Copyright© 2012 by VeryWellAged
Chapter 18: Reconnoitering
Wednesday
morning saw two girls off to school leaving three at home with Ana Fe. Truth be
told, if Joshua had disappeared, it is doubtful that any of the females would
have even noticed. The entire day was spent in intense Cebuano conversations
while other things, such as chores were knocked off one after another. Life
histories were explored and connections between people and places established.
Even shopping was a five-person affair.
Joshua
was simply not needed. Luckily, he had a
book to read and so became invisible.
Ana
Fe did little of the talking. Mary was the one to ask her questions of the two
new girls. Arlin was the one to ask questions of Mary
and her new mother. But questions asked of Ana Fe were often answered by Mary.
Mary was Ate and as such was always the surrogate. Ana Fe only needed to
add some small thing on a rare occasion where Mary was not prepared to respond.
The
give and take was casual, easy, with frequent bouts of laughter, and giggling.
As the day wore on, Ana Fe started asking a few questions. How much schooling
did they have? Would they go back to school? Did they need glasses? How was
their health? Each time she would listen to the answers but not make any
suggestion. Towards mid afternoon, after many assurances that they were in safe
hands and nothing would change that, she asked them to talk about how they felt
about Joshua, about the living situation and their future with him. Ana Fe was
no one’s fool and she knew the economic reasons the two were here. What she
needed to understand was the emotional reasons. She was a little taken aback by
their initial hesitation in confiding their emotions. Finally
it was Mhitze who unloaded on her. She and Arlin were in love. They were in love with Joshua, but that
was only part of it. Mhitze was crazy for Ricca and Arlin confessed love
for Janna.
Ana
Fe looked at Mary who looked back at her mother in stunned silence.
Arlin burst into
tears. Mary immediately wrapped Arlin in her arms: What is wrong Arlin?
Why do you cry?
Arlin,
between sobs: Because now you will want
us to leave!
Mary,
continuing to hold Arlin and comfort her: No, no sister. We are family. No one leave. No one ever leave. We
are all together in this.
Arlin: Truly?
Ana
Fe standing to the side and with an arm around Mhitze:
Yes Arlin, really and truly.
The
sobs quieted and there was a period of somber adjustment. It was Ana Fe who now
spoke and did so with authority in her voice: Three weeks ago, I would have told you that love between women is wrong
and it was not possible to love both men and women. I would have been wrong,
but I did not know that then. I know it is possible now. I suspect Ricca and Janna feel about you two the way you feel about
them. If they do, then that is a good thing and will bring extra peace to our
family. Yes, it will be a good thing. Let us not worry about this again. And… [giggle]… it means Mary and I get more time with
Joshua!
That
comment started five minutes of laughing and bedlam following by hugs and
familial kisses.
Topics
turned to the more jovial and lighthearted sort for the remaining hour before
Janna and Ricca returned from school.
The
return of Janna and Ricca brought about the proof of
the earlier protestations of love as Janna flew into Arlin’s
arms and Ricca almost jumped into Mhitze’s.
Mary and Ana Fe just watched and smiled. These four girls seemed incredibly
happy. The world had been turned on its head. What had been wrong,
seemed right. What seemed impossible, was the norm.
Supper
was humba, (pork hocks with salted black beans in a
sauce,) and mung beans with pork and greens. It was masarap! [very delicious]
While
all were still seated, Joshua with a smile, turned to Janna and Arlin, mentioned that as they were to be his step-daughters, that something would have to be done about
their education. There were six nods of approval around the table. Joshua then
announced that in early morning, he and Ana Fe would fly to Manila. Mary was in
charge in their absence.
That
last piece of intelligence was redundant. If Joshua and Ana Fe were gone then
all already knew that Mary was the one in charge. What was unexpected came next
and it came from Mary: Tomorrow night Arlin and Mhitze will be with me
in the master bedroom.
Ricca:
Both of them?
Mary:
Yes.
Mary
was staking out her ‘Ate’ authority over sexual matters,
something for which an Ate rule normally would not extend. By staking that
claim in front of Ana Fe and Joshua without being brought up short, no one
would think to question her later. It further had the benefit of letting Arlin and Mhitze know where power
resided. Mary was not to be crossed.
They
were still at the table. Joshua had, had his say. Mary had made her plans
clear. Each thought the pronouncements were complete when Ana Fe made it very
clear that there was far more that needed attention.
Ana
Fe: Joshua as you have pointed out, we
have to sets of daughters: Three, who are educated, or at least are going to
school; two who are not educated and are not in school.
I agree with you that it cannot be! What
will you do about this?
Joshua:
What do you suggest?
Ana
Fe: Home study the two until they can get
to grade level.
Joshua:
How much will that cost?
Ana
Fe: You will be surprised! I hear that a woman
we are to meet in Manila was a school teacher for ten
years.
Joshua:
How long have you known this mahal?
Ana
Fe: I texted her this morning again and
learned some things about her and her daughters.
Joshua:
Does she home school her daughters?
Ana
Fe: Yes. It is God’s hand, Mahal.
Joshua:
So it would seem Mahal,
so it would seem. …and Mahal, you and Mary will be
with me tonight again.
Ana
Fe: Yes, Mahal.
Joshua:
Mary, is there a college you can attend
here in Cebu for accounting?
Mary’s
eyebrows rose twice.
Joshua:
Please enroll in it tomorrow for the very next semester.
Mary’s
eyebrows rose twice. Mary said nothing, but her heart was filled with love for
this man. He was a man who would keep
his word. She was going to be an accountant!
Arlin and Mhitze were also silent. They were going to get an
education! It was something that they had accepted as impossible until this
very moment. And now the second impossible thing had happened in the span of no
more than twenty-five hours. How many other miracles would occur? Why them? There were so many desperately poor. Why was it
that they two had been lifted up? The two of them sat as if in a daze.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
That
night in the master bedroom, Mary, Ana Fe and Joshua sat on the bed and just
held each other. Joshua had a confession to make. He had thought he wanted the
young girls. That Ana Fe was to be married as a way to have the girls and that
Mary was just accepted as part of the package. Now he knew he loved both of
them deeply and could not be happy without them. He wanted their promise that
no matter what the girls ended up doing, staying with him or leaving, that
these two women would stay with him.
Mary
hugged him tight and promised.
Ana
Fe sat back and shook her head at her man: You
are foolish. Of course we not leave, but those girls,
they not going to leave. You have all. It is good. If it just me and Mary alone, you wear us out. You want too much sex
for me and Mary. And with that, Joshua tried to
wear them out that night.
Well,
he tried, but Ana Fe was having none of that. She slowed Joshua down and
speaking in Cebuano instructed Mary to follow her lead. Rolling Joshua onto his
stomach, they started massaging him, Mary on the legs and Ana Fe attending to
his back and scalp. Having given him a good fifteen minutes there, they rolled
him over and each started on a foot, slowly licking and kissing their way up
and around his member until they reached his lips and eyelids. Joshua was going
quietly nuts – his nuts complaining mightily.
Ana
Fe, knowing it was time to ease her man’s discomfort slid down and took him in
her mouth, Mary latching on to his lips. Ana Fe grabbed his ball sack and held
firm as she sucked for all she was worth on her man’s protuberance. He bucked,
he gasped, she rode him, he groaned, she ran a finger
up his ass, he blew his load. And they all three slept well.