My Little Moon - 𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗌

17. monday

Monday came quite quickly. Gumising si Catrina ng maaga, hindi mapakali sa saya na nararamdaman niya. She was already dressed, has prepped her face and had packed the supplies Imee bought for her.

It was indeed her first day of school. After almost a month of scraping just to get by, earning from the job she was given. Hindi pa nagamit ni Catrina ang kanyang sahod, kaya may pang-baon na siya at hindi na kinakailangan na humingi pa sa iba.

She quietly went down and immediately went to the dining room where she could hear all the happy chatters even from afar. She knows that they were waiting for her.

"Goodmorning munting Kit-Cat!" Bati sa kaniya ng tatlo. This nickname had been a habit of theirs ever since. Catrina was right, almost everyone was sitting in their designated chairs already at siya na lang ang hindi.

"Goodmorning din mga kuyas'!" Masayang wika ni Catrina at agad umupo sa tabi ni Irene. From the moment she started eating with them, and getting close with the family, they started treating her like their own.

"Ang saya natin ha. . ." Matthew grinned, staring at the young girl who's face was decorated with her wide smile.

"Excited na excited ang munting Kit-Cat natin today," Borgy added, adding to the reasons why Catrina's cheeks were once more, dull in pink.

"Hindi ba sumasakit 'yung ngipin mo sakaka-ngiti mong 'yan?" Mike joined, sipping from his glass before chuckling when Catrina's wide smile turned into a small smirk.

"Hay nako, tigilan niyo nga si Catrina!" Imee scolded, yet she was also smiling from whatever her three boys were doing, "Ang aga-aga pinagti-tripan niyong tatlo."

"Ikaw Josefa ha, ang aga-aga sumisita kana." Borgy teased, earning a glare from his mother. The other two laughed whilst Imelda, Irene and Catrina kept quiet and watched as the rest entertained them.

"Isa pang Josefa sa inyong tatlo at hindi ko na talaga kayo kinikilala bilang mga anak ko."

"At ginising niyo na ang dragona, pakalmahin mo 'yan bro! I don't want to sleep outside kaya." Matthew pretended he didn't see the way his mother could murder someone with those looks.

"Oh siya, that's enough. Let's eat," Imelda lightly smiled. Naging masaya ulit ang mansion nang dumating si Catrina sa kanila, and she had been right all along.

Of course she was.

She's Imelda Marcos. . .when was she ever wrong?

Natauhan muli ang kanilang bahay, Imelda admits it. Kahit ang laki na ng pamilya nila ay hindi rin naman tumatagal ang pagkabata nila. . .everyone grows up and leaves the nest. Kaya kahit ganito na lang sila araw-araw ay masaya pa din si Imelda kasi kahit paano, nabubuhayan ni Catrina ang pagkakaisa ng pamilya Marcos.

Imelda wants Catrina to stay with them forever. Even the others agreed that she should. Pero may isyu pa.

Catrina's father.

Imee still hasn't initiated a talk with the young girl about filing a case against him. Hindi pa sila ready. And besides, they need other concrete proof to actually manage in convincing the jury.

But that's a problem for another time. Imelda just wants to relish this before anything bad happens.

"Oh, bakit ka nakatulala?" Irene suddenly asked. Imelda snapped her gaze to where she sat and saw that her youngest daughter was talking to Catrina. Indeed, nakatulala nga si Catrina before snapping out of it nung sinabihan siya ni Irene.

"Hindi pa po pala kayo kumain?"

"Yes, hinintay ka namin. Why?"

Napatahimik si Catrina sa sagot ni Imee. The three boys stopped eating and observed whatever was happening.