The Girl Behind The Window

Chapter 4 Sunday and Marys Headband

The day was too long but it was a well used day and it was very relaxing for Mary. The clothes were already dried when Irene, Alicia and Sonia carried their own basins full of dry clothes on their heads. One of their hands were holding the buckets beside their bodies while walking. Mary carried the basket with only a little Tide left from washing the clothes. They walked until they arrived at the meeting point where the motorcycle driver was waiting for them. It was a very hot day but it was cooler at the waterfalls and the shadows of the trees protected them from the burning heat of the sun. The clothes were all dried because they hung them in the clotheslines directly under the heat of the sun. The drive home made Mary asleep that she was awaken when the motorcycle stopped moving.

"Here we are again. See you next Saturday then the same time. Thanks for collecting us." Mary heard her mother talking to the motorcycle driver while giving the fare.

"Thank you." said Alicia to the driver after giving the money. They all got out of the motorcycle. Mary had noticed that Sonia was quiet. Maybe she was also tired from washing. She had to help her mother Alicia while Mary had only brought water to her mother and the rest of her time, she spent relaxing at the waterfalls observing the kids enjoying swimming and diving in the clear blue water.

"Irene, I don't know if I can join you washing at the waterfalls next Saturday. I'll tell you then if I can't." Alicia told Irene and walk away home. Sonia followed her without a word. There was something bothering her. Mary did not know what.

The next day was Sunday and Mary went to the catholic church with her mother. She was still sleepy but she had to wake up early as the Mass started at 6 in the morning. They did not go to the church every Sunday, only when her mother wanted to. Her father was not a church goer. He only attended a Mass during Christmas and Good Friday. For him it was enough but he insisted that Mary had to go with her anytime her mother went to church.

For Mary, Sunday is the best day of the week because they mostly had special food to eat. When her mother and Mary went to church on Sundays, they went directly to the open market and bought fresh fruits and vegetables. When they had enough money, her mother bought a slice of pork meat and she made a special meal for their lunch. She mostly made Pancit, a fried noodles with the pork meat and vegetables. Then, there were ripe mangoes, papayas or bananas for their desserts. After eating their lunch her mother washed the dishes and she was told to put the handwoven mat made of palm or sea grass leaves on their living room floor where they laid down and took their afternoon naps for an hour or two. They took their naps in the living room as it was fresher there than inside their bedrooms.

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It was school day again. As usual Mary was dropped by her father to her school before going to work. It was a month now since Mary came to school every school days. She had not found a friend, not even the one seated beside her. She felt bored being in her school. They were still learning to write the alphabet. She was always the one who finished first but she did not show it to her teacher as she was scared of her. She waited until one of her classmates passed her or his paper to the teacher. It was really boring for her waiting for her classmates that whenever she was finished writing, her minds wander although pretending that she was still writing. Sometimes, she helped her seatmates and showed them how to write the letters their teacher told them to write. Mary was so proud of herself every time her seatmates praised her for knowing already the alphabets.