ESMERALDA stretched as her back ached from sewing all day, but there was a smile on her lips. She had accomplished a lot, and she only needed to deliver them. She had free time today.
Not only Cynthia Lyn and Luvelyn helped her in taking care of Jeremy. Every night, Amadeus came to their house to teach him. Jeremy became more confident because of him. She could not feel that Jeremy was sick. He was energetic and full of dreams.
She looked out her window. Aside from gardenias, there were also roses and cosmos in her garden. The cosmoses were blossoming. Amadeus planted them to make her smile every morning when she woke up.
Amadeus had been staying in San Luis for a month now, but it seemed like he still got no plans of returning to Manila. His reason was that he got competent staff.
Many women fell for his charms, including Luvelyn, but she was unsuccessful because she was friend-zoned. Amadeus said he liked Esmeralda. She did not know what to believe. Even if Amadeus would say he liked her, she would never believe him. Even if she was not the woman that his brother almost married, he would never grow interested in an ordinary woman like her. And if ever his feelings were real, he was sure he would get himself checked by a psychologist to check his sanity.
Why isn't he leaving San Luis yet? Did he feel guilty after what he did to me? Did he want my forgiveness? If I forgive him, would he go back to his everyday life?
When she went out of her room, she met Luvelyn, who was fresh from the bath. "Good morning. Where's Jeremy?" she asked.
“I left him reading in the garden, Madam.”
When she peaked at the window, her brother was not there. The only thing left was his book. “He’s not there anymore.”
“I know, Esmie. His friends might have asked him to go with them to the river,” Cynthia Lyn presumed. “You know your brother during breaks. He likes to wander with his crush.”
Her chest pounded. “To the river? Then why did he not tell me?”
“As if you’ll allow him. You were too paranoid at the mention of the river,” her friend said, rolling her eyeballs.
"I'll go to him. That kid will see," she said through gritted teeth. Who would not worry? The river did not choose any time to take lives. Jeremy was her only family. His condition was another problem for her. Did she have to worry about him going to the river?
She stopped a tricycle and asked her to take her to the riverside. She got down near the broken bridge, and she saw the children standing near the river. “Jeremy! Jeremy!” she called. “Who told you to come to the river without asking permission?”
Jeremy rushed to her, looking restless. “Sister, Brother Richard hasn’t come back yet.”
“What are you talking about?”
A girl with curly hair approached her. “The river washed away the other pair of my slippers. He said he’ll get it back for me. My mother gave the slipper to me on my birthday…” she said and sobbed.
Her heart skipped a beat. There was no rain that day, but the river was still deep. The water was also raging. Memories came back to Esmeralda the first time she saw Amadeus when he and his car were swept away by the flood during the typhoon. She was also reminded of the day she lost her parents.
She came down to the river right away. She looked around the river, hoping to see where Amadeus was swept away. But she could not see anything. “Amadeus! Amadeus! Where are you?” She wanted to swim, but she did not know where to find him. She turned to the kids. “Call for help! Amadeus is…”
Her knees felt weak as she dropped to the stony ground. She was helpless. She wanted to save Amadeus. She did not want something terrible to happen to him. She had not told him that she forgave him yet. That she was not anymore.
"Hey! Were you calling me?" she heard Amadeus called on top of a rock. When she looked up, she saw him standing there. His shirt and khaki shorts were wet. There was a smile of victory on his face as he held a fuchsia pink pair of slippers. He's alive! "Hey, kids! Where are you going? Aimee's slippers are here!"
“Brother Richard!” the children called and ran toward him. When Richard got down from the rock, they gathered around him to hug him.
"We thought you're not coming back," Jeremy said, who was already teary-eyed.
“Why won’t I? I promised to retrieve your crush’s slippers, remember?” Amadeus said and ruffled his hair. He gave the slippers to Jeremy. “Put it on Aimee now.”
“Uuuy!” his playmates teased.
Esmeralda was in disbelief. Amadeus risked his life for a pair of fuchsia slippers. She was worried for him for nothing. She almost had a heart attack.
“Kids, go home now!” Esmeralda said as she came out of the water. The children quickly scattered. She could already imagine her face. Her hair was unruly, her shirt and jogging pants were wet as her eyes glared. She was like the villain of a children’s story who ate naughty children who loved to go the river without asking permission from their parents. Jeremy froze in fear. “We’ll talk about this. Go!”
Then Jeremy ran away. Amadeus walked to her, shaking his head. “Esmeralda. Look, you scared the kids. They’re just having fun.” He offered his hand to help her get out of the water. “Don’t get mad.”
She brushed his hand and walked away. “I am not happy with their game. Jeremy left home without asking permission. Should I be happy?” I almost died of worry for you. Was that only for fun?
"You don't have to get mad at me, too. When I came here, they were already swimming, and Aimee's slippers got washed away. I just helped…"
She turned to face him. “And do you want me to applaud you because you became a hero for a pair of slippers? What if you died?” Her lips trembled as she sobbed. “You were not using your head. I was worried about you.”