Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 78
Three days later, Karlos and Brandon continued fishing as they realized how fast earning money could be during the salmon season. They knew they couldn't earn this much once the salmon ended their migration. As for the Bluefin Tuna, so far, Karlos hadn't been lucky. In the first place, the adult Bluefin Tuna he caught last time was hunted by a great white shark... He could still recall the massive fin slicing through the water, the terrifying moment scared him.
His boat couldn't travel farther from the shore, so he couldn't catch those huge, expensive fish.
Fortunately, their three days of work earned them about 500,000 pesos! It was a blessing, a fortunate event. They hoped that the salmon season would last another month, although they had never heard of that happening. At best, salmon season would last until the first week of the new year.
It was already December 16, 2000, and the salmon season could end in two weeks... much to their sadness.
Brandon earned more than 25,000 pesos in those three days, and he felt like it was a dream. He would count his money, smiling from ear to ear. He sometimes asked himself if earning money was really that easy. The average salary of fishermen in their region was 500 pesos minus expenses, this usually applied to fishermen who worked under a boat owner or captain. As for the boat owners and captains, their daily salary would reach about 10,000 pesos at the least, depending on their catch.
Indeed, the salmon and Bluefin Tuna season was the best time to make a lot of money. The harbor and fish port were always alive, full of excitement. No wonder so many boat owners became richer around this time.
Brandon felt blessed and grateful for the opportunity that Karlos gave him. Being his trusted friend, Brandon would never talk about his fishing spot to others. He knew the sea held secrets, and this one belonged to Karlos.
And now, Sunday arrived, and they didn't have any work despite the good weather. Karlos had to attend church, and Brandon would do the same. Brandon was not super religious, and there were times he didn't attend church. But this week, he wanted to thank the Ocean Goddess for her blessings. If these blessings continued, he would offer his Sundays to the Goddess.
"This is the milk and diapers, Mrs. Wanda. Take care of my twins. We'll return as early as possible." Maya entrusted the twins to Mrs. Wanda. Her voice was soft but carried the tone of a mother reluctant to part with her babies. After living with the caretaker for weeks, Karlos and Maya knew that Mrs. Wanda was a great person they could trust.
"You don't have to worry. I'll take care of them. Arabella and Iñigo are cuter than my children." Mrs. Wanda assured them. She chuckled warmly, her wrinkled hands gently brushing the twins' cheeks.
Maya smiled... Still, she couldn't help but look at her children with worry. Her eyes lingered on their tiny faces, so peaceful, so innocent.
"Kids, please behave." She kissed their foreheads lovingly.
The twins were still sleeping, completely unaware of the day ahead.
"Babe, Foster already started the car. We can leave now."
Karlos rubbed Maya's shoulder. Just like her, he wasn't used to leaving the twins for a whole day.
Unfortunately, Evitac City was quite far from their town, and the travel would be too exhausting for the kids. Long trips were not good for them anyway. Maya smiled and walked ahead.
Karlos leaned down and kissed the twins before bidding farewell to them. He whispered softly, "Papa will be back soon," before stepping out. He promised that he would bring them some nice souvenirs from the city.
Karlos and Maya went inside the car, the vehicle's headlights cutting through the thin fog. The surroundings were still dark. They had to leave early so they could reach the city in the morning. The car left the villa.
When the sun rose, Arabella and Iñigo were confused when they couldn't see their mother. Every day, they had been used to seeing her charming face whenever they woke up. It was even more confusing that they were in the living room instead of their bedroom.
Arabella was scared and started crying. Her tiny hands reached out toward the door as her voice broke into sobs. She couldn't see her mother, which made her cry harder. Iñigo also cried. They thought their mother had left them.
A few days ago, they had already lost breast milk, and now they had also lost their mother. This was a tragedy. Their cries echoed through the house, small, desperate sounds.
"Mama—!! Waahh—!"
"Aww, the kids are crying. Hush, hush, your mother will be back later."
Mrs. Wanda felt bad and prepared milk for them. She rocked them gently in her arms, whispering lullabies in between feeding. They started chugging their milk bottles, their eyes still swollen and red from the shock and sadness. After a while, they quieted down, their soft hiccups fading.
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The couple reached Evitac City at 10 a.m. The car slowed as the urban scenery unfolded, bustling streets, honking cars, and vendors shouting. The streets were alive with people walking to their destinations. Tall buildings stood on every other plot.
Karlos had been in this city once. Even though it looked nice, it was nothing compared to Maynila. The capital city had towering skyscrapers that made people's necks stiff from looking up. In Evitac City, the tallest building Karlos had seen was ten stories at best. Still, the city had its own charm.
Maya had visited Evitac City on many occasions, so she knew the place better than Karlos. She pointed out old shops and landmarks she used to visit.
'I wonder if I'll meet my relatives,' Karlos said with a sour expression.
His relatives had stolen his savings, 30,000 pesos. It took him a year to save that amount while hiding it from his family. Yet his own relatives in the province stole the money from him, leading to his demise. He could still remember the betrayal.
Now that he had a proper job, he realized that killing yourself over 30,000 pesos was quite low. He sighed, shaking his head at his past self.
'Well, for average people, 30,000 pesos is already big. I could start a small business with that amount... That was indeed my plan, but they stole my money. Sigh.'
He didn't want to meet any of those bastard Alejandros, especially now that he was doing quite well as a fisherman.
"We're at the church," Foster announced.
The couple decided to attend the Ocean Church in Evitac City. The structure was beautiful. They had hired Foster to be their driver. Foster was against the idea of earning money since Karlos and Maya were technically the masters of the villa for the time being, but Karlos insisted by inviting him to a nice drinking session and convincing him to become their driver for the day with pay.
"Thank you, Foster. I know you don't believe in the Ocean Goddess. You can eat in a restaurant while waiting for the sermon to end. Just return to the church at 12 noon."
"Alright, I'll be back," Foster agreed. He was a strong believer in the Goddess of Growth, the protector of plants, trees, and flowers. Before becoming a driver, he was a professional gardener.
Karlos and Maya attended the church and listened to the sermon of the priest. The air inside was cool and fragrant. Maya clasped her hands together, whispering prayers of gratitude, while Karlos bowed his head, feeling the peace of the sacred moment wash over him.
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[Author's Note: Yeah, I changed the title. Also, please subscribe to my Pat reon, you can read more advanced chapters there.]