China The Story of Gertrude

                    Back to Homepage    Back to StoriesandArticles5.Blogspot.com

I

                   

           "You get out of here, and don't you ever come back again!"

           "Have pity on me I just want to talk to my father..." tearful 

begging of  a young girl.

           "Can't you understand what I'm saying? Get lost!"

           "Have mercy on me, could you at least give these school magazine, this contains my name and my picture."

           "Fine, just give me that thing so you could leave."

           "She could hear two girls quarreling from where she was at.  She was feeling so weak, she could hardly breathe, but still she yearned to help and console the crying young girl.  She felt that she was about to drown.

           Her breathing was almost gone.  Shortly after she felt that she was floating and was wrapped by something she could barely see.  It became darker and darker.

           "I'm leaving and you take care of our house, wait a minute what are you holding?" she heard from a man nearby.  

           "Nothing, I just need to throw this trash out."

   

                                                    II

          "Where's this place?" wonders the young girl, she stood up from where she was laying.  "Ouch, my tummy is aching..."  She saw a house nearby so she approached it and knocked.  But nobody was answering so she was forced to leave and slowly walked until she reached a road that was so noisy, too many moving cars, many people walking, in a such a hurry as if they needed to fulfill some important commitments. 

          Abruptly her hands felt her aching tummy.  She noticed a big restaurant nearby.  Oh she could smell the aroma of a newly cooked 

roasted chicken.  Slowly, she walked towards the door of the restaurant.  She hesitated whether she was coming in or not.  And because her tummy was really aching she gathered enough courage and forced herself to come in. She walked slowly and quietly so the guards won't notice her.  She was so worried that people would 

notice her really dirty clothes and even her entire body was dirty as well.  Slowly she saw the newly served roasted chicken on the expensive and beautiful table.  She looked from side to side, slowly she approached the table.  When she finally reached it, her tiny hands reached for the tasty roasted chicken.  Suddenly someone grabbed her hand away.  "Hey, kid you'll outrun me on my Chooks to Go roasted chicken!" said the tall man, smiling.     

          "Have mercy on me sir, I'm really really hungry..." the young girl begged earnestly. 

          "Why didn't you just ask me then?" 

          "How could I even asked, when no one was around when I came moments ago?"

          "Yeah, you've got a point there," the amused tall man answered.  "You look so dirty and smell really bad, where on earth did you come from and what's your name?  I think we should take a seat first," the man commanded.  "Sit down in front of me because you smell really bad.  Hey, you still haven't answered my question, what's your name?

          The young girl just couldn't answer.  She didn't know, she couldn't remember her name, she didn't know who she was. 

          "Oh why suddenly turn mute?" 

          "Mister, could I at least eat first?"

          "Sorry I didn't realize I was acting too persistent.  I should have let you eaten first before I started asking you any questions.  Okay then, I think we should eat Chooks to Go roasted chicken first.  This is delicious even without a sauce.

          She was almost drooling at the sight  of the Chooks to Go roasted chicken, moments later she felt the pain in her stomach slowly disappearing.  But she still couldn't remember her real name.  She kept on thinking but she just couldn't remember her name.  She kept on thinking over and over again, but she just couldn't remember anything.  

          "Hey I said what's your name?"  By the way I'm Mike."

          "I'm really sorry but I just couldn't remember my name," the young girl's confused answer.

          "Don't tell me you've got amnesia?  Are you sure you're not just making a fool of me?  Seriously, you really can't remember who you are?  the man asked repeatedly.  What do I call you then?"

          "Ah...maybe, you can just call me Nema for now," the kid  answered hesitantly.

         "You want me to just call you Nema?"  What a coincidence."

         "What coincidence?" 

         "Just ignore what I said," Mike retracted.  "So it follows that you also doesn't know where you actually came from, maybe you got swept by a jeepney, then your head slammed on the road causing your amnesia?" he added.

          "I really couldn't tell for sure, I just woke up nearby moments ago with an aching tummy so I started looking for something to eat," the young girl narrated. 

          "Wow my chicken is so lucky you found her immediately," Mike answered teasingly.  

          "Thank you so much really," the kid answered shyly.

          "You know, even with a dirty face, I could see you're a very pretty and cute kid.  I say maybe you're about ten years old. Wait you could easily be taken as my nephew," smiling Mike noticed.   

         "A nephew? How about being your child instead," the kid insisted playfully.    

         "Obviously you're full now.  I don't really have a child, but I've got lots of nephews and neices, one even looks like me.  Since we're all done eating, maybe we should start moving out because my restaurant has a lot of customers coming in to eat, I want them to be able to sit comfortably well," Mike narrated.

          "What, you own this place?" the girl asked, impressed.

          "Yap, this is mine.  Come, stand up," he ordered.

          "Where are we going?" the girl inquired.

          "I'm going home now."  the man stood up.  "Don't just stand there, come and follow me, I just can't leave you here like that, considering that you can't remember anything at all.  Come home with me so you can clean up," Mike invited kindly.

III

          Nema noticed something when they reached the man's place.  "Wait I think this is exactly where I woke up earlier today," she wondered.

         "Really you woke up from here?  Maybe you actually had that accident around this place, your wounds looks really fresh to me," Mike observed.  "Come, let's go inside," Mike ordered as he went through the open gate.  Nema immediately followed.  Inside the house, Nema saw the big Samsung Flat Screen TV and the elegant sofa in the living room.

          "I'm really tired could I take a seat?" the young girl asked earnestly.

          "Yes of course," Mike replied.  Nema looked around Mike's 

house, she saw a large aquarium beside the chair, there were three big and beautiful vases with a dragon design.  Strangely, Nema felt the whole place was somewhat familiar to her. 

          "How come, it seems that I've already seen everything around this place before?"

          "Everything in my house looks familiar to you, really, maybe you belong to a group of  petty thieves and you had sneaked in to my house before," Mike teased.  "Okay, over there, on your right you can take a shower in our bathroom if you want too.  I'm worried that my wife would get mad if she sees you, she doesn't want our sofas getting stained or something.  Wait, my nephew has got a lot of clothes in here, I'll bring you one that you could wear,"  Shortly after Mike returned with a red dress.  "Okay, put this on after you got yourself all cleaned up."

IV

          Nema entered the clean and brightly lit bathroom and immediately saw her own reflection in the mirror.  She carefully looked at her own reflection.  She realized her face looked filthy and her hair was all messed up.  She started looking around, she located the shower and tried to open it.  The water started pouring down and she got soaked instantly.  She grabbed the soap Safeguard and started rubbing.

          While she was cleaning herself up she couldn't help but wonder why the entire living room looked somewhat familiar to her. Given the fact that the kitchen she passed by seemed unfamiliar to her, she thought she saw it for the very first time.  Even the bathroom where she was showering was new to her.  When she finished taking a bath, she looked at her own image in the mirror once more.  She realized Mike was right, she really looked pretty.  She's got a nice pointed nose,  kinda small reddish lips, her eyes were black, her eyelashes a bit long, her black hair was long reaching up to her shoulders.  She pulled up the white towel, dried herself up and immediately got herself dressed. When she came out from the shower, Nema saw Mike drinking something back in the living room.   

          "I'm glad you've already showered come and sit beside me."

          "What are you drinking, that seems really tasty?" Nema asked.

          "Of course this is tasty, Coke always tastes great.  Go grab yourself a glass of Coke, I prepared one for you."

          "My, this Coke is so delicious.  I don't think I had tried this before, because the taste seems completely unfamiliar to me."

          "Wait, my shoes is beginning to hurt my feet now, I wonder where I left my Islander slippers?" Mike stated as he went on looking everywhere for his Islander slippers.

          "I'll pick it up for you," Nema offered and went straight to her left, near the aquarium and pulled up Mike's slippers from under the small wooden table .  "Here's your slippers Mister Mike." Nema immediately handed it to Mike.

          "How on earth did you know exactly where to find my slippers?  Ah I think I know... you probably had seen it when we came in.  You're small and you got a better view, so you easily noticed it."

          "Yeah,  I saw it when we were coming in," Nema replied but she was certain that she didn't see the slippers then.  She just happened to know where Mike left it.  She even got more confused.

          Moments later they heard somebody walking to their direction.  "Mike you're home, and you brought somebody along," the lady said.
          "By the way this is Nema," Mike introduced Nema to his wife.  "She's sick, she's got amnesia so I decided to bring her home with me."

          The lady couldn't say a damn word, her eyes got glued to the young girl's face.  "What did you say again Mike, this girl has amnesia?"

          "Yap that's what I said."

          "Mike, could you please help me with my purchases, I shopped bags and clothes, it's all in my car and it's really heavy," Sandra requested her husband.

          Mike went out shortly after to pick up and carry her purchases.

          The lady instantly approached Nema.  "Do you really have amnesia, you can't tell who you really are?" she asked.

          "Yes Ma'am , I can't seem to remember my name so you can just call me Nema if you want to."

          In her mind, she was so certain that the girl in front of her now looked exactly like the one who introduced herself earlier as Mike's long lost daughter and she furiously drove her away.  So she struggled and cunningly pretended seeing the young girl for the very first time.

          Later that night they headed for the dining table for dinner.

They served Chooks to Go again for this was Mike's favorite dish.

          "So you really like Chooks to Go roasted chicken, I see you've eaten a lot.  Here you should try fried bangus, you'll like this too for sure."

          "Pardon me but I don't think I should eat that one.  I can't help but pity that fish, its eyes looks so miserable and pitiful," the girl answered.

          "As you wish, but if there's anything you want to eat, just tell me or your aunt," Mike told Nema while he was bringing her to the room he prepared for his guest.  "From now on, this will be your room,  alongside is my nephew's room Ana and the other one at the far end is the room of my younger sister."

          Upon entering the room with Mike, Nema saw the large Salem Bed with a big pillow on the head, the bed and the bedsheet were all in white.  "You should take a rest now Nema, we'll chat again tomorrow and besides I really need to rest myself," Mike added.

          As soon as Mike had left, Nema immediately tried laying on the bed.  She liked what she felt.  The bed was so soft and was really elegant.  Nema surveyed the whole room.  There was a circle-shaped Philips Lights on the middle of the ceiling.  She noticed a cold air coming from her right and decided to approach it.   It became even colder as she went nearer to it, she didn't know what GE aircon is called like but all she knew was she really liked it.

          She lay down on the bed once more and soon heard someone coming, it was a voice of a young girl with an elderly woman.  In her mind, these were probably Mike's nephew and younger sister.  She tried peeking from her slightly opened door but all she saw was the girls' back entering their respective rooms. So she decided sleep and call it a night.  She slept with the lights on simply because she didn't even know how to turn it off in the first place. 

  

  V

          

          In the morning, the sound of a young girls' voice from outside her room woke Nema up.  Slowly she got up and looked at her facef in the mirror near the Salem Bed. She thought she looked more relaxed and rested now.  She then noticed the red-tiled floor, it was very clean and shiny.  Slowly she opened her door and went straight out.  She walked towards the living room and instantly saw a young girl seated on the sofa.  When the young girl noticed her, she got slightly alarmed.  "Who are you, are you Aunt Sandra's nephew?" the young girl asked softly.  

          "No, Mister Mike just brought me home so I can have a place to stay temporarily," Nema quickly responded while giving a good look at the other girl's face.  She looked pretty too and their hair was about as long, and as black.

          "At what time did you come in?  I don't remember seeing you, when I and my mom arrived last night," she asked Nema.

          "I was in my room resting when I heard somebody coming in.

It was probably you and your mom that I heard arriving last night, I peeked for a while but the two of you had already entered your rooms."

           "Yeah we came in really late last night because my mom had to take care of something for her office, and besides we also visited a pet shop so I could buy a new marine-fish.  Uncle's clown fish  just vanished mysteriously from the tank.  I searched and searched for it on the floor hoping that it simply was able to jump out of its tank, but I just couldn't find it.  I felt really sad, we had that fish in our aquarium for years.  Wait, what was your name again?"

           "Nema, that explains why the aquarium was empty when I arrived last night," Nema replied to the other girl.  Nema looked intently on the new clown fish.  She felt good looking at the new fish.  She likewise noticed the fine white sands with a variety of white corals,  she also got amused by the water bubbles from the tank's air pump.

          "By the way I'm Ana, Mike's neice," she introduced herself to Nema.

          "Mike had told me about you and your mom," Nema answered.

          "What grade are you, which school do you go to?" Ana asked.

          "I can't really tell... the truth is Mister Mike simply took pity on me so he decided to bring me home.  I can't remember who am I and where I came from," Nema narrated so softly.

          "Really, you don't recall what your name was, you've got amnesia then," Ana concluded.  "Thanks goodness my uncle found you, otherwise something bad might have happened,  there's just too many criminals out on the road nowadays.  By the way have you seen Aunt Sandra?" she asked.

          "Yes she even asked if I truly got amnesia?" Nema replied immediately.

          "Was she glad seeing you?" Ana asked softly and waited expectantly for Nema's answer.

          "I can't tell for sure,  but she looked a bit worried and surprised when she saw me," Nema approximated.

          "Okay then, are you feeling hungry now?  In a little while my mom and my uncle are soon coming out for breakfast, you should join us," she invited Nema.

          Shortly after Mike and his wife came, behind them was another lady walking.

          "Good morning Nema.  It's nice the two of you have finally met.   Ana don't Nema and I look slightly alike," Mike stated.

          "Yeah I see it too, you two look like a father and daughter pair, by the way I'm Dona Mike's younger sister," she introduced herself.

          Sandra didn't say a word, she didn't dare contradict Dona. Sandra estimated that doing so would just prolong the said conversation and feared that her facial expression would gave her secret away.  They all sat around the big rectangular narra table.  Nema and Ana sat beside each other.

          "You know mom Nema has got amnesia," sympathetically, Ana narrated to her mom.

          "Really, is this true Nema?" Dona's astounded question.

          "Yes because I can no longer remember where I came from and what my real name was," Nema admitted.

          "Thanks goodness my brother Mike immediately found you Nema,  wait where did the two of you meet?" Dona inquired while intently looking at his brother.

          "You're right, it's good that I immediately found her otherwise Nema could have finished eating the whole roasted chicken even before I went back to my table," Mike teased.  "When I finally returned to my table, Nema was already there and I noticed her body and even her clothes were dirty so out of pity I invited her to join me and eat at my table.  When we finished eating, I decided to just take her home with me besides she doesn't really have any place to stay.

          "That's my brother Nema, always kind and ready to help anyone in need even while we were growing up," Dona proudly admitted to Nema.

          "Right again, that's exactly why I easily liked Mike," Sandra told Nema while looking at her husband, smiling.

          "Okay, we should all eat now so Ana could go to her school early," Mike said.  "You can eat now Nema.  Dona picked the fried egg, Purefoods bacon, hotdog and Gardenia and kindly placed some 

on Nema's plate.  When they were all done eating, Ana invited Nema to go to school with her besides Nema didn't really have anything else to do and Ana only had a half-day class to attend to.  

          "Promise me you'd take good care of Nema Ana, you know she's sick right," Mike told Ana.

          "You need not worry uncle I'm sure I could take good care of her, besides she could wait right outside our classroom," Ana assured her uncle.

VI

          Mike brought Nema and Ana to school in his brand-new black Pajero.  From the inside, Nema carefully looked around the car.  Nema found the car's chairs soft and comfortable. It even smelled good and the aircon was cold enough.  Nema saw a lot of people and she also noticed big, tall and majestic buildings they passed by.

          "Nema when I'm done at school, I'm taking you to the mall, it's Friday and we don't have classes tomorrow.  Could I take Nema with me uncle?" Ana asked Mike's permission.

          "Of course just don't stay out too late on the road," Mike reminded the two girls.

          Finally they reached Ana's school,  Nema immediately saw  a lot of uniformed young children, all in white top and and a blue skirt for the girls, while the young boys were in white polo and khaki pants.  They arrived just in time, the bell was already ringing signalling the children's classes were about to start. 

          Mike left immediately after,  Ana entered her class soon after reminding Nema to just wait for her and not to wander out of the school's premises.  Nema could see everything that was going on in the classroom and from where she was seated she could slightly hear the other children talking to each other.

          "Good morning children," teacher Myrna's greetings to her young students.

          "Good morning teacher Myrna," the Grade-V students greeted back in unison.

          "You all knew for a fact that I am conducting an exam today.  Bring your papers and ball pens on the table and we are about to start," she ordered her students.

          "Did you study for today's exam Ana?"  John asked her friend Ana.

          "Yeah sort of,  I studied for a while last night, how about you?" she asked her friend seated right beside her.

          "Yeah slightly," he answered back.

          The quiz was already starting and the entire room remained so quiet the whole time.  Thirty minutes passed by, Teacher Myrna abruptly called at John.  "Hey John!  You've been glancing on Ana's paper, are you trying to copy from Ana or what?" she asked smiling and looked intently at John. 

          "No ma'am I was just looking at Ana's writings, it looks ridiculously awful and I could hardly read it," John answered his teacher and smiled.

          "I guess you're right, next time Ana make sure  that your writings would look good for John so he could easily read all of it, maybe I won't catch him copying from you then," Myrna answered smiling.

          "Madame I told you I wasn't really copying, I was just looking, there's a big difference right?" he mischievously added.

          "Next time John, you study hard so you could easily answer all my questions, it's not that difficult you know.  I won't hold this one on you, simply because you said you were not able to read Ana's writings, okay it's her fault you were not able to copy.  But the next time I catch you cheating or looking as you said, you'll really getting what you deserved," Teacher Myrna nicely warned John.

          "Yes ma'am," John answered sheepishly and didn't dare say a word after.

          The Science quiz went on for another 20 minutes and finally it ended.

          "Okay children you may pass your papers forward and you could leave the room anytime after," Myrna told her students.

      

VII

           All the other students had left the room, John and Ana started walking out.  The two approached Nema who have been waiting for a while now.  

           "Nema, did you get tired waiting for me, by the way this is my friend John," Ana's introduction of John to Nema.

          "Hi... so your name is Nema.  Are you two related?" John asked.

          "Not really, we're just friends I'm temporarily living in Ana's uncle's house and Ana kindly invited me to check out some of her favorite places after class," she answered.

          "Good, we're going to the mall and and look around for something to buy and eat, you should join us Nema," John invited his new acquaintance.

          "Nema is sick, she's got amnesia John," she narrated to her friend John.

          "Really, of all people stricken with amnesia this one, this one by far is the most beautiful of them all!" he joked in total disbelief.

          "Be careful Nema, John is definitely as mischievous as he looks like," teasingly,  Ana warned Nema.  "Liar, exactly how many people with amnesia have you seen all your life John?"

          "You, just let it go okay," John recanted.

          "But, I must say Nema is really beautiful, in fact I think we're about as beautiful, don't you think so John?" Ana added.

          "Okay fine, if you say so," John answered.

          "You know nowadays it's so easy to cure amnesia," John said slightly smiling.

          "Oh really, okay let me hear it," Ana's answer to John. 

          "As soon as you forget you've got amnesia you'll be totally healed, am I right or am I right?" John teased his two friends.

          "John can be really corny, don't worry you'll get used to it Nema," Ana blurted.  "And above all, he feels handsome all day, all the time. "

          "What do you mean I feel handsome all day long, it's just you and our friends who kept on praising me for my extreme good looks.  When our classmates say that I'm so handsome, specially the girls, it doesn't hurt me anymore, not a bit,  I'm so used to hearing it all day long, everyday, I got immuned."

          "My how could you brag and be so dramatic all at the same time," Ana answered back.

          "I think we should stop teasing, and annoying each other," John said and surprisingly turned quiet from where he was standing.

          "What happened to you John, why become so quiet suddenly?" Ana asked John.

          "Nothing really, the truth is, I'm just worried.  You know for a fact that Teacher Myrna caught me cheating earlier," John reminded Ana.

          "So, I don't see the problem?  Didn't she told the class that she's letting it go simply because you were not able to copy my hardly readable writings, and that was my fault of course," Ana wondered.

          "Not really, she said she's not punishing me for it, but I'm sure  she's going to tell on me at mom and dad,  I'm a goner now.  The two of them would definitely shower me with their long sermons.  Probably dad would tell me, I'm such an embarrassment, what will our friends say if they learned of what I did.  You should study hard so you won't need to copy from anyone.  Then dad will continue, 'Son, how will Dona like you to be her daughter's boyfriend if you can't even behave yourself?  You should study hard so that when you grow up you could find a decent job.  This way, Dona would be happy seeing you court her daughter Ana when you're all grown up.'"

          "The problem is, I've already seen Nema,  I'm sure I can no longer follow my parents wishes," John stated smiling while looking intently at Nema who was turning red in humiliation.

          "Really, so as early as now I should start thanking Nema for saving me from a great disaster in the future," Ana mischievously replied.

          "You two stop teasing me already," the embarrassed Nema said.

          "Fine then, we're here at the mall, you're our boss now Nema, whatever it is that you wanna do, is exactly what the three of us is going to do," John said. 

          "What, you're paying today,  well Nema is such a good company, she could actually turn John into a big spender," Ana noticed.

          Inside the biggest mall,  Nema noticed something that looked so soft, pink in color and was constantly rotated using a stick.  "What's that?" Nema asked. 

          "You like that one?  That's simply Cotton Candy, come I'll buy one for you," John said.

          "Mister, I'd like to buy Cotton Candy, make it three." and handed his payment over to the man.

          "Shortly,  one by one the storekeeper handed the Cotton Candy to the three of  them.

          "My this really tastes so sweet and so soft inside my mouth," Nema stated as she gradually consumed the Cotton Candy.  "Thanks, really."

           "Just keep on eating Nema as John had said, you're the boss now so eat as fast as you can so we can move towards the Ice Cream stand.  I'm sure you'll like it even better than this one," Ana assured her.

           "Come let's transfer to the other side so I could buy Nema her Selecta Ice Cream," John invited the two girls.

           John assisted Nema in climbing the escalator for she looked hesitant in riding it.  "Hold me please, I'm afraid I might fall anytime," Nema reminded her friends.

          They passed by an appliance center when they reached the second floor of the mall.  "Our TV is similar to that one,  Samsung flat-screen, even the huge refrigerator and washing machine,  GE just like ours back at home," John noticed.

          "Even at our house we also have lots of those,  the quality is good that's why my uncle buys some too," Ana narrated while they were heading towards the Ice Cream Stall.

          "This, I like this one." Nema pointed at the violet colored Ice Cream.

          "You want that one?  How about you Ana, what do you want?  I shouldn't have bothered asking, you always buy Vanilla.  Hey, Miss I'd like to buy Vanilla-flavored Ice Cream." and immediately pulled out his money from his Seiko Wallet.  "Here's my payment."

          "It's true Selecta tastes much better than Cotton Candy, it's so sweet and cold," Nema exclaimed.

          "Okay just keep on eating Selecta Ice Cream.  The three of us should sit on the bench at the corner," John invited. 

          "Eat your Selecta Ice Cream a little faster Nema because that could melt anytime and fell on the floor," Ana reminded Nema.

          "Okay, this is really tasty I feel this is the first time that I have eaten Ice Cream my whole life," Nema approximated.

          "Which one tastes better, Ana's Vanilla or this ube?" Nema asked her friends.

          "Just taste it Nema, come just try tasting a little," Ana invited.  "This one actually tastes better, right?" 

          "I think you're right, but ube is tasty too," Nema noticed.

          "You two stand up, let's head up front so we could play darts.  I'll show Nema how great I am at targeting the board.  I'm sure I'll bag the stuff toy Hello Kitty prize. I'm giving it to you Nema." and John dragged his two friends. 

          The darts were handed over to them after John had paid for it.  Immediately John positioned himself so he could hit the board with his dart in the middle of the round board.  "Step aside girls, just watch me, for sure I'm hitting the middle," John bragged and threw the dart.

          "Yes, you almost hit the wall John," Ana heckled at John.

          "You, it's just a practice, I'm playing humble, that's how the leads normally behaves, watch and learn," he assured his friends.

          "Wow! You hit the wall again, watch and learn, perfect," Ana said and laughed at John's expense.

          "Nothing I think I'm starting to rust, it's so hard to concentrate beside a beautiful girl," John's excuses.

          "How about you Ana, you kept heckling on me, it's your turn to throw," John challenged.

          "Who me, I'm really great at this, I'm an expert brother.  Step aside folks so you could see how precise I am at throwing darts," Ana bragged and immediately threw the dart.

          "Yes you hit it big time, you almost hit the keeper," John heckled back at Ana and laughed.

          "Maybe, I should just buy you one Hello Kitty Stuff Toy Nema because I might just run out of money, Ana looks like she doesn't want to stop throwing and missing, I'm afraid the Police will apprehend us if Ana hurts someone because of her impressive precision at throwing," Johns loud heckling on Ana.

          "How about me, maybe I should try throwing, just once, maybe I'll hit one, I really like that white Hello Kitty Stuff for myself," Nema suggested to the two of them.

          "Here, Nema you try throwing, we've missing, it's really embarrassing." and John handed the dart over to Nema.

          For a little while Nema focused and immediately threw the dart on the board. 

          "Wow you hit on target Nema, right at the tiny red circle in the middle, bull's eye, my you're great at this Nema!  You beat me and Ana, and we've been playing darts for a long time now.  We two are only good at bragging really."

          "I did hit it on target, could I take my prize now?" Nema asked the stall keeper.

          "Here, you're so great at this," the keeper praised Nema.

          "Could I still throw, I really want the other one." and pointed at the pink Hello Kitty Stuff Toy on the corner.

          "That pink one, you like that.  Here's the dart you throw again," John said.

          Nema focused again.

          "Wow you hit right on target for the second time, it's another bull's eye Nema!" Excitedly, Ana praised Nema aloud.

          "Here Nema you throw again so you'll have three stuff toys all in all!" 

          "Beat it now kids my boss is going bankrupt!  I might get reprimanded by my boss..." said the embarrassed keeper who was turning red and started scratching his head.

          "Fine then, let's leave it at that, you're so pitiful," John said sympathetically but laughing at the same time.  Then he received from the keeper the two stuff toys that Nema won for a prize.

          "You already have two large Hello Kitty Stuff Toys Nema,  I'll carry it all for you, I'm really strong because I take Revicon forte most of the time," John offered gentlemanly to the beautiful young girl Nema.

          "Hey...Mister Handsome is trying to look cute..." Ana teased John again.

          "No I'm not trying hard to look cute, I was born cute you know.  I'm a naturally kind person," John uttered while carrying the two large Hello Kitty Stuff Toys for Nema.

          "Hey Nema, let's ask John to buy us a pair of new shoes, he looks in the mood to spend his money on us.  Hurry up before he changes his mind," Ana reminded Nema.

          "I think it's too much already, it's embarrassing to make John spend his money on us again, why don't we just walk around," Nema said.

          "What, don't you start feeling embarrassed now Nema, don't worry Nema John's dad is filthy rich, these are all change to them.  Let's ask John to buy us new shoes, I'm afraid that he will go back to his old thrifty-ways anytime now," Ana warned Nema.

          "Me thrifty.  Don't believe her Nema, I was never thrifty, I'm fully loaded." and John proudly tapped on his Seiko Wallet at the back of his pants. 

          "Come Nema, so I could buy the two of you a pair of Adidas Shoes and dresses." and immediately dragged his friends towards a very popular shoe shop.  And then he immediately made his friends sat down so the Saleslady could start fitting them. 

          "Just point at whatever suits you Nema.  I'm buying you anything you want, I'm taking charge now," John bragged once more.

          "Nema,  let's start choosing, I prefer this one, it's beautiful and I like the color.  I think it fits me perfectly," Ana said while trying on the Adidas Shoes that she had chosen.

          "Will this one fits me well?" Nema asked Ana.

          "Wait, the color of this one suits you well I think, a pink Adidas Rubber Shoes, just try it on so we can be sure," Ana advised.

          "Okay, you try walking around with that shoes and see if it feels comfortable enough on your foot Nema," Ana added.

          Nema tried it on at once and she really liked it, her facial expression showed that.  "Yes, it really fits me well, it feels so comfortable and fresh," she said while looking down on her beautiful shoes.

          "If that's the case, I'm paying for it now," John stated.  After John had paid they immediately headed towards a popular boutique in the mall to buy new dresses.

          "I'm choosing for you Nema, I'm really good when it comes to dresses.  Come you try this on, you go straight to that tiny door up front.  We'll wait for you to come out with the new dress on," Ana told Nema.  Seated, Ana and John waited for a while.

          Moments later, Nema came out wearing the elegant and yellow Ralph Lauren Dress.

          "Hey John, you look stunned, is the view beautiful enough  John?' Ana teased John.

          "It's really really beautiful..." John immediately answered.

          "Which one is beautiful, the dress or Nema?" Ana teased John once again.

          "Does it look good on me, huh Ana?" asked the embarrassed Nema.

          "Hey John Nema is asking if her dress is beautiful." and patted John.

          "It fits you perfectly, I knew it from the start, you'll look  prettier, if somebody buys you a much better dress," John admitted smiling and alternated looking at the new dress and Nema's beautiful face.

          "Really... I looked prettier now with this clothes on?"  Nema asked her friends softly.

          "Really, really beautiful!" John and Ana eagerly answered in unison.

           I wonder who's going to melt, John from Nema's beauty or Nema from John's stares, Ana wondered silently. 

          After Ana had chosen and fitted a dress, John immediately paid all their purchases.  Afterwards, they slowly headed out so they could start going home. 

          "Hey Nema, we're going home now," Ana told Nema.  "You don't want to go home just yet, you want to eat Selecta Ice Cream once again, right..."

          "How did you know, huh Ana?" the embarrassed Nema asked her friend Ana.

          "It's pretty obvious because I saw you  looking at the Ice Cream Stall," Ana answered quickly.

          "Okay we'll buy Vanilla again, Nema," John assured her.

          While they were eating Selecta Ice Cream, "John you've already spent a lot on us, it's really embarrassing now, thanks..."  Nema admitted.

          "Why are you thanking me, you two are paying me," John replied smirking.  "If you don't go with me at the beach on Sunday,  the two of you are paying me right here, right now," John teased Nema.  

          "Then we're going, is that a problem, you're paying once more, right," Ana answered back.

          "Then I'm expecting to see the two of you, Nema,"  John added.

          "Fine with me, besides Ana is also coming," Nema answered.

          "I'll fetch the two of you with our driver, okay," John told his friends.

          "Okay," Ana assured John.  And then they all headed home.

VIII  

          The following day while Nema and Ana were talking to each other in the living room, Suddenly Nema heard something.  "Aw!  Aw!" barked the coming tiny and hairy white dog, followed by a little boy. 

          "Ana I'm home.  You're with someone.  Who is she, huh?" he immediately asked his sister.

          "She's Nema Uncle Mike took her in, she's sick you know,"  Ana's quick introduction. "She can't remember her own name, she's got amnesia." 

          "Really you've got amnesia, huh?" the little boy asked Nema.

          "Mike told me I've got amnesia," Nema admitted to the little boy.

          "Really you've got amnesia, are you sure, could it be that you're just naturally forgetful," he answered teasingly.

          "It's true she's got amnesia Mac-mac and stop pushing it okey," Ana reminded her seven-year-old younger brother.

          "Fine then, I'm Mac-mac.  1..2.. 3..4..5.. 6.. 7.. 8.. 9.. 10.. what's my name again? " he asked laughing.

          "Wait, what's your name again... I've forgotten it already."  Nema rode on the little boy's prank, the cuteness of the little boy amused her.

          Suddenly the little boy noticed something.  "Where's our fish Anema, why, she's not in the aquarium?" the boy asked worriedly.

          "There, she's swimming at the back of the aquarium," Ana answered her little brother.

          "No that's not Anema, where is she Ana?" the little boy asked his sister again earnestly.

          "Okay, that's really not Anema,  how did you know for sure," Ana's bewildered question.

          "Of course I should know, I'm in-charge of feeding her. And every time I go near her, she would immediately swam to meet me up front.  And then he would rub his mouth, repeatedly on the aquarium's wall.  But that one is a bit bigger and she's afraid of me.  Look, I'll go near her. See,  she swam away and hid at the back of the decorative stones," he explained.  "What happened to Anema, is she dead Ana?"

          "I don't know, the truth is when I came to feed her, I realized the tank was empty.  I peeked over and over again, I just couldn't find her inside the aquarium.  I even searched on the floor, even under the sofa, but there was really nothing, I just couldn't find her no matter what.  I don't really know what happened to her Mac, I'm sorry," she narrated to her little brother. "But I immediately bought you a new one, don't you like her, huh?"

          "I think I could like her, she's also cute just like Anema.  But Anema had been ours for a very long time, I pity her,  I was feeding her everyday," the boy answered his sister.  "I think I know who the culprit is, I believe Sandra did this."

          "How could you tell for sure?" Ana asked in disbelief.

          "One day I saw Aunt Sandra hitting the aquarium's wall her palm, she hit it too hard that I thought the glass wall was going to break anytime.  With a soft voice, she kept on cursing she sounded like she was really really mad at Uncle Mike and she vented it all out on Anema.  She seemed mad at something, probably about money, I didn't really understand much, but when she saw me she immediately went for the fish food and pretended feeding Anema.  Then she just smiled at me, telling me that I should feed the fish instead because Anema seemed to fear her a bit.  And then she left just like that as if she didn't do anything bad. I noticed Anema looked weaker, she got tired trying to avoid Aunt Sandra, she's really mean and heartless!" the boy narrated again.

          "Wait a minute, you call your fish Anema?  So that's why Mister Mike reacted differently when I decided to tell him that my name is Nema," Nema butted in.

          "Okay enough already Mac, why don't you just name our newly bought fish,  what do you want to call her, huh? Ana pacified her little brother.

          "I'm not sure, let's just call her Anema too, besides I'm used to saying that name every time I feed Anema back then," his answer to his sister.

          "Okay then, from now on she will be our new Anema, they looked alike," Ana said.

          "Good evening children," Sandra greeted when she arrived, Mike walked behind her.

          "Hey kids your aunt greeted you, why aren't you answering her?" Mike reminded the children.

          The children simply stared at Sandra.  "Hey, why aren't you greeting Sandra, huh?"

          "Good evening Aunt Sandra," Nema greeted her and patted Mac's foot with her own.

          "Good evening Aunt Sandra." and Mac approached her supposedly to ask for her blessing.

          "Ouch!"  You stepped on my foot!" Sandra cried aloud.

          "I'm sorry Aunt Sandra, I really didn't do it intentionally," Mac-mac's excuses.

          "Mac be very careful the next time really, look your Aunt Sandra is in pain," Mike reminded his nephew while the children were oddly looking at each other.  "Come here Mac let me hold and carry you in my arms, I missed you son.  Why the sad face, don't you want to go home and be with us once more, huh?"

          "Nothing really uncle, my teeth hurts a bit probably because I've eaten a lot at Aunt Samatha's house," he excused.

          "Huh, your teeth is aching, what now I bought a lot of fruits for Nema and Ana, apples, mangoes, bananas, orange and a lot others, and I also bought Selecta Ice Cream."  

          "I'll eat Ice cream instead Uncle Mike, to help soothe my aching teeth, is that Vanilla, huh" he asked.

          "No it's chocolate... but I also bought Vanila flavored Ice Cream." 

          "Okay Mac you go get some glasses so we can all eat,  ice cream could help ease the pain in your teeth," Ana tolerated and rode  her little brother's excuses.

  IX

          The following day Nema saw Mike swimming in the pool.

          "Come swim with me Nema, do you know how?" Mike asked.    

          "I don't know really, I'll try see if I can."  She dove into the pool.  She started swimming and she realized that swimming was too easy for her.

          "My your great at this, let's race, you haven't asked but I used to be a swimming champion," he bragged smiling.

          And they swam and race.  But Mike hadn't even swam half of the pool, Nema was already done swimming and won.

          When Mike looked up she saw Nema finished the swimming race why ahead of him.  "My, you swim so fast, you beat me really bad," amused, Mike praised Nema.

          "Was it fast I thought that was just normal.

          "Next week I'll go deep sea diving, I want you to join me."

          "Okey," he invited her.

          "And because you won in our swimming race, I'm ordering Jollibee Hamburgers as your reward," Mike said.  "My nephews really like to eat these.  And you can call me just Mike from now on, Nema,"  Mike said.

          "Okay, you decide, and thanks by the way uncle," Nema thanked Mike for his kindness and generosity. 

       

                                                    X

           While Nema was entering her room for a rest she saw Ana's slightly opened door so she decided to see her for a while.  "Ana... are you awake, can I come in for a while?" Nema asked softly. 

          "Come inside Nema, just enter," Ana invited her friend.

          "What are you doing why are there so many stuffs scattered all over your bed, what are those, huh?" Nema asked.

          Ana invited Nema to sit on her Sierratone Bed.  "Come sit beside me Nema.  These are my Dad's pictures while he was still with us, he died in a car accident, the car he was driving collided with a big bus.  He didn't even reached the hospital.  From then on my mom became so lonely and started getting sick most of the time.  Mom couldn't stop herself from crying every night,  she was just too sad and lonely.  Out of pity for mom and even for Mac-mac I called Uncle Mike and asked if we could take a vacation at his house.  And then what supposed to be a mere vacation turned to be a permanent arrangement.  We never left since then and mom even found a new job here with Uncle Mike's help.  Uncle Mike is really kind, he always helps us at anything.  That's why Mac-mac and I look up to him as our father.  I tend to forget Dad's lose because of Uncle Mike's presence.  By the way these are my jewelries, Dad gave me every time there's an occasion like in Birthdays and every time I received rewards from school,"  Ana narrated to her friend.

          You've got too many jewelries and they're so lovely, I suppose these are all expensive, right?" Nema asked while holding a shiny gold ring with a diamond in the middle.

          "Yes these are all expensive, you know we used to be rich when Dad was still around."

          "And you've got tons of dresses and they come in different colors," Nema said while she was looking at the open cabinet.

          "Don't worry Nema you're having all of these too, I'm certain when uncle finds time he's buying you a lot of new stuffs.  You know Mac-mac's room is filled up with lots and lots of toys that Uncle Mike had bought him, the truth is Mac-mac is my uncle's favorite, he's so playful that's why uncle loves him.  We're so lucky Uncle Mike is our uncle.  And that's why, you're just as lucky Nema, because I think, I could see that uncle likes you too.  You know, once in a while I wish you won't recover from your amnesia because I'm worried that you might leave us as soon as you get healed.  Because now I already have a sister that I get along very well.  How about you Nema do you still want to remember your past, huh?" Ana's last question.

          "I'm not really sure, you know I'm happy being with you guys because you're all nice and kind to me.  I'm afraid that my real life is filled with sadness and all.  But if I did remember, I'm sure I'm not going to forget anyone of you,  you all have become really dear to me." Nema was in tears while looking down on the floor.

          "We have learned to love you too Nema and I do wish that we're all be together for the rest of our lives." and Ana slightly hugged her friend Nema.  "Let's drop this drama, here's my necklace I'm giving it to you now besides I'm not using it anymore,  look into the mirror.  I bought this before at M. Lhuillier Pawnshop & Jewelry Store.  "Ain't it pretty, come try it on your neck now." Ana's kind deeds.

          "Isn't this too much Ana, all of you have given me a lot already..." her hesitant answer.

          "We're sisters now, therefore you must have these things too so we'll both be wearing jewelries the next time we decide to go out and have fun," Ana added.

          "Hey, what are you two doing in here, why are you excluding me?" asked the rushing Mac-mac.  "By the way I brought Pizza Hut that Uncle Mike gave me for the three of us."

          "Why, but there are only three slices left, where's the rest of it?" Ana asked.

          "Yes because uncle told me that we are supposed to divide these amongst the three of us, therefore I ate a lot first, and when only three were left, I immediately brought it here so we can divide these amongst the three of us, am I right, huh?  You and Nema could pick one slice so the three of us had one each," Mac-mac answered laughing.

          "You Mac... fine give those to me so Nema could also eat Pizza.  By the way Mac, next Sunday John is coming to pick us up, he invited us to go the beach with him.  Would you like to come Mac-mac?" Ana asked her little brother.

          "Yes of course I'm going I haven't been on the beach for a long time now and besides I'm asking my buddy John to teach me something," he added.

          "He's teaching you what?  What tricks are you two up to, huh Mac?" Ana teased her brother.

          "Nothing really, I'm too nice and cute for that, by the way Nema did you and John meet, huh?" he asked Nema.

          "They didn't just meet, John had already taken Nema for a shopping spree," Ana immediately answered even if Mac-mac didn't ask her at all.

          "Hmm... of course John's buying you lots of stuffs and goodies," Mac-mac said while looking up at Nema's lovely face.

          "Hey Mac wait... I've got Dunkin Donuts in here,"  Ana admitted to her brother while she was opening a box.

          "Really, let me see...." Mac-mac's excited answer.  "Hey, but there's only one piece left Ana, there ought to be lots of donuts in here?"

          "Huh... that's simply because Uncle Mike specifically told me to divide these and share it with you and Nema," Ana answered laughing and picked the last piece of Dunkin Donut inside the box.  "Now therefore, I'm dividing this last piece into two halves, this half is for you Mac and the other half  is for Nema, am I right?" Ana teased her brother laughing.

          "You Ana..." Mac-mac answered laughing while slowly shaking his head.

          "You Mac... you're so gullible I was just joking you know... here in the plate I hid lots of donuts for you and Nema," Ana admitted and picked up the large rounded plate that covered the remaining donuts.  "Here Nema pick one, I left these for you and Mac to share."

          "My this tastes good too," Nema said and looked at the tasty Dunkin Donut.

          "Of course these donuts are delicious Nema, I've eaten lots of these at school in our snacks,"  Mac-mac admitted.

          A little later Mac-mac decided to leave the two girls.

          "Ana, Nema I'm going back to my room now to play with my Sony PSP."

          "Mac don't forget to gather all your  Marvel Comics, Lego and Tupperware toys, put them all back nicely in your Orocan Cabinet," Ana dearly told her little brother. 

          "Yes I will... Good Night Nema...  Ana..."

XI

          Sunday came Ana, Mac-mac, and Nema happily sat at the beautiful garden.  They waited for John to fetch them.

          "Aunt Sandra has numerous plants in her garden, and all her flowers  have lovely colors too," Nema said held and admired the lovely red rose beside her.

          "What.... those aren't Aunt Sandra's plants, these are all mom's.  She's great at growing flowers, she's got green thumb," Mac-mac corrected Nema.

          "When we first came, Uncle Mike has no garden at all, these area were all cars, expensive cars though.  Then mom asked Uncle Mike's permission to turn this place into garden to keep herself busy with something she really likes and we noticed it helped mom cope up with her sadness in losing Dad, she looked happier afterwards.  I really want mom to be happy, so I see to it that I helped in taking good care of mom's plants especially that Sampaguita over there, that's my favorite and it smells great," Ana explained to Nema. 

          "Yeah I agree Sampaguita smells really good," Nema said and smelled the flower for herself.

          "When it comes to this house Uncle John puts mom in charge of almost everything.  From going to the grocery up to the paying of the bills for electricity, water, and PLDT mom's in charge of it all.  Mom goes to big malls to buy Silver Swan Suka and Toyo, Minola, Nescafe, Milo, Argentina Corned Beef, Lady's Choice Mayonaise, UFC Ketchup, Knorr products, Century Tuna, Lucky Me, pork, beef, manok, vegetables, Axion, and Zonrox, even Nature's Spring and Petron Gasul it's mom who calls and orders," Ana narrated.   

          "Even I helped in taking good car of mom's plants Nema, and if we don't have running water I helped by fetching water from the small pump.  I carried water in my tiny Orocan pail, see I got muscles now.  At times when I'm feeling tired, I still helped in watering the plants because I realized it made mom happier when she saw me being all helpful and nice," Mac-mac narrated to Nema.

          "Yap that's true Nema Mac-mac can be unbelievably nice and kind once in a while," Ana teased.

          "What once in a while, I'm always nice, I was born nice," Mac-mac said playfully to his sister.

          "I'm feeling envious of the two of you, back then I wonder if I too had a brother?" Nema wondered.

          "If you like I can be your little brother for now..." Mac-mac offerred Nema.

          "Really, of course come here give me your nicest hugs," Nema said and carried Mac-mac in her arms.  Shortly John in his Toyota finally arrived.  

          "Hey, all of you come and jump in!" John invited his friends and opened his car's door even more.  

XII

          "Hey pal how are you now?..." Mac-mac greeted his friend John as he approached the vehicle.  "I'm going with you..."

          "Okay no problem, I'd like that the more the merrier as they say.  How was your vacation Mac?  I heard you went to Baguio," John said and welcomed his little friend.

         "So you're the one who's going to watch the children at the beach, by the way I'm Ana and Mac-mac's mom," Dona introduced herself to John's uncle.

          "Yes, I'm Jake John's uncle.  Don't you worry, I assure you I'm taking good care of the kids, and the beach we're going to has it's own lifeguard, it's really safe out there," Jake assured Dona.

          "Good to know.  Mac-mac don't wander away from your sister.  I want you to obey your sister all the time, okay," she instructed her son.

          "I'm taking full responsibilities for John's safety, mom," Ana assured her mom.

          "I'm glad you're taking Nema with you kids, going out might help Nema given her present condition." 

          "Bye mom," the two siblings bid good bye and embraced their mom.

          "Bye Aunt Dona," Nema bid her good bye to Dona.

          "Hop in Mac you take that side, we'll sit beside each other," John told Mac-mac.  "Ana, Nema come inside, you two are sitting together on the other side of the car."

           After all was comfortably seated Jake closed the van's door and started driving.

          "Don't worry all of you our trip would be short and will be there in no time," John assured his friends.  "How was your vacation in Baguio Mac, was it fun?"

          "Yes I really enjoyed myself a lot, and partly because that was the first time I'd been to Baguio.  I like it there because it's always cold even without an air con, unlike here it's usually hot," Mac-mac answered his friend.

          "What did you do in Baguio Mac?" John asked his friend again.  "I think you had wooed and chased after the beautiful natives, didn't you?" John teased his friend.

          "My relatives and Ana's brought me to Banaue Rice Terraces, I was surprised and impressed by it's beauty.  It resembled a long stairs in the mountain climbing up to the clouds, that was so amazing."

          "I'd been to Baguio myself Mac, the whole place is definitely fascinating, it is still a mystery how the natives built the terraces considering that a good technology was unheard of back then.  The terraces are so vast and covered an unbelievable wide area, as far as I know the natives built and carved it all with their bare hands, it is simply remarkable," John narrated.

          "Before we left the Banaue Rice Terraces I and my cousins took a lot of pictures first, we posed and posed and my relatives have the biggest smiles ever, it's so ridiculous believe me," he narrated again.  "Afterwards they brought me along to ride horses, I was a bit terrified,  for a second I thought  I was going to fall off  fortunately there was a small black horse, they brought it as a replacement for the other horse who doesn't seem to like me,  I wonder why when everybody knows I'm such a good boy, am I not?While I rode the horse I saw the most amazing views as I looked down from the mountains.  I love the fact that while I was at the back of the horse the other tourists especially the young girls my age seemed impressed by the way I rode the horse or maybe they were just admiring me plain and simple," Mac-mac bragged some more.

          "I myself is impressed by you Mac, you're the best and besides we're friends," John added.

          "But going to the Strawberry Plantation by far was the most unforgettable, would you believe I myself pulled up and harvested the nicely colored strawberries straight from the owner's plantation.  The lines of strawberry plots were so long, I even lost count how many strawberry lines were there.  My basket overflowed with strawberries, I picked and pulled like there was no tomorrow.  And when I tried it, it tasted much much better and sweeter than the ones mom used to bring me from the malls. Strawberries always taste better when freshly picked, my cousins said," the boy narrated again.  "But at night, I'm afraid of falling asleep because my relatives told me there are so many ghosts roaming around in Baguio,  that's why when we're already in bed sleeping I see to it that I stayed at the middle all the time, I felt safer and away from ghost's clutches that way.  But my uncle and aunt laughed at it and told me my relatives are just making fun of me," Mac-mac's long narratives.  "How about you John do you believe in ghosts, huh?"

          "Yes, I definitely believe in ghosts," and John gave Ana a long look.

          "Hey what do you take me for a ghost,  I'm just too pretty and lovely to be a ghosts, hello," Ana teased back at John.

           "Wait, I guess you're all hungry now, here have some of my chips, just pick whichever you want,  what do you prefer Jack n' Jill Potato Chips or Oishi,"  John offered his friends.  "Nema eat some of this first." and John immediately handed Nema his chips.

          "Thanks the truth is I felt slightly hungry, while I listened to Mac-mac's story about the strawberries," Nema butted in at his friends funny conversations.

          "Yeah I suddenly remembered, I forgot to gave Ana all the strawberries I brought home for her,  I brought a lot of strawberries for Ana so she'll think I love her, but not to worry I put it all inside our GE refrigerator, I placed it alongside Tang and Eden Cheese, let's just eat it when we're back home, I'm certain you're gonna like it too Nema,"  Mac-mac told them.

          "I'm the luckiest sister in the world for having Mac-mac as my brother, am I not?" Ana praised his brother.

          Shortly after the van stopped at the narrow port, "Come down kids, we're here now," Jake ordered the children.

          And then they walked through a narrow bridge and climbed into the small motorized-boat which was scheduled to leave for the beach.  On board the fast motorized-boat the children felt the sea breeze and the strong winds in their faces. 

          "Are we in for a long boat-ride John?" Mac-mac asked.

          "Not really in thirty minutes will be up and running down the beach front.  I think I better pull up the cover from boat's floor," 

John said.

          The boat's floor was transparent and the children immediately saw schools of fishes swiftly swimming right beneath their boat.

          "Wow it's really beautiful, who would have thought that there were actually thousands of fishes swimming from under our boat, we didn't realize it at first because it was completely covered," the amazed Ana said.

          "Look at those two beautiful sea turtles," John said.

            "What a waste I don't see any octopus," Mac-mac said smirking.

          "Of all colorful and lovely sea-creatures in the ocean it's the octopus you wished to see Mac-mac, octopus really," Ana said laughing.

          "Look, there are thousands of tiny blue fishes swimming, you like it Nema." John pointed at the fishes for Nema.

          "Those fishes are really fun to watch John, my goodness there are just too many of them and their swimming so fast.  It's good to know none of them ever got hit by this boat we're riding now," Nema worried a bit.

          "No, not really... they're so used to seeing hundreds of boats passing by, they learned that they had to run away from any boat's path, because if they played dumb, they're all gone and extinct by now," Mac-mac teased Nema.

          When the group finally arrived at the island resort, they immediately bridged down the boat.  John assisted Nema in going down. They noticed the numerous lines of coconut trees planted near the beach front.  Their eyes also gazed at the small nipa houses   built in the middle of the resort.

          "Good morning, welcome to our resort,  I'll bring you to your table now," the beautiful staff greeted and welcomed the group.  They immediately followed the staff.  When they stepped into the Nipa Hut, they saw a sumptuous meal waiting for them at the simple but well-crafted table. The children looked, they saw lots of their favorite foods on the table, pork lechon, shrimps, crabs, chicken and pork adobo,  pancit canton, spaghetti, sweet potato, kinilaw, grilled tulingan and pork, sisig, mango juice, buco juice, and lots of softdrinks and lots of local delicacies like bico, bibingka, puto and kutsinta, utap, pili nuts, dried mangoes, and a lot others and there was a lone cake.

          "The whole trip got me tired, let's sit for a while and rest," said the slightly tired Ana.

          "It's really beautiful in here, look the sands are really fine and immaculately white," noticed Mac-mac and looked out the nipa hut's little window. "And they also got a lot of coconut trees, would I be allowed to climb at least one of those."

          "I'll open this really cold Coke for you guys, this will surely quench our thirsts after the long trip," John added and poured Coke in his friends' glasses.

          "I think I'll enjoy taking a dip, the sea-water looks so clean and inviting," Nema said and drank the Coke John gave her.

          "Okay let's eat but not much before we run into the sea," Ana advised her friends.

          "It's Chow Time..." said Mac-mac and grabbed a plate for himself.

          "What would you like to eat Nema?" John asked. 

              Nema immediately pointed at her choice.  

          "That one, that's pancit, and chicken adobo wait I'll bring one for you," John said.  They didn't eat much for they still have to swim in the sea. 

          "Okay we're done eating now, let's head out to the sea," Ana invited everybody.

          "I'll stay in the hut so I could watch all of you, behave," said John's uncle, Jake.

          "Okay uncle you watch over us from the window while you go watch the beautiful staff of this resort, we're leaving the two of you alone now bye..." teasingly John told his uncle and went out of the Nipa Hut together with his friends.

          "You, you leave my profitable business alone, I'm old enough for this staff rather this stuff," teasingly Jake said.

          The children immediately rushed towards the sea in their swimming apparels by Ralph Lauren.  Mac-mac beat everyone to the sea and swam like there was no tomorrow in the shallow waters.  He enjoyed the water and splashed all over his face.  The rest of the kids started to swim.  They swam and swam from here and there.  Once in a while they swam under the water.

          "It's so nice in here, the white sands feels soft beneath my feet, I can't even feel a single stone anywhere I go," Ana said and stroke her foot against the bottom of the sea-water.

          "Yes this place is really great because the staffs are all well trained in taking good care of the entire resort.  I brought all of you here because I knew for a fact that the water is so clean and its definitely safe in her.  The truth is, dad had the entire resort reserved exclusively for us guys," John told his friends.

          "So that explains why, I noticed earlier, it's only us swimming in this resort, I don't see any other tourists anywhere I looked," Ana noticed.  "Looked at how they had planted the coconut trees, it's like they had strategically positioned it all, the gaps between the Nipa Huts are so evenly spaced, and it's straightly aligned, even the Nipa Huts are uniquely designed, I haven't seen anything like it in all the resorts I'd been to, wow this place is amazing, so impressive." 

          "And look guys the coconut trees are all full of fruits, look lots of it had already fallen on the sands.  I'm so lucky I wasn't there when it felt, otherwise my handsome coconut shell will be filled with bumps and humps everywhere," Mac-mac teased.

          "You..." Ana stopped his little brother smiling. They swam and swam again, even Nema loved the whole place, she was so greatful her friends brought here along. 

          Shortly Ana and Nema decided to sit on the sands by the sea-water.  They looked at John and Mac-mac eagerly playing in the sea-water.  Then Ana talked to Nema about John.  "Are you enjoying Nema, huh?" Ana asked.

          "Yes I'm so happy you guys brought me here," Nema answered.

          "I'll ask you a question... what do you think of John Nema?"

          "Huh, he's nice and takes good care of all of us," Nema answered immediately.

          "What I mean is, if you like John, obviously he likes you a lot," Ana repeated.

          "We're too young, I don't think it's right to even think of that now and besides Uncle Mike might get mad at me," she answered. 

          "Ah... do you like his face, do you find John handsome even for a little bit," Ana insisted smiling.          

           "I think his handsome enough," Nema's hesitant answer.

           "Who's the handsome guy you girls are talking about huh, is it me?" said John and walked nearer towards the two girls, Mac-mac was behind John.

           "No you're not the only handsome guy in town you know, I've got a crush back at school, he's cute," Ana recanted.  Shortly the jet ski that John ordered came.

           "Hey Nema come I'm taking you for a ride on the jet ski," John invited Nema.

           "Let me ride with you too John," Mac-mac said.

           "You, let me run my new business, I'll ride with you later," John answered smirking.   

           "My you and your uncle are both good businessmen," Mac-mac answered laughing.

           "Nema you go with John, we're staying here, we'll watch you two ride the jet ski," Ana ordered Nema.

           "Okay then, but you stay here Ana and don't leave," Nema asked her friend Ana.

           "Don't worry I'll take good care of you, promise," John assured her.  "I'm sure you're gonna love this."

          After the two had worn their life jackets, John immediately started the jet ski.  Nema held on to John's waist so she won't fall.   

          "Hold on tight Nema, I'll take good care of you," he boasted and ran the jet ski fast.  John rode the jet ski, he maneuvered it in circles, he drove straight and fast, he also drove it back and forth. He drove over and over again at the sea.  John and Nema rode the jet ski for a long time.  Afterwards Nema noticed that John drove towards the beach front.  "Are we parking now, John?" Nema asked John as they neared where Ana and Mac-mac were seated.

          "No... just watch," he answered.  Suddenly John turned the jet ski to the right and back, a lot of sea-water splashed towards Mac-mac and Ana, the two got soaked heavily.

          "Why did you do that John, huh?  The two got soaked really bad, they're probably mad at us now..." Nema worried.

          "No... look back," John ordered Nema.

          Nema saw Mac-mac standing and then he jumped and jumped  and shouted at the two of them saying,  "Hey come back fast get us soaked again, this is really fun!" Mac-mac shouted at John and he laughed and laughed aloud.  John returned to splash Mac-mac and Ana some more.  Finally, Ana joined in meeting the huge splash of sea-water.  All of them immensely enjoyed their game, John  repeatedly soaked them who was also enjoying himself as he watched Mac-mac met the splash of sea-water. 

          "Hey Nema are you having fun too,  Mac-mac and Ana are so fun to watch, aren't they?" he asked.

          "Yes, it is really fun to watch the two of them, specially Mac-mac he really liked that you're soaking them.  I didn't know I'd enjoy riding the jet ski this much!" Nema shouted to John.

          "It's good to know that you're enjoying yourself Nema,  that's exactly how I want you to feel, to be always happy specially when you're with me Nema!" John said smirking to the lovely girl Nema.  Shortly John parked the jet ski near the beach front, a little bit farther from where Mac-mac was standing.

          "Why did we stop here, come let's walk towards Ana," Nema said.

          "Wait, let's sit for a while, I'm beginning to feel tired," he said and pulled Nema down to sit beside him.

          "Huh you got tired we should sit for a while then," the worried Nema said.

          "You know I'm so glad you're happy, by the way Nema, what's your dream in life, what do you want to be?" he asked Nema.

          "Me, I want to be a famous civil engineer when I grow up.  I want to build big and tall buildings.  People would look and admire all the buildings that I had built, when this happens it would really make me happy and proud.  They would ask themselves who's the great civil engineer that built this tall and majestic building.  And not just that, I'm also going to build long roads and bridges.  I could imagine my parents being so proud of their son after I had built all these," he narrated to Nema, who was sitting beside him.  "How about you, what it is again that you want to be when you grow up Nema?"  

          "As of now I'm not really sure,  I guess I'd like to be a teacher because I've seen them on TV, I feel like I want to teach children how to read, to write and to sing, yeah that's what I want to do.  But I'm not sure if that's going to happen given my condition," she answered John.

          "Don't worry Nema you'll get healed eventually, we're all here to help you all the time," John assured Nema.  "And Nema, maybe you notice that I like you a lot," he added and glanced at the girl beside him.

          "Really, maybe you're only saying all that because you pity me..." worriedly, Nema said.

          "No I really like you Nema, and besides why would I pity you, you don't look pitiful to me at all, you're so pretty, and I won't mind telling you how pretty you are everyday.  Now... do you like me too Nema, huh?" John said again smirking.

          "I don't know, besides we're too young for these kind of things," Nema averted John's question.

          "I know, but I'm not in a hurry, I just want you to know that I like you, I really like you Nema," John answered. "But... you're happy when you're with me, aren't you Nema?"

          "Yes you're fun to be with and besides you're really kind to me just like Ana and Mac-mac," she answered.

          "You're beautiful, and I'm handsome, we'll look good together, don't you think so Nema, huh?" John insisted smirking again. 

          Nema simply smiled at what she heard from John.

          "Listen... if another guy courts and proposes his love for you, will you accept him and say yes?" he asked again.

          "What, no! No way!" Nema answered fast.

          John smiled, deep in him... he could feel, Nema likes him just as much. 

         "Hey you've forgotten all about me John, you told me Nema and I are taking turns at the jet ski," Mac-mac reminded John, smiled and gave him a look.

          "Huh, yeah I suddenly remember, you stay here for a while Nema, I'm taking Mac-mac for a ride," he told Nema.

          "Nema, you run towards Ana, it's your turn to get soaked," Mac-mac ordered.

          Afterwards John and Mac-mac soaked Ana and Nema at the beach front over and over again.  They laughed and laughed aloud , the four of them immensely enjoyed their game.  Shortly Mac-mac and John left the jet ski and walked towards Ana and Nema.

          "Okay, the three of you line up, it's my turn, I'll ride the jet ski, you're all getting soaked, and you're getting drowned!" Ana bragged loudly.

          "How can you drown us, when all you can do is splash a large amount of water on us?" John asked.

          "What splash are you talking about, I'm giving you the tsunami!" Ana answered laughing.  "We're done here, let''s go back to the hut and finish our food."

          The lovely staff of the resort had left when the four of them returned to the nipa hut.  "Uncle Jake, how's business here, was it fun, huh?  Did you talk to the girl?" John asked his uncle.

          "Yes but not much, she left after the four of you ran towards the sea.

          "The two of you didn't talk that much, but what's this number doing in this tiny paper, is this the cellphone number of that beautiful girl?"

          "That's nothing, that's the lotto number that I've been maintaining for a while now, I beat on that already," he answered.

          "Well since you're done beating on this lotto number, maybe we should just throw it away Uncle Jake," John answered.

          "Fine then, you go pack up your things 'cause we're going home right now!" Jake warned him teasingly.

           "I'm so sorry Uncle Jake, could I see that number again so we can beat on that too," John answered back smiling.

          "Stop fooling around already, let's all eat because I'm really hungry now," Ana said.

          John and Nema ate together, the two seemed very happy with each other's company.

          "Here Nema you try Goldilock's Cake, this is so delicious I'm sure you're going to love it," John invited Nema.

          "I didn't know Goldilock's Cake are so delicious, could I have some more?" Nema asked. 

          "You and Nema look so happy together, is there something you would like us all to know, huh John?"  Ana asked.

          "Not this time...but in the near future probably," he answered smiling.

          "Hey Ana just keep on shampooing your hair with Sunsilk everyday, so someone will give you Goldilock's Cake too," Mac-mac teased his sister.

          "Mac-mac, if I Sunsilk my hair everyday, I'm getting not only Goldilock's Cake but also Hershey's Chocolates all at the same time," Ana teased back on her brother.

          After they were done eating, they decided to go back to the sea and swam.  They played beach volleyball.  Then the staff called them for a tour around the resort, they loved what they saw. 

Later they took them inside the butterfly garden.  The staffs taught them all that they needed to know about the beautiful butterflies.  They also explained to them the complete life cycle that butterflies go through before they become an adult. They further explained to them that a butterfly starts as an egg first, then becomes a larva, turns into a pupa and eventually comes out from its cocoon as a new and colorful adult butterfly, completing its metamorphosis. But they didn't really listen that much because they were too busy running and chasing after the beautiful and colorful butterflies.  The children allowed the colorful butterflies to land on their hands, they really enjoyed watching its lovely colors.  Finally they headed back to the beach front where the staff gave them souvenir items from the resort.

          They decided to go home, John assisted Nema in boarding the boat that was taking them home.  When everybody was in the boat, John jumped out and walked back to the beach front. He immediately pulled out his Samsung Cellphone from his pocket. All of a sudden he started taking pictures of the entire island. "Hey come up now so we can leave!" Ana called John. 

         "Just a moment, just wait for a while!" he shouted back at Ana and then he immediately took pictures of himself on his cellphone.  He kept on smiling, tried to look as handsome as he could.  And then he rushed back and climbed up.  On the boat, "Nema, I've got something for you, a Samsung Cellphone take it," he said and reached for Nema's hands to give her his gift.

          "That's just great before giving you really had to fill up your cellphone with your face, your gimmick is impressive," Ana teased John. "Take it Nema."

          "Thanks this is really pretty," she said even if she felt slightly embarrassed.

          "Just keep on looking at this so you'll remember me always," John answered Nema smiling.

          "Hey why took only your pictures John how about Nema's don't you like to take hers on your cellphone too?" Ana added.

          Immediately he pulled out his other Samsung Cellphone in his pocket and showed Nema's pictures, he already had a lot of Nema's pictures.  He took stolen shots while Nema was looking and admiring at the yellow butterfly that landed on her hand when they were at the Butterfly Garden.  Nema looked so pretty on John's Cellphone.  "I'll keep looking at this after I returned home," John just said. 

          "Why took only Nema's pictures John how about ours?" Ana teased again.

          "Look you've got a picture yourself Ana," John answered.

          "You moron, why this picture with a butterfly on my nose did you choose to take?" Ana wondered.

          "Don't you two look good together, you really really look good together, you're just as wide," John teased Ana smiling.        "You'll pay for this someday, you moron, but wait this picture looks so ridiculous, I'll upload this on Facebook the next time I internet with my Globe Tattoo." Ana rode on John's antics.

          From the boat they were riding for home, they could still see the breathtaking view of the whole island, until slowly it began looking smaller and smaller until it totally vanished before their very eyes.  While they were sailing, John and Nema sat quietly but happily beside each other, once in a while they smiled and for whatever reason only the two of them knew.

XIII

          The next morning Nema went to the bathroom.  She saw that she forgot to return the plastic cover of Colgate after she used it last night and so she covered it back and placed it beside her Oral-B Toothbrush.  Nema immediately took a bath and soaped herself with Colgate and shampooed with Sunsilk, she wanted to look good when she goes down for breakfast.  When she was done bathing, she went out and walked towards her cabinet.  When she opened it she discovered that her cabinet was already filled with a lot of new clothes.  Ana told her before that Mike would eventually buy her a lot of new clothes, and now she realized that it was true indeed.   There were Bench, Penshoppe, Levi's, Lee, Jag, Freego, and Paddocks.  She chose to wear the pink Bench dress. Underneath the cabinet, there were some shoes Skechers, Nike, and Converse. Nema chose the white Skechers and tried to wear it while she was sitting on the edge of her bed.  After she was fully dressed up, she suddenly heard her new Samsung cellphone rang, "Hello..." Nema said. 

          "Hello Nema it's me John, it's good you're awake already. How about Ana and Mac-mac are they up too?" asked John.

          "Yes, it seems because I could hear them downstairs," Nema answered.

         "Did you dream about me last night huh?" John teased.

         "You...you called why." 

         "I called because I miss you already."

         "How can you miss me, when we just saw each other yesterday."

         "That's how it is, I miss you this soon because...I'm falling for you Nema, I love you already."

          "You love me?"

          "Deeply, madly yes... how about you, do you love me too?"

          "As of now, I don't really know what to tell you John."

          "Don't worry Nema I'm more than willing to wait,  maybe you need more time to know me better.  I'll just show you how much my love for you is everyday. 

          "Okay."

          "I also called because,  I'm coming over to visit you after class, I'll go with Ana and Mac-mac when they head back home, wait for us okay."

          "Okay I'll wait for you."

          "I'm saying my good bye for now,  I still got classes, just look at my pictures in your Samsung Cellphone, maybe you'll already say yes when I ask you again, okay bye... I love you Nema,"  John said his good bye to Nema.

          "Bye John," Nema answered and she noticed John had already put down his cellphone.

          "Who are you talking to Nema, is that John calling?" Ana asked her friend.

          "Yes, he said he's coming over for a visit, he'll accompany you and Mac-mac home.

          "He'll probably court you again, Nema, why don't you just say yes so he'd stop.

          "I'm not sure, I'll think about it first."

          "You'll think about it... my, that moron hit the jackpot, he's got a chance then," Ana noticed.  "You know Nema, John can be so  rowdy and mischievous sometimes but the truth is, he is one of the nicest boy you'll ever meet."

         "I notice it too, he seems really nice."

         "You know Nema, there are  many girls who like John at school.  It's just that John doesn't really talk much or hang out with them, they get disappointed because they think he's a snob.  I got so surprised when he immediately pursued you, there are a lot of pretty girls at school who were trying to charm John and get his attention, but this pretty pretty face beat and outclassed them all," Ana praised her friend and softly squeezed Nema's cheeks.  "Okay let's go downstairs for breakfast Uncle Mike has been waiting for us at the table," Ana invited Nema.

          "Huh they've been waiting for us, let's go down then Ana."

           Downstairs they saw Mike, Dona, and Mac-mac waiting for them at the table.

          "Good morning girls, come so we can all eat," Mike invited.

          "What took you so long, I've been waiting for the two of you, what were you two talking about huh, I know it's John?" Mac-mac teased.

          "Why would they talk about John Mac?" Mike asked his nephew.

          "John's so attracted to Nema's beautiful face , that's why he kept on courting Nema back at the beach,"  Mac-mac narrated.

          "Really Nema, I know John is a good boy, but you two take it easy, remember you're still very young," Mike advised.

          "Yes Uncle Mike," the embarrassed Nema said.  "I saw the new clothes and shoes you bought for me... thank you so much uncle." 

          "Don't mention it, I'm glad it fits you well.  You really look pretty in your new dress," Mike answered smiling.

          "Wait John texted to my Nokia Cellphone and he said,  'If Nema shampoos her hair with Sunsilk over and over again, she'll not only receive Goldilock's cake, and Hershey's chocolate, but also a Mercedez Benz accompanied by a receipt.'," Ana said.

          "Why accompanied by a receipt?" Dona asked.

          "'So that Nema would know how much... I love her!'," Ana continued.

          "This John really.  Okay let's eat then,  these are all delicious simply because I prepared all these," Dona said. 

          "Like always our breakfast is delicious because mom had prepared it, isn't it Ana?"  

          "Of course, mom cooks very very well, no question about that," Ana praised her mother.

          "Okay, enough patronizing me, I already knew that a long time ago," Dona bragged.  "And it always tastes delicious every time I fry Purefoods Hotdog, and Ham.  Help yourselves with this fried chicken,  this is Magnolia, you all will find this delicious for sure, add up scrambled eggs and Gardenia so you'll feel full and contented.  Mac-mac finish off your milk so you'll be stronger."  

          "Yes mom, I'll finish off this glass of Bear Brand Milk because it so tasty.    

          After breakfast, Ana and Mac-mac said good bye for school.  "Nema you can call us from your new cellphone anyway you knew our schedules, just make sure you call us on our free time,"  Ana told her friend..

          "It's good that you shone up your Gibi Shoes.  Let me see if your socks are clean," Dona ordered her son.

          "I've just worn this Burlington Socks moments ago, it's so clean and feels soft on my feet, all my classmates wear Burlington Socks too because they said it is really sturdy. All our uniforms looks clean and white because their moms' use Pride as well," Mac-mac narrated. 

          "Of course, and I also added Downy on my laundry so it  remains looking new, soft, and smells good the whole day," Dona added.

          Dona took her children to school with her Daihatsu.  Nema was left downstairs to watch TV at the living room.  She enjoyed watching the shows and looked at the new fish in the aquarium once in a while. 

          "You're so greedy, I only took two million and you're already mad at me, besides you also spend a lot on your sister and your nephews!" Nema heard Sandra's loud voice.

          "Where did you spend the entire two million that you had withdrawn from our bank Sandra, is that too hard to answer huh, I know you wasted all your money at the casino!" Mike shouted at his wife.

          What do you want me to do, stay in this house the whole day, and what the hell will I do here, I'm so sick with this house.

It's my right to go out and have fun. And what are you complaining about our business is earning big time.  Why don't you just admit it, you don't want to spend your money on me because you never loved me.  You think of nobody else but that Sonia!" 

          "You knew from the start it's Sonia that I truly love, I never lied to you.  You forced me to marry you because you said you were pregnant, but what did you do huh...you took yourself for granted, you kept going out then almost every night, you drank and drank and because of your carelessness I lost my child. That should have been the only one that could have made me happy in this relationship,  you allowed yourself to lose him.  In spite of all the things that you've done, I still gave you a good life.  But what did you do in return, all you did was gamble and waste all our money.  It would've better if you at least won, the problem was you always lost, and you never learned.  Starting today I'm not letting you withdraw a single cent from our bank, I'm leaving you for good, remember that!" Mike shouted and threathened his wife.

          Nema got slightly bothered by what she heard from Mike's and Sandra's loud and heated argument, slowly she moved out and walked towards the garden.  When she finally reached it, she saw the small table and chair beside it.  She went nearer and immediately sat.  She carefully looked around Dona's flower garden.  She felt happy looking at them.  Shortly she saw Mac-mac's white puppy approaching her.  It sat by her foot.  "You're such a pretty dog, come I'll lift you up for a little while," Nema said.  

Nema caressed his long and soft furs.  "The next time, it'll be my turn to bathe you using Shieldgard that Mac-mac bought to make your furs softer and shinier."  Then Nema placed the dog on the table and fed him with Alpo Dog Food.  Immediately the dog started eating it and in just a short while he consumed all of it.    Nema remained seated, she thought that she was still lucky that some people took and welcomed her in their house.  So she decided not to force herself from remembering her past and if she remembers she'd like it to happen naturally.  After about an hour, Nema saw Mike coming out of the house, walking towards her. 

          "Nema, come I'm taking you at our plan to go deep sea diving, it's just about time, it says nine o'clock in the morning on my Seiko Watch," invited the now calm Mike.

          "Yes, let's leave then Uncle Mike," Nema answered.

          "Okay, it's good you're already ready for our trip to the sea.  Come with me to my car, we're going now," Mike added.  The two talked while travelling.

          "You know Nema, I'm happy that you ended up at my house, I noticed my nephews became happier the moment you came in our lives.  You all got along very well," Mike noticed.

          "Yes they're all good to me, they always help me," Nema narrated.

          "Did you hear the argument between me and Sandra earlier?" Mike Asked Nema.

          "Yes, but I also moved out towards the garden afterwards."

          "Pardon us then," Mike apologized.  "Let's forget all about it for now."  Mike remained silent the whole trip.

XIV

          When they reached the place, they immediately came out of the car and walked towards the Dive Guide.  The last explained all about the underwater hand signals and other safety precautions.  In just a little while, they boarded the yacht to head towards the chosen diving spot.

          After the mask and oxygen tank was fitted on them, the two prepared to jump into the sea.  After the two jumped, the telephone inside the yacht seemed to ring.  While under the sea, Nema saw many kinds of fish like lion fish, stingray, clown fish and a lot of colorful corals.  She wasn't really sure why but she felt so at ease with the fishes.  Not because they were so colorful but because she just felt something else for the fishes.  Whatever the reason was she just couldn't explain why.              

          When they emerged from under the water, the two noticed that there was a new person inside the yacht.  He looked worried about something and for whatever reason it was they didn't know.

He was really surprised when he saw the two emerged from the sea looking really happy and contented.  They stayed underwater for about 30 minutes.  "The view under the sea is really fascinating, isn't it Nema?" the now smiling Mike asked Nema.    

          "Yes, it's really fascinating, I hope this happens again."

           When the yacht anchored, Mike talked to someone for a a while.  Suddenly the man who looked worried and confused approached Nema.  "Little girl are you sure you're okay?"

          "Yes, I'm fine," she answered.

          "I don't know what's happening but I saw the yellow oxygen tank that you're wearing and I learned that..."  the man didn't finish what he was about to say, instead he felt thankful deep inside him.

XV

   

          It was about one o'clock in the afternoon when Mike and Nema returned home from their trip,  the two immediately rested at their respective rooms.  Shortly Mike left in a hurry to go to his restaurant for work.  Nema was about to go to the bathroom when she suddenly saw a man coming in to the house.  But she chose to ignore it then.  After she took a bath, Nema thought of going for a swim in the meantime.  She was so happy with what she was doing.  She tried staying under the pool for a long time, just like what she and Mike did at the sea that morning.  She noticed that she had stayed underwater for a long time and yet she still wasn't running out of breath. She stayed underwater much longer this time. Until she realized that she could actually breathe underwater.  Immediately she went up and left the pool.  She was so afraid of what she learned about herself.  Why am I able to breathe underwater.  As far as she knew, only fishes can do that.  So confused, Nema entered the house saw the man earlier kissing Mike's wife.  Nema hid for a moment to make sure that her suspiscions that he was indeed Sandra's other man is true.  Nema was convinced that the two had an illicit relationship and they were cheating on Mike.  Immediately Nema left the house and headed towards the restaurant to tell Mike about what she saw.  She walked so fast, she ran and ran.  And because she was running too fast, she collided into a man on the road.  Nema felt on her knees.  The man she collided into was so surprised when he saw Nema's face.  

          "Little girl, I'm sorry I bumped you again."

          Nema wondered at what the man had said considering that to her this was the very first time that she had seen him. 

          "I'm glad that you're already awake, because when I left you at the hospital then you're still under coma.  It's so ridiculous I bumped into you again, it's good that this time I'm no longer driving unlike what happened before.  It's good the doctors at Saint John's Hospital got you healed this fast."  The man left immediately after.  Nema knew where the hospital that the man had mentioned was located, because she had passed by it the other day.

           Immediately Nema went to the hospital.  When she got inside she asked a nurse to confirm if there really was a young girl who became comatose after she got hit by a car.  Immediately he,  the nurse who just arrived from a long vacation, taught and pointed to Nema the room of the young girl who had an accident.  Nema was so shocked when she saw the young girl laying on the bed.

She looked exactly like her.  She looked at her over and over again, the two of them looked like twins.  She patted her in the shoulder.

          Shortly the girl slowly woke up from her coma.  She too was  shocked with what she saw.  The girl in front of her looked exactly like her.  

          "Why do we looked exactly like?" Nema asked.

          "I don't know, but I'm sure I don't have a twin because my uncle videotaped my birth and I definitely didn't have a twin there," she replied.  "Wait, I'm Emma, you?"

          "Nema is the name I'm presently using because I've got amnesia."  Nema got the courage to ask the girl.  "I could breathe underwater,  can you breathe too?"

          "No,"  Emma answered.  "You said you can breathe underwater?  You know I wrote a story about a fish, a clown fish, who had turned human and it won a contest.  That's why, I immediately went to see my Dad, whom I had never met my whole life, to introduce myself.  But his wife angrily drove me away.  She shouted,  "You get out of here, and don't you ever come back 

again!"  

          Suddenly Nema remembered all that had happened that day.  So this was the young girl  that she was hearing from the inside of the aquarium at the living room while she was  running out of breath.  "But, why did she turn human?" she asked herself.

          "What did you write, huh?" she asked again.

          "I wrote that if a dying fish hears the voice of a crying child and he yearned to help her, she'll transform into a human being," Emma narrated.

          Nema remembered that when she was having difficulty breathing she heard a young girl crying and even though she could hardly breathe she thought of helping and consoling her.  But it was no longer important to her whether it was true or not.  What mattered most was for Mike to know of  his wife's betrayal and the existence of her long-lost daughter.

          "Are you Mike Morrison's daughter?" Nema asked.  

          "Yes," she answered immediately           

          "Can you manage to stand now, do you want to accompany me to your father?"

          Emma agreed immediately and when they got out, the two rushed to where Mike was at.  But when they finally reached the place, somebody told them that he had already left for home.  Immediately the two headed to Mike's house.

                                                   

                                               XVI

          When they entered the house they saw Sandra was pointing a gun at Mike while his hands were being tied by Alex, Sandra's other man.  "Let go of Uncle Mike!" Nema shouted at the man.

          "Aha, it's good your child is here now Mike and there are actually two of you," said the amused Sandra.

          "You two are my children, how come?" Mike said in surprise.

          "Yeah right, you didn't know that you already had a child.  The truth is, once one of your child came to this house and begged to see you.  But of course, I immediately drove her away from our house. 

          "And because I was so furious that day after I discovered that you and Sonia had a child, I vented it all out on your favorite fish Anema.  I killed her still, even though I knew for a fact that she was already dying then.  I pulled your fish Anema out from the inside of the aquarium and wrapped her with the magazine that your child was so eager to give to you.  And with pleasure I threw Anema out of our house, down the road hoping that the cars passing by would run her over!"

          "You're an evil woman Sandra, I never thought that you could do these things to me,"  Mike said in total disbelief.

          "Okay you tie up those two annoying children too," Sandra ordered.

           After the two children were tied up, the three were brought outside going to the waiting car.  "Okay, get inside so we can get rid of the three of you!" threatened Alex.

          Then they drove towards the sea and immediately boarded on the big yacht all their captives.  The yacht stopped in the middle of the sea.

          "You thought I'll let you leave me just like that?  I'd rather that you died first before you reconcile and get back to Sonia.  This is the end for you Mike and all your money and wealth will be all mine finally.  You all rot together!"  Sandra shouted at them.

          "Just kill me then Sandra, don't drag the children into this, they haven't done anything wrong to you," Mike begged.

          "What do you mean don't drag them into this, what for, so they could immediately report and have the police apprehend us.  You rot together underneath the sea," Sandra's merciless answer to her husband.

          Alex made sure first that three were securely and tightly tied up, then he pointed his gun at them and commanded them to jump out into the sea. "You choose, you're jumping into the water or we'll just shoot all of you?"

          "Please don't throw us out  into the sea..."Nema begged and looked at Emma.

          "Okay then, we're throwing all of you out so you could all drown together.  The man kicked the three out of the yacht.  One by one they felt into the water.  Slowly they started sinking to the bottom of the sea.  But Nema tried hard to swim using only her feet going to the yacht's sharp blade and immediately rubbed the rope against it so it would break and looked down to Emma and Mike who were both gasping for air as they continued sinking.  At last Nema got lose and immediately swam downwards to save Mike and Emma.  Alternating, she breathed into their mouths.  This immediately helped them to be able to breathe again. Nema immediately untied and freed the two.   The three immediately swam upwards.  When they finally got up they saw that the police had already caught Mike's wife and Alex.  Sandra called to Mike and begged for his forgiveness but Mike ignored her.

          "Emma I'm glad you're safe now..." tearfully Sonia, Ana's mother, said.  "Earlier I went to your father's house to look for you, but instead I saw a man was pointing a gun at the three of you going into the car.  So I immediately decided to follow all of you and called the police."

          "Are they really my children Sonia?" Mike asked the lovely woman.

          "Wait how come there are two of  them now, our child doesn't have any twin Mike,"  Sonia wondered.  "How come there are two of you now Emma?"

          "I'll explain everything later at the house mom,"  Emma said.  When they were finally home, Ana, Mac-mac, and John were already there waiting.  And Emma explained everything that had happened.  She told them what she had written.   Everybody couldn't believe what they just heard.  But what mattered most was that they all came out safe and sound from the tragedy; and Sandra, along with Alex, soon got punished for their evil schemes.

          "That's why you're too familiar with the entire living room simply because you used to live in that aquarium," Mike said looking at the aquarium and back to Nema.

          Slowly Ana and Mac-mac walked towards Nema and  together the two embraced her.  "So that's why I immediately liked  you,  you've been living with us for a long time," Ana said softly.

          "You're our fish Anema all along, this is so fascinating," Mac-mac added.

          "I'm so happy you look at me the same way despite of everything that you two have heard Ana... Mac-mac," Nema said, then looked and slowly approached John.

          "John do you still like me even though I used to be a mere fish, a clown fish?" Nema hesitantly asked John.  "Do you still like me, huh John?"

          "I find it too difficult to believe everything that was told about you, but I already l love you, whatever and whoever you are I'll love you all the same.  Moreover... in this world, it's only I who have an x-fish for a girlfriend, isn't that amazing, how cool is that?" John answered Nema smiling.

          "Huh wait, but I'm still not your girlfriend, not yet..." Nema answered John softly.

          "Really... if you're not my girlfriend how come you've been holding and enjoying my hands, and it seems to me you don't want to let go anymore,"  John immediately answered.

          "Huh, I didn't really notice, why you don't like?" Nema asked mischievously.   

          "Of course I like, I really really like, in fact I'm as giddy as you are," John teased and assured Nema.

          The whole room liven up as Mike and the rest of the group burst into laughters at everything they heard from the two.

          "What now, will you stay human from now on, I mean forever?"  Mike asked Nema.

          "I don't know,  I think it's Emma who can best answer your questions," Nema answered and looked at Emma.

          "In my story, after Nema had done her good deeds for us humans, she would transform back into her old self as a fish.  Now, she rescued and brought the three of us back together as a family--"

          "Hi cousin!" Mac-mac intervened smiling.

          Emma looked and smiled at both Mac-mac and Ana, then she continued, "What I wrote was, she will turn back into a fish after she had done many many acts of kindness towards humans.  If how many good deeds or acts of kindness she needs to complete before she transforms back as a fish, that unfortunately or fortunately I didn't really write. And for that reason, I can't really tell when exactly she'll become a fish again,"  Emma narrated.      

          "How about you Nema do you still want to become a fish or would you rather be  human like us forever?" Mike asked.

          "I don't want be a fish again because before all you fed me everyday were fish food.  But when I turned human I learned and discovered that your food tasted way way better than my old fish food.  Imagine I used to eat fish food everyday and now I'm already eating Chooks to Go roasted chicken paired with the so 

delicious and refreshing Coke.  Also I want to order some more Jollibee Hamburgers, humans' burgers are just too delicious.  I can no longer imagine life without eating a lot of Jollibee Hamburgers and  drinking glasses and glasses of Coke," Nema exclaimed laughing.

          "Don't worry Nema we're going to Jollibee and not only that we will go out and have fun at SM too.  We will shop 'till we drop.  And most of all we're taking you to Ocean World so you and your fish friends could get reacquainted, I believe you guys have a lot to talk about, they'll envy you, I'm sure of that," Mike teased laughing.

          "Thanks goodness the Philippine Airline's plane that I boarded was so fast, otherwise I wouldn't have had caught up on you Mike, Emma, and Nema  and I couldn't have called the police to capture that evil woman Sandra," Emma's mother narrated excitedly and glanced at the smiling Mike.

          "You, are you still jealous with her?"  You knew for a fact that I only married her because you left me when I had her pregnant, besides I was too drunk then, I thought she was you.  Why don't you come over her so I can hug you, goodness I missed doing this to you," Mike teased lovingly and hugged both Sonia and Emma.

          "Would you agree to become my sister now Nema?" Emma asked hesitantly.

          "Of course, we two are as just as beautiful and we're not just any ordinary sisters, we're twins," Nema assured her teasingly.

          "Look Nema is looking hungrily at the Chooks to Go roasted chicken on the top of the table, so we be better start eating now and fast or Nema will outrun us once again," Mike teased Nema smiling.

          "This is so embarrassing, I didn't know you guys noticed me longing to eat roasted chicken and drink a cold glass of Royal True Orange," the embarrassed Nema admitted. "But don't worry guys I'm willing to share this time," Nema said and smiled at everyone.

            And they all lived happily ever after......

                                                    End