Chapter 23 - Chapter 22

@International_Pen

((( CLAIRE )))

I stood heavily and trudged to the store. We still have huge arrears to pay there and I doubt Aling Nena will allow me to take more credit. But the good woman she, she still lend me some canned food. I had promised to pay half the amount of our debt with my salary and again nothing will be left with the money I'll be earning.  

The route home was an isle between shanties that usually made up the slums. Gossipers littered around every day and today was nothing different.  

"Whoever the young Zel Cantheliz marries is surely lucky," a fat woman happily exclaimed as she narrated to three more women at the center of the alleyway.

"His father has just died and left him two companies to run. He's so rich and handsome even!"

They were blocking the way as if they own it so I excused myself as I went through. As I passed, they proceeded to gossip about my younger sister Amy. I scrunched my face at the rumors I was hearing and glared at them before going back home.

My family was usually the talk of the people around us and Amy wasn't excused. They have their eyes on her and assume stories whenever she goes home late or never at all.

The house went quiet when I arrived with food. I expected Amy to be the only reasonable one I could talk to and ask to feed father when I leave for work but with indifferent courage she refused.  

"Are you ordering me around?" she replied with an irked expression.  

How could all these people treat father as if he hadn't even cared for them before he turned invalid? Day by day my heart was shattering to pieces. I wiped my tears off before I went to father's room and give him the food he deserved to have. The only ray of sunshine I have in my bleak world stared at me with a smile. My heart turned to mush.

Before leaving for work, I took one last look at our poor house, signs of ruin was everywhere. If there's only a genie, I'd wish for everyone to change and maybe, just maybe…

Give us a pretty decent place I could call 'home'.  

@International_Pen