Chapter 48

Alondra has already arrived at their town's terminal. She'd just gotten off the bus. And she told Hebrew that she would pick her up without telling Mathilde. So when she got off the bus and saw him waving in the distance, she summoned him to assist the conductor in loading her belongings.

"Didn't you come to our house? Mathilde didn't know you were going to pick me up today?" Alondra asked.

"I didn't say that. She always teased me that we were going to the city, but your father didn't agree because he said you were working and not to bother you. You'd think that after a year you just came home now, but you didn't just gain weight but got a lot better," Hebrew laughed as he loaded her belongings onto the tricycle.

"Silly, I'm so busy," Alondra replied.

She and Hebrew both got into the tricycle and drove away at the same time. She also texted Garret to inform him of her arrival in the province. While on her way, she looked around. Nothing has changed after a year; the large trees they used to pass through are still there, as are the lush plants.


When Alondra's feet touched down in their barangay, she took a deep breath. She took the lead, carrying her handbag. She forced a smile when she saw herself in the side mirror of Hebrew's tricycle. Her hair, which was previously dark and long, is now shoulder-length brown. She approached them slowly.
Maybe no one is in their house because it is in the middle of the market, but she thought it was Saturday and Mathilde was probably at home.

She pushed the gate slowly because it was open and noticed her parents outside, sadly talking. It feels like deja vu because it appears to have happened before when she returned home, but their house has changed.
"I'm home," Mathilde said normally, but she could still hear them.
So they both looked at her at the same time, and her mother was the first to approach her and hug her tightly.

"I miss you, Alondra, and why did you decide to come home now?" her mother asked.

Alondra couldn't hold back her tears. Because of the tightness of her mother's hugs, she could sense her mother's eagerness to see her. She loosened her grip as she wiped her tears away and approached her father.







"How are you, father? Oh my, I just realized I hadn't been home in a while. You look very handsome, and I heard your business is doing well," Alondra laughed as she hugged her father.

Her father let go of her and looked at her intently.
"Just good fortune because I had a very kind and helpful daughter," her father explained.

"Let's not get emotional; we should always be happy," Alondra replied, hugging Mathilde tightly.




"I miss you, sister; you cheated because you didn't even tell me you were coming home now that only Hebrew knows," Mathilde said.

There was laughter when Hebrew walked in front of them with her belongings. They are now sitting in the living room of the house after a few minutes of saying hello and crying.

"I'm sorry if I just wanted to go home now; I was studying online while working there, and this is what happened," Alondra explained.

She then positioned the brown envelope in front of them. Mathilde was the first to take it and examine it. She noticed her sister's eyes widening.




"Oh, my, father and mother, look at Sister Alondra's diploma and bar exam results," Mathilde exclaimed happily to her parents.
Her parents stared at her, mouths agape and eyes welling up as if they couldn't believe it.
"Congratulations, Alondra; we are very proud of what has happened in your life," her father, who was crying, said as she was hugged by her mother.

"I meant not to tell you so it would be a surprise when I got home," Alondra laughed.



"We should all rejoice because what you wanted to do with your life has come true," his mother said.

"You can, mother," Alondra replied, "but right now I need to rest because my body is too tired."

"Okay."

She noticed Hebrew thumbs up at her. In response, she simply smiled at him. Her parents left the living room a few minutes later to go into the kitchen to prepare food for her. She and Mathilde were the only two survivors.

"How are you doing, Mathilde?" she inquired.

"I'm fine; I was sulking at you because I missed you so much, but now I understand why because you've also been successful in life," Mathilde replied.







"Yes."

Then she noticed Mathilde staring at her as if she wanted to say something to her. And then she started crying, which made Alondra frown.
"What's wrong, Mathilde? Do you want to talk to me?" Alondra asked.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble and difficulty; all you want is for both of us to have a good life, even if you put your life in the wrong direction to help us sustain our daily needs; I'm ashamed of thinking such things," Mathilde replied as she wiped her tears.

Alondra is frowning at Mathilde as she thinks of something that makes her heart race.


"What are you on about, Mathilde?" Alondra asked.
"I know everything about what you work for in a city when you were being kicked in the Coffee shop you worked first," Mathilde said later.


Alondra's face was devoid of surprise when she heard what Mathilde said. She had no idea where her sister had learned about her former job at the club. She didn't know what to say because Mathilde already knew. Are her parents aware of this as well?



"How did you find out about that?" Alondra asked, her voice forced to sound normal.




"Ciara, who was with you at the club before, is becoming my classmate this year, and she told me everything when she found out that we are siblings; I don't hate you, but I am ashamed and feel sorry for what you went through there just so I could study, eat delicious food, and try new things; and you built us a nice house, but my heart cannot accept what you are going through there," Mathilde said, still crying.





It was unthinkable that the secret she had kept hidden for so long would be revealed. And she has no control over what happens if fate decides for her. Nobody could have predicted Ciara and Mathilde's paths would cross.

"That's enough, Mathilde. You don't need to bring back things that have been done for a long time. I don't work there anymore. I have my boutique, so forget what happened because everything that happened is in the past and what matters now," Alondra said.

"I'm sorry," Mathilde said, "but I didn't tell mom and dad so they wouldn't get hurt."

"Thank you, and now we must move forward so that our lives can be good," Alondra said as she hugged Mathilde.
"I appreciate it."

"Thank you; how is Ciara?" Alondra asked.

"She's fine; she did tell me she missed you too much, but I said you hadn't come home yet," Mathilde replied.

Alondra still wanted to thank her because Mathilde wasn't upset with her. She fixed her gaze on her.

"No matter what has happened in your life and what you are going through, you are still my only sister that I love very much, and I am in awe of your stability just to give us a good life, which is why I study hard so that I can somehow repay your hardships for me. When I look in the mirror, I smile and cry because I know I would not be like this today if I didn't have a sister who is brave and knows how to deal with life's challenges. Everything you did, even the smallest details, made me appreciate them even more. If I only consider how fortunate I am to have you, I would not trade you for anyone. Because of you, I've become this lovely and white. I had just realized how good and smart I was at our school. I'll never forget how you used to go out of your way to find food so I could eat properly even when you were hungry. So every time I think of those times when I cried too much because of what you did for me. If I only consider how fortunate I am to have you, I would not trade you for anyone. Because of you, I've become this lovely and white. I had just realized how good and smart I was at our school. I'll never forget how you used to go out of your way to find food so I could eat properly even when you were hungry. "So every time I think of those times when I cried too much because of what you did for me," Mathilde explained.



Alondra is beaming brightly. Only seeing her family's smiles and hearing from their mouths how grateful they are to her will make all her tiredness vanish.

"I did all that for our family, Mathilde, and it's okay because my sacrifice was successful because you were always there to support my dreams in life. Look at our lives today. Suddenly it became like this? So we have to be thankful. I always told you before that we just have to go through hardships to be strong in life, so whatever we have now we have to be thankful and remain down to earth."

"Yes."