Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 38
The next day, Karlos instinctively woke up early again, this had become his habit. The pitter-patter of rain was still echoing in the house like a soft drumbeat on the nipa hut, and he knew he couldn't sail today. However, he could tell the rain was weaker this time, a gentle drizzle rather than the pounding rain from yesterday.
He decided to close his eyes and sleep again, savoring the rare comfort of a slow morning. The twins were sleeping between the couple, comfortable with tiny fists curled, feeling safe next to their parents. Nothing in the world could harm them while Mama and Papa were close.
When the sun rose, the rain had completely stopped, and the sky was a vividly bright blue.
"I'll check the beach and collect seashells."
"Take care. Don't step on the sand with bare feet, and watch where you're stepping," Maya reminded him with a protective tone.
Karlos grabbed a bucket and tongs, his trusty tools for beachcombing. For the record, tongs and thongs were different, and he was definitely bringing the metal grabbers.
When Karlos reached the beach, he was satisfied to see that his boat was safe and sound. The waves hadn't reached that far, and his chained boat was untouched despite the rain's tantrum the day before.
He looked around and found kids and adults exploring the beach with the excited energy of treasure hunters, each hoping to find something valuable washed ashore. They were digging in the sand using tongs or screwdrivers. Someone had even brought a full shovel and was attacking the sand like they were searching for buried gold.
Karlos followed suit, finding his own spot a little away from the crowd so he could work without distractions.
After a long rain or typhoon, the waves often brought many kinds of seafood to the beach, nature's own way of delivering a surprise haul without sailing out. Karlos dug into the sand beneath him and was surprised when, with just one scoop, he found a crab snapping its claws at the sudden intrusion.
The crab was fat and edible, with a glossy shell and strong legs. Karlos sometimes caught similar crabs in his traps.
He used the tongs to push the crab back to the sea, watching it scuttle away in a hurry, disappearing into the foamy waves. Then he searched for other types of shellfish. It didn't take long for him to find clams and oysters half-buried in the sand.
Oysters, crabs, and some species of clams loved living in brackish water and mangroves, so Karlos wasn't surprised to find them after the rain, especially knowing the mangroves were just south of town and always thrived after a downpour.
After scooping the sand, Karlos found more oysters and clams. He stopped only when he had filled the bucket to the brim, the shells clinking softly against each other.
"Hey, Karlos, you're going to eat these?" one of his old neighbors asked as he carried the bucket back to the house.
"Nope, I'm just going to shuck them open. Maybe I'll get lucky."
"That's good. You know eating shellfish after a rain isn't recommended."
Karlos knew that toxicity increased after rain or a typhoon, especially for shellfish. Since they were filter feeders, clams and oysters absorbed everything in the water, good or bad. They often became contaminated after heavy rain, so people near the sea usually waited three to four days before eating them. It was a precaution passed down through generations of coastal families.
Karlos' intention in collecting clams and oysters was for one thing only: luck. In their region, people gathered shellfish after the rain not to eat them but in hopes of finding the rare prize of a pearl tucked inside.
Maya was a bit surprised that Karlos had collected a bucket so early in the morning.
"Let's cook later. How about you help me open these oysters and clams first?"
Last year, someone from their town had found a golden pearl and earned one million pesos, an event that spread like wildfire through the community and made every fisherman's wife dream of similar fortune. It became a sensation that inspired people to open shellfish, particularly oysters and clams, hoping to catch even a fraction of that luck.
In fact, a few years ago, Maya had also found a white pearl, although it was only the size of a BB pellet. She decided to keep it.
Maya, excited, agreed to shuck the oysters and clams, her eyes already scanning the shells like a prospector eyeing rocks for gold. She wanted to experience the luck again and maybe, just maybe, beat her own record.
The two opened the oysters and clams one by one at the door where the light was good and the breeze kept them cool. The kids were curious, leaning close to watch but keeping a safe distance whenever the screwdriver pried a shell open.
Arabella wanted to eat the meat of the clams and oysters, but her parents both shook their heads firmly. She became grumpy, pouting in protest.
Even though it might seem like a waste, once these clams and oysters were stranded on the beach, they would eventually dry out and die under the scorching sun. The couple didn't feel bad about what they were doing, knowing nature had already decided their fate. If they got lucky and found a pearl, then shucking the shellfish would be worth it ten times over. They worked slowly, using screwdrivers to pry the shells open and taking care not to injure their hands.
"Babe, I found one... I found one!" Maya couldn't help but jump when she spotted a pearl in an oyster, her heart skipping a beat as the small round treasure gleamed in her palm.
"Really?" Karlos was surprised and leaned in quickly to see for himself.
Maya showed him the pearl. It was white, but bigger than what they'd found last time, catching the light with a milky glow. It was one centimeter in diameter, almost as thick as Maya's pinky finger, and smooth as polished glass.
After calming herself, Maya glanced around to make sure no one else had seen their find. Thankfully, no neighbors had heard her excitement, or they'd be swarming the kubo in minutes.
"Mama." Arabella saw the pearl in Maya's hands and pointed at her mouth, automatically thinking it was edible.
"This isn't something you eat." Maya realized her daughter's intention and gently wagged a finger at her.
"How much do you think we can sell it for?" Maya inspected the pearl, turning it over in her hand and looking for any flaws.
"Let me see." Karlos extended his hand, and Maya carefully placed the pearl in it.
The pearl was a complete circle with no imperfections, a rarity. It was a perfect white pearl.
Karlos was impressed. He knew this kind of pearl would be expensive, though he wasn't sure exactly how much since prices could vary.
"Perhaps 50,000 pesos."
"Really?"
Maya was surprised. She had thought it would sell for 10,000 pesos at best. Finding pearls wasn't new in their region, and she had heard of people selling theirs for around that amount.
"This pearl is a perfect circle, and I can't find a blemish."
"Now that you say it..." Maya's smile grew brighter. She carefully placed the pearl in a small cup to ensure it wouldn't get scratched.
Now, opening the oysters and clams was worth it, especially when they had found a pearl that could sell for 50,000 pesos, a sum that could cover many household needs. That was two weeks' worth of fishing without even leaving the shore.
"Let's continue opening them."
"Ah! Ma!"
Arabella called out, asking for food. Maya decided to give the kids small pieces of bread from yesterday to keep them busy and away from the shucking area.
She didn't tire of opening the clams and oysters, even though her fingers were starting to ache from prying the shells.
"Be careful. We have all the time in the world to shuck these. Don't hurt yourself," Karlos reminded her.
The couple didn't stop until everything was open. Out of all the shellfish they had shucked, they found only one pearl, but the excitement from that single find still lingered in the air. They weren't discouraged, finding even one pearl was already worth it.
At least this was better than gambling or playing the lottery, they hadn't spent a cent, and their only investment was time and effort. All Karlos had done was collect shellfish from the beach, a free ticket to a little adventure and the possibility of fortune.
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