Chapter 1
"Grandchild"
I look at the woman sitting on the edge of the sofa who's calling me.
My Grandma
"What is it?"
She's now smiling while looking at me. Like she saw a treasure thing in her whole life. That's what I saw in her evident eyes.
Me too. She's very special to me. I love her more than myself.
"Are you going to the beach?"
She said with a beautiful smile on her lips.
"Yes, I will only be there for a while." I smiled too.
I came closer to her and gave her a peck on the cheeks. Then I bid my goodbye.
Aling Nora is the one taking care of her while I'm away. I need to work here for my Grandma to eat. And I enjoy working here more than my work before I came here to take care of my grandma.
I went to the beach where we, Mariebel and Lorie, would meet. The sea is calm. The only thing you can hear is the splash of the waves. There aren't many people by the sea now. Because they have finished fishing at this time.
I saw them sitting in a hut, they have started weaving and making porcelains. They really don't know how to wait.
They saw me approaching so they smiled broadly. I don't know why they are always so kind to me, when I first came here in Puerto Galera they immediately befriended me. I don't do friends so I declined them. But they didn't stop, they always followed me and bothered me. So, I agreed. And that's when our friendship starts. I thought before that they will only befriend you because of your status in life. If you are rich they will only befriend you because of your money and power.
I experienced that.
I'm very lucky because I have them. My true friends. I treasure them.
As soon as I stepped foot in the hut, they immediately greeted me with a hug. I just laughed at them. They acted like they hadn't seen each other for a few days.
"Beshy!"
They both said. I just laughed at their antics.
"Calm down." I said, laughing.
"Well, we missed you." Mariebel said, sounding like a child complaining. I just shook my head at what they were doing. We started making bracelets. They were still telling stories while working. I just listened to them. This needs to be finished so it can be sold in town. And so I can buy food for me and Grandma.
It took us about an hour to finish because they were more chatting than working. We still cleaned up the things before we went straight to town. We saw many people shopping when we arrived in town. Just in time for many to buy our goods.
Quite a few people bought our goods. Mostly men. Even if it's not for them or they don't like it, they still buy it. I know what the reason is. Lorie even teased me because instead of liking our goods, they liked the seller.
I can't blame them because many people here told me that I don't look like a provincial. I remember the first time I came here, they mistook me for a stranger or tourist.
This is where my mom, Lola's daughter, lived and came from. But since mom is gone, I'm the one taking care of Grandma. And my dad, he's a Filipino half Italian. They loved each other so much back then. I myself saw how they were sweet to each other.
Dad was very loyal to mom back then. So I can say that I have a complete and happy family. But as they vowed, 'till death do us part'. Unluckily my mom died, and daddy was so frustrated back then. I know how heavy his feelings were, but he faced me as if everything was okay with him. He always comforted me because I was also mourning the loss of mom. He never failed me.
I wanted to be with him back then, but I wasn't old enough to think right. I was 13 back then when mom died. I saw how dad cried that day, suffered that day. I thought he would give up too, he would give up on me but he didn't. Months have passed since that day, we were okay. My old energy came back and dad too.
I was 16 that time when I realized the world I was in. Dad is one of the famous businessmen, he has a lot of businesses, connections, and others. He's the CEO of 'our' company. He said 'our' because in the future, I would inherit it.
And that time when I realized what was the real intention of the people around dad. Money, fame, power. When you face them, you think they're angels, you didn't know they're stabbing you in the back. I know dad knows it. I remember when I told him that. He said to me he didn't care at all and he wasn't scared.
When you first look at dad, his face shouts danger. He has a fierce look. Almond eyes, and after all Adonis body. He can call all the girls' attention even if he didn't doing anything.
I wonder if mom fell for dad because of it.
But when it comes to mom, he's very caring, loving, sweet. But if you look at him, you would say that's not his attitude.
I totally smiled when I remember all my happy moments with them when I was young.
It soon faded when the flashback of how daddy slowly getting his breath away.
Before he ran out of breath, he still smiled. A very happy smile.
Then he told me, 'I can see your mother now'. Then at last he smiled.
"Beshy!"
That's when I realized that tears were falling from my eyes.
I immediately wiped it. But I can sense that they saw it. They look at me with worries on their face.
"I'm fine." I smiled. So that they don't have to worry about it.
I breathed a sigh of relief when they didn't ask anymore. Pain starting to envelop my heart. Every time I remember what happened, I feel weak.
We finished selling the porcelains at night. I bought fried chicken in town before I went home.
I caught Grandma waiting by the single sofa near our door. I smiled at that. Grandma has been doing that since I took care of her.
I also caught Aling Nora who was also waiting with her. She smiled at me so I returned the smile. She is Mariebel's mother so she became my friend then.
I thanked Aling Nora before she finally left. I served the food I bought on the table.
"La, I bought fried chicken!"
Grandma just laughed and started to approach the table. She's in a wheelchair now because Grandma can't walk anymore. That's also what the doctor said when I had her treated in Manila last year.
Grandma has no hope of walking because her knee bones have weakened. And this is also the effect of her having a disease, due to old age. I was so hurt then. But there's nothing I can do. It's there already, there's no way to get rid of it. Learn to accept.
It's hard to know that Grandma is the only one by my side and my closest family. I won't be able to handle it if she also leaves. I'm not ready yet.
Grandma took care of me when I was a child, during a time when Mom and I came here. They had a misunderstanding then. It was just a small misunderstanding. It took a week before Dad finally found us. Mommy wasn't surprised then. It seemed like she was expecting Dad's arrival. Dad quickly won Mom over. And we stayed here under Grandma's care.
Mom and Dad went to Manila alone. They didn't take me with them because they would be busy with the business. So Grandma took care of me. From then on, I became close to Grandma. When Mom and Dad came back to fetch me. I cried that day. I didn't want to be away from Grandma that time.
It took a few hours before they convinced me to go with them. They promised me that we would be back here at Puerto Galera. They did. On my 8th birthday, we came to visit Grandma. I was so happy that time. And we also vacation here every summer.
I'm recalling my memories with them. And again, I didn't notice that tears were already streaming down my cheeks. I came back to reality. In the present. Grandma looked at me with worries on her face.
"Grandchild."
She looked at me with pity. It seems she wants to comfort me, to hug me. I smiled at her.
"Don't worry Grandma, I'm fine."
It seems I'm lying to myself. I don't know when I will be fine. If my wounds will totally heal. If they will heal. As long as Grandma is here. I won't be weak. I can't be weak in front of her and other people. I want Grandma to draw strength from me. I want to be her inspiration to be strong. But no matter what I do, I continue to become weak. Because no matter how strong I make myself, what's the use if my weakness is here. My remaining family.
Maybe, just maybe I will soon find my strength to my weaknesses.
