being deeply loved by someone gives you strength .....

Looking at the stockpot waiting for the water to boil, Amor went down memory lane again. "My children are all grown up now," she thought.

"Ma," upon hearing her now 11-year-old eldest son Henry it brought her back to where she is now.

"You're all grown up now my son," she told Henry.

"Not really ma, I still don't know a lot of things."

After having their breakfast Henry, Olivia and Emma set off to go to school and Amor continued on with her usual chores while her 2 younger children are still asleep. "If only life remains as simple as this," she told herself.

At around 10 am while preparing for lunch Theo woke up looking for Amor in the kitchen, "There's no food yet?!"

"Oh..... there's still food left from breakfast, I'm still preparing for lunch."

"Good for nothing, I'll go to Gani's place."

"Uhm..... Theo.....," but Theo is already on his way out of their house.

While nursing her 1-year-old son Michael, she saw a group of people nearby chatting excitedly with each other.

"Pppppssssttt Amor," Evelyn called her out.

"Evelyn, you're there," she then motioned to Evelyn's side.

"What's the fuss all about?" queried Evelyn.

"Ah..... I'm not sure. Why don't you ask around?"

After a while Evelyn got back with news for Amor, "Oh..... Mila is bragging about her regular position as a secretary and that the company will take her daughter as a scholar," answered Evelyn.

"Uhm..... I see, so she has accepted the offer then."

"Did you not accept the offer?"

"That should give chance to other unemployed individuals here."

"It's different this time, Theo seems to have no plan at all in getting back to work."

"Huh?" chuckled Amor. "Since I'm here already he can't just drag me back to the city to work can he?"

"Isn't a scholarship for Henry good enough for you?"

"Of course it is more than enough, but....."

"Yes, any one of us here can replace you but not all employers will offer a scholarship for their employee's children."

"Even if I don't have an infant right now, I will no longer extend my contract."

"You will not extend your contract because you don't want to be away from your children anymore."

Amor can only roll her eyes in response. "Good luck to the next applicant then. I'll get back inside now since the children will be home from school in a bit. I'll see you around."

Seeing her friend leave like that, Evelyn can only shake her head since she knows Amor deserves better than what she has right now.

A motorcycle then came rushing in her direction and since the driver did not wear a helmet she immediately recognized who it was.

"Elias! Are you drunk driving again?!" she angrily asked.

Although it was Elias driving he has Theo as a passenger and his face was red in anger and is catching his breath, "Where is Amor?"

"In the house of course," Evelyn's heart is pounding this time. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Theo only gave her a sigh as a response and walked hurriedly to their house. Amor has just placed Michael in the hammock when their door burst open, "Theo?" she called out.

"Amor has your contract been extended?!"

"Ah..... I....."

"Mila has been extended, why were you not extended?!"

"Oh..... Theo I....."

"Her daughter even received a scholarship from that company, why did you waste the opportunity?!"

"Uhm..... Theo hold on ....." but Theo grabbed her hair instead.

"Do you really want me to work on crutches? If your boss didn't extend your contract I need you to look for another job tomorrow, understand??!" and Theo let go of her hair and walked out of their house again.

Her parent's house is only 1 kilometer away from theirs' but Amor feels she has been traveling for hours.

"Amor you're here, come in," greeted her father.

"I have not paid you a visit since I came back so I just dropped by with the kids."

"Come with me, your mother is preparing afternoon snacks."

"How have you been, pa?" worriedly ask Amor.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"Amor, Jacob, Michael!" greeted her mother. "You can stay in the kitchen while I take out the afternoon snacks."

Looking at her parents peacefully living together, she does not want to disturb them but she also does not know what to do in this situation.

"Ma, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Huh? Yes," Elizabeth's startled reply.

They left the 2 children in the kitchen with Daniel so that the 2 of them can talk in the living room.

"I have made a decision already not to accept the offer to extend my contract."

"Why do you need to tell me that?"

"Because Theo doesn't want to go back to work yet and he wants me to accept the offer instead or look for another job by tomorrow."

"Theo actually has a point, what is it with your employer that always makes you hesitant to extend your contract?"

"I already miss the children's growth for 1 year I don't want to miss another year let alone 2 years."

"Whatever decision you make you know we will always support you."

"If I decide to extend my contract then I would need to bring Henry with me, if not then I'll have to leave tomorrow to look for another job."

"Why do you need to bring Henry?"

"Ah..... Theo heard from Mila that her daughter received a scholarship from the company and he wants Henry to have the same opportunity also."

"Isn't that a good opportunity indeed?"

Left with no other choice, Amor decided to accept Do Yun's offer and give Henry a chance to apply for the scholarship.

"Don't worry about your children, if Henry will indeed get the scholarship I can take both Emma and Michael in. Olivia is old enough to take care of Jacob," assured Elizabeth.

"I don't know how the children will take this especially Henry," long-withheld tears have now been freely released and are dancing on her cheeks.

"I'm really sorry Amor if we cannot be of much help but still don't hesitate to ask and we will sort things out together, okay?"

"Thank you ma I guess I need to tell the kids now so that we can all be ready when the time comes I'll take my leave now," before Elizabeth can respond Amor stood up because her words have now turned into cries.

"Jacob, Michael say goodbye to grandpa and grandma now."

Going back home brought her to reality again, not knowing where to draw her strength from she still managed to walk toward their house.

"Ma. kuya (older brother) Henry and ate (older sister) Olivia and Emma are already home," said the now 5-year-old Jacob.

"Oh..... I see, we'll prepare dinner now for them okay?"

Amor placed Michael on his high chair in the kitchen and he obediently sat staring blankly at his mother busy preparing for dinner.

"I'll be the one to help you prepare for dinner instead ma," offered her now 10-year-old daughter Olivia who just came out from their room.

"Yes, thank you, my child. Uhm..... after our dinner we'll have a family meeting okay?"

"What are we going to talk about, ma?"

"For now I can't tell you yet, it's better if we have all of your brothers and sister later."

Knowing how close her children are to each other, Amor does not know whether to worry about how they will accept her decision or how they will make ends meet now that Theo can't work yet.

Better to tell them that she's sorry now than later.