By:Eliza Buenaobra
She was an ordinary girl leaving in an ordinary life. Leila was born in a family that was in the silver lining , her parents has a junk shop business her father was collecting garbage he used to be a government employee who collects garbage from different places. Her mother was a housewife she was the one who’s taking good care of their children. They are four siblings all of them are studying but when time goes by their older son needs to work but he graduated a two year course in college.
Then suddenly his father got a work, a decent work as a guard in the public school. At first it was good he was working really hard and doing his job perfectly.
One night when her father got home Leila noticed that her father was drunk walking.
“Dad are you drunk?” Leila said.
He looks at Leila and just smiled
“Hahahehe Leila! My daughter, Daddy is not drunk hahhaah.” He replied.
Leila watched his father poorly walking towards their bedroom. And her mother woke up that has an angry face.
Her dad was bored in their life he used to immerse from his vices like drinking alcohol and smoking. And by that Leila’s parents are always fighting, her father totally neglect his responsibility he will go to his work under the influence of alcohol and sometimes he never go to work. Her father’s performance affects his work he was a fired on the job.
And he wants to leave his family. He was packing his clothes and things.
“I’m going out of here. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” He said
“Go! You’re free! No one will stop you! Don’t you ever come back here! From now on you don’t have a family!” Leila’s mother said.
Leila and her siblings heard everything they said, they are crying in the corner of their room they know that they have nothing to do with it.
Her father leave them without hesitation.
On that day Leila was longing for a father’s image she used to stare father and daughter in the park that was happy. Leila study hard to become her parents be proud of her. Leila’s older brother was the bread winner of the family, he was the one who supported Leila and his younger sisters study. And also he was the one who supported their financial needs. In that case Leila’s mother used to become a street food vendor she sells different foods like banana cue, turon, halo-halo and many more. Leila usually help her mother in selling their food and also after school she always do a house hold choirs washing plates, cooking rice and cleaning house. Sometimes when Leila has a mistake her mother was mad and sometimes hurt her.
“Leila what are you doing? Why did you throw away the oil?” Her mother said with mad face.
“Mom I’m sorry It was just an accident. Forgive me Mom it was not my intention”. Leila said.
And by that she was quickly beaten by her mother. Leila was shocked and her mother continuously beaten her again and again.
“Mom stop! Please! Ouch! It hurts! Please!”. Leila’s begging.
“You never learn! slapI always say that be careful!(Slap) Your always acting like clumsy!slap”.Her mother said with extremely voice.
“I’m sorry …. mom. sobbing I will be careful some … some other time.sobbing”.
Leila went to her room crying and thinking on what happen. After crying Leila realized that her mother has a point because she wasted an oil knowing that they lack their budget.
That night when they need to go to bed her mother came to her and talk to her on what happened a while ago.
“I’m sorry Leila I beat you I was just tired with work. I’m just carried away by my emotions a lots of problems are circulating in my mind”. Her mother said.
“It’s okay mom I understand , I also have a mistake I’m sorry”. Leila said.
Time goes by Leila was a Senior High school student together by her younger sister. Leila was studying even harder , she was always an honor student.
“Good morning class” Teacher said.
“Good morning Ms. Malco” students replied.
“I have an announcement for today, I have here the results of our top students for this semester. Okay for our Top 3 Ms. Leila Buesto clapping”.
In every event and occasion her mother was always supporting her. Leila and her younger sister join singing contest her mother stay by her side and supported her. That results of over fatigue and exhaustion her mother collapsed right after her performance. During her performance he was finding her mother to the audience but she felt to see it. After her performance she quickly find her mother and got shocked when people saying that she needs to go to the hospital.
“Mom are you okay? sobbing mom please wake up! Leila’s trembling . Doctor please do everything to save my mom”. Leila’s said with worried voice.
—Flashback —

When she was in the waiting area she remembered past experiences when her mother got to the hospital before. Leila celebrated her 18th birthday with the hospital, she was standing in front of her mom seeing her mom with lots of apparatus in the body crying and talking to her mom that she needs to be okay and be strong. She was sleeping in the waiting area with the other family member of other patient. She needs to be there to secure her mothers needs like medicine, adult diaper and many more.
—End of Flashback—
After a few hours her older brother and her older sister came.
“What happen to mom? “Her Older brother said.
“The doctor said mom has heatstroke again and she was half stroke right now their was a complication there is blood clot on her brain that causes her to speak hardly and can’t recognize us”. Leila said.
In a month her mother needs to go home but her mother can’t recover easily. They need to take good care of her mother because she can’t walk and even eat by her self. It was hard for Leila and her younger sister to handle their time taking care of their mom while studying, their professors noticed that they are absent and it affects their performance in school.
“Ms. Leila Buesto and Rose Buesto I noticed that you are always absent and late”. Principal said.
“We’re really sorry Mr. James our mother was stroke right now she can’t walk and even eat by her self”. Rose replied .
And also Mr. James I’m thinking If I quit school to focus my mothers healing”. Leila said.
“I totally disagree with that we can think other solutions by your problem. Okay. I will scheduled your subject with your flexibility. One of you scheduled MWF and one of you are TTh and vice versa”. Is that okay with you? Principal said.
“Yes Mr. James! Thank you so much!”. sisters grateful replied.
Their mother feels better when times past. Leila is entering her college life. It was not easy because she dosn’t passed her examination in the university.
One night her father came back to their house , he was drunk and angry.
The next day early in the morning Leila’s father came back in good condition he was not drunk this time. Leila open her problem on his father that she doesn’t have school this college. Days past it’s Leila’s 20th birthday they prepared a simple celebration. Right after Leila’s birthday they’ve got a phone call in their aunt in their province.
Phone Ringing
Kring. Kring. Kring
“Hello? Sie, Rose, Leila ? Hello? sobbing“. Aunt julie on the phone.
“Hello Aunt julie? Good morning!”. Sie , Leila’s older sister.
“Sie!crying your dad… sobbing your father was dead sobbing“. Aunt julie said
Sisters have nothing to say with the news that they receive. They planned to go to their province together with their mother. At first the siblings has an hesitation to say to their mother on what their father situation, they are worried because their mother was stroke.
Leila was worried about her father because according to their relatives the last thing that her father told was about her college school.
One year after Leila entered college and live somehow a good life ,not until her mother needs to go to the hospital again for another complication. They have lots of financial problem their hospital bill increase every single day. The doctors did many times to revive the life of their mother because of the intense complication. Until the tragic situation happen.
“Cold blue. Cold blue. Doctors please proceed to the ICU”.Speaker in the hospital.
“1,2,3 clear, 1,2,3 clear”. Doctor said.
“Tttttooootttttttt” machine sounds straight line
“Time of death 9:47 am”.
“I’m sorry I did my best but your mother didn’t make it”.
It was a heart felting moment, Leila and her siblings are crying loudly and her older sister screaming and shouting, she has a high emotions on what happen.
After the burial Leila mesmerizing everything that she aspire in life and her childhood memories. Leila ‘s dream when she was a child is to have a happy and complete family. The Journey of Leila is not easy her life are full of tragic experiences. But she was very thankful to the Lord that she experience all of that because she become stronger. Leila has a night dream she saw her mother and father are together in heaven they are happy. Leila realizes that her dream come true, she always wanted to have a happy family and knowing that her parents are happy together in heaven.