After a year in junior high, we had to leave the place again as our aunt told me that our parent's money stopped coming 3 months ago and they couldn't take care of us anymore. We are sent back to another house. This time it's our grandparent's house, on our mother's side grandparents.
That place is so peaceful, with lots of trees, a breeze that is fresh and light to breathe in, and grandma's garden with roses planted in it. It's not as big as our other relative's place but it is big on land. Less modern and more natural vibes. Grandpa has a garage where he lets us play when he's around, he also asks us to help him with cleaning or tending to his motorcycle, handing him a wrench, cleaning supplies, basin, etc. Overall, it's a different life and I like it better from where we came from.
Grandpa took the time to bring me or pick me up to a nearby school, just because he knew that I was not used to doing that but eventually, I asked him if I could do it myself. But still, sometimes he takes me, just because he's worried. Also, Grandma never misses our meals. I love it when she makes pasta, she has the best-tasting pasta ever.
"Jun, have you eaten yet?" Grandpa was holding his French bread while scooping peanut butter into a jar. He asked me where Chuna and I came in from the backdoor after we played at Grandma's Garden.
Chuna ran towards Grandma and she lifted her up, grandma groaned a little and I sat beside Grandpa on the table.
"Ugh, Baby Chuna, you're getting taller and heavier by the minute" Then Grandma, tried to tickle her with kisses at the side of her neck. Chuna giggled loudly and excitedly.
As I saw the picture in front of me I thought,
"I hope, this would be our last stop, I hope Grandpa and Grandma, would let us stay here forever" I shook my head and shrugged my shoulder a little because it felt like I was asking too much.
"Honey…" While Grandpa eating his bread, he called Grandma and she looked our way
"Have you noticed that Chuna is not yet talking much?" Grandma knitted her eyebrows and replied to that statement
"Now that you pointed out, she doesn't talk much yet, she's 4 almost 5 years old right?" Grandpa nodded and Grandma continued
"She does speak, Jun's name though, and some words but not a full sentence yet"
Grandpa and Grandma got me thinking too
"That's right, Chuna hasn't been talking when we're together, she just points out to things that she wants and I understood it immediately that refrains her from talking" But she does not lack in laughing and crying when it comes to it. Her emotions are in check but her speaking is not there yet.
"I should start teaching her the basics."
"But Grandpa, she already knows colors, she could point out colors when we play" Grandpa agrees but
"But she's not speaking them, correct?" I slowly nodded, recollecting my memories of it. Grandma added.
"We would look for daycare to start her before we enroll her in kindergarten" I just nodded, Chuna and I never disobeyed elders.
"I just see it a struggle to go against elders. Plus, their decisions always seem the right path" Chuna was always been a very obedient child, she never gave me too much to worry about ever since we lived together. She's a bit shy but when she started to play with you, she couldn't stop smiling, giggling, and laughing.
"She's just too beautiful, I'm just thankful that she's too young to understand our situation"
"Because sometimes I just feel too grateful or hesitant to accept kindness from other people even… they are our so-called relatives." I never realized how much I loved her until I graduated Junior high.
I saw a black car stopped in front of our house; I saw it through the glass window. It was Mom, she walked through the front lawn and stopped at the front door of our grandparents' house. She's about to knock, I already saw her but I didn't get up from where I sat.
"It's just her, I don't see dad anywhere" She still looks so elegant and neat, very professional and intimidating.
Chuna and I were staying in the living room at that time, we were playing with her dolls with the tea set in front of us. I looked at Chuna, she's well-dressed. I make an extra effort to clean and dress her up because I like it when she's enjoying her outfits, sometimes I catch her twirling her dress side by side while she's looking in front of a full-body mirror.
Grandma opened the door and saw her pointing at us. Mom walked near us and sat on a nearby sofa, it's just an arm's length away and Chuna didn't even look at her.
"As expected, it will give her time to recognize our own mother" Mom opened her arms while looking at me, I just took her hug for a second. Then she started talking
"How are you Jun? I'm proud of you. I heard you graduated Junior high, another step towards the future"
"I'm not really sure what to say… but really, I just feel that as a kid, going to school is an obligation but nothing meaningful for me, but I'm just doing my best because that's all that I could do at the moment. Play and tend to Chuna, then learn as much as I can" That's what I thought.
"You're not wasting the opportunity and money that we've been working for you" Mom added and I realized.
"Right… That's right. For them too, because I think somebody told me that I have to work hard in school for my parents for they work hard from afar for us to be able to attend school and have a comfortable life"
The hours passed by fast for my mom and my grandparents' small talk, Chuna dozed off and slept in our room. Until she started spouting her true business for coming