I'll be Home [On Going]

Chapter 32

Lea was in the sitting room looking around the area, thinking how to make her day worth spending. She stood up and walked outside the veranda. There she saw Nana carrying a stick broom with a long handle, that looks witchy. Probably because it's her first time to see such thing being used by an actual person. She shrugged her thought when she saw Nana approaching at her direction.

"Uhm... excuse me Nana." Nana stopped and a smile automatically plastered on her face.

"Ay Ma'am, yes po?" Nana asked. 

"H-how can I help? I mean..." Lea looked around the area. "Maybe I can do some of the house chores?"

Nana creased her forehead, "Seryoso po?... I mean are you serious Ma'am? You don't have to—"

"No I insist. Let me help you." Lea held her hands as she pleads. Nana turned her head sideways, thinking if this is right.

Aga might not like it.

But since he left for work and Lea insisted and it's saturday so maybe she'll give her some so she won't get bored. Maybe she wanted to experience what a typical mother usually does inside the house too, she thought. Then she stared at her for seconds.

With her looks, she seems not used of doing house chores.

"Y-you can teach me."

She heard Lea said.

Teach?

"Sure, you're okay with this Ma'am?" Nana asked when she saw the determination in her eyes.

Lea nodded enthusiastically.

Nana showed her where the simple cleaning products and tools were placed and told her the routine in this house. And since it's weekend, they only have to reduce the clutter and get the home completely organized. It is easy to do during saturdays and sundays because Hope is home. Though they have a regular housekeeper that goes every wednesday of the week, Hope still sends a little help in cleaning when Nana does.

Hope actually loves doing the garden.

Lea was seriously listening to her as she tells her some of her usual activities while they're walking to the front yard. They only have to trim some wilted leaves and wash the plants then sweep the floor.

Lea started trimming the leaves of stargazer lilly and Nana on the other.

It's quite relaxing though.

Lea glanced at Nana who's now trimming some leaves on the lower part of the plant.

"How is she?" Lea asked all of a sudden.

"Yes po?" Nana asked when she looked at her. One thing Lea noticed in eight months of staying here is that 'po' or 'opo' were being used as a sign of respect for older or those superior than you.

"How's Lianne? Growing up as a girl... and please remove the po." she chuckled.

Nana faced her and smiled a little, she can see a trace of sadness on Lea's eyes even though she's wearing a smile with that cute dimple.

"She's a wonderful child Ma'am. Kind and sweet. She's never a stubborn kid." Nana can't help but smile as she indulges herself in enjoyable moments with Hope ever since she met her in preschool years.

They moved under the siar tree when the sunlight was right at the top where they were standing earlier. Lea was too keen on Nana's stories about her daughter, she's happy to know Lianne with little things that Nana can share.

"Ay Ma'am, I think we can ask Manong Dan to continue this since he's done on that area. He's the landscape maintenance here." Nana said when she noticed the sun is too hot already. And there she saw a middle-aged man walking towards them. He's wearing a black cap with a pair of faded denim top and jeans.