28: The Somebody and the Nobody part 2

“Copy that. Speaking of nobody…” She heard his deep sigh on her phone. “Does it scare you to be a nobody?”

Ashmille got confused by his sudden emotional question.

“Not at all.”

“And why?”

“Because I’m already one,” she answered jokingly.

“You think so?”

“Why? Are you scared to be a nobody?”

“I don’t even think that’s possible. Being a nobody but still maintaining a good reputation in career and business would be ideal. At this point, no matter what image I show, I am still a somebody who is either loved by people or hated. I will still attract those attentions which cannot make me a nobody.”

“We can be both a somebody and a nobody. It depends on how you see yourself, not on how other people see you. Are you okay?” She sensed something wasn’t going well with him.

“Nah, I was just talking about how the world of showbiz can be both a blessing and a curse. Not saying I’m a big time but for a small-time entity like me, I wish I could dodge the punches when they strike at me.”

“You won’t dodge them. If you dodge them, it will only come back at you. Yes, you will exhaust the one punching you, but your win won’t feel like a victory. You’ll face them like a real man and beat them with blood and sweat. It would be painful but worth it. Those bruises and wounds will be the insignia of how much of a man you’ve become.”

Drino tightened his grip on his phone.

“That was some words of encouragement there.”

“Should I be encouraging you? Are you facing some difficulties?” She’s trying to catch him and tell her about his worries.

“No… no, Ashmille. That was just some weird thoughts and scenarios coming out of my mouth. I mumbled too much.”

“Whether we need that advice or not. Always remember and carry it with you.”

“Acknowledged”

“I’ll be going now.”

“Thank you again for everything.”

“Sure”

Then she hung up.

A week later

“Ashmille, Ashmille!” Feviah shouted excitedly.

“Hm?”

“We’re not getting laid off. Yahoo!”

It turns out the company would only eliminate other people from the different department, not theirs.

She sighed in relief. “Thank goodness.”

“But I feel bad for the others. Ms. Ramos and some of the staff will hold a goodbye party. They invited us to it.”

“It will be bittersweet.”

“Yeah, but I will pray for them to find better opportunities.”

“Let’s hope for the best.”

“My prayers worked! I hope my prayers would work on Drino, too.”

It has been a long time since she last prayed. She has been busy with her life; she forgot her faith.

Later that night, before turning off the lights in her bedroom, Ashmille sat and rested her back on the headboard. She closed her eyes and interlocked her fingers.

“Dear Lord…”

She gave thanks for the job that stayed with her. She also prayed for her family, relatives, and friends, which now included Drino. She prayed for courage and wisdom so that he would be able to overcome his struggles with the help of God.

***

Meanwhile, in Montezales’ residence.

“Get a hold of yourself, Drino.”

“Your dad and I met with our investors, and they are ready to help you out anytime as long as you reach out to them. Even our relatives abroad will welcome you to have a fresh start if you wish to wind up.”

“I didn’t tell you to meddle with my own problems, Mom.”

“Drino, have some self-respect and tone down your voice. Admit that you couldn’t solve all the problems on your own, just like how you partnered with many people to execute your app.”

“It was my fault. I didn’t foresee those possible problems could exist. I should’ve done more research and worked with more people. But if I did and still fail, more people would be affected because of my incompetence.”

“Don’t blame yourself. You’re young and still exploring this kind of world.”

“But my parents are both businessmen and businesswomen. I should’ve taken your successful footsteps.”

“We didn’t achieve success overnight, Drino. Your mother and I cried a barrel of tears and burned our eyes out before becoming what we are now. Failing is part of growing. And growing while failing indicates one step closer to reaching your success. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.”

“We don’t want to see you being depressed like that. We’re always here to support you.”

“I’m not depressed, Mom.”

“Then please don’t act like one.”

“Quit drinking. It won’t solve your problems.” Handro stopped him.

“I’ve been drinking since college.” He stood up and walked away.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m driving back to my condo.”

“It’s already late. You can go back tomorrow morning instead,” Aleya insisted.

“Not like that! This is the reason why I asked you to go home and not be alone at your condo. You might be doing something unpleasant with yourself that we wouldn’t know.”

He continued walking when his phone rang for a second. There was a message notification. He read what was on his phone and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Do you still remember Anthasia? She’s one of my close friends in college,” he questioned his parents.

“Yes, she was the girl you were always with,” his father answered.

“She contacted me just now, saying something about resolving my case.”

“She comes from a family of lawyers and is currently studying law herself. She would help you sustain your business. And her family is willing to take my case if anything serious comes in.”

“She’s a brilliant girl! That’s good news,” his mother smiled, and a ray of hope shone.

“I told you, I’ll take care of it. You didn’t need to disturb her for my issues.”

“She’s your childhood friend and has lived away from us after graduating from college. She and her family are very kind to have this case considered. I didn’t ask them, but they willingly did.” Handro stated. “They said they owed us a lot of years ago when their law firm was struggling. This is their way to pay us back.”

“I didn’t do anything to her family, so they should pay you guys back, not me.”

“You’re part of us,” Aleya commented. “Whatever problems you face, we will be here to stand by your side no matter what happens.”

“Do you also remember when I left them, my thesis group, to do my thesis alone? She was furious about what I did. I told myself, I’d repay her for what I did, but now she’s doing me a favor.”

“It’s a blessing that you have friends like her. Your ties never disconnected despite the number of quarrels you had.” Handro remarked.

“Yeah”

Anthasia messaged him ten days ago about offering the family’s service to deal with his case. He was too occupied; he just read it tonight when Anthasia bumped her message.

Drino’s eyes lit with hope. He might have denied her family’s help, but he knows deep inside he needed it. He didn’t imagine that he and Anthasia would be working together on this instead of their thesis. Still, they will both be solving a problem.

Ashmille’s prayer worked.

She sent him another message after.

Let’s meet again.