Best Regards, Feli

Chapter 15

Being public school teachers meant that they would be in charge of making lesson plans and teaching their students. In some cases, they had to submit reports that the Department Heads asked of them. And if they were club advisers, then they were required to submit more reports.

The profession that Feli chose entailed so many responsibilities that sometimes, the duties were not even in their job description.

She heard that some Elementary school teachers were even given projects like feeding programs, agricultural school gardens, and community welfare programs to implement. Teachers were even involved during the national and local elections when they served as chairpersons and poll clerks.

Not that they don't receive compensation, but Feli thought that it wasn't enough in comparison with their tasks. In her opinion, the government could increase the teachers' salaries to compensate for all the tasks handed down to the Department of Education.

Or the government could provide more job items for those people who were graduates of Agriculture, Nutrition, Office Administration and so on. After all, they were the ones who were trained and best suited for the tasks that were dumped at the public teachers' shoulders.

But since she was only a teacher and not some kind of political leader, she had little say on the matter. She only had to fulfill her assignments.

She must admit that at times it was draining and too tiring. But was there a profession without its ups and downs?

With that in mind, she remembered her third sibling, J.R. She recalled how being a soldier was not her brother's first choice.

"Ate, can we get through this?" J.R., who was still in Junior High school back then, asked. Her brother was referring to their family's situation.

"Don't think too much about it. I only have one year left in college. After that, I can support us," she whispered as she gazed at their father on the hospital bed. He had just returned from his construction work in Qatar. And their mother was beside him holding his hand.

"But what about now? How can we get through the hospital bills? I heard the doctors saying that he needs physical therapy and medical maintenance."

"And that is why you shouldn't be listening in the first place. Let Mama and I handle this. You just focus on studying so that you can graduate on time. Then, you'll be able to help, okay?"

Feli could see the worry in his brother's face. "Hey, Mama and Papa have savings. We can get through this. Then I'll think about a suitable business for us. We'll be fine."

During that time, she didn't know if their family would really be fine.

They were doing okay when their father was working abroad. Despite having six children, they were still able to eat three times a day and go to school. But when the breadwinner of their family couldn't support them, it was as if she was tossed in a labyrinth.

She had to find her way into adulthood as fast as she could. There was no time to test the waters of the real world, she had to dive right in.

She urged Fatima to get a scholarship because she knew they couldn't pay for her tuition fees. She asked everyone to cut down the expenses. She handled what she could back home because their mother was focused on taking care of their father who was paralyzed from the neck down.

It was a hellish year for all of them but she got through it. She graduated from college and immediately looked for a job. Little did she know that J.R. was silently observing her and planning things on his own.

"Next year, I'll enter university," J.R. opened up one evening.

"Yes. Did you study for the admission exams? You wanted to take nursing as your pre-med course, right?"