Berto was carrying a sack of fertilized soil on his shoulder and he walk pass the bridge under the heat of the sun. He was all sweat when he was surprised by his sons who were rushing towards him and helped him with the things he was carrying. His eldest Martin got the sack and put it in the cart he just used from delivering fertilized soil in town.
"Papa, you shouldn't carry this much load. You know these are too heavy. You should have called a cab." Augustus told his father while getting the hat from his armpit and wipping the sweat from his fathers forehead before putting the hat in his father's head.
"It's okay son, I still can manage. You know I'm strong enough." A smile escaped from Berto's mouth.
"That's not the point papa," Martin added, " you know you can't get sick at all since you will be starting to take care of Don Maximus garden tomorrow."
"Are you really starting tomorrow papa?" Asked Leonard, Augustus second brother asked. "Did Mama gave you permission about this? You know you can't do strenuous work that much after you had that stroke. Who would be helping you out then?"
"I guess I will be the one helping papa." Replied Augustus while the four of them made a right trun to a trail from the bridge going to their nipa hut on a hill not far away from the highway.
"I should be the one helping papa for now since vacation had just started and I haven't started looking for a summer job yet," Augustus added.
"But you should be reviewing for the entrance exam you'll be taking for college in San Beda," Martin asked Augustus with a little worried eye. He definitely knew what was on the back of Augustus mind. He happened to eavesdrop Leonard and Augustus discussing the other night about him not pursuing college for the moment since they all knew that it would be hard for their parents to financially support him. Leonard however promised to help support him but with the tone of Augustus voice during the discussion, Martin can sense that he was determined not to pursue college.
"You should think it over Augustus, Mama would be very much disappointed if he learns that you wont be pursuing college just because of financial restraint," Martin added.
"Well, he might be helped out by Kristina anyway. He will be going with her in Baguio. Who knows he might enrol there," Leonard told them after he learned from Kristina awhile ago that he wanted to help Augustus college studies if he will accompany her in Baguio. "I heard you two already agreed about that."
"I will be going with her but I am not to enrol there but to look for a job. Maybe, I will enrol on the next semester if I can make it with a part time job there, "Augustus replied.
"What are you thinking my son? You don't have to do that. Don Maximus already gave you employment too." Berto, their father said after they reached a long bench near their nipa hut. He seated and got his hat and fanned it. "He offered me a job for you in his strawberry farm in Baguio since he heard that you will be going there to study."
"But wouldn't it be too much papa?" Asked Augustus knowing that the Don he heard has a pretty much insulting personality. He heard it from the old folks in town as soon as the word spread over Don Maximus vacation in their hometown.
"I guess it's not Augustus. He was the one who offered it and not me asking him. He heard a lot about you and your academic achievements and hardworking personality, maybe he just admires your deligence and all you have to do is to keep it up."
Augustus and his brothers were all hardworking and are noted to have excellent academic performance in town. His older brothers finished their college within Bukidnon and had managed to start their own businesses.
Martin had a convenient store in town and is married with two beautiful daughters. He earned a degree in financial management and had planned to go work in abroad.
Leonard on the other hand finished his degree in Medical Technology and is still waitong for the board exam results so he was just helping his family around running for errands. He was also promised by a hospital in a nearby city where he had his interns that as soon as the result come out and he passed, he will be hired permanently as a medical Technologist.
Their papa and mama are very grateful with the achievements of their sons knowing that even if the downfall of the legacy left from their forefathers of having a vast pineapple plantation in Bukidnon affected them financially, their sons has still managed to do great in their studies and even made excellent performances.
Augustus has also a promising future. He wanted to become a lawyer and is determined to achieve it. His brothers promised to help him in his studies but his father Berto refused since he believed that his sons basic needs including their studies are his responsibility and that whenever his sons would be able to finish their degree, he wanted them to focus on themselves for their future and prepare for the future of the family that they would be having.