Chapter XIX: A Day in a Life, Part 1
The sound of motorbikes rushing down the Guardino road is a constant reminder that life moves quickly in Hermosa. Ben knows this well—he has just secured a position at a government facility for engineers in Guardino. The catch: it is still only a Job-Order post, which means his contract could end anytime. Still, a job is a job, and the family celebrates with a simple dinner of pancit and fried chicken at home.
But the truth is, whenever work is scarce or schedules shift, Ben finds himself back at home helping Meric with the chores.
"Ben, fold the clothes and then clean the gutter afterwards," Meric calls out one quiet afternoon.
"Yes, Ma," he answers, his voice half-resigned, half-joking, already clutching a pile of freshly washed shirts. Sometimes he sweeps, sometimes he fixes the loose hinges of cabinets, and sometimes—though reluctantly—he even helps with cooking. The neighbors laugh, whispering that Ben is turning into a "domesticated engineer."
Months pass, and a new chapter opens for Mark. Meric decides it's time for him to start kindergarten school at her own alma mater—Hermosa Central School, located still at Barangay IX, Hermosa City.
On the first day, Mark is overwhelmed. The noise of children running around, the stern look of the guard at the gate, and the massive flagpole near the Mabolo trees all make him shrink behind his mother's blouse and jean pants. He is shy, his eyes darting nervously, but when he catches sight of Meric's calm face, the fear melts away. Her presence is his anchor.
Meric takes a walk around the campus while waiting. Standing by the Mabolo trees near the flagpole, she remembers vividly the 1990 Northern Luzon Earthquake—how students once huddled under those very trees, crying and trembling as aftershocks rattled the ground.
"Ah, memories. I still remember I tumbled down back then due to the earthquake." she murmurs, only to slap her arm as a mosquito dives in. Then another bug buzzes past her ear. "Ay Punieta! Even these mabolo trees have not changed—the bugs still attack like armies! So many wasps, yet I'm still and calm here." She retreats quickly, swatting the air.
Inside the old Gabaldon Building, she peeks in. To the north, one of its part now serves as an office, while the middle hall still operates as the Conference Hall. Dusty chalkboards line one side, and the scent of old wood lingers heavily in the air. She feels nostalgia and unease all at once.
Walking southward, Meric approaches the Home Economics Building, where the statue of Gabriela Silang stands mounted. Yet something feels wrong. Instead of holding her sword up high, triumphant in combat pose, Gabriela's statue appears to be lowering its hand, as if surrendering.
Meric frowns. "That's odd. It wasn't like this before."
The other parents whisper nearby. "You know the stories," one says. "This was once a Spanish cemetery. They say the school is haunted. At night, the statue moves."
Meric chuckles nervously but steps back. "Haunted or not, I'm not standing here after dark."
The barangay is not really that shady because according to legend, it was the site of Villa Fernandina, and a fortress was built by the conquistador within the area, and as the barangay name suggests, "Cuta" is fort in Spanish. However, no one really knows for sure, but the cemetery might be true.
She heads to the octagonal shed—fondly called "The Umbrella"—where other parents sit and chat while waiting for their children. She joins the group, sharing snacks and laughter, trading stories about naughty children and strict teachers.
Elsewhere, Elric's wife enrolls Adrion at Divine Word College of Hermosa for kindergarten. Elric himself is busy in Abu Dhabi, sending money home but unable to witness these milestones. It is a bittersweet arrangement: one son starting his lessons at Central, another at Divine Word, both growing up while their one works abroad, he doesn't see progress beyond work.
Meanwhile, at the RQ Store, life for Mercy remains busy. She sells canned goods stacked neatly on wooden shelves, ladles steaming bowls of Miki at the carinderia section, and carefully checks her inventory with sharp eyes.
One bright early morning, a familiar voice greets her.
"Worked a sweat out there. Where have you been to?" she asks, glancing at the sweaty cyclist figure entering the store.
The man removes his helmet and shades. It is Rico. His hair is damp, his shirt clinging from sweat.
"From Santolomingo," he replies proudly. "We rode to the ruined pier at Puerto Beach. I've hung out with the other cyclists and we had Sinanglao over there. After that, I headed to the church of Santolomingo."
Mercy shakes her head but smiles. "Ay Apo, instead of wasting all your energy, go rest first. Then help me with the store."
Rico nods, gulping down a glass of water before heading to the back to carry sacks of rice.
A door creaks open upstairs, and Jonn emerges from his room. He scratches his head lazily.
"Mang," he calls out, "I'll go to Caluipat, to Manang's place. Want me to get them anything?"
Mercy hands him a small paper bag. "Give this to Meric. A perfume—gifted by a friend of mine. I don't use it, so let her have it. And for Mark, give him these chocolates."
Jonn takes the bag, shrugs, and leaves for Caluipat. Mercy sighs as he walks out.
"When will that boy get a real job?" she mutters. Jonn spends too much time hanging out with friends, sometimes staying out late at night. For now, she lets him be, though the worry lingers in her heart.
Rico, on the other hand, is more predictable. On days he doesn't ride outdoors, he stays in the sala on his stationary bike, pedaling furiously while watching TV, sweat dripping onto the floor.
And so the days pass, each following the same rhythm: school runs, store duties, cycling routines, and small family errands.
Then one morning, the familiar jingle of the RQ Store's doorbell rings. A man steps in, and Mercy's eyes widen.
"Maxi!" she exclaims, rushing forward to embrace her younger brother.
They talk animatedly. Maxi's face is lined with age, but his humor remains sharp. "Any updates," he asks, "about Nang and Tang's lot in Guardino?"
Mercy shakes her head. "I haven't gone there in a long time, Maxi. Rogie is still eyeing us. You know how he is."
Maxi nods grimly. "I understand. And I also don't want to go to Banggai."
The name Banggai hangs heavy in the air. Memories rise—family disputes, abandoned properties, and the shadow of what was once proud heritage.
Back at Banggai, the truth is bitter. Junior still lives in the brick house, but the house is crumbling with time. The proud capiz windows are now broken, one side covered with a makeshift sheet of rusty metal. The old antique furniture that once gleamed with polish has been sold off piece by piece, leaving only empty corners and hollow echoes.
What was once a place of laughter and prestige has turned into a skeleton of its past, a reminder of how families drift apart, and how time can take even the strongest walls and reduce them to fragile ruins.
Yet, even amid fading houses and family disputes, the rhythm of daily life in Hermosa continues—Ben juggling work and chores, Meric guiding her shy son into the world of school, Rico pedaling away, Jonn wandering, and Mercy holding the family together with her store, her faith, and her boundless love.
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