HEART OF THE ROSE

"WHY is the sad face Keira, sweetheart? What happened?" it was her mother, Helen on that evening when she got home.  Keira frantically threw her shoulder bag on the sofa and then took off her shoes and wore a pair of slippers. "My boss just fired me," she said in a calm and yet irritated voice.  She then stood up and kisses her mother. It was when her father Lando entered the house. She approached him and kissed him on the cheek as well.   "Why not? Aren't you close to your supervisor? " there was no trace of any blame, she felt in the tone of her mother, which she followed in their kitchen. "Do you want some coffee?" she asked her again as she sat down at the dining and frowned. She nodded. "It's not my supervisor, our Department Manager. She said my performance is okay, but the problem is the revenue is so low that they have to cut back on manpower, " she said.  Keira works as an office clerk in a bag and wallet company. She has been working there for a year that is why she is having a heavy heart on her sudden dismissal. "It is actually your fault, Keira. You passed the board exam and have a license to teach, but you do not want to use your completed course" her father who also came over to the table for coffee.  Her father was a taxi driver. While her mother was a plain housewife. She is the oldest child and her brother Karl, who is the youngest. She is four years older than him and is currently graduating from the Architecture course. They may have a simple living, but Keira can tell that they are not poor. And since she has a job, she decided to take responsibility for his brother's education since he entered college.  "I see myself in another field, Papa," she said, sipping hot coffee as she watched her mother slice vegetables in their dish for dinner. Her father did not say anything and that made her feel more guilty.  "Tomorrow I need to start looking for a new job. It is not good to remain unemployed, especially now that Karl is in his final year, " she said, looking down at her cup of coffee. "I'll just change my clothes" she added when her parents remained silent. In her bedroom, Keira threw herself into bed. This is not the first time she got fired from her job, it's the second one actually.  But maybe because of her mother and father's insistence on her, now she feels so ashamed. In addition to the fact that if she already lost her job five times. Well, she actually resigned on the other three. Just like what her father said, she is a licensed teacher.  But sad to say she cannot feel any calling in teaching that is why she did not practice it even once. She took an Education course in college because of her mother. She, in fact, enjoyed it.  But because of the fact that she couldn't see herself growing old as a teacher, she tried applying to another profession. "Lord, please give me a permanent job. Please do not include, my career in the zero package of my love life?"  At the last thought, Keira suddenly has her moment of self-pity that is never new to her. Well, she always feels that every time Erik is coming across her mind. Erik and Keira never had a relationship, but she could not understand for herself why for four years she remained loyal to the man. He left and migrated to Canada with his whole family so they got separated. Erik and his father Fidel, who is her godfather was their neighbor. And because of their two-year gap, most of the time, Fidel teases her that she wanted her and his son Erik to end up someday.  At first, she's a little annoyed. Until she notices that somehow she is starting to like it and being charmed by Erik. Until the time came, she was shy to talk to the man or even look at him. She was just fifteen when she confirmed her crush on Erik. And she nurtured that feeling in her heart. But she did not expect the sudden migration of the young man's family to Canada.  She was seventeen and in her first year of college. She was very sad, but what could she do? Although she wanted to say goodbye to the man, she held back. She worries that when she does that Erik may think she likes him and Keira doesn't want it to happen despite the fact that the young man is leaving the country.  It has been four years and after all, it's easy to find someone you want to see through social media nowadays. But she does not have the courage to do that.  She couldn't understand where her defensiveness was coming from but she didn't want to be the one to make the first move so she didn't even search the man's account on f*******:.  Aside from that, she is also scared to know what, if Erik is now a family man? Surely she would get hurt. So, she would rather not have any news about the man.  After all, it was not a good idea for her to make the first move. That's true, she never once dreamed that she would be the first to admit her feelings to a man. For her, it is still better for the woman to be pursued. But she also cannot promise that she will not make the first move, especially if it is true love that comes to her. After getting dressed Keira started working on her resume using her own computer. After that, she tried to find jobs that she could apply online. She found a lot and most of them in which she sent a copy of her resume. But she also has some options for a walk-in application. That includes a newly opened bookstore looking for an office clerk. "I have a very good feeling with this one," she said after printing her resume.