Wearisome Conversations

Margaret got out of the bed at ten in the morning the following day. Well, technically she woke up at seven in the morning, but after drinking some medicines for her hangover, she got back to bed and slept again.

Her mother just lets her do whatever she wants. It’s a Saturday, anyway, and her middle child does not have work during weekends. So she lets her sleep all day long if she wants to.

When Margaret woke up again, she is feeling a lot better than she does earlier. She went out to the kitchen of their three-bedroom bungalow and joined her mother.

“Good morning, Sleepyhead!” Beatriz said to her daughter.

“’Morning...” Margaret noticed the vegetables her mother is chopping. “What are you doing, Mom?”

“I’m preparing lunch to celebrate your birthday.” Beatriz smiled at her.

Margaret was taken aback by what her mother said. She was very touched by her mother’s actions.

“Your siblings and their families will come and eat with us later,” Beatriz said.

“Thanks, Mom.” Margaret smiled sweetly at her mother.

“You’re welcome.” Beatriz smiled back.

Margaret helped Beatriz prepare their lunch. They cooked three dishes plus the usual Pansit, and they even made Leche Flan for dessert. It was noon when their guests started coming. At twelve thirty, all of them are seated at the table enjoying the meals that Beatriz and Margaret prepared.

“You’re 29 years old now, Marga. Any plans of settling down any time soon?” Miguel, the oldest among the three children, asked.

‘Here we go again,’ Margaret said on her mind. Why does her brother - or anyone for that matter - always brings up the marriage thing whenever they meet?

“Do you even have a boyfriend now?” Miguel asked again.

“I don’t,” Margaret answered.

“What are you still doing?” Miguel asked. “You’re not getting younger, you know.”

“Big brother, if only I have the chance, I will get married right here and now.” The food is very tasty, but Margaret is starting to lose her appetite with where the conversation is leading to.

“You know your problem? You’re too idealistic,” Miguel said. “You’re too hooked up with meeting your prince charming. I mean, guys are not always like that. We’re not perfect, but it doesn’t mean we’re not good enough.”

Margaret did not say anything in an attempt to end the topic. But her younger sister pitched in the conversation, prolonging it some more.

“Big Brother, or course Sister wants to have the best man for her,” Bernadet said. “She had waited for so long, so this guy should be worth all the wait.”

“I’m just being practical,” Miguel retorted. “Marga’s a woman. She needs to have kids until she still can.”

Margaret scowled inside. The childbearing card again! When can she escape from such argument?

“Well, how about we help her find her prince charming?” Bernadet asked.

And Margaret almost tolled her eyes if only she wasn’t able to stop herself. She’s already fed up with these conversations over and over again.

“Nice idea.” Miguel looked at Margaret again. “I have colleague, a licensed engineer. His name is William. I can set you on a blind date if you want.”

“I think, my workmate will be better for her,” Bernadet said, then looked at Margaret. “His name is Adam. He’s kind, he’s dependable. He’s a customer sales representative.”

“You said Marga should go with a prince,” Miguel said. “Comparing their salaries, I think an engineer earns more than a CSR in a BPO.”

“Excuse me, Big Brother. CSR has commissions and I bet that is more than what your engineer earns,” Bernadet said.

“William is given 10 percent at least for every project he does. And when I say 10 percent, I mean 10 percent of multi-million projects,” Miguel said.

“That’s not true!” Bernadet exclaimed. “How can someone earn that much?”

Margaret just watched her siblings argue on who she should date among their suggestions. It was her mother who reprimanded the two.

“Will you two stop arguing about Marga’s love life!” Beatriz exclaimed. “Why do you even have to argue who she should date? Just leave it to her, and I’m sure she can find a boyfriend on her own.”

Margaret smiled at what her mother said. She is also glad that her siblings stopped with their argument about who she should date.

“Aunt Marga,” the four-year-old Charlie said. He is Miguel’s youngest child. “You don’t have a boyfriend?”

“I don’t.” Margaret smiled at the young tot.

“I can be your boyfriend if you want to.”

Everyone laughed at what the kid said, except for the other kids who are also oblivious on what’s wrong with what Charlie said.

“Well, I would like to have a cute and kind boyfriend like you,” Marga said to Charlie. “But you’re my nephew, so you can’t be my boyfriend. That’s incest.”

The adults laughed at what Margaret said, leaving the children behind again.

“What’s incest?” Charlie asked innocently.

“You’ll know when your old enough,” Margaret just said. Thankfully, Charlie accepted that and did not ask again.

It was mid-afternoon when their guests left and went back home. Margaret and Beatriz were left alone again as they started washing the dishes and the cookware they used in preparing lunch.

“I’m sorry about your siblings,” Beatriz suddenly said.

Margaret looked at her mother. They just finished arranging the washed dishes on the table, drying them up before putting them back to the cabinets.

Beatriz looked at her daughter as well. “If only you did not have to take care of the family, you might also have a family of your own now.”

“Mom, I did everything because I love our family,” Margaret said. “There’s nothing to regret about that.”

“If only your father did not have a stroke, he should have been the one who worked to provide for the family,” Beatriz said. “You took that responsibility because your brother married earlier than he should. And until now, you are still paying for the debts we incurred for your father’s medication.”

“It’s alright, Mom. Giving me life is something that I cannot repay to you and Father. This is the least I could do.”

“If only your siblings think the way you do.” Beatriz felt sad. “We thought Miguel was our hope, but he did not even take the licensure exam to be a licensed engineer yet, he already got married. And because of the disappointment that caused your father, he had a stroke. You needed to be a working student to support not only your education, but also Bernadet’s. Your brother was useless.”

Margaret winced at what her mother said.

“Then, instead of helping the family, Bernadet got pregnant even before she finished school! She did not even graduate from college and got married already. What an ungrateful child!” Beatriz shook her head because of disappointment.

“Let’s not dwell on that anymore, Mom. It’s all in the past now,” Margaret just said.

“If only you have lived a normal life. But instead, you shouldered everything for us. We should have been better parents. We should have raised your siblings better.”

“Mom...” Margaret went to her mother and wrapper her arm around her shoulders. “It’s not your fault that my siblings turned out to be the way they are. It was their choice. So don’t blame yourself for what happened.”

“Still, you should have had your own family by now.”

“If I have my own family, then who would be with you? And Mac?” Margaret smiled at her mother.

Mac the dog heard his name, making him bark and joined in the conversation as well. The two ladies giggled.

“I am very lucky to have a daughter like you,” Beatriz said. “I pray to God that He will grant you the happiness you deserve.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. My prince charming is about to be delivered. With a big red bow on top.”

Beatriz giggled at her daughter’s joke, making Margaret laugh as well.