. He returned the nod before turning his attention back to his grandmother.

"Lola, I'll be doing a side gig at Manong Jerry’s auto shop today. I mentioned it to you last night," he explained before taking a sip of his coffee. I began mixing my own cup, quietly listening to their conversation.

"Will you be eating lunch here?"

"Yes," Dominic stated plainly. He then walked over to his grandmother and gently kissed her forehead. The sight was incredibly heartwarming.

"Take care, alright?" Lola Aida reminded him. Dominic nodded, then shifted his gaze to me.

"Can we talk for a moment?"

Confused at first, I simply nodded and followed him. We stopped right in front of the stairs leading up to my rented room. He turned to face me, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Is the room alright for you? Did you run into any problems last night?" he inquired.

"Hmm, none at all. I slept very comfortably," I answered. He nodded, letting out a deep breath.

"I have a sideline job today, so Lola Aida will be left all by herself again," he trailed off, looking slightly hesitant. "Can I ask a favor?" He seemed a bit shy, but I gave him an encouraging nod to let him know he could speak freely.

"Could you please keep an eye on Lola whenever you have some free time? I usually trust Lester to check on her when I'm away, but now that you're here, could you also watch over her? Sometimes, her rheumatism gets really bad."

For the longest time, I had been blinded by the bitter belief that all men were exactly like my ex-boyfriend: selfish, heartless, cruel, and absolute bastards. But here was this guy, standing right in front of me, looking incredibly soft and vulnerable just asking for a favor to look after his grandmother. I used to think every man was carved from the same monstrous mold, but Dominic was entirely different. They were worlds apart.

"Sure, I'll watch over Lola Aida. I don't really have much to do anyway," I agreed. Dominic smiled, and I couldn't help but notice the genuine spark of happiness in his eyes.

"Thank you so much, Raegan. It is Raegan, right?" he verified.

"Yes, Raegan Denise Cristobal," I reaffirmed.

His smile widened. "I'm Dominic Traise Rosario," he said, extending his hand. I reached out and firmly shook it.

He then bid his goodbyes, rushing off so he wouldn't be late and risk getting scolded. I stood there, watching his retreating figure until someone gently tapped my shoulder. Turning around, I met the smiling face of Lester, who gave me a slight wave.

"Good morning! You're the new tenant at Dom's place, right?" I nodded. "Ah! I'm Lester, by the way. Dominic's friend."

"Raegan," I introduced.

"Right, Lola Aida is calling for you. She says it's time for breakfast," he mentioned. I followed him back down to Lola Aida's area, reclaiming my seat beside her while Lester began spreading cheese over the fresh pandesal.

"Did Dom eat breakfast before leaving?" Lester asked before taking a huge bite of his bread.

Lola Aida let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, that boy! He didn't eat a thing. When I woke up, he was already bathed and probably only had coffee."

Lester chuckled. "Don't worry. He'll probably make up for it at lunch. He can never resist your cooking anyway."

Breakfast with them felt incredibly peaceful. Lola Aida spoke fondly and endlessly about her favorite grandson, Dominic. I learned that Dominic had been raised entirely under her care because his parents were always drowning in work. They didn't share anything beyond that, and understanding the boundaries, I chose not to pry any further.

After breakfast, I headed back up to my place and decided to take a shower. However, upon stepping into the bathroom, I noticed that the buckets were completely empty. There wasn't even a faucet inside, causing my lips to form a pout.

How am I supposed to fetch water?

"Should I ask Lola Aida? Or maybe Lester?" I muttered to myself, nodding at the thought. Leaving the house once more, I made my way down to Lola Aida's house. I caught her just in time as she was busy watering her plants.

"Lola..." I called out. She turned to face me, lowering her water dipper.

"Hija, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"

"Ah, nothing major. I just wanted to ask where the water pump or faucet is? I need to fetch some water for my bath," I explained.

"Are the drums in your bathroom empty?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Oh, hold on a second. I'll just call Lester to fetch water for you," Lola Aida offered, causing my eyes to widen in panic.

"I can carry it myself, lola! I don't want to trouble Lester," I insisted, feeling entirely sheepish. Lola Aida merely waved her hand, shaking her head at my protests.

"Oh, absolutely not. Those buckets are far too heavy. You need help bringing them up to your house. It's perfectly fine with Lester, don't you worry, hija."

Left with no choice, I could only watch as Lola Aida walked past me to call Lester. The young man, who had just been hanging around outside, immediately walked over.

"Lester, please help Raegan fetch some water. Dominic apparently forgot to fill up the drums in her bathroom before he left," Lola Aida instructed. Lester shifted his gaze to me, nodding instantly before heading toward the house.

I followed closely behind him as he fetched the water, repeatedly attempting to lend a hand because the sheer embarrassment was eating me alive. Lester was already drenched in sweat, yet he stubbornly refused to let me lift a finger. I was reduced to a mere shadow, trailing after him until the job was done. After pouring the last bucket of water into the massive storage drum, he turned to face me with another warm smile.

"There you go, Raegan! You can take your bath now," he announced. "Apologies if Dominic failed to fetch water before leaving," he added, making me feel even more self-conscious.

"Thank you so much, really, Lester," I expressed gratefully. Once Lester stepped out, I finally started my shower.

As the water washed over me, my mind wandered to what I should do next. I had absolutely nothing to keep myself busy, considering how unfamiliar I still was with this town.

Closing my eyes, I let out a soft sigh.

Whatever happens, happens. I'll figure it out.