PARALLELED: Wait! Why Am I Suddenly Filthy Rich?

Chapter 4: Young Tanya's Prayer

Tanya’s stomach was finally filled up. She badly wants enjoy the moment but Tanya has lot of questions in mind that requires immediate answers. So, she called Gilbert out  and prepared to ask him the question the questions.

“Hey Mr. Gilbert, I would like to-“

But Tanya’s words were halted because as soon as she blinked her eyes in a millisecond, she found herself alone inside a familiar room. 

Isn't this my apartment?

Tanya roamed around and touched her bed; it’s soft. She sat on it to double check and finally reckons that it’s real. She then pinched herself again. After doing so, Tanya jumped around and celebrated.

“I knew it! I knew it! I was just dreaming!” She happily yelled and went to her door to open it but it’s locked. No. It’s actually not….?

Tanya was flustered. Because as soon as she gave the rectangular wood door a proper look, she realized that something is missing. She can’t find a knob anywhere!

“Good evening Tanya.”

A voice from behind made Tanya jump in surprise. She turned and found an unfamiliar teenager in white. The teen smiled at her. “Oh, my bad. I’m sorry. I guess you can’t recognize me in this image.” The kid strangely said and suddenly, turned into an old grandma.

That event made Tanya took a few steps backwards until her back touched the door behind. Is it just her eyes tricking her, or did that teenage kid really change into an old grandma just like that?

“We meet again, Tanya.” The grandma spoke which made Tanya greatly astonished. She recognizes this old lady from that bus some days ago! “Y-you. Y-you’re that grandma last time! How did you get in here?” Tanya perplexedly asked. But the grandma just stood there and smiled, as a response.

Tanya slowly became suspicious. “Who are you really?” Tanya was expecting a silent reply once again but the grandma spoke this time. “I’m afraid I’m an entity without thy name. All I can say is that I came from you. I was born from your wishes, Tanya.”

That vague reply caused Tanya’s brow to furrow. “What are you talking about? I am too young to have a kid grandma, and aren’t you too old to be my child, too?” Tanya asked after a misinterpretation of the old grandma’s reply. And to Tanya’s additional surprise, the old grandma suddenly turned into a kid.

“I am thy now a kid in appearance but still not your daughter, Tanya.” The kid spoke then turned back to being an old grandma. “Once again, I am you Tanya. I was born from your sincerest wish and prayer. But as for your convenience, simply call me “guardian”.”  

Clearly, Tanya is experiencing an out of this world phenomena right now. A fantasy that only occurred in movies and dramas. Usually, one person’s common sense would probably be gone right now but Tanya’s wits was surprisingly intact. She barely managed to gather them and process the situation. She has long gone accepted that these events aren’t simply a dream now. This strange entity in front of her is real. The butler Gilbert earlier was also real. So, as the twin bodyguards- Morty and Monty.

“It seems like you finally accepted.” Tanya heard the old grandma spoke. “If that’s the case, let’s go back to your home.” After finishing her sentence, Tanya’s surroundings changed again. When she gave it a look, she’s back inside the room from where she woke up earlier this morning. The room from that glass-walled mansion.

“Take a sit first, Tanya. And forgive my preferences but I’d rather talk to you with thy image.” Hearing this, Tanya saw the teenage appearance of the guardian again. Tanya nodded and sat on her bed.  

“Tell me everything right away, guardian. What’s happening?” Tanya asked immediately after staring at the door for a minute.

The guardian smiled. “Your natural intelligence can still mystify thy self. You already knew that the time isn’t really stopped in this world but is just moving slowly, ain't you? I really expect no less from you Tanya.” The guardian was just simply praising Tanya’s high IQ but Tanya dismissed it right away and gestured the guardian to start answering her questions.

The guardian sighed. “Thy questions can be answered in a jest if you close your eyes and trust me. A better understanding of thy grace would be given if one could see the roots of thy request.” The guardian spoke and Tanya immediately agreed, closing her eyes firmly after.

As soon as the guardian touched Tanya’s forehead, Tanya suddenly found herself in very nostalgic place. It’s the street near the Convent Orphanage of Sisters of Mary-- the name of the place she lived and grew up with for 16 years. And when Tanya looked around, she landed her gaze to a very familiar physique nearby. Tanya already knew that no one could see her right now, so she walked towards that person restlessly. She stopped on the side and squatted to level herself from this mischievous kid she’s seeing.

Tanya’s lips arched up as she noticed how her young self was struggling to maintain her tiptoe near the window on one of the neighboring residential houses. She definitely knew what this young Tanya was trying to do. This poor kid was trying to take a view on the on-going movie playing on the television of this particular house.

Yesterday, she heard from the Sisters that this movie was good and popular. And as curious as the young Tanya was, she even dared to ditch her chores just to watch this movie even if she knew that it would earn her an earful of scolding later.

Tanya smiled at the scene and she also took a peek on the movie playing inside. She can still vividly remember the story of this movie: The plot was about a rich old man who doesn’t care about other people. He was selfish, cruel, and self-centered yet he was so privileged and was able to live a good life until his death.

The young Tanya hated the old man but wished to have the same privileges he had. And unlike him, the young Tanya wants it not for herself. But for other people. For those people who needs it more than her.

So, Tanya started to pray everyday in their chapel. She asked the Sisters how to pray successfully and even joins them, too. And she did this for three straight years until she was hospitalized due to extreme fever. Tanya’s prayers stopped at some point but even such, the heavens could no longer turn a deaf ear and blind eye to a selfless and sincere prayers of an innocent child.

Thus, as the heaven’s answer to the young Tanya’s prayer, the guardian was born and from then on, was tasked to watch over her and grant her wish when Tanya turned 23 years old.