Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 96
Brandon was surprised and didn't expect the good news. He stared at Karlos with shock, trying to process the moment.
"Dude, you're not joking, right?" His voice trembled slightly.
"Do I look like I'm joking? Besides, I calculated the time and profit, and it's not a loss if I continue hiring you. Unless you don't want to work with me."
"Working with you is better than working on another boat or being a porter. I don't have to swim into the ocean and check the nets, I don't have to stay in the middle of nowhere for five days, and it's less strenuous than carrying baskets and pushing carts. If I work with you, I have more free time. Even fixing the longline is not that tough compared to my past jobs. On top of that, I earn more with you."
Brandon showed all of his cards, and he was honest about his struggles. He could trust Karlos. For him, earning 1,500 pesos today was a satisfying relief. He knew how tough life could be, and reality itself was a punishing fact. Earning money was never easy, especially for someone like him who didn't even finish Elementary. At least working with Karlos was better than any job he had experienced.
"I'm happy to hear that I can help you. Well then, let's go to the shore, I have to recheck the progress of my house."
Karlos docked the small boat at the beach, paying the teenagers there to look after his boat, a routine he had grown used to. These teenagers were mostly boys who ranged from 14 to 17 years old. Some were playing on the beach, some were gambling under the coconut trees, and some were swimming in the water. Most of them had stopped going to school because they didn't like studying or simply couldn't afford it.
When Karlos and Brandon walked together, Brandon was carrying the styrofoam box filled with a tangled long line. Fortunately, his father always helped him fix it, saving him many hours of work.
"Hey, Karlos, I rarely see you here. Looks like you guys earned a fortune." Andres greeted the two with a grin and teased them.
"What? You miss me?" Karlos teased.
"Bullshit."
The three laughed, enjoying the brief moment. They had a short conversation before going their separate ways. Brandon had to return to their house to fix the long line, while Karlos had to inspect the construction of their house, eager to see whether any progress was made.
Andres looked at the two with complicated eyes, but he was also happy they were doing great.
'... Fishing is not for me, not anymore.' Andres shook his head, erasing his thoughts. He knew himself better than anyone and accepted his limits.
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Karlos yawned as he carried his belongings to the villa. He admitted that he was a bit sleepy, he might have to take a rest this afternoon.
He didn't bother pushing the doorbell. Instead, Karlos opened the metal door next to the gate. Foster only opened the gate for cars. He had a key to open the door which made things easier.
"Papa!"
When Karlos arrived, his sleepy self regained energy when he saw his twins approaching him with excitement.
He put down his belongings in the garage and hugged the twins, lifting them off the ground.
"Did you miss Papa?"
"Yes!"
"Hehe!"
No matter how tough it was, with just a simple smile from Arabella and Iñigo, all of Karlos's fatigue was gone. His motivation to work hard was for them, to make sure that he would see them smile and live with joy and fulfilment.
"Where's my hug at?"
Maya shot a playful glare and Karlos hugged her and kissed her forehead, feeling grateful for her presence.
"I miss you, my lovely wife."
"I know you always miss me."
"How about you, you miss me too?"
"We meet each other every day, what kind of question is that?"
Karlos hugged her tighter and playfully bit her ear, which made Maya squeal in surprise, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Alright, I admit, I miss you too. Are you happy now?"
"Repeat it again."
"Geez, Karlos, I miss you." She hugged his neck and stuck her face closer to his, feeling shy but happy.
"That's better." He chuckled. If this small romantic gesture happened in their room while the kids were sleeping, they might have done the shaboinking already, no hesitation at all.
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That night, Karlos and Maya were at the table, with a notebook, banknotes, and money spread across it.
The twins were already sleeping after a nice dinner that had made them full. Their bed had railings on both sides, perfect for protecting the kids since they moved a lot while sleeping.
"My favorite drama is going to start, let's finish our calculation," Maya said.
Maya pushed some numbers on the calculator. When she confirmed the total, she couldn't help but grin in happiness. Sometimes, she was shocked at how easy life could be compared to her earlier years. Or maybe she was being delusional.
When she turned 18 and became an adult, Maya realized that life was not easy at all, and making money was hard. She never thought she would reach the point where she would have millions in her bank account. Of course, if she sold all of her properties, she could probably earn millions, but that was a different thing.
Right now, the family had liquid funds ready for withdrawal whenever they needed them, a safety net she was deeply grateful for.
4.2 million pesos!
For many people, that amount was impossible to acquire even after years of working.
'No wonder my parents earned a lot when Papa was still alive. Even though being a fisherman is tough, the money they earn is substantial.' Maya thought to herself, remembering her father fondly.
However, she forgot that their province was probably the only place in the country where mid-sized bangka could earn millions despite its size. The reason was simple: the salmon and tuna season in their region. This was the only reason why fishermen there earned a lot of money. In many parts of the country, earning millions was tough unless they had bigger boats and could travel farther into the ocean, which required heavy investment.
In fact, many boat owners traveled to their region around November and December just to catch salmon and tuna.
They were lucky that they lived in the best part of the country where being a fisherman was a valid profession to earn money and build a stable future.
"4.2 million pesos... This is incomparable to what I earned in 1999, back when you were still pregnant." Karlos was speechless, staring at the number again.
"Of course it's different, you didn't have the chance to catch a lot of salmon at that time. You were focused more on trapping crabs," Maya reminded him. She was smiling the whole time, feeling proud of how far they'd come.