***
THE YEAR 2019, the burial of Jordan Mendoza Jane was wearing a collared ivory shirt, while she was holding the marble and gray jar close to her chest, as she walked down towards the hallways. The maids from the mansion were also there, paying their condolences and wishing that the soul could rest in peace after it had been buried. The emotions were clear from her face as she walked very slowly, while Justin was holding a white rose in his hands. He was behind his mother, as he looked down and the tears trickled down once more. Marian was also there, and she had been perceived to be there when she knew that Justin wouldn't have someone to lean closer to. She looked the other way as Jane walked past ahead of her while sobbing. They stopped in front of the priest in the hallways and bowed down their heads. The chrysanthemums and orchids were lined up on the table as the priest held onto the microphone han***THE YEAR 2019, the burial of Jordan MendozaPaul was left alone on the side of the hallway as Marian stood still and averted her eyes towards the other way. She sighed as she looked down at her feet and she doesn't know what to feel. She had never experienced being without parents or something, but for ma'am Jane, she lost them both."I never thought that the smile I will never see was with my father," Jane shook her head as she glanced the other way and she cried while Danny was looking up from his seat. He saw the name of Jane's father as he heard weeping on the other side."That was when the time I saw him smile 2 months ago... it took so fast for me to realize that it was the last smile I would ever see from his lips," Jane cried as she closed her eyes tightly and she remembered the time when she had to undergo that crisis once aga
***THE YEAR 2019, one month after Jordan Mendoza died.The engagement party for Danny Sy and Marian Aguinaldo.The golden brushes were laid down on the dressing room of Marian as she was sitting down on the couch, with her hair fixed up in a bun. She was looking at her bare face at the reflection, and melancholy music was playing over the speaker by the side. She was at the dressing and vacant room of the Sy's mansion, waiting for the makeup artists, who will be painting her face to make her glamorous.Marian stared back at the grieving eyes looking back at her. This was it. The time she would be marrying someone she doesn't want to be off. She just wanted a happy life, wherein she could decide what will happen to her life. She sighed as she glanced at the door, it opened, and someone came inside.She was holding a black bag in her hand. She was als
"Good Morning, Mr. Ramos!" One teacher greeted Justin as he paved the way towards the faculty. He nodded and saluted to him. The elementary students rummaged their way towards the classroom as the bell started to ring. The wind breezed through the surface of Jacob's Elementary School, and Justin felt the cold air. He opened the faculty office's door and walked straight towards his table. "Mr. Ramos, do you hear the news?" Ms. Santiago asked him. He looked towards her while putting his backpack on his chair and organizing his lesson plans for the first class. "What news?" Justin asked her while scanning the papers. "We are holding a valentine's event on February 13, this Saturday, on the Biñan Town Plaza. And you will be the host," Ms. Santiago said to him, giddy about it. Justin halted and looked at her. "What? Why me?" Justin asked her, surprised. "You are the love expert here. You know, you are the only Values Education subject teacher here that is praised by the children. They
"Oh no, Justin and his mother, it's heartbreaking!" "No, why did his father do that?" "Bad person, bad!" The comments of the children erupted as soon as Justin said the introduction of the story. "I know, class. But, everybody has a reason for anything that they do. Even if it is wrong for someone's eye, some perspective might say that they are walking the right path. Class, let me remind you this: do not judge the person who is wronged and walking the unethical path. Because, at some point, the end of that road, is the judge of our life."***THE YEAR 1999A baby is crying in his rib. The white clothes ruffled across his body, and his cry erupted through the pediatric ward of the hospital. His mother, Jane Ramos, struggled to get up in her hospital bed as she heard the weeping of the baby. His father almost jumped out of the couch as soon as he heard the loud cry. Jane sighed and looked at the crib. Stan stood up from the couch and soothed Jane's back."I will deal with it. Just
***THE YEAR 2001“Happy Birthday, Justin! Happy Birthday, Justin! Happy Birthday, happy birthday! Happy Birthday, Justin!” Everyone is clapping and singing happily to a birthday song. Justin smiled as he saw his mother on his right side and his father on his left side. He observed the whole kitchen and saw the birthday party hats on his uncles’ and aunts’ heads. His cousins are also wearing one, even though they are playing in the living room, and don't want to disturb a celebration that is happening in the kitchen.Justin, a 2-year-old boy now, blew the candle on his square-shaped cake designed with a logo of Superman completed with red and blue icings. He grinned as his relatives clapped.“We can now eat! Enjoy!” Jane exclaimed and passed the plates onto the table. They started to scoop some rice from the large bowl, rolled chicken meat seasoned with minced carrots wrapped around in a wonton, meaty spaghetti, cordon bleu with mayonnaise sauce, and vegetable glazed with butter. The c
"And that is the beginning of the tragic story ahead...," Justin said. *** THE YEAR 2002Stan rang the doorbell of their house while his foot was tapping because of the nervous rising in him. When somebody didn't answer for the second time, he pressed it again. He swallowed and heard that their front door was open. He looked at it and saw that Jane emerged. He smiled nervously and waved. Jane still looks smug even in the broad daylight that shines through the village. Her reaction didn't change upon seeing Stan standing outside of the house. She fumbled for the key of the lock on the gate and unlocked it. She opened it and glared at Stan. "Jane---" "Why didn't you get home last night?" Jane asked, emotionless. "Jane---" "Justin's birthday is yesterday, and your kid is waiting for you. Where have you been?" Jane asked, still not backing down her intense gaze towards his husband. Stan swallowed and opened his mouth. "I was... in a... in an overtime work yesterday... in the offic
"Sir, so how can he read and write if he doesn't know the alphabet?" "Yeah. How can he spell out his name?" "He can talk but he can't write?" The questions from the class erupted again as Justin explained what is the learning difficulty disorder called dyslexia. As they talked upon the story, Justin shushed them softly and the noise calmed down a bit. "He needs to get therapy. It costs a fortune, so his mother, Jane, cannot afford it. How can they sustain their daily needs if you will have to add it on? The question is, how can Justin survive from being like that forever?" Justin asked the children. *** THE YEAR 2005 "How much is the therapy, doc?" Jane asked while darting her eyes from Justin to the doctor sitting across her. The doctor sighed and said, "You can receive special treatment for him for a one to two hour time from teaching professional. It costs about 4,000 pesos per hour. If you want to go for therapy for him, it would cost at least 8,000 pesos per day." Jane wi
*** THE YEAR 2006 "What are we doing here, Jane?" Stan asked his ex-wife. Jane held the cup of coffee tightly and looked at him. "I need to say something to you. About Justin," Jane said. Stan listened intently to what Jane said. Justin, who is a 7-year-old kid now, is suffering from his rare condition called dyslexia and dyscalculia. Dyscalculia, which is also called 'math dyslexia', is a learning difficulty disorder on counting numbers and solving mathematical problems. "About what, Jane? What is it about Justin?" Stan asked and locked his stare to Jane's eyes."Stan, Justin is suffering in a rare condition called dyslexia. And now, he has dyscalculia," Jane said quietly. Stan widened his eyes and gasped. "Dyslexia? What is that? And dyscalculia, what is... what is that?" Stan looks confused by what Jane said. "Dyslexia is a learning difficulty disorder. Justin cannot read, write, and even spell out his name. I used the alternative method, but he should be in therapy. A special