Chapter 3 Grateful

CHAPTER 2

"Aethelred!" I heard Auntie Tamara's call for me as I hurriedly finished the food I am cooking. "Yes, auntie?" I answered and turned off the fire on the gasoline before I proceeded toward auntie who had just come from her work.

"Give me some water," she said and sat down on the couch. I nodded and immediately get her a glass of water. I quickly gave it to her and waited until she was done drinking. She gave me the glass afterward.

"How's work, auntie?" I asked. She sighed heavily. She looks exhausted.

"Difficult as ever," she said in a sigh and rested her head on the couch where she was sitting. I nodded and went back to the kitchen. I am now preparing the dinner over the table. I was putting plates on the table when auntie entered the dining.

"Where's your cousin? Why isn't she helping you?" she asked brows furrowed. I shook my head and smiled. "No need auntie. I can do it alone and maybe Temari is busy with her homework," I said. She sat down on her usual spot as exactly Temari, my cousin who's a year younger than me entered the dining, sporting her usual spaghetti strap top, short shorts, and her huge headset on her head.

"Hello, mom," Temari greeted her mom before she sat down in her seat. I took off my apron and also took my seat in front of Temari.

"Temari, can't you put down your headset first before you eat?" auntie told Temari. Temari heard his mom and with her heavy movements she put down her headset.

"Why didn't you help Aethelred for our dinner?" auntie asked Temari. My eyes widened. "No...auntie! I am the one who wants to do it alone!" I said before auntie scold her daughter. Temari rolled her eyes and glared at me. I swallowed hard and looked down.

"Am I here to eat or get asked by you?" Temari sarcastically asked her mom. My lips parted. Auntie's eyes glared at Temari.

Ever since auntie took me into her house...Temari's behavior began to change. Temari was good to me when we were young, but she changed the moment I lived here with her. Maybe she doesn't want me here. Maybe she hates me for being here.

"You're being disrespectful, Temari!" Auntie angrily said. Temari's jaw clenched. "Why are you getting mad that I didn't help your niece? This is just her responsibility to do all the household chores before she's just a burden to this house right? She even deserves to be our helper or else...a slave!" Temari angrily said.

I bit my lower lip and looked down at my food. I felt hollow below my stomach. Something pinched my heart because I know...Temari was right.

"Temari!" Auntie shouted so mad, but Temari immediately walked out. The place was filled with silence. I sighed heavily and still wore a smile with auntie. "It's fine auntie. You really don't have to scold Temari just for that..." I spoke.

"Just for that? Aethelred...I know that Temari has never been good to you and I'm sorry for that but allow me to-"

"No...it's really fine, auntie...I'm fine..." I said assuring her. She smiled but worried is in her eyes.

It's been 11 years since dad was locked in prison. The court's decision for him was life imprisonment. It was painful for me. I had it long before I moved on. Auntie Tamara took care of me for the whole 11 years. Auntie Tamara is widowed. Temari's father died because of an accident. That's why auntie was working hard for us. Auntie has been so good to me. I am thankful for her because I grew up fine.

This is the reason why I am trying so hard to graduate. I am now in the last year of my college years, and I am already preparing myself for the future I want to become. I want to be successful. I want to help auntie. I want her to be proud of me. Auntie is not just a relative to me. She's almost like a mother to me.

"Auntie..." I called her. She glanced at me and drank her water.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I visit...the house...earlier this morning..." I uttered hesitantly. Her brows furrowed. "Aethel...I told you to stop visiting that house. If you'll just agree with me, we can sell that house and lot-"

"I can't sell that house...auntie," I said and looked away. That house is where my good memories with mom and dad happened. Selling it out means throwing away those memories.

"I know...I know that you care so much about that house. That is the only thing that your mother left," she said. I bit my lower lip. Mom's family came from an old rich ancestry. And that house was given to my mom. It was one of those lands that my mom's family-owned but now they are not in this world anymore. Mom's family went bankrupt so when she met dad, she wasn't the rich girl anymore.

Mom and dad's love story was so ideal. It was like a fairytale. Auntie Tamara was one of the witnesses of how great mom and dad's love was. I was...so happy that you won't expect a tragic ending.

It started when mom died of sickness and dad went miserable. He mourned so much. He was so sad and grieving. In order to forget he chooses to play at the casino and get drunk every night. Until the only thing that was left for us is the money that mom saved in the bank. Dad thought that he can invest it but failed when the company told him that the money wasn't enough.

Dad was confused and chose the easy path. He gambled the money hoping that he could earn more but failed again when he lost the gamble. And it was the cause why...he ends up killing someone. And now...he's in jail.

It was a happy story in the beginning, but you'll realize how sad it is if you went further. Getting married and having a child is really not the actual ending of every story. Every story always has something to say beyond that ending. What happened after they married? What happened after they have a child? Is it still a happy ending?

Then...you'll realize...that it wasn't. It wasn't a happy ending after all.

That is what happened to my family. That's what happened and why everything in my life is so hard.

Dad killed someone who's known in the industry. It was reported in the news and my dad's name was tainted for being a criminal. And even though my auntie asks the reporters to keep my name private...it was still revealed in the news and on social media.

At a young age...I experienced being despised by other people. Everyone always stays away from me. Everyone hated me to the core when the only thing I want is to be nice to them. Some aren't distancing themselves from me, but they'd bully me nonstop. It was a real struggle. It's so hard living in this world with everyone's eyes judging me even though they still didn't know me.

That's why I strive so hard to be on top. I studied to the core until the teachers noticed me and I am contented with just the teacher noticing me until I found Jane. I was in my freshman year in college when I met her. She was a good friend. She knows about me. She knows about my father, but she never judges me.

In fact,...she was straightforward to me. She was also the one who find me a part-time job. She's also doing a part-time job, so she helps me to get hired. We are a waitress on that job. And now...I am thinking to move out and live in a house that's been abandoned for 11 years.

The house is still clean and looks nice. Well, Auntie Tamara has been cleaning it up every month.

"Auntie...can I...live there? I was thinking a lot about it these days. That house is near my school and part-time job..." I said slowly. This is my first time telling her this. Auntie looked at me. She sighed afterward.

"I know you've been wanting to leave this house, Aethel. I can feel it that even though you feel thankful for me you still feel that you're a burden to me..." she said. I inhaled deeply as tears started to form in the side of my eyes.

"I'm...grateful to have you...auntie...but...I know I can handle myself now. But I promise...I won't stop helping you...I'll always be with you, auntie..." I said as tears started to stream down my face. Auntie sighed heavily and gently looked at me. But what made me cry more is when she hugged me tight, and I know from that moment...Auntie is now letting me go.