Todays chapter~
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It was month of May when Adna told her family to get ready for a long trip to the south province. Lex, Azia, Al the second were all excited to visit and see a new place. Al was somewhat hesitant because of his aching leg. Adna told Lex, ‘’call the driver and schedule our trip to the south province and tell him we will go there early in the morning at around 6:00 a.m. and then we will be home late in the afternoon.’’ Lex immediately called the driver, ‘’ Rommel, my mom said we are going to the south province, i think we will be going to the beach, and we will leave at six in the morning and will go home late in the afternoon.’’ After their conversation, Lex told her mom Adna, ‘’Rommel is available because it is Saturday.’’ Adna and Al then left to buy foods for their long travel. The place is a high land and the road there is not yet cemented. Since the driver came from the south province, he is familiar with the roads there.
Al used to smoke tobacco. The big brown leaf. He learned from Adna’s loved ones, Papa Mar , Mom Rona, Aunt Felip and Uncle Mike. They also smoke tobacco leaves. In order to get closer to them when Al just started visiting Adna, he asked how it taste because he also smoke but it was commercial cigarettes. He tried at first, then tried again until he became used to it. They also believe that it has less nicotine compared to commercial cigarettes. Their proof is that most of them live long lives almost ninety years old and they did not develop any illness to their throat or lungs. Aunt Feliz did not smoke as she had asthma. Adna would buy tobacco at the market because when she goes to attend the Holy Mass, at the back of the church is the public market. Adna came to know one of the tobacco sellers there who actually live in the south province. She became interested with Adna when she knew Adna is active in the church because the monsignor was assigned in their place at the south province for many years, and she personally know him. Adna one time shared to her that she is looking for a place in the province for her plan of having a home for the aged. She then told Adna that she has only one brother and they have an almost abandoned lot in the province about four hectares. She offered to Adna that if she would like the place, Adna can use and build homes for the aged in that area. Adna believing her as a person with a word of honor, sincerely told her, i am not dreaming for a big one, i would only build for only twenty old persons because it is not easy to provide them with their needs and i do not solicit for funds. It is just our own income and from our very close friends too. Adna asked her,’’ does the area have electricity and water? Is it near the hospital? Is there a signal there for telephone communication?’’ She answered, ‘’no water and electricity yet.’’ Adna told her, ‘’it is not ideal place because they are old and needs immediate assistance especially medical assistance and besides we will be planting vegetables in the same place to harvest our own foods. She then told Adna, ‘’there is another place, a three hectare place and we live there with my parents. It has electricity and water but the signal for telecommunications is not that fast compared in the city.’’ Adna then said, ‘’that would be the possible area for the home for the aged. She then asked Adna to go there and see the place.
The good Bishop already knew the plan of Adna. He just told Adna to coordinate with the monsignor. Adna had told already the monsignor about it as well as the doctor who is Adna’s very close friend who served the priests and nuns free of charge. The doctor told Adna,’’ think of it again Adna, the place is too far and i am already old, it must be hands on when i do the check up unlike now that you will just call me and give me the vital signs and the patient’s complaint and then i can tell you what medicine to buy.’’ The monsignor also told Adna, ‘’it is too far and it is hard to bring the facilities.’’ Adna asked the monsignor, ‘’what facilities, monsignor?’’ He answered, ‘’like x- ray machines.’’ Adna jokingly replied,’’i don’t think God will make things complicated for us monsignor, i think paracetamol is already enough medicine for the old ones when they get sick.’’ As scheduled time to visit the area, one time Adna talked with the monsignor, ‘’we will go and see the place, the good Bishop pointed at you to work with me, so let’s go.’’ The monsignor said, ‘’the place is not productive and it is too far.’’ Adna to her mind, ‘’if this is a God given place, who am i to say no, i must go with my family.’’
Friday evening, Adna had sudden fever, so she called the driver that they would cancel the trip to the south province. Then the friend of Adna who offered the place kept calling Adna and repeatedly told her, ‘’it is just a test from God, so we must go.’’ Adna at that time was chilling but on the other hand she did not want to disappoint her children who were all excited to travel and they will then drop by to a beach in that place. Adna took medicines, antibiotic and then Al rubbed her with wet face towel to lower her very hot temperature. Again, the friend of Adna kept calling telling Adna, ‘’just pray and you will be alright.’’ Early in the morning, Adna woke up and so she called the driver, ‘’pick us up at the church at about 6:30 a.m., we will go to the south province.’’ The driver replied, ‘’yes ma’am.’’ Adna also called her friend and she was so happy that Adna would be going to their place and she would ride with Adna going there. Good enough the car would accommodate seven passengers. On their way there, Lex, Azia, and Al truly enjoyed the view. The climate was real good as the side of the roads were lined up with big and old trees. It was such a long journey and going up to the mountain place the road became too narrow that fits only one small car one way. If the driver is not good, then the risk of falling into the cliff is really a great danger. Adna knows it is for God so she firmly believed that her whole family is well protected. The road was turning round and round going up. When they reached the place, Adna saw the parents of her friend, too old and seemed somewhat too innocent. Their house is too small with open windows. The mother who was already 76 years old still carried a big container of water. Adna could not believe that her friend was just looking at her mother without any concern. The mother of Adna’s friend showed the area, there were tall coconut trees at the boundaries and the space was open. Adna could build three buildings not necessarily concrete ones. Azia, who felt much pity to the father of Adna’s friend, talked with Adna,’’Mom, we will not use the property for free, we must pay so that the old man can use the money for himself.’’ Lex also suggested,’ ‘’Azia is right mom, not necessarily pay them one time, but we can give them payment so that the old man before he dies could also make use of the benefit of the property.’’ Adna told the mother of her friend, ‘’my children would like to compensate so that the two of you could enjoy your property.’’ She then asked Adna’s friend, ‘’what do you think?’’ She then told Adna that they would still discuss about it.
She kept asking if monsignor would be there. Adna honestly told her, ‘’the monsignor feel no interest because of its distance.’’ Suddenly she said, ‘’my relatives do not like to have a home for the aged built there, cause we might lose all our properties.’’ Adna raised her voice, ‘’what??’’ It was you who offered the place for free, i was very sick but you never stopped convincing me to go to your place and i brought my whole family spending big amount of money, and that is what you think of me? Do you think, i am a land grabber? My children even offered money because they pity your father and mother.”” She then told Adna, ‘’what can I do it is not mine.’’ Adna told her, ‘’you know, your husband who has an original wife with four children is good, your only son is good, your mother is good, and your father is good, only you who is very clever and i know you are answerable to God with all your hidden agenda.’’ When she learned that the monsignor would not be there, she retracted all that she said to Adna at first. When Adna was asked by the monsignor, how was the home for the aged going, Adna straightforwardly told the monsignor, ‘’that woman likes you so much and that attraction becomes an obsession.’’ The monsignor said, ‘’no’’. Adna told the monsignor, ‘’then which way would this be, you are attracted to her or she is attracted to you with obsession.’’ Many were listening including Azia when she told the monsignor about that. When the monsignor dropped by at the garden of Adna, he was showed a vacant space and Adna told him, ‘’in that space i will build a home for the aged, and when you become too old you can live here.’’
