A WEEK HAS PASSED. The sun is already rising from the North and the children are deep in their slumber; all of them sleeping soundly and comfortably with their parents beside them.

The time passes like a blur as all of them are in the abyss of their dreams, the next thing they knew; the roosters are already making a noise to wake everybody from their slumber, so they can start their day already.

At seven o’clock in the morning, Marianne Eve rose from the bed and stared at her older sister beside her who was still sleeping. She peeked at the bed where her parents and younger sister are, and like Mary Ellen, they're still asleep.

So, without waking anybody up, she trotted her way outside the bedroom. Agad niyang tinungo ang kusina nila at nagmumog, matapos ay lumabas siya ng bahay nila.

Napangiti siya nang dumampi sa kaniyang balat ang malamig na hangin. Tumingin siya sa himpapawid, ang araw ang bumungad sa kaniya. Shiny, sunny sun.

"Ah! Magandang umaga!" she exclaimed, ain’t afraid about waking up other people from their area.

To pass her time, she walked towards the backyard of their neighbor’s. She has nothing to do, so she circled around the place. Greeting the chickens every time she passed at them, and talking with the dogs that she saw.

That's what she did for the past thirty minutes; pretty productive for her, if I say so myself. And when she returns home, her sisters are already awake.

"Morning!" she greeted with a happy smile.

Her older sister grunted. "Too energetic for this morning, aren’t you?"

Marianne beamed. "Who wouldn't if it’s a very sunny, happy morning," was her energetic answer.

Ericka snorted. "Not for us who are famished," she said.

"Tulog pa sila Mama haw?" tanong niya at naupo sa sala katabi ang ate niya.

Tumango ang dalawa. "Oo," sabay na sagot nila. "Sina Tita rin," dagdag pa ni Mary Ellen. "Gutom na ako," Ericka added furthermore.

With the thought of foods, their stomach grumbled. "Argh," the three of them grumbled.

"Nang," Marianne called her sister.

"Oh?"

"TV," nakangusong aniya at nagpa-cute pa sa ate.

Napatingin sa kaniya ang nakatatandang kapatid ng ilang segundo bago napailing at tumayo para paandarin ang TV nila. Merong Cignal ang TV nila kaya p’wede silang manood ng cartoons kahit kailan nila gusto; and that’s what the three did whilst waiting for everyone in their house to wake up.

When the TV screen lit up, agad na pumunta si Mary Ellen sa Disney Channel. Alice in the Wonderland ang playing sa channel na ‘yon at kaka-start lang ng palabas. Nilagay ni Mary Ellen ang remote control malapit sa TV at naupo sa upuan niya kanina.

The three of them let themselves divulged in the TV show, heeding the grumbling of their stomach with nothing.

While Nene, their cousin, with her brother knocked on the door of their house. Hindi na nila hinintay pa ang sagot ng mga pinsan at binuksan ang pintuan ng bahay nila. Pagpasok nila, nakita agad nila ang tatlo na abala sa panonood.

It’s easy for them to spot the three. Pagbukas kasi ng pintuan, sofa agad ang bungad sa kanila. Their living is not that spacious yet it’s enough for them — since there are only six, or seven, of them that lives in the house. Mayroong tatlong sofa; isang mahaba na sofa, at dalawang maliit. At isang malaking cabinet, kung saan nakalagay ang flat screen na TV nila. May maliit lang na space, at doon sila dumadaan kapag pumupunta ng kusina at hapag-kainan nila.

Their house is simple, yet for them — it’s home.

"Aga pa kamo ba," Nene pointed out.

"Aga ka pa di ba," Mary Ellen retorted.

The three of them — Marianne, Ericka, and Mark Jun — laughed while Nene sulked.

"Manang bala," Nene said, pouting.

Nginisian lang siya ng nakatatandang pinsan na mas lalong ikina-nguso niya.

"Tin, tulog pa sina Tito Elden?" tanong ng nakatatandang kapatid ni Nene.

Mary Ellen’s relatives, or close friends, called her Tintin. It’s her nickname.

Tintin nodded. "Oo. Bakit?"

"Diri kami mahaw," he informed.

"Ah." Tintin nodded. "Wala pa nga kaming pagkain, eh. Tulog pa silang lahat," she told him. "Marunong ka naman dibang magluto?" she asked.

Mark Jun nodded. At a young age, he already knows how to cook — for himself and for his sister. He loves cooking and being responsible for the both of them. He's a good brother, and cousin, if his cousins and sister say so themselves.

"Luto hotdog, nong!" Marianne exclaimed happily. "I’m hung-ry," she said, enunciating the word hungry.

Mark Jun laughed and, apparently, cooked for his cousins.

༻❁༺

IT'S EIGHT o’clock in the morning. The people are already busy. Some are going to work, and some are having their breakfast.

And the kids ... well, they wanted to play but not until they already took a bath, they can't. Much to the kids’s dismay.

Marianne Eve and her sisters, though, already took a bath and now fresh and ready to play with their friends.

"Yan!" was her mother's, who just returned from her walk with her husband, bellow.

Mabilis naman na lumabas ng bahay si Marianne Eve. Nanlaki ang mga nila nang makita ang hawak ng kanilang Mama.

"Aton na Ma?" tanong niya sa kaniyang Ina, hindi mapigilan ang sayang nararamdaman.

In her mother's arms was a dog — a puppy at that. And it was cute enough for Marianne Eve and her sisters’s heart to flutter.

"Huo," was her mother's reply. She gently placed the puppy at the ground. "Galing kina Lolo Boy niyo ‘yan. Binigay," she told them. "Dalmatian daw ‘yan. Babae," she informed with a smile.

Napangiti si Marianne Eve at umuklo para hawakan ang aso. Mas lalo siyang napangiti nang lumapit sa kaniya ang aso at nagpa-lambing.

"Cute cute," she muttered.

"Nami pa iya na color," Mary Ellen observed.

It was a mixture of white and black. Her whole fur was black and there are white dots, or spots. It’s a cute little thing, if I say so myself.

"Angela," muttered Marianne Eve.

"Pangalan niya?" tanong ng nakababatang kapatid sa kaniya. "I approve!" She lift her thumb at her sister with a smile.

Marianne beamed. "Of course ... her name is Angela."

And the puppy barked a cute "arf".

*****

a/n: angela ... how i missed that name. it was the name of our first ever dog hence it was stated here. she has the special place in my heart and no one can take it away from her. and yes, i included our dog in this story. ‘coz why not? she is, after all, a very special part of my childhood (just a little sharing though, forgive me).

without further ado, bye and thank you for giving this story a chance! i'm very much flattered ☺️❤️

with all love,
maireve (●♡∀♡)