It is late in the afternoon on the last days of October, when the damp wind of the high noon is clashing with the frosty gust of the coming nightfall. In a Catholic country like this, the imminent Christmas season is already felt brought about by the chilling bite of the cold night winds, add to it the flashing lanterns hanging from windows of the town's houses; replicating the Star of Bethlehem signaling the birth of Christ. The collective glow of the lanterns looks like herds of fireflies illuminating the infinite rice fields.
Among these houses which have rectangular pattern of woven bamboo sticks covered in paper with burning candles inside earlier than most, the stone house stands out with its festive of lights display on its asotea. The lanterns on display are of varying sizes of rectangles and elongated circles, overpowering the asotea's regular lamps. Local men have to be employed by Tatang Chuy to build these lanterns from bamboo sticks and papel de japon; these same men had to hang these lanterns onto the balcony. Finally, Diego has to light them up each afternoon along with the lighting of the lamps.
Tatang Chuy has to constantly repeat his instructions to the lamp boy as he is still obviously being haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother, Utoy. He can be seen looking out at the horizon seemed to be scrutinizing the nearby rice fields and tries to find signs of his brother running off the fields into their home. Other times, Diego can be seen weeping secretly on the staircase clutching his brother's camisa, the one that Utoy wore the day before his disappearance, with his cries echoing through the stone house creating a melancholic noise
Ana Rosa sits on her bedside chair looking out at the lantern that hangs on her window, with its light illuminating her pale complexion, giving it an orange glow. Her long hair hangs on her back, with Jimena gently combing it, its shadow covering the maid's.
The stillness of the room is bothered by Ana Rosa's humming. Her voice is saintly, like a lullaby to the servant combing her silky hair. The servant's combing is in tune with her Segnora's inflection, at the loudest hum the servant would start from the top of her head, the combing motion goes down as the humming woman softens her tune, and this would go on repeat. The lady's humming is suddenly disrupted by a dreadful sound of a cry coming off outside, it is of Diego's weeping.
"The boy has been crying each night, I pity him and his brother. I could imagine the family's suffering," Ana Rosa exclaims calmly
"Aling Nita is still inconsolable," Jimena pauses, "Nanang Ditas and one maid had to constantly pay them a visit as their household has been as disastrous ever since Utoy disappeared"
"A household will fail when its matron is in despair," Ana Rosa responds.
Jimena nods her head in agreement as she continues to comb her Segnora's hair. Ana Rosa raises her right hand to signal her servant to halt, she pulls her chair away and picks up the robe that used to lie on her bed, and Jimena assists her in putting it on
"Can you go with me and Ditas one of these days?" Ana Rosa inquires
Jimena stares at her Segnora, confused
"I want to pay a visit at Aling Nita, one day. I could ask the Captain for a gift," Ana Rosa answers
"That will be much appreciated, Segnora" Jimena utters
Ana Rosa stares back at her criada much longer as if she is noticing her for the first time since she arrived at the stone house. She might have been passing by her, though Jimena has been regularly attending her needs, but this is the first instance of her looking directly at her. Only now does she notice Jimena being too frail than what she thought of her. She has prominent cheekbones and elongated jawline, her skin looks duller as she stands in the corner swallowed by the shadow of the room. What really catches Ana Rosa's interest is the servant's swollen belly much emphasized by her thin frame. She appears to her as a child lacking in adequate nourishment,
"You look sick" Ana Rosa interrupts
Jimena is obviously taken aback by her Segnora's impulsive concern. She consciously pulls her veil over and covers her body with it, and timidly fixes some hair strands which hangs over her face, but that does not necessarily change her pale appearance.
"How long have you been working here?" Ana Rosa still staring at Jimena
"For over a year and a half, segnora" the servant hesitantly responds
"Where were you working before then?" she continues probing,
Jimena seems uneasy while clasping the hem of her veil still looking down her toes as if inspecting it to keep her attention away from the ineptness that is starting to build up inside her:
"I was a cigarera in Oton, Segnora," she pauses, "I was also a store keeper at the port of Banate, manning every stores where there were vacancies,"
"You have been around a lot, then. Were you not from Pasi?" Ana Rosa fixes the strap of her robe
"My father was from Molo, and the woman who raised me claimed that he was a Chinese trader living in the parian," Jimena's inflection turns soft
"Is that right?" Ana Rosa pauses, "that could explain your almond-sized eyes then, you certainly had your father's"
"Despite my eyes looking exactly like his, he still did not take me as his own, Segnora. Instead, a distant aunt raised me after my mother's untimely demise at childbirth," the maid's inflection turns from soft to a hinted ache as her voice cracks audibly
"My sincerest apologies for my interrogating, Jimena" Ana Rosa reaches her servant's hand and softly clasps hers with her
"Oh no, Segnora, that is fine. I have long accepted the fact that my father did not legitimize my existence," she forcefully smiles, "and my past is way behind me now, and I have beautiful memories of Molo, despite everything,"
"I would love to hear about it," Ana Rosa smiles back
"I was once a servant at the Parish of St Anne in Molo where the ladies would flock to pray for a lifetime companion. Whether their pleas were granted or not, I no longer found out since most of these women never came back to either show their gratitude for their answered prayers to the saints; or to pray harder. The church has life size statues of women saints perched on aisle pillars, all of which looked delicate. I used to scrub the marble floors of the church and I never failed to look over them in between scrubbing the floors and resting. In the afternoon, I had to scrub the candelaria to rid it of melted candle stubs built up. Of all the women saints in the church, it was the image of the patron saint, St Anne which I could recall the most. She looked serene and supple, arching over her daughter, the Virgin Mary, and only now I realized that you, Segnora, reminds me of her," Jimena finishes with a warm smile.
To this Ana Rosa blushes upon hearing the servant's claim. She covers her hands to her mouth and lets out a giggle;
"The patron saint also bore a gentle face like you, Segnora. She had a complexion like an ivory and she exuded genuine warmth which used to give me peace whenever I prayed upon her back then. It was the same warmth that I feel now standing here before you," Jimena shyly claims while awkwardly staring at Ana Rosa
"The hot bath is ready, Segnora" Ditas calls from behind the door of the master's bedroom commode, peeking her head through the wooden doors.
Ana Rosa slowly reaches the lavatory, leaving her servant standing still in the corner with her head still bowed down. She is clutching the strap of her robe to check twice if it has been tied tightly together while walking towards where Nanang Ditas is situated.
Inside the bathroom, she sees the bath tub filled with lukewarm water, its smoke damps the atmosphere while scents of fresh flowers of sampaguita, lavender and chamomile adorned the air. Gently, the lady removes her robe, along with her under garments until she is naked while standing in front of the old servant. She offers the stripped robe and under garments to her, her smooth complexion contrasting the servant's sagging and aged skin, and she quickly dips her toes into the tub. As if satisfied with the temperature of the water, the lady then glides her body into the tub freely. Its water making some splashing sounds as drips from the tub leaks over the flooring.
"If you need anything, Jimena and I are just outside, Segnora" Nanang Ditas whispers
"How far along is she?" Ana Rosa utters, interrupting the old servant from leaving the latrine
"Pardon me, Segnora?" the old servant responds, confused
"The pale servant, Jimena," the lady pauses to adjust her position in the tub, "I thought I saw her pulse at the base or her neck pumped wildly"
"Oh, Jimena?" Nanang Ditas sighs with a giggle, "the girl do not even know how to fix her own hair. Our Jimena has only been to this house since she started working here, she only knows the other servants. I highly doubt the girl has ever been touched by a man as she, and Segnor Teo basically grew together. They and the farmer's son were good friends since childhood and I don't think they could ever look a each other more than that. The poor girl must also have too much water inside her gut. She could not even finish one full plate of meal, despite the abundance of rice, corn and other crops that she could eat here. I guess the lack of proper nutrition severely makes her stomach swell"
"I would have commiserated the life inside her for her poor nutrition" Ana Rosa pauses, "had she been pregnant, that is"
"Ay, Segnora, I have had almost shoved a plate into her mouth once, but she has been stubborn" Nanang Ditas responds drolly with a soft smile,
Ana Rosa stares at the old servant to exclaim;
"I feel sorry if there is one less person to appreciate your fine cuisine, Segnora" Ana Rosa laughs, "but please do know that there are far more people who are head over heels about them, myself included"
Ditas is obviously touched with the gesture, she clasps her hands together against her chest and smiles graciously
"It was so kind of you, segnora" Nanang Ditas responds, "may I ask if the Segnora considers bearing a child?"
Ana Rosa is astonished with the old servant's inquiry but as her usual demeanor, she hides her surprise with a soft smirk as she washes her hair
" I do," she pauses, " but it might not be a priority. There are far bigger issues in this town that need the Captain's attention,"
"Is that right, Segnora?" Ditas enquires still clasping her hands together, "I once over heard the Captain asking Dr Farin if he could prescribe you some medicine to help you with your fertility. Pardon my being intrusive Segnora, but as a woman, I think I can be of help,"
"The Captain confided to Dr Farin about my fertility?" Ana Rosa puts two of her fingers over her mouth as she stares at the old servant, "this help that you speak of, I want to hear it"
"A woman who lives near the Asisig river can assess if you really have difficulties conceiving. Afterwards, she can massage your stomach because sometimes, a good adjustment on your uterus is just what you need which can be fixed by a hilot. For now, I could prepare an herbal drink from agoso. These are barks from a horsetail tree to ease your menstrual period. After which, if you are interested Segnora, then we can pay the woman a visit" Nanang Ditas finishes
Ana Rosa nods her head as if to agree with the old servant,
"I appreciate your offer, Segnora," she grasp air in, "may you assist Jimena in preparing for my night gown?"
The old servant nods her head and quickly leaves the bathroom while Ana Rosa traces her right hand into her belly