30 Days with Fina

Day 15

As the credits started to roll, Mary spoke up. "Seryoso mo ah?"

"Di ako seryoso."

"Hindi eh. Normally inaantok ka sa ganitong movies, pero ni hindi ka humikab sa kabuuan ng palabas. Seryoso ka sa panunuod."

"Ano bang gusto mo malaman, Mary? Kanina mo pa pinipilit na may rason yung panunuod ko nito eh." I retorted.

"Ang weird ng kinikilos mo." She pointed out. 

"Psh." I shook my head, annoyed. "Ewan ko sayo,"

I left the attic soon after that, thinking about calling Fina about the damned Disney movie but remembered that she doesn't want me to call her unless its an emergency.

"Pano ko tatawagan yun?" I whispered to myself. "Baka magalit siya..."

But after a moment's hesitation, I finally dialed her number. There was no answer for the first few rings, making me think that she won't pick it up, but just when I was about to give up, the call went through.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Fina!" I exhaled with obvious relief.

"Hello? Sino po sila?" She asked on the other end. I realized that the voice was different. I checked the screen to make sure I didn't dial the wrong number but it's right.

"Fina, si Jell 'to."

"Uhh Jell, pasensya ka na ha? Wala kasi si Fina ngayon. Nanay niya 'to."

My breath hitched upon hearing that. 

"Err, na saan po ba si Fina? May itatanong po kasi ako sa kanya." I excused, trying my best to calm my heart down.

"Nasa ampunan."

"Ampunan po?"

"Oo, malapit yun sa munisipyo kung gusto mo sya puntahan." Her mother said. "Pero kung makakapaghintay naman yang tanong mo, mamayang hapon pa ang uwi nya. Siguro mga alas quatro andito na sya."

"Oh. Ah, sige po. Puntahan ko nalang po sya mamaya. Salamat po!"

"Walang anuman."

I ended the call and stared at the cellphone screen. "Anong ginagawa ni Fina sa ampunan?"

I went downstairs and looked for someone to tell them that I'm leaving only to find Mamita in the living room, reading a book.

I took a deep breath before calling her attention. "Mamita?"

"Oh, Jellane?" She looked up from her thick book that I realized is the Bible.

"Aalis lang po muna ako."

"San naman ang punta mo?"

"Sa bayan lang po." I said. We use the term 'bayan' for the central part of Calauag where the church, municipal hall, plaza, wet market, and the commercial centers are concentrated.

"Oh, sige. Magiingat ka." She nodded and went back to reading her book.

I left the house and rode a tricycle to the municipal hall since I didn't find the distance worth my time walking. When I got there, I looked upon the red-bricked facade of the old municipal hall, remembering that just days before, I went here to get myself sexually harassed by a perverted politician.

I pushed the memory away and looked around for the orphanage that Fina supposedly went to. I saw it just two buildings on the left of the municipal hall, beside the DSWD daycare facility.

It was three stories high, of whitewashed paint and dark green roofing. If not for the small convent on it's left, I would have mistaken it to be part of the St. Peter's School Calauag campus which was just nearby. Its school buildings have the same whitewash painted walls and dark green roofing.