From Dawn Till Dusk

“There he comes to his senses, and determines to return home and throw himself on his father’s mercy.” (An excerpt from Luke 15:11-32)

Above is the highlight of the Parable of the Prodigal Son- - a legendary Gospel story that brings to life Jesus’ teachings of repentance, forgiveness and love. It tales about a father whose willful son refuses to work on the family farm, and instead demanded for his inheritance and goes off to see the challenges in the world, encounters glittering temptations along his way and eventually return to his family, where his father, welcomed him again with open arms.

Personally, I’ve known of the story since childhood as it was one of the many Bible stories told to us back then in Sunday school. But it never occurred to me I’d be referring to the same Bible story again until a recent episode in our lives gave way to reflect onto the moral lessons of the story.

Two weeks ago, Jun and I found ourselves in awe when Ness (Nico’s former Yaya) came knocking at our door and begging for mercy and forgiveness. It was a scenario we least expect to happen as we thought Ness was already contented and happy with a new employer (last thing we knew she was working as kahera in a Parlor) just as we had moved on and settled with a new kasambahay whose now doing a great job as far as the household chores are concerned. She said she was very sorry for taking for granted all the kindness and the good treatment (and sometimes the small perks and privileges) she used to enjoy when was still with us. We didn’t know what to react right at that very moment we saw her. But surprised to seeing with our very own eyes a thinner, dark-skinned and harassed Ness heavy with cough and colds and a high fever and all, we received her in our home, notwithstanding the “What if’s” going around our minds. We don’t know if it was the right decision. All we knew at that moment was that Ness needed a decent shelter where she could recuperate from sickness.

Much as we were surprised, Rizza, our kasambahay for more than a month now, was not. She confessed to us (of which she said she was very sorry) that without our knowing, all along those weeks that Ness was not with us, apparently, she was constantly calling her former alaga, saying repeatedly that she misses him so much, asking how my son was doing in school and what’s new with him. Rizza said Ness often calls at lunchtime, a few minutes before Nico goes for a long-afternoon nap, when Jun or me are not in the house. “Ay bakit mo naman nai-sekreto sa amin?” I asked her. “Eh Ate, nakakaawa po si Ness, iyak ng iyak sa telepono. Ang sabi, sobrang nami-miss daw nya si Nico. Pasensya na po”, Rizza answered. So that explains why our new kasamabahay expected such a scene to follow, and it finally happened 13th of August.

We didn’t tell my Mom right away of Ness’ sudden return in the house for we knew she will violently react. We thought that Ness’ stay in the house will be a temporary thing anyway (at least after she gets well) so we need not tell Mom anymore. But coincidence it must have been, Mom called at one time to check on her apo and incidentally, Ness answered it. And as expected Mom was irritated she heard Ness’ voice so she called in the Office in the middle of a busy day. “O bakit nandun sa bahay si Ness ha? Anong ibig sabihin non? Wala kayong ka pride pride! Nakalimutan nyo na yata mga kalokohang pinaggagawa ng babaeng yon!” said Mom and then I was speechless. “O ano magsalita ka, bakit nandun yon? Sige pagbutihan ninyo ha. At huwag kayong mag-rereklamo sa akin pag may ginawa na naman kapalpakan ang babaeng iyan!” Mom added with sarcasm then dropping the phone.

I understand that Mom’s initial reaction were but only natural as a concerned mother and Lola to Nico and I knew it what she meant when she raised of “keeping our prides”. But then again, what could we do? Like that prodigal son story in the Gospel, Ness, with all her sincerity asking for forgiveness, the least we could do was to accept her too with all sincerity.

It’s been more than two weeks that she’s been with us and thank God, with the help of antibiotics and carbocistine meds that we gave her, she’s now well. She recovered so fast that she gained much weight, a and a little more nourishment and she’ll be back at the original built months ago. We were contemplating on how to approach her, without hurting her feelings, that we’ve recommended her as Yaya for the two-year old daughter of a Kumare of ours but both verbal and non-verbal gestures of the supposed Ex-Yaya hindered us from doing so. At chance we get to talk, she would always tell me the struggled she went through when she was not with us. “Marami po akong napasukan, pero wala po akong tinagalan,” Ness said. She said she worked as a kahera in a Parlor, but pay was not good enough for her to bring home a kilo of rice and a viand because her pay was based on commissions from people going to the Parlor. Then she worked as a crew for Waffle Time, a snack kiosk in a Mall in San Pedro, Laguna but working from 8 in the morning till God knows when the waffles would all be sold kept her starved and pay was also meager. She then passed screening as factory worker for Generoso, a liquor manufacturer based in San Pedro. She thought she hit jackpot as pay was about P4,000 which was just enough to support her family. But management knew she didn’t reveal her true age in the Biodata she submitted and she was terminated because was only 17, a year shy away of the Philippine legal working age. “Yan po ang dahilan kung bakit ang itim itim ko. Ang trabaho ko po dun sa factory, tiga lagay ng takip sa bote gamit ang mabigat ng machine,” she explained. “Eh bakit hindi ka na lang namasukan ulit na Yaya, magaling ka naman mag-alaga ng bata, diba?” I asked. “Namasukan din po ako ng dalawang araw, medyo mabait naman po ang amo ko at mukhang maginhawangn alagaan ang anak nila. Ang kaso, talaga pong iba pa rin ang pakiramdam ko nung mga unang araw ko dito sa inyo, nakagaaan ko kaagad kayo ng loob. Ate, kahit po walang sweldo, dito na lang po ako. Aalagaan ko na lang po si Nico,” she said.

Those things said, we didn’t have enough courage to open up our offer of a nannying work for her for a Kumare. I know we could have told her straight. But our conscience always reminds us otherwise. This Kumare of ours and some friends and officemates who knew that Ness came back were one in saying, “Tadhana nyo na yang si Ness, maniwala ka man at tanggapin mo man at sa hindi”. Tadhana, they say? How in the world would one explain that? At happier times back then, I remember calling Ness Our Soulmate Nanny because that just how I felt about everything about her. But people change, and Ness changed- - if I may say, it was for the worst and that started much friction between us. And so much hurting words have been exchanged. But on the other thought too, yes again, people change- - if Ness would hold true to her promise this time around, then if I may say again, it should now be- - for the better.

Jun and I are hoping she really changed for the better. I don’t know but we’re leaving it all up to blinded trust. We’ve decided to maintain Ness in the house (she’s salaried of course, as we also wanted that she earns for what she works for) complementing the housework with Rizza, who, by the way, was not at all insecure and intimidated having Ness around. I hope we made the right decision. *me keeping fingers crossed now*

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Image above courtesy of Artchive.com