After All

In the beginning

Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, is a quaint town in the northern provinces of the Philippines, often serving as a bus stop for commuters. The town's economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, with rice farming being a primary activity. The local community also produces various goods, such as strawberry jams, wine, and flowers, particularly in the barangay of Villaflores, where most residents work in the rice fields.

Marie, a twenty-one-year-old woman with long hair, fair skin, and almond-shaped eyes, stands at five feet seven inches tall. Her beauty is striking, making it surprising that she lives in the province. She walks through the rice paddies, carrying a plastic bag full of food for her father, who is plowing the fields with his tractor.

"Pa, here is your lunch!" Marie calls out happily. Her father steps out of the tractor and sits under the shade of a tree to enjoy the meal his daughter brought.

Tomas, her father, is a farmer with a slim build, tanned skin, and a hoarse voice. He did not finish high school due to poverty. Lita, his wife, has a chubby physique and, like her husband, did not complete high school because of financial hardships. She owns a small eatery a few blocks from their modest Nipa Hut. Tomas and Lita married young and faced several miscarriages before the miracle of Marie's birth brought joy into their lives.

"Thank you for the lunch; it's delicious," Tomas says gratefully. "Take care on your way home, okay?"

"I will," Marie replies. "You take care too, Father."

Marie walks from the rice fields to her mother's eatery to help out during the summer. It is one in the afternoon, and the farmers are resting with their carabaos and tractors. Marie sits on the stairs, staring blankly at the fields.

"What's bothering you?" her mother asks.

"Mama, is there any chance of me studying in Manila?" Marie inquires.

"Well, of course, dear," her mother replies cheerfully. "We will find a way for you to go to college."

"Really?" Marie is surprised. Suddenly, Kanor, one of their neighbors, enters.

"Aling Lita, are you really planning to send Marie to college?" Mang Kanor asks skeptically. "There's nothing for a province girl in Manila."

"Really?" Lita mocks. "My daughter has big dreams, and I will make them possible!"

"We'll see," Kanor says, walking out.

"Don't you worry, Marie. I will do anything to ensure you go to college," Lita assures her daughter.

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Evening Discussion

That same night, Lita, Marie, and Tomas, the head of the family, sat down for dinner in their small but cozy Nipa hut. Their meal consisted of rice, fish, and swamp cabbage, a modest yet satisfying feast for them.

"Papa, I want to study in Manila," Marie told Tomas.

"Sure, we'll find a way," Tomas responded. "I want you to get a good rest. Who knows, a miracle might come."

"Sure, Papa. I'll wash the dishes and then go to sleep," Marie replied.

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A few hours later, Lita and Tomas sat across from each other at the dining table, drinking coffee and looking anxious about how to fund Marie's college education. Tomas lit a cigarette and stood outside their house.

"I know we can do something about it, Tomas," Lita told her husband. "I want Marie to succeed in life."

"I'll find a way," Tomas assured her.