Chapter 1

Monday morning, Weng opens her small grocery store in Pasig City Mega Market and prepares for another great sales day. She's anticipated that it would be her lucky day as horoscope says. Well, she might old at her age but she still believes in fortunes. Being optimistic will bring her life greatness and escape from the negativity surrounds her. That was her goal in life after she achieved those dreams she wanted before. After her parents died, she needs to work hard for her two siblings, Nica and Jessa.

"Good morning, everyone!" she smiled with a tone of positive vibes. She faces her six employees including the security guard as her morning routines and checks their attendance. She managed her store alone and focuses on it since her two siblings have their own family.

"Good morning, Ma'am!" her employees replied and give their best smiles to her.

"That's great! Today is Monday and of course, as I always said, I want you to greet our customers with a happy smile. If ever there's a problem, I'll be in the office. Good luck and happy selling." She clapped her hands three times after her morning speech and walks through to her office. She's very thankful to have employees that she can trust.

IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, Weng left her grocery store for a while and went to Nica's house. Her sister called earlier and notified her that nephew Jacob got sick. She wants to bring him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. She's worried. When she arrived at her sister's house, she hurriedly parked her car and went inside.

"Sis Weng!"

"What happened?" she immediately asked her sister. She already entered her nephew's room and saw him seemed to be just normally taking a nap.

"He had a high fever earlier and thanks to God he's good right now. He's looking for you, Sis Weng. I'm sorry if I even bothered you because I'm just being worried about him." Her sister Nica told her with a slight shame. She didn't want to disturb her but she had no choice.

She sat on the edge of the bed and touched her nephew's forehead. "He's already sweating. If his fever will get a high temperature again, we'll take him to a nearby hospital." He turned to Nica. "Sis, you're my family. You can bother me anytime and there's nothing wrong with that. Besides, this child of yours is also my blood relative."

"Because—I'm ashamed of you. You're the only one who always there for me whenever I have a problem, especially with your nephew. I'm sorry, Sis Weng."

She sighed. "Don't even think about it. The important thing is that Jacob is healed. Have you given him medicine?"

"Yes, Sis. I already gave him medicine," she replied to her.

"That's good. I'll go back to the store to get my cash sales and I'll come back here to watch Jacob. Is there anything else I need to buy? Food, fruit, or anything else?" she asked.

"Sis Weng..."

She noticed that her sister was ashamed again. "I'll take care of it." He stood up. "I told you that no needs to show me you're being like that. I'll do my best I can, Nica.

"Thank you, Sis Weng. I don't know what to do if you're not here."

She smiled. "Alright. I gotta go." She turns to the open door and walked out of the room.

"Take care, Sis."

Those were the last words she heard from her sister before leaving the house.

Weng, a forty years old woman and has two sisters named Nica and Jessa. Nica is in the middle and had two children named Juris and Jacob. Their sister Jessa is the youngest who lives in Cainta and also has a child named Anika. Since their parents died of the disease, she has taken all the responsibility for her siblings. She helps her two siblings to finish their studies but their lives have not been easy before. Her sister Nica helps her with her business while Jessa teaches at a private school but she's also doesn't earn enough. Her two siblings don't have a perfect family after all. Nica was abandoned by her husband and fell in love with another woman. His sister Jessa also lost her husband in an accident two years ago. She's the only one who guides them as well as the daily expenses of her nephews since then.

She has focused on her business since she resigned as a Civil Engineer in a private company and established a small grocery store. Marriage has never crossed her mind. She led to that age without even thinking of having a family of her own. She thought that her relationship with her future husband might not be successful either or she may just get hurt. She's afraid of being alone like her sister's life but she wanted to experience it. When she was young, some men courted her but no one could win her heart because of her priorities in life. She's no longer thought of her happiness because of the dreams she wanted to achieve for her family. She also didn't regret it because her foundation grew. She also has sidelines to friends who hire her as an engineer.

 IT WAS five o'clock in the afternoon when she returned to the grocery store. She took her cash sales from her trusted cashier then left again. She went to the market to buy fruits for her nephew. She rushed to her sister's house again. That's how she loved her family. She's in the middle of being a father and mother to them. When she arrived at his sister's house, she saw her nephew running to her.

"Aunt Weng!" her nephew yelled.

Her eyes widened when she saw him. "What the—"

The boy immediately hugged her. He took her hand and do the Filipino traditional gesture. "Mano Po, Aunt Weng."

"God bless you. Wait, are you okay? Why did you come out? Let's go inside!"

"I'm fine, Aunt Weng." The boy said in a gentle voice.

When they come inside, she found her sister busy organizing their food at the table. Her sister looks up to them and even wondered why her son was with her.

"What the—" Her forehead wrinkled.

"Y-You don't know that your child has woke up from his bed?" she said.

"N-No," her head once nodded.

"I'm sorry and I turned out of the bed. I don't have a fever anymore," said the seven-year-old Jacob.

"Jacob, that's still not right. Look, your mommy still doesn't know you came out," her voice sounds worried.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Weng. I just want to see you," Jacob replied with a sweet voice.

"Alright. But next time, don't do that again. Your mom and will be worried about you." She looks at her sister and handed two plastic bags to her. "Here, I bought food for Jacob. I also bought Jacob's medicine."

"Thank you, Sis Weng." She took it. "Let's eat. I prepared dinner for us."

"Where's Juris?" she looked for Jacob's eldest sister. She noticed that Juris isn't there around.

"She's in Jessa's house. She is teaching her for their English lessons. Let's eat and the food may be cold," she said to her and Jacob.

She turns to Jacob. "Wash your hand first, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Weng." The boy obeyed her and quickly rinsed his hands.

Weng stayed at Nica's house for a few more hours and then she left after. Before her nephew goes to sleep, she also told him not to give distress to his mother and just to rest well.

 IT'S ELEVEN O'CLOCK in the evening when she got home to her house in Doña Juana, Pasig. She was immediately greeted by her trusted Nana Rosing. Her house helper but she doesn't treat her like that. Nana Rosing was more than family to her.

"It's late-night, Weng. Why?" she asked her.

"I'm sorry, Nana Rosing. I forgot to call you because Jacob is sick. I waited for him to rest well and you know that boy. He is always looking at me. Have you eaten yet?" she sat on the sofa.

"Yes, I already ate. And you? I cooked your favorite food."

"I already ate with Nica. Let's just eat that tomorrow." She also stood up and walked through the stairs. "Go to sleep, Nana Rosing. I'm sorry and you are still waiting for me."

"No worries. Alright, and I know you're tired. If you need anything, just let me know."

She just nodded then finally went up to the second floor. There are two floors of her house and only the two of them who lived there. Her siblings do not want to live with her because they also have their place to live. She also considers Nana Rosing's second mother who has also served her for almost ten years.

When she entered her room, she immediately changed her clothes. She could not even clean up her body because she felt tired. When she got dressed in her sleeping clothes, she immediately lay down on her bed. My God! I'm getting older. My hips and back are in pain. The life of a forty-year-old is different. Life begins at forty, as they said. I hope the creator will guide me so that I can help my nieces and nephew to graduate. Even though I was not blessed with a good, simple family, I was happy. He sighed. Why is it that I am not married yet? Hey, and who am I going to marry? They quickly gave up. It doesn't matter anymore and I also lost interest. She's babbling on her mind. After a while, she gradually closed her eyes. She was tired all day and she needed to take a rest well.