Trip to Manila

Chapter 2: Trip to Manila

The flight took two hours before we landed at NAIA's airport. The size of Manila is so big, and it's so crowded.

When we left, my actual mother greeted us.

She greeted grandma and sister Tashia while I was just here by their side. I just watch them hugging and talking to each other.

Will she not hug me? Ask me like, how am I? Like what mothers should do to their child? I already feel out of place here.

We took the bus. The three of them talked. I just turned my gaze to the window and put on the earphones.

I can't even talk to her because I don't know what to do. I expect different from this ... very different.

We ate at a restaurant then after that we took a jeepney.

"Why is your skin so dark Laila?" mom asked me.

She paid attention to me, but her question was offensive. It would have been better if 'How are you sweetie?' 'Did you like it here?' 'I miss you so much baby.' but not. It's just my imaginative thinking.

Expectation vs. Reality is really a pain in the ass.

"We always bathe in the sea, that's why."

I took a deep breath. We got off and walked to the tricycle parking lot. I really tried to catch up with them, but they walk so fast!

I carry two enormous bags and there are many people here, so I have a hard time chasing them. My eyes are watering. What if I get lost here?

I roamed my eyes hoping I could see them, but no. I stood on the bench to search them. Thank God! I saw my grandma's head. I rushed to where they were.

"Oh, what happened to you?" grandma asked.

I shook several times. They found a tricycle, so we rode. Grandma and mom are next to me. I prefer to call her mom so they don't get confused by chance.

So awkward, I'm not comfortable with her next to me. I guess she is too, so the feelings are mutual. We have reached Malabon. I found out from mom that we were going there.

We went down to the front of the two-story house. She has a small store. The fat man greeted us. He looks like he is pregnant in the bulge of his stomach.

Is there a man pregnant?

Noisy. Too much noise. They have many people here at home. We went upstairs. The first door will be our room. It is big, and the color is pink.

I lay down on the bed. This day is so tiring. I hope I can last them because I sense that their behavior is not good.

"Wake up."

Someone patted my leg. When I opened my eyes, I saw a lady in front of me. I guess we are at the same age. But who is she? I have not seen her before.

"Who are you?"

Is she house-going? Not really. She is a decent thief then.

"I am the daughter of your mother's husband."

Where is my mom's husband there? I didn't know she had a partner.

"Where is he?"

"Luh. The man that has an enormous stomach." I almost laughed at what she said.

"Ποιο είναι το όνομά σου?" I asked her. Her forehead furrowed at me. Is there a problem?

"What? Just speak English. You speak alien words." she said while scratching his head. What? Alien words? When did Greek become an alien language?

"I said what your name is. And those are not alien words, they are Greek." I explain to her. She nodded.

"That's all. I'm Ella De Jesus." Such a beautiful name like her.

"You, what is your name?"

"I'm Laila Amelita Garcia." We have come down. It was getting dark, and my sleep was getting better.

"What are we doing here in the store? Aren't we going to eat yet?" I thought she woke me up because we were going to eat.

"We'll eat later. Let's sell here first" Well, it's easy to look after the store because we also have a business in the province.

I just nodded.

"Πού είναι η μητέρα σου?" we are facing each other right now because mom's shop is so small.

"What?" Oh, I forgot she doesn't understand Greek.

"I mean, where your mom is?" Suddenly her face was sad. Did I say something wrong?

"She's gone. She died when she gave birth to me." I could not understand myself, I suddenly hugged her. I don't know why!

Maybe because she is kind, and she is pitiful?

Our drama stopped when someone bought it. A handsome man the same age as us, I guess. He bought three salted eggs.

It stunned me when I felt electricity when our hands touched. What's that?

I handed the man to Ella first. I went to the comfort room and washed. Am I sick? Are those symptoms of heart failure?

I was about to leave when I kissed the door. I touched my nose in extreme pain.

"So stupid." I heard my sister Tashia say. I just left her there. I went back to the store while still holding my nose.

"Oh, what happened to your nose?" Ella approached me to check what had happened to my nose.

"I hit my face on my way out." I never said that sister Tashia was the reason.

She teased me about why I allegedly ran earlier. My only alibi was that there's something itchy in my eyes.

She told me about her life so that it would not bore me. I found out that she is also from Mindanao somewhere in Zamboanga.

We cut our story short when they called us because we're about to eat.

We went up to our room because we're supposed to eat there.

After we ate, I got dressed for bed. We laid a blanket on the floor. I was about to go up to bed when my grandmother stopped me.

"It's just for Tashia. We'll sleep on the floor."

What?! The size of the bed is so big for her. Is she a Sumo wrestler to occupy a bed?

Again, I could do nothing but follow my grandmother's instructions. Ella and I were side by side near the door.

I turned my back to them and silently cried. If I only knew this was my destiny when I met my mother, I would not have gone. There are many, what if's forming in my head right now?

I prayed in my mind. 'Lord, please help me. Please encourage me. Please watch over my family in the province, Amen.'

I'm a Garcia so I can handle it, I can overcome it too.

10:34 A.M.

It's noon. Why didn't anyone wake me up? I roamed my eyes; they were no longer here.

I heard their voices from below, so I put my bed away before going down.

I looked at the sink. There are lots of dishes ... so they finished eating. I just sighed.

When I looked at the pot, it was empty, there was no dish left. I took the leftover rice that was glued to the side of the pot. I ate it and paired it with water as my dish.

Life is so cruel. I never thought Cinderella's story would live on.