The Folly of a Miracle

(a third attempt to short story writing)
A couple from Quezon has twins, the youngest among the brood of four. The girls brought joy, from time to time they were born, to the unfortunate couple that depends only on the scanty income they get from selling balut, a Filipino delicacy which is a fertilised egg with a partially developed duckling and eaten boiled.

The girls fondly call their mother Ina, Genoveva to everybody, and their father Amang. The grandmother, who they identify as Inang, and the mother of their Ina, loves the twins very much. The love, if truth were told, is an extension of her partiality to their Ina. Among her children, it is the girls’ mother who is favored among the seven children Inang have. They have one thing in common – their penchant for chatter about everything and anyone in the neighborhood. Because of this, life is not that difficult for the girls and their parents because Inang is at all times ready to come to their rescue. Amang, knowing his mother-in-law's bias took advantage of the situation, and did not bother anymore to look for a decent job to support his family.

One day, Genoveva rushes to Inang, excitedly announcing, “Inang! A miracle, Inang!” Inang replies with excitement, too, “What happened?” Genoveva breathlessly narrates what transpired in their house. She begins by recounting that Bebang, one of the twins, awoke after an afternoon nap. When Bebang got up, Genoveva continues, she noticed something tucked under her pillow, a small, yellow-greenish folded sheet of paper. To her curiosity, she pulled the pillow and lo a five hundred-peso bill was there. According to her, she asked Bebang where she got the money to which the girl replied that she has nothing to do with it. Bebang said, “Ina, maybe it is Sto. Niño’s miracle.” Genoveva was dumbfounded with the reply when suddenly, Bebeng, the other twin, awoke, too, and shouted, “Ina, look! There is money under my pillow!” Gasping for air, she repeats, “Inang, truly the Sto. Niño granted us a miracle! Those are two five-hundred-peso bills. My husband does not earn that much, even for three days!” The elderly woman, though confounded, agrees by saying, “Pehaps the Sto. Niño took pity on you and your family.”

The next day, the family goes to the grocery store to buy food and other supplies. Astonishingly, Genoveva did not relate the incident to the neighborhood, a different approach which is not her usual behavior of announcing to everybody even up to the littlest of details.

Days passed, and then one day again, Inang does her usual routine in the kitchen. She did not notice that Bebeng passes by and goes inside her room surreptitiously. Inang notices that room’s (which is adjacent to the kitchen) door suddenly made a quick sound like there is somebody who had just got in. After a while, while she was finishing the chores in the kitchen, her door opens. To her amazement, it is Bebeng, emerging from the room. “Hey, what are you doing in my room?” Bebeng’s retort was short and upset,”Ina asked me to find the magazine you borrowed.” “Did you find it?” “No, Inang, I did not find the magazine.”

Two days passed like all the other wearisome days of the week. Inang calls for Berto, her youngest son, the third day, and tells him to buy her medicine. She opens her small pouch bag and looks for the one hundred-peso bill. She did not find one. After frantically seaching inside the pouch, she yells at Berto, “Where is my money?” “Why do you ask me? I have never touched that bag. I don’t even know you have a pouch bag.” “Oh, my God, Berto, I have a one hundred-peso bill her! Who stole my money?” Berto is upset when he replies, “Inang, do not ever think that I steal from you. I will never do that.”

Sadly, Inang asks Berto to call her Ate Genoveva. Genoveva arrives, bustling as if expecting good news. “Inang, what is it?” Inang narrates with a heavy heart that money is missing from her pouch bag. Genoveva is puzzled but continues to listen. Inang goes on with a plea to ask Bebeng if she got the money. Hearing this, Genoveva explodes and tells Inang that her twins will not do anything like that. However, she promises that she will talk to Bebeng.

Without the bustle when she returns, Genoveva cries silently and narrated that Bebeng and Bebang are accomplices of each other. Bebeng steals, and Bebang keeps the money. Inang is silent, and decides not to tell her anymore that the two five hundred-peso bills she had enclosed in her bible are missing.