The Letter of Evelyn #11

 

“What is the problem of Adora? Is she back with her addiction to Meth?” Carlos asked Evelyn when Evelyn said to her father about helping Adora.

“No, Papa. Adora is clean. She has a problem, and I think I can help her.” Evelyn replied to her father.

“Tell me.”

I told the problem of Adora to my father. Hearing about it he said to that the problem was not Adora’s problem but Greg.

“You do not understand Papa; they love each other very much and if I will not help them their love is going to be doomed.” Evelyn answered her father.

“The family of Adora is rich, Adora could help her boyfriend if he really loves him.”

“Adora’s parents have money but not Adora, besides Greg will not accept the help of Adora.”

“If he will not accept the help of Adora, what makes you think that he will accept your help?” Carlos asked his daughter.

“He must not know that I help him and Adora. I do not like she knows it too.”

“How would you do that?”

“That is why I ask your help Papa, maybe you know a way to help Greg in a subtle way.”

“He works in the Hall of Justice, and he is studying Law.”

“Yes, Papa.”

“When will you return to Manila?”

“Two days more here, then I will travel back to Manila.”

“Give me a night.”

My father agreed to help about my plan of helping Adora and Greg anonymously. In the morning of the next day, my father told me how he would help Greg in a subtle way, and I will tell you, Dr. Edgar Montero, the idea of my father were sublimed. I am happy, really, doing good things to others gave me a wonderful feeling, when before, I could not understand why people just help or gave something to others and expect nothing in return. I had thought, that those people were crazy and stupid. Could you imagine, Dr. Edgar Montero what kind of a human being I am then? But helping my friend Adora, slowly but surely, I thought I am becoming a good person.

The help for Adora and Greg seems had worked. One day, Adora came to my apartment with a bottle of champagne.

“Champagne?” Evelyn was surprised when Adora brought champagne with her. Adora was in a happy mode.

“Yes, we have something to celebrate! Evelyn, I am so happy!”

“Is Greg also coming?” Evelyn asked.

“Of course, it is our rendezvous day, but a little late, Greg is becoming a busy body, studying and working!” Adora replied.

“And what are we celebrating?”

“It’s about Greg and our future!”

Evelyn looked at Adora.

“Greg does not work anymore as a janitor. He works now in a prestigious Law Firm.”

“Really? But he is not a lawyer yet?”

“This lawyer approached him and offered him the job.” Adora was excited in telling Evelyn about how Greg had the job in a Law Firm.

“Wow.”

“He said to Greg that he admired Greg for being an outstanding law student and that he wanted Greg to work in their Firm when he graduated. Greg although he has three semesters more to go before taking the Board Exam answered him that it would take long before he can graduate because, he studied a semester now, the next semester no because he must first save money. Imagine, do you know what that lawyer said to Greg? He said if Greg like it, Greg can work in their Firm directly! He directly offered Greg a job!”

“If a Law Firm does that, I think they saw an enormous potential in Greg.” Evelyn said.

“I know Greg has much potential. He is intelligent and has determination!” Adora was proud of her boyfriend.

“So, I assumed Greg accepted the offer.”

“With no hesitation! He is stupid if he will not. Even the salary offered to him was more than reasonable. And that is not all; Greg’s study will be paid by the Firm, a kind of scholarship!”

“What a blessing!” Evelyn exclaimed, in herself she knew, that it was the way her father had thought to help Greg.

“That is why it calls for a celebration! And I before I forget it, Greg also will have his own car, courtesy of the Firm! Evelyn, I am so happy!”

“I am also happy for both of you!” Evelyn said to her friend.

“You see, we will have our future! If everything goes through as it is now, Greg and I could marry each other. He is not rich but being a lawyer in a known Law Firm is already a prestige acceptable to a status in a society.” Edgar Montero, you can imagine how happy my friend Adora is. She already sees a bright future for her and Greg. She doesn’t know that I made these all happened. I was also happy for her. She loved Greg very much and to her, it doesn’t matter if Greg was poor but her family, the status of her family in the high society gave her a problem. Before I am also the same, status is important. You are poor, you are nothing; you have no voice, your meaning or your opinion doesn’t count, even your rights could be taken from you by the people who considered themselves having a status in the society, them the privilege one.

For me as the reality of life creeped slowly into my comprehension, I realized that life is not because you are rich, you are happy. With all the wealth I had, I am not happy. Why? Because I have nobody. Besides my parents there is no one who cares and loves me, what will I do with all the wealth I had? Dr. Edgar Montero, I yearned for love, but I know by myself, I cannot fall in love again. I promised Nelson in his grave, that as long I live, I will not love any man anymore. And I will really stand for that promise of mine, meaning there will be no man anymore in my life.

If I will ban men in my life, what will I do then? What I thought Dr. Edgar Montero was charity work.

“Foundation?” Adora was surprised to hear the plan of Evelyn.

“Think about it, and it would also give good name to you. Who knows, with Greg’s caliber he will also a politician like your father. Status thinks about status!”

“What kind of foundation it would be?”

“I am thinking about helping young girls. Abandoned, forsaken, drug problems! With our foundation, we could help them with emotional and financial support, to finish their study, and more.”

“We only help women?”

“Yes, young and old!”

“How would we do that? I know nothing.”

“I know nothing too, but what is the use of a lawyer boyfriend?”

“You’re right! Greg could help us with the papers!”

“You do that. To start I will ask my father money and if he can help for location and a building.” Evelyn was glad that Adora was willing to start a foundation with her.

Carlos and Teresa were happy to learn from Evelyn, their daughter’s plan to start a charity foundation.

“That is a promising idea, Evelyn!” Teresa was glad about the plan of her daughter. For Teresa it means that her daughter is on the right pad of her life.

“Papa, I need money and a place. Does Nelson have more buildings in Manila?”

“I think so. In Pasay City by the Roxas Boulevard, there is an old house, but renovation is needed.” Carlos answered Evelyn.

“I want a big venue, because I am thinking a kind of Care Hotel for the Old Homeless Women Department, rehabilitation center for drugs abuser, for young single mothers, at least a venue where we can have five departments.”

“That is a big foundation, charity foundation. Nelson already financed many foundations, which you had maintained. And this one more, it will cost you a lot of money.” Carlos cautioned Evelyn about the financial consequences.

“Papa, Adora and I are planning to manage this foundation; I need a location and a small building. The place where I am staying now, the Hotel-Apartment, had only a status of three stars, what do you think if I will convert it into what I am thinking for our foundation? The hotel has four stories. Simply perfect!”

“Well, as I scrutinized all the papers of your properties, that place earned no income, but Nelson had only maintained it because of the employees. If you will turn it into a foundation than you must absorb the people, that are working there.”

“Papa, will you manage the conversion of the place into what I planned? I know nothing about planning and all.”

“I will first manage the papers and then I will hire a construction company to renovate the place. You and Adora will have the charity foundation.”

And it was done. That hotel-apartment was renovated and converted into a charity foundation. The ground floor was for the old, abandoned seniors. It’s with health care facilities, for both men and women seniors; the first floor was for young women with family problems; the second floor for women with drugs problem. The third floor was for my apartment and of Adora too. A part of that floor was also converted into a rest accommodation for employees. It was beautiful Dr. Edgar Montero; we have a roof garden and planted it with beautiful flowers. I am on the right track, and you know, I am proud of myself. Becoming a good person start to roots. ****to be continued****