The father, who was evidently the 'uncle' in Clarence's email, was silently contemplating.
"So she newly graduated from senior high and probably the same age as you. Was she really asking for payment for these photos or for her designs? What's her true purpose for showing these photos to you?" Both father and mother, the lady in black, looked at Clarence at the same time, waiting for his response.
"The truth is she didn't ask for payment. It was only my idea to help her. She was only concerned that you might copy or claim the idea and designs as ours. Paying her wouldn't be bad for a start unless you have other plans."
"What's her name? ", his father asked with curiosity in his eyes while his mother, being sensitive as a woman, asked something out of the blue between the father and son talk.
"Clarence, you seem concerned with this lady. Do you like her?" His mother asked such a delicate topic since it was all about the love life of their only son. He was the only son and the youngest out of five children. Clarence laughed and brushed off his mother's assumptions.
"No, Mom. Her name is Beauty Ferol." He answered them with a silly smile. Then he went at the window and closed his eyes showing a pondering face.
As he opened his eyes, with a solemn face he deeply sighed then elaborated, "I was kind of one of the reasons of her being bullied when I went to disguise myself as a student of her school so that I can bring Chevy out for a trip during class hours. Kind of, cutting classes. I was sad that she stopped coming to school after that incident. I didn't know she suffered much. It wasn't entirely my fault but it started there. To make the long story short, I just want to help her gain back her confidence." Clarence blurted out feeling ashamed for Beauty's sake. He, also, knew that his mother would dig more so it is better to tell them the truth now.
"What really happened? Why was she bullied? What did you actually do?" piped her mother concernedly.
"We only bumped with each other at the classroom door. Since she was bigger than me, I was pushed back to the door frame and hurt my shoulder. I got angry a little then her classmates started to call her names. I actually tried to settle the problem but her classmates won't stop. She ran away and didn't fight back so I thought she was still fine. I just learned later that she didn't attend school anymore even until graduation. I asked Uncle Len(the principal of Beauty's school) for the whole situation and her email address. I sent her an email to encourage her. Later she mentioned her hobbies so I ask for a photo of her work. So that's what happened." He said the whole story hurriedly, like telling them there's none to inquire more for it was just a trivial thing.
His parents looked at him unknowingly. They believed that there was something out of the whole circumstance but couldn't pinpoint what was it. So they just remained mum and continued with the subject of paying her if she allows to sell them.
Actually, the truth was that he shouted "fat and ugly" at Beauty out of anger when he felt the pain on his shoulder at that time. He really felt guilty afterward, but he still couldn't get himself to admit to them that he said that stupid phrase.
"She's still young and needs to improve more. I'll be glad to pay for these. She can send more if she's willing to sell them. This will be good for our photo collection. How about you, Claire?", the man asked his wife for her agreement.
"That's fine with me. I like these food presentations a lot. By the way, is she aspiring to be a food photographer or a chef? Did she cooked these before taking the photos?"
"She made them all from scratch to cooking up to the presentation. I bet they taste good as well" Clarence proudly said with a smile on his face.
"If that's the case then she can keep the rest for now. I prefer she gets a culinary course and become a certified chef. Later, her collection of designs will be useful for her someday to advance her career. Maybe, we can help her join a competition and she might win. No one knows."
They looked at each other with a knowing smile. The family talk ended in that manner. Clarence left the office with excitement. He couldn't wait to tell Beauty about what his parents told him in the guise of Your Romeo and his "uncle and aunt."
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(Beauty,
My uncle and aunt like your photos and will pay for it. They also asked if you have more with the same quality and sell it to them, they'll be happy to pay. Don't worry they'll pay with a good price.
Your Romeo)
(Yay! I'm happy. OK, I checked on my folder and found 9 more photos I think these were part of the best I have in my collection. Check for attachment. You'll be in charge of the price. I'm not so sure if it's up to their standards.
Beauty)
------------
She thought of selling some for money to open her savings would be a good thing.
(Beauty, the payment for the whole will be 12,000 pesos. I'll send it to you through wire money transfer. Send me the name on to what office should I send the money, your full name, mobile phone number, and address. What are you going to do with this money?
Your Romeo)
(Wow, that expensive? Actually, I was planning on taking culinary. I thought of opening my first bank account and save for my tuition fees and other expenses. In this way, my parents won't be burdened.
Beauty)
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(OK, noted. Just open your bank account first then send me the account number and I'll send the money directly. How about that?
Your Romeo)
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"Grand Mommy, can I ask a favor from you." Beauty was now coaxing her grandma as she was playing the sweet granddaughter.
"You're acting abnormally today. What do you want? Just spit it out," said the elder.
"Can I not whine and coax you a little?... OK, please help me open a new bank account. I sent some photos to a friend and sold them. I'll be paid but I need a bank account to place the money and save."
"Is that all? No problem. This afternoon we can go to a good bank that has branches all over the country so it will be easy for you to withdraw anywhere anytime."
. . . . .
After preparing all the requirements for opening an account, she got her debit card to use for Automated Teller Machine(ATM).
(Your Romeo,
Here's my bank account:
Beauty Ferol
XXXXX54238
Bank of the Philippines
Beauty)
(Got it. Sending the money now. Just open an online account of that bank so you can access easily.
Your Romeo)
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Clarence sent her money online, the amount of 12,000 pesos. Can't believe what she saw. That was too much for 12 pictures. For her, this was very lucrative as she was not a photographer at all. She only took the photos out of a whim.
An apprentice photographer will surely grab this opportunity to sell to Clarence if this was really the exact amount as it was worth, even though, professional photographers probably received more than that. Unbeknownst to Beauty, Clarence sent more than what his father gave him, part was from his own savings.
Since young, the Peres siblings were running around these shops and restaurants while studying in schools. They had been given jobs and been paid as well. So, Clarence had money. All his allowance was from his salary while other kids had to ask their parents for allowance every day. Though he was receiving more than the normal wage, still, he worked hard for them.
His parents did this to them to integrate budgeting and planning into their being. More importantly, the ways of running their company became part of them.
In actuality, their company was very big, covering a lot of both consumable and non-consumable products for restaurants. It had small shops(like coffee bars and pastry shops) all over the country aside from their expensive restaurants with a large number of patrons daily. They knew their children would inherit all of these. Therefore, they equipped and prepared them for their future while they were young.
. . . . .
On Camotes Island. At this time, Beauty's grandparents were really happy seeing the money she received. They were overly concerned with her well being so they were very supportive of her exploits. Somehow, they couldn't just turn a blind eye when it came to an anonymous, probably a man, with money dealings in between. They did ask her on who was the money from and for what reason she was paid for.
Without thinking of hiding the truth, she told them about Your Romeo.
"Beauty, are you sure this is a good person? He didn't even give you his true name, only an alias." Grand Mommy said her fears.
"Yeah, an anonymous maybe just alluring you through your photos with promising payment as a favor for you might have told him you are saving for your tuition, then later will meet with you personally but with a bad motive. Since he gave you a favor you'll accept to meet up with him. Bad, bad, this guy might be part of human traffickers' organizations," added Grand Daddy.
"Oh, come on you both. Your imagination truly can be beyond my ability. There's no string attached between us in this payment. I don't know anything of such favors. Don't worry I won't easily meet up with him. Feel better?"
"We're just reminding you, dear," said Grand Mommy.
Grand Daddy just shrugged his shoulders and made a deep sigh.
For now, life on the island was uneventful but a government project would make the locals' lives a little bit exciting in the following days. Within the local government building in the island, the local mayor had a meeting with his officials and important individuals in every community in the island, including Grand Daddy. The reason for this meeting, the said project, became the pivotal component of Beauty's explorations in the world of cooking in the future.