Every third thursday of the month, Papa Mar and Mom Rona used to welcome people to their house. They prepared food for them. Many visiting priests had come to their house. Special foods were prepared for the priests. As Adna grew up, she was very close to religious people, more with priests and nuns. When Mom Rona was gone, Papa Mar just went to the nearby chapel to join them praying. He no longer thought of preparing foods for the people, he knew Adna would be distracted from work. She had to catch up with the delivery dates for her orders. If she could not meet the deadline, a penalty would be charged to her. Meanwhile, Papa Mar did not know why there were bounty of foods served in the chapel after the Holy Mass. Later, he knew that Adna assigned someone to prepare for the foods by giving money. It was Al’s idea to continue what they had been used to with the late Mom Rona and Papa Mar. Certain part of Adna’s income must be shared to them, a form of tithes.
As Lex grew, specially during her birthday, the house was still open for guests to celebrate with them. For Adna, birthday is the most important occasion. There must be ice cream, cake, balloons, fruit salad and many more. Adna, during her teenage, joyfully watched Aunt Felip preparing delicious foods like beef steak, sweet and sour fish and many more. Aunt Felip did not know Adna was learning from her. Adna had no chores at home while she was growing up. Everything was provided, some would say Adna’s fingertips only get wet when she eats. At home, when Adna was free, she started cooking delicious foods. They appreciated her cooking, specially her husband Al and also Aunt Felip. Her specialty was fruit salad and beef steak she learned from watching Aunt Felip when she was cooking. Papa Maar said to Aunt Felip, ‘’It is now time for Adna to do freely what she loves to do’’. Aunt Felip replied, ‘’She loves cooking, then so let her be’’.
Adna met another local buyer for her fashion accessory business. Adna transacts to the buyer, while Al was in charge of the production. During delivery time and collection of payment, they both went together. That was their routine for years. Aunt Felip still took care of Lex. They had ample time to witness Lex learn how to walk. She is a joyful baby. When someone was taking her pictures, she had her widest smile captured by the camera. She shows her dimples when she smiles or laugh. Aunt Felip would always dress her up as if she would go somewhere else.. Lex would always wear shoes or sandals. Her colorful dress and red shoes made her more attractive. Adna and Al bought her needs the best they could. They brought her a walking doll, and a toy car where she could drive by herself. During those times, the nanny looked after Lex with the supervision of Aunt Felip.
Adna became pregnant to their second baby. As Lex was turning three years old, Adna gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Her name is Azia. During her pregnancy, Adna enjoyed staring at a big statue of Buddha in one of the Malls in the city. Some say a ‘’maternal impression’, the baby’s eyes looked like Him. Even the OB Gyne doctor really liked the baby, she even said ‘is her father chinese?’’, Adna replied, ‘’so little percentage’’. Azia had a chubby face, so fair complexion and so healthy. When they arrived home, Lex was with Papa Mar, so excited to see the face of her younger sister. Lex at her tender age showed her care for Azia. Lex helped Aunt Felip in watching over the baby. Papa Mar was singing lullaby for Azia, then Lex would laugh at him.
When Papa Mar went to the chapel, Lex was so caring to him. She held his hand to guide him because Papa Mar vision deteriorated even if he was wearing thick eyeglasses. When Lex turned 4 years old, they enrolled her. Lex was a nursery student. After which , Kinder 1 then Kinder 2. After a school year, Lex was promoted directly to Preparatory. She needed to transfer to another school which was also the school where Adna was studying. When Lex was a nursery student, Al and Adna were all the time waiting for her outside her classroom. The class lasted two hours, then after, they went to the mall nearby. Lex looked so beautiful with her school uniform with a little backpack. Her preschool teacher liked the attitude of Lex. Every time she came in to class, she always say something to her teacher secretly, ‘’Teacher, I have something to tell you, my godmother who is a lady doctor is on television’’. ‘’Oh really, that’s nice’’, replied the teacher. One time a doctor came to the school to immunize the students. Seeing the needle, most classmates of Lex were crying. Lex did not cry, but when the doctor came near her, she said, ‘’ No, I have my private doctor, she is my godmother’’. She lifted her two feet while sitting getting ready to hit the doctor if he comes near. ‘’I am going out to my dad’’, she said in an angry tone. She took her small backpack and really went out of her classroom. The teacher did not force her, what she said was true. When Lex became a registered nurse, she asked her Mom Adna to go with her to visit her nursery teacher. Upon reaching there, the teacher shouted with joy ‘’Lex….’’ She still remembered that very young girl always saying something to her. Lex embraced her and said, ‘’Teacher, I am now a nurse,,Thank you’’. The teacher said to Adna, ‘’she still have the same glance in her eyes, trusting no one’’. She then added, I had so many students, but when I meet them, they do not even greet me’’. Lex is one of a kind. Adna said to herself, ‘’I have raised a good child and become the best person she could ever be, but I owe all these from Papa Mar and Aunt Felip’’. Lex grew up as a beautiful person inside and out because of the overflowing love they poured to her. Even though the late Aunt Feliz poured water intentionally to wet Al due to her dislike and mistrust, it did not turn Al to feel hatred...still he served Aunt Feliz both service out of love and financial support for her needs,, how much more for a young child who was poured in with overflowing love from Papa Mar and Aunt Felip. Of course Mom Rona and Aunt Feliz kept watching her from above.
