Fake Husband

I am Mirah Santos, seventeen years old. I grew up under the power of my Grandmother Fe. Selling in the vegetable market is our livelihood. This is also what we pay for our household expenses, so my Grandma and I somehow make ends meet.

My parents died in an accident. I don't have any other siblings so I'm the only grandchild of Lola Fe. My Mama's brother, Tito Joey, was also with us at home. Not so old that I got used to just calling him Kuya Joey.

When I was a child, Papa and Mama used to travel together to the province. And because I was still young, Mama didn't take me with her because she was going to visit my deceased aunt.

I still remember when I was a child, I was really afraid of the dead, that's why when they went to visit someone who was dead, I didn't really go with them.

But in an unexpected event, the bus they were riding in had an accident. The bus lost its brakes and the passengers continued to fall down the cliff.

I was young then but I saw and felt the pain of seeing my parents buried at the same time. I was eight years old and had a mind of my own so I understood that my parents were gone.

At a young age I experienced bone stretching. Because we were short of money, Lola didn't even think of sending me to school. That's why when I see someone in uniform, I'm very jealous.

That's where I want to be able to wear a uniform while carrying a bag on my back.

But everything is just a dream. Because since Lola became my guardian, my life has become hell.

At four o'clock in the morning, Lola Fe wakes me up.

"Mirah! Mira! Awake and it's noon," he said.

"Grandma, I'm still sleepy," I said while still closing my eyes.

"I'm not going to wake you up or pinch you to wake you up huh?!" It annoyed me.

I immediately fell back to my feet. Lola's pain is as painful as the pain that really penetrates the skin and she doesn't care if I get hurt. He said he doesn't like being stubborn, that's why he's so rude.

I got up to wash my face and brush my teeth. While Lola went outside to feed her pet tagalog chicken.

We only live in huts. And Lola is used to taking care of chickens because it benefits the eggs she lays. And sometimes it cooks tinola when it is thought to slaughter the pet chicken.

After I washed, I made coffee. Atsaka sinaing. We only use wood to cook, which I still get from the forest every afternoon. When I don't save fuel, we don't have fuel to use for cooking.

"Mirah, hurry up and it's noon! What time can you go to the market again? You won't be able to catch up with that!" it shouted from outside the house.

There are so many shoppers every morning. So if you are early in the market you will get more money.

"Yes, La!" I replied.

"Yes La, yes! You're not in a hurry. Hurry up!"

I don't want to say anything, I know that Grandma is noisy, especially in the morning, so I'm used to it.

After a few minutes I got up and got ready to leave. That's all I'm going to do, filter the rice so that when I arrive at noon, I'll just eat it. It was up to Lola to watch.