It was a tranquil day, sunny and calm. The skies were just fine sporting their fine clouds, covering the blues of the day. The sun, overlooking the world, seems clueless of what will happen.
A woman, wearing a simple but regal white dress stepped out of an old house. Her home which was just simple and had no art of complexity on it fitted her persona if not so much. Carrying a sleeping baby girl in her arms, she smiled genuinely as she walked towards her car.
She hired no nanny for her only daughter. She wanted to be the one to care for her all the time. Not to mention her finances that couldn't seem to carry on their daily needs. She had to strive if not struggle big time. She is a mother after all.
She put her little daughter in the backseat. On her infant car seat, the daughter lies and sleeps peacefully as if everything is alright. Like everything will never fall into something sorrowful.
The mother turned the engine on and started swerving the car as the wheels rolled on the muddy and rough grounds of their front yard.
She looked so happy and obviously feeling ecstatic about the arrival of her husband. It has been months since he left and got back again after several weeks of working in a cruise ship.
They were a happy couple, at least when they were truly in love. She may be happy but it was because her daughter will see his father again, albeit she also secretly longs for him.
She was humming her daughter's favorite lullaby as she drove past the lonely suburbs of their unassuming town. Her voice was beautiful and lovely, and her daughter loved it very well for she always wants to hear it before sleeping. Always and no end.
Then the car finally moved its way through the busy road. Her baby cooed. She glanced at her, then followed a sigh of relief because she didn't cry and just slept again.
"Good girl, Lianna…" she whispered as she maneuvered her car.
She smiled softly and peacefully. Despite all the pain and struggles, she can still plant a smile on her lips. It was her way of reminding herself that the world will be kind again. That all her struggles and sadness will fade in time. And her daughter can live a very happy life if that happens.
But the world is harsh, still. Fate is neither a traitor nor enemy.
A huge truck with turbulent movement hit her car until it crashed against a tree. Her legs felt numb. Her head felt like spinning cracking her wits out of her. Despite the pain, she forced herself to look at her daughter.
Her daughter was crying. Pain struck her heart deeply but she didn't cry. She wanted to move and get her daughter. But she couldn't move her legs. Half of her body was dripping in blood. Tears ran down her pale cheeks.
She bit her lips and tried to move more as she casted another look at her crying daughter.
"H-Help!" she pleaded. "M-My daughter! Please help!" Her voice strained because of all the crying and impassioned pleas.
Her daughter was safe on the backseat. But she wouldn't want to further compromise her safety. Her lips were quivering as she restrained herself from crying her pain out loud. Her daughter's cries made her pain more defined.
She pleaded for help again. Again and again until rays of blue and red lights struck her vision. It lit her hopes up. It was as though that light was the very symbol of hope and saving in that very moment. It was as if the sound of sirene was the declaration of hope and life.
"I-I love you, Lianna…" she whispered in a shaking voice. She kissed her hand and made it reach her daughter. An indirect kiss of goodbye to her only love.
She doesn't care about her own suffering. She thought about her until she closed her eyes as her heart skipped into its end.
"Madame Matilda, I already arranged all of the documents for your uh…" Matilda Reale's secretary halted from speaking, afraid to tell her about such a sensitive matter.
She just nodded, her eyes glued on her sister's lifeless body while teardrops escaped from her eyes. She wasn't alone. Standing beside her were sisters.
Anascia's cries continued as pain stabbed her heart more. Their sister was gone and it pained them so much. Antoninia's cries enveloped the whole room, beside her is Andelia who was silent, beating all the pain within her.
Matilda blamed herself. She thought that if she was able to stop her from marrying that man, she could've lived longer and happier. But it wasn't her fault.
"No one wanted this to happen," Antoninia said in her hoarse voice.
"If we just gave more effort into getting her back…" Matilda said weakly. "But w-we can't take her back now. Can somebody else do that?" she said, hopelessly hopeful.
Italia was their youngest sister. They loved her even if they seldom showed their tender affection. They cared for her so much. She was the kindest, they believe. She has the softest heart and kind words. The sole mediator when they fight against each other.
But maybe not everything stays, as well as every person in our lives. Time leaves, so do people. Feelings fade, too and memories can be erased when things go wrong.
She left their home to be with the love of her life. They didn't agree with her decision to be with that man because they believed that he wasn't good for her. But she fought for it and she succeeded.
Italia thought that maybe it was the right decision to live in a place away from her sisters who seem to have ill ideas about her lover. She wanted to be at peace and live a simple life. She lived with no hatred for her siblings but she chose to live in a different home because she thought that they were mad at her and they wouldn't accept him.
Rain walked its way all throughout the solemn cemetery. The women wearing black dresses were standing before their sister's grave. They were all silently staring at the name carved on it.
"Should I say goodbye?" Antoninia cut the silence.
Her vintage mesh net hat covered her face as she cried again, her head low. Andelia's lips were pursed as she talked to her sister Italia in her mind.
Matilda's cold eyes stared at her grave. She cried for days and now, she cried no more. Anascia's soft and weak gaze remained still on her sister's name on the grave.
The rain was pouring as they held on to their black umbrellas. They all looked so regal and elegant in black but in a sad and sorrowful theme.
Two days after Italia's death, bad news came out. Josefino, Italia's husband, was one of the victims who were killed when the Alba ship sank. It was reported as a tragedy done by foul play.
They didn't know what to do at first. They had no experience on how to take care of a baby. But even so, they need to stand as mothers for the child.
They could hire a helper, given that they're rich, but they do not want to entrust their niece's life on others. They have a helper but she's busy with the house cleaning and all so it's a hassle to give her more work.
Andelia was quickly scanning some helpful tips on the book about taking care of a child. Anascia was panicking while carrying the baby girl, trying to hush her. Antoninia, who just entered the room, massaged her temples as her sisters ran into chaos. She put her bag on the bed and went to Anascia who looked so exhausted.
"Oh? What's with the smell?" Antoninia said when she finally neared Anascia.
Matilda looked at them while shaking the milk formula for the baby.
"Huh?" Anascia was in so much stress that she couldn't even smell it.
Her jaw dropped as realization dawned upon her. Her panic went on a higher level. The idea of touching poop or even imagining it strikes her badly.
"Stop it, Anascia, the baby might fall!" Matilda said to her sister.
Matilda got the baby from her. Antoninia chuckled but stopped when Anascia glared at her. She could've helped her with that but she's more into not getting her hands on it.
Matilda put the baby on the bed.
"Andelia, get a diaper!" Matilda said in a hurry.
The baby's crying went on and on. Antonia tried to comfort her while singing a small song and shaking her tiny hands a bit. Matilda then removed the diaper.
Andelia immediately gave Matilda the diaper and went away, putting a hand on her nose. The other two jumped away, holding their noses too.
Matilda had no choice but to clean her up instead. Her nose were wrinkled as she stopped breathing a bit, just so she wouldn't smell it so much.
"It's better if Manang Nelia is here. She knows how to clean babies up. Too bad, she's already home…" Anascia said.
"Are you still alive?" Andelia asked Matilda when she noticed that she's just standing there like a statue.
Matilda doesn't know what to do, actually.
"She probably doesn't know what to do."
Matilda heard Antoninia's whisper to her sisters. She shot her a glare. Antoninia smiled playfully in great return.
"I read something…" Andelia trailed. Matilda's eyes went to her. "You can use a wipe. It's like baby wipes?"
Matilda sighed and went back to the baby who is now playing the diaper.
"Then get me a wipe," she ordered.
Antoninia got the wipe and gave it to her. Matilda mustered up all the courage to clean her niece up. She just needs a little halt on breathing to survive, that's what her sisters thought.
Successfully, she cleaned her up. The smell eventually went off. Matilda cleaned up the little mess on the bed. She then gave the bottle of milk to the baby girl who seems sleepy now. Her beautiful and innocent eyes looked at each one of them.
"Is this even expensive?" Antoninia looked at the diaper she's holding like it's something remarkably ridiculous.
Matilda abruptly took it from her and then put it on the baby.
"What do you think, Ninia? That there are Prada diapers?" Anascia asked, emphasizing the second to the last word.
"Oh, what a nice thought you have there! I also think of that too!" Antoninia said merrily.
Anascia's jaw dropped again. Antoninia didn't sound sarcastic or whatsoever. She seemed happy that Anascia had the same idea as hers.
"Andelia, that's too much alcohol!" Matilda said to Andelia who's pouring big amount of alchol on her hands.
"Oh, then high chance of getting rid of bacteria…" Andelia shrugged as she rubbed her hands against each other.
Matilda sighed heavily at her sister's words.
They all looked at the baby girl who is now sleeping soundly, her milk almost done. Silence filled the room for a while until Anascia spoke.
"Italianna looks so much like her."
"Really like her," said Matilda.
"Though, why'd she name her Italianna? Antoninia asked out of pure curiosity.
The three looked at her in the same expression. Antoninia raised a brow.
"You know, our sister thinks like a drunk man, sometimes," Andelia said.
"We should change her name," Matilda said and they all agreed.
Her name reminds them of their deceased sister so they wanted to change it.
"So what do we do with you, Ignacia?" Matilda asked as they stared at the baby girl with hopeful and gentle eyes.
