The Fourth Robredo Daughter

Chapter 1 Revelation

Jorge is sitting in front of her study table reviewing her lessons when her papa called her.

"Jorge, anak kain na." her papa called her

"Coming." she answered and immediately went out of her room to eat dinner

"Wala ka bang trabaho ngayon?" her papa asked

Sarcastically, she answered "So hindi nalang ako magdi-day off ganon?"

"Ikaw tinatanong ka, ang suplada mo." her papa said

"Wala nga po akong work. Remember na Thur Fri ang off ko diba?" she answered

She's a certified papa's girl and her papa cannot eat without her on the dining table.

She is not just a college student but also a working student. She was just 18 when the pandemic started in 2020 and right after she finished her Senior High School, she immediately applied to work at a BPO company to help support her family while in her college.

"Tatakbo si Leni bilang presidente. Iboboto ko siya." she said while eating

"Ako, Leni rin ako. Magaling kasi siya." said her mama

"Ikaw pa? Sinong presidente mo?" she asked her papa

"Ako? Si Marcos iboboto ko." her papa replied

"Hala papa. Bakit si Marcos?" she asked her papa

Her papa knows how intelligent his daughter is and he knows that he cannot win an argument about politics against her since Jorge is the one studying about it so he just went silent as he always is. A very silent but present father.

Jorge doesn't want to offend her beloved papa so she never spoke to him about the reason why he is voting the former senator. Instead, she started to talk to him about the achievements of VP Leni Robredo.

She knew her parents are not professionals. Her mama is only a high school graduate and her papa only finished 2 years in high school but she is always proud of her parents because despite of the difficulties in raising 6 children, they raised them as good individuals.

"Busog na po ako." she said after eating

"Thank you po sa nagluto. Balik na'ko sa kwarto." she said and went to her room to do some scrolling on facebook and a little review of her lectures

They didn't require her to do household chores since she is working at night and studying in the morning and she is contributing in paying their bills.

While scrolling on facebook, she was called by her mama.

"Anak, hali ka dito. Dalian mo." her mama said

"Ano po yun, ma?" she asked

"Si mama daw sumuka ng dugo. Isinugod na siya nina tita mo sa ospital." her mama said

"Kumusta siya? Is she okay?" she asked with a worried look on her face (auto-taglish kasi kolsenerist)

"Nasa ER daw sila eh. Hintayin nalang natin tumawag ang tita mo kasi hindi naman tayo makakapasok ng ospital." her mama said

"Ma, pag tumawag si tita pakisabi na pwede akong magbantay kay nanay bukas sa ospital. Sem break naman namin saka day off ko naman." she said

"Oh siya sige." her mama replied

Jorge went back to her room and did her skincare routine and slept because tomorrow is another day.

The next morning, Jorge woke up at around 8 AM, took a bath and readied herself to go to the hospital. She is coming with her mama since she is working at the hospital as a part of the housekeeping department. When they were ready, they went to the hospital and Jorge went directly to her nanay's room.

She didn't know that her mama was following her.

"Ma, kumusta ka na?" her mama asked

"Okay man ko day." her nanay replied (I'm okay, dear)

"Pero day basi indi na ako magdugay." she continued (But maybe I will not last long)

"Huwag mong sabihin yan, ma. Gagaling ka." her mama encouraged her nanay

While looking at her mama and nanay, she felt a pinch on her own heart. Pained for what she is witnessing. She loves her family so much especially her nanay who took care of her until she reached first grade. They just lost 3 family members last year, 2 months apart. She cannot afford to lose another.

She went to her mama and nanay and hugged them both.

"Nay, syempre maayo ka dapat kay para makita mo pa imo apo nga mag abogado diba?" she said (Of course, you should be well so that you can see your granddaughter becoming a lawyer, right?)

"Ma, aalis na ako ha. Si Jorge na muna ang bahala sa inyo dahil kailangan ko nang mag-trabaho." her mama said and the left to go to her work station

Jorge was reading the 1987 Philippine Constitution when her nanay asked her.

"Jorge, ano ina ang libro nga ginabasa mo?" (What is that book that you are reading?)

"Ah. 1987 Philippine Constitution po nay." she answered

"May pasok ka ba? Akala ko sem break mo." her nanay asked

"I am just doing an advanced reading kasi balik eskwela na kami next week." she answered

"Mana ka talaga sa mama mo." her nanay whispered

Jorge heard what her nanay said but she was confused.

"Ano po yung sinabi niyo, nay?" she asked

Her nanay was surprised when she asked because she didn't realize that she would hear her. Her nanay froze and was not able to say a word and she just looked at her eyes directly without even blinking.

"Nay? Ano po ang ibig ninyong sabihin na mana ako kay mama? Gusto rin po ba ni mama na mag-abogado dati?" she asked because she never knew what was her mother's dream before she got married to her papa or before she was even born.

Her mama never talked to her about her dream when she was young and Jorge never heard of that story either.

"Jorge, lumapit ka sa akin dahil may sasabihin ako sa'yo." her nanay said

Still in a shock, Jorge followed her nanay's instruction and she went to sit at the side of her bed and leaned her face over to her nanay.

"Jorge, apo. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang kailan ako mananatili sa mundong ito pero ayokong pumanaw na hindi mo alam ang tunay mong pagkatao." her nanay said

Jorge is still confused but she listened closely to what her nanay had to say.

"Doon sa kwarto ko sa bahay, sa pinakailalim ng kabinet ko, may isang maliit na kahon doon. Kunin mo iyon at buksan. Alam kong naguguluhan ka pero didto mo makita ang sabat sa mga pamangkot mo subong." her nanay said (Doon mo makikita ang sagot sa mga katanungan mo ngayon)