Michael's arrival

Chapter 7

That night Engineer Michael asked for my phone number. I haven't acted yet and I gave it to him. I thought he would call or I would receive a text message from him but no.

I just waited for nothing and then the next day I found out that they had returned to the Philippines. I feel super annoyed. It's my first time to thrill with that man and then he just comes home without saying goodbye to me?! What kind of fiancé is he?!

God!

"Ninang, I accept being a temporary coach. How long will that be?" I asked my godmother and she stopped drinking water.

We returned to the hotel after Dad's birthday and we are currently eating breakfast at the restaurant of the hotel we are staying at.

"Are you sure about that, Novy?" I nodded.

"Is it okay with you to leave me here, Tita Mommy?" I asked my aunt. He was the one who nodded.

"Of course, sweetheart. But I can stay with you if you can stay longer. I know that you really don't like this country because your Daddy's family is here," he said.

"No, Mom. You go home together and I can handle myself," I said and turned to my godmother again. "How many days is that, Ninang?"

"Just one or two weeks," he answered.

"Tell your friend the coach. Count me in," I said.

It was noisy in the gymnasium when Ninan Avemn and I arrived. Many tennis players are practicing and I can see that they are all dedicated to their game. It's just that they are all foreigners. Heist.

I can't tell if the weather is good today because it's cloudy. But it doesn't look like the heavy rain will come.

“Hey, Avemn!” a tall woman called and just based on what she was wearing I already knew who she was. She was wearing black jogging pants and a white sports bra with her navy green varsity jacket.

He ran to us and you could see the happiness of seeing my godmother in his looks.

“Coach Daisy!” Nanang Avemn also happily called the girl. She is also beautiful and has a skinny body.

"How are you?" asked Coach Daisy and they hugged each other before kissing each other's cheeks.

"I'm fine. How about you? How are you teaching your tennis players?” Ning asked her.

"I can say that it's good but just a little more practice so they can compete in the competition in the next two months. Tho, they are just beginners," she answered and shrugged her shoulder.

"So I'm with my son. Novy Marie," he said and looked at me with amazement on his face.

"Hi, Novy. Nice to see you today. I often watch you at the Olympics games and you're really amazing," she said and because she's a friend of my godmother I won't be a snob now.

"Thank you very much but I know that I am not at the level of my coach," I saw that my godmother laughed at. It's true that I'm not yet under my godmother's little finger. He is still better in this field.

"That's not true, Coach Daisy. Looks like she's better than me," he laughed and put his arm around me.

"Anyway, thank you for accepting my invitation to be a coach of my tennis players even if it's just temporary," he said making me smile.

"We don't have an invitation yet or my coach plans to compete in the competition so even if I stay here for a few weeks, Coach Daisy. It's okay," I said.

"That's a good one. I'm excited to work with you and I hope my players will learn a lot," he said.

"Thank you for the trust," I told her.

"Come let me introduce you to my players." He even pulled Ninan Avemn and me to take us to the center. "Everyone, come closer here. I just want to introduce you to the two ladies beside me right now. This is Coach Avemn, you know her because she is also one of my former team champions in the olympics games, and the one on my left side is Novy Marie, she's more famous because she's an international athlete, several trophies and gold medals she brought to their country. She is a champion in the olympics games and she will be your coach interim. I hope you will learn a lot from her and her techniques in playing," he said at length with a compliment.

You can see the amazement on their faces, especially when they see the godmother and me. Some even look like teenagers.

"Actually, I really don't have techniques. You just hit the ball with timing. That's all,” I said as if it was very basic to do that.

"This? The great tennis player becomes more humble,” Coach Daisy blurted out. I shrugged my shoulders.

Aunt Mommy was even hesitant to leave me but I assured her that I will be okay here. I'll go home after... Hmm, I'm not sure when I'll go home.

Mommy even left me her black card but I won't use it because I'm going home to Dad's mansion.

I dropped my traveling bag on my carpeted floor and my stepmother's eyes widened.

"Hi, Dad's wife," I greeted and irritation immediately appeared on his face. His reaction can't be painted anymore.

"Sister Novy?" my younger brother Primo called me. He is 23 years old. According to my aunt, Dad gradually taught her to handle their business company. I don't care about that. Daddy forced me into that business once but I still refused.

Because of my brother's excitement, he came to me just to hug me. His Mommy Helleya was looking at us and I just wanted to tease her so what I did was I greeted my brother with a tight hug.

I even held it around his neck since he was taller than me, eh. Men's heights are really like that. I kissed on his left cheek which surprised him. His cheeks quickly turned red. I heard his mother's breathing.

I fixed my brother's necktie and then I smoothed his coat.

"Are you going to stay here, Sister?" it asked me.

"Yup," I simply answered. "Now go to your work," I said.

"Sister Novy?!" This is exactly how they react when they see me. Because they only see me in their mansion once in a blue moon. Because they also know that I don't want to come here and especially to stay but now, I really want to come here.

"Hello, Lemery," I greeted him. He ran to me. He's 15 years old and he's just in junior high school. I don't know where they came from because even though I don't like them they still try to win my heart.

I don't really hold a grudge against them because they are not at fault for what our daddy did to me. But I can't stand to see them because I might become insecure. Because they have a complete family. As for me, Aunt Mommy is the only one who takes care of me.

I hugged his arm. This is another tall one, eh. Maybe they inherited the height from Dad.

"You're so plastic, Novy. Cut if off and don't hurt my children," he promised coldly.

"Mom, please be kind to her. She's my sister," Primo defended me. I still have respect for him, so I didn't glare at him, but he glared at his eldest son.

"And what are you doing here, Novy?" he asked more.

"You're just my daddy's wife and why are you forbidding me to come here, huh?" I asked him. "If you don't want me to be here, you can leave."

"You really have no manners at all. You are such a spoiled brat.” I shrugged my shoulders.

"Go ahead, little brothers. Be careful on your trip," I shooed away my two brothers who were already clinging to me. When they were young, they were like this to me. I'm the only one who stays away from them because I don't want us to be close.

"I'll take your luggage to your room, Sister!" Lemery said excitedly.

"How many days have you been here, Sister?" Primo asked me.

"Depends on your mommy's attitude," I answered as she quickly turned to her mother. I almost laughed when I saw his reaction. I'm strong with his children, eh.

"Please, Mom. Even if it's just for a few days, I hope you don't make my sister angry," he reminded her.

Because of his annoyance, he just left.

"Honey! Your firstborn is here!” he shouted and I think he called Dad. I just shook his head and pushed Primo away. He might be late for his work.

I will talk to Daddy later. It was just casual when he greeted me and my stepmom was like a leech when she hugged my father. Is he jealous because he and my daddy are closer?

"Your Mama Helleya said you are asking for money, Novy?" I rolled my eyes.

"He's the only one who said that, Dad. You know me. I didn't come here just for your money. But if you give it to me, I will not refuse it. It's right that I set up an orphanage. You can be my sponsor," I suggested and his wife started yelling at me. Because he really doesn't want Dad's money to go to nothing. He's not the one working, eh.

"Okay, I'll do that." That's a joke, but my daddy accepted it right away. So, will I still refuse?

Coach Daisy's pets are not difficult to coach because even if they are amateurs when it comes to playing tennis, you can really see their potential. How dedicated they are to playing. I know they will be successful too.

I'm about to spend one month here and Aunt Mommy is nagging me to go home but I always refuse her because my reason is that I want to stay here longer.

If anyone was happy with what I did, it was my brothers. But Cloud, who is my brother to Mommy, he sulked because he said he saw pictures of me and my two brothers on IG whatever. He said we have a bond while he doesn't. He said I didn't pay attention to him at my daddy's birthday party.

I snorted because I thought he was sulking. Poor Mommy's baby boy.

I stood up from my seat when Coach Daisy approached me.

"This is your last day. Thank you, Novy," he thanked and extended his hand. I accepted that with a smile.

"You're welcome, Coach Daisy. I really enjoyed them. Like you can say they lack practice. That's why I know they can do it because I can still see their potentials," I said.

"That's exactly what I see in them. Anyway, are you going back to your country?” she asked me.

"Visiting my brother across the country," I just answered and he nodded.

"Okay, take care."

I looked at my backpack when I heard my phone's ringtone. I know who's calling me. This has been bothering me for 3 weeks now but I intend not to answer.

It's an unknown number but I know who the caller is because I've read his text messages. That's Engineer Michael.

After I got a flight where Mommy and her family are staying for good, I immediately packed my things.

I just left notes for my brothers before I left. I just said goodbye to Dad and he sent money to my bank account. His wife is smiling again because Dad's eldest son is leaving and he has no one to fight with.

Cloud and Primo are the same age. Cloud just went to school again and his Daddy's company has not yet turned over to him.

I was tired from the trip and felt sleepy so I just messaged my brother where he was and he picked me up at the airport. It wasn't long before I saw him.

"It's true that you are here, Sister! I thought it was just a prank!” he exclaimed.

"But why did you still come here even though you thought I was just a prank?" I asked him and I was stuck in his big body when he hugged me tightly. I winced.

"To be sure!" he shouted back.

I pulled his t-shirt when I saw that something was wrong...

“Goodness, Cloud. When I texted you, were you sleeping and naked?!” I asked in surprise because his white t-shirt was inside out.

He laughed and pulled away from me and didn't answer me.

"Let's go, let's go! Let's stay in my condo because you might be tired. The condominium I'm staying at is just closer to here. Tomorrow we go to the house together!” He took my luggage and carried it himself. He put his arm around me and pulled me out of the airport.

He just didn't have his clothes on and when I saw the shoes he was wearing, I hit my forehead.

“Cloud! Your shoes! You're really embarrassing!” I yelled at him in annoyance. He just laughed.

"It's beautiful, right Sister?" His voice has an accent because he's half-American, eh. But he can understand Tagalog because Mommy taught him.

Whenever we meet people, they look at my brother. Not because he looks and looks like a Hollywood actor. He was wearing a t-shirt upside down, his pants with the ends of them turned up. His house slippers don't even match! Imagine his looks with his messy hair! Oh, my God!

I really wanted to break away from him but he was holding me tightly and he was trying not to let me go. Therefore what I do is I just cover my face with my palm.

When Cloud noticed that and put it on, he brushed my short hair from my face. God, this kid...

I laid my body down on my brother's soft bed. I took her pillow and immediately smelled her perfume.

"Sister? Are you sure you won't eat anything? Are you not hungry?” he asked me. I shook my head.

"Later, please. I'm tired," I answered tiredly. He even fixed the blanket on my body.

"Okay, take your rest, Sister. I'm just going out to cook something and without chili." I smiled. He knows I'm allergic to chili. I also wonder if my Mommy knows that, that even my stepmom knows that.

I fell asleep after that even when he woke me up for our dinner since it was already afternoon when I arrived.

"Stop calling her!" I heard my brother scream. My eyebrows met immediately. "She doesn't have a fiancé yet and this is her boyfriend! So stop bothering her— He doesn't even answer your text messages! You are still an unknown number!” he paused. "What? Nope, she was sleeping. Nope...”

To Be Continued...