In Franco's knowledge, his friend Mico has become an enigma to him. Ever since Mico laid eyes on a picture of his older sister, he has been persistently urging Franco to accompany him to the market or even to their house. Now, Franco's intuition about his friend has grown stronger, as he believes that Mico has developed feelings for his sister.
"Oh, Franco, you always come up with all sorts of things. You're still so young to be thinking like that." Claire lightly tapped Franco's shoulder. "How old are you, by the way?"
"He's just the same age as me, Ate Claire," Mico replied.
"Ah, fifteen years old, well, you kids should focus on studying. Don't get involved in relationships just yet."
"What about you, Ate Claire? How old are you?" Franco asked in return.
"She's already twenty-two," Mico emphasized in his response.
"You don't look it. You seem like you're only fifteen, Ate Claire."
"Oh, so your friend Mico is quite the charmer, huh?" Claire said with a chuckle.
"Maybe you have plans to court my sister, Franco," Mico teased.
"Oh, these kids. Look at where the conversation has gone," Aling Pasing commented, who had been eavesdropping.
Franco stopped talking but couldn't help stealing glances at Claire until they prepared to go home. The young man still lingered.
"Oh, Mico, let's accompany Ate Claire tomorrow. It's Saturday," Franco suggested as they made their way home. Carrying a few unsold items.
"What about our project? I thought we were going to work on it at your place?"
"We can do it at the market."
"Up to you."
"Where do you live, Franco?" Claire asked.
"Just in the neighboring barangay, Ate Claire."
"Oh, you're coming home late. You might get scolded by your family."
"No one will get mad, Ate. It's okay."
"Alright, it's up to you."
The next day, as Franco promised the girl, he assisted Claire in selling at the market. And whenever there were no customers, they worked on their project together with Mico.
It brought great relief to the girl to have her brother by her side, as well as Franco. They weren't ashamed to call out to customers, resulting in increased sales for them.
"Ate Claire, make sure to hide your money. Don't put it all in your bag so that even if Nanay Mildred comes again, she won't be able to take everything," Franco advised, and Claire followed suit.
The girl followed Franco's advice and discreetly hid her money in her shoes. Mico did the same.
As expected, Nanay Mildred showed up once again, asking for five hundred pesos. Claire simply gave it to her to avoid any scene.
"Ate Claire, what does your mom use the money she asks from you for? Doesn't she have a job? Why does she keep asking for money every day? You'll lose your capital because of that," Franco questioned.
"I don't know, Franco. Sometimes Mico ends up with what's left," Claire replied.
"Sometimes, there's nothing left. Because our mom takes it. If only I could stand up to her," Mico expressed with frustration.
"Just leave her. It's better than allowing her to treat you like that. You won't be able to break free from poverty if she keeps doing this to you," Franco empathized.
"It's not that easy, Franco. Mico is still studying, and I can't just leave him behind."
"All I can say, Ate Claire, is that what your mom is doing to you is not right. She should be the one here at the market, and you and Mico should be helping her. But no! It seems like the world has turned upside down," Franco remarked.
"You really are something, Franco. You speak as if you're older," Claire chuckled.
Franco scratched his head in response to Claire's comment. "I'm just speaking the truth, Ate Claire."
Mico didn't have classes that day, so the two friends found themselves back at the market. They borrowed a bicycle with a sidecar, loaded it with the remaining goods from Claire's stall, and went door-to-door together.
As they passed by a closed gate, they heard laughter coming from inside.
Curiosity got the better of Franco, and he peeped through a hole to see what was happening, hoping that someone would buy their snacks.
His eyes widened as he recognized one of the faces among the crowd.
"Mico, come here quickly! Take a look!" Franco called his friend, and Mico immediately approached and peered through another hole.
"That's your mom, Mildred, right?"
"Yes, what are they doing at the table?"
"That's gambling, Mico. Look at what your mom is doing. That's where she's using the money she takes from you."
"Let's go, Franco, someone's coming."
The two friends quickly retreated to the bicycle and pretended not to have seen anything when a man opened the gate.
"Uncle, would you like to buy some snacks?" Franco waved a bundle of rice cakes.
"No!" the man replied and closed the gate.
"Did you see that? Is it right that your sister's hard-earned money is just being used for gambling by your mom?" Franco expressed with concern.
"Poor Ate Claire, what should we do?" Mico asked.
"What else can we do? Let's tell her the truth. Maybe it will help open her eyes," Franco suggested.
When they ran out of goods to sell, the two friends quickly returned to Claire's stall at the market. They immediately confessed what they had witnessed.
Claire's elderly friends, Toyang, Pasing, and Lomeng, were furious upon hearing the news.
That evening, Claire wanted to confront her mother, so she and Mico waited for her to come home. They usually only saw each other in the morning since Mildred always came home late at night or in the early hours of the morning. It was already late at night, but their mother still hadn't arrived.
Mico fell asleep while waiting. Claire glanced at the clock hanging on the wall—it was already past one in the early morning when she heard giggling outside their house. It was Mildred's voice, as if she was being tickled.
Claire eagerly waited for the door to open. Mildred was slightly surprised to see her daughter waiting for her.
The man who had accompanied her earlier was no longer by her side. It seemed like he had sobered up.
"Hey, girl. Why are you still awake?"
"I was waiting for you, Mom. I want to know where you're using the money you take from me!"
"You don't care where I use my own money!"
"That's not your money, Mom. I worked hard for it! And now you're bringing a man home? What kind of mother are you?"
"Oh, so you're being bold now, huh? Who do you think you're so proud of Dexter? You don't care who I bring into my own house! I might just kick you out right here and now!" Mildred exclaimed with a mix of anger and frustration.