Lost Daughter of Imee Marcos

Chapter 7

Valentina's POV

I am still widely awake thinking about what happened at the toy store. My papa was my first love, I don't remember much about being six years old, but I remember him. We were connected from the very start, tied together with our love for dinosaurs and soccer & for that nickname he'd called me since before memory serves. I don't remember much about being six years old, but I don't think it matters really when he's been all my favorite memories.

The clock struck three, I can't take this anymore, I need to go to mom since she is the only one who can get me to sleep. A soft creak of the door startled mom after I opened it.

"I can't sleep," I said and threw myself on her bed.

"Hey gosh, you scared the heck out of me Tina," mom said, barely awake.

"I am sorry, can I sleep here?" I asked.

"Of course you can" mom answers.
She lay my head on her arm as she hums me our favorite song slipping through my fingers by ABBA.

I woke up seeing a little light outside the window. I blinked a few times looking over at the clock on the bedside table. It was about 6:30 in the morning. This is the first time I woke up this early while mom is still sleeping & softly snoring, and wrote mom a morning letter. I carefully got out of the bed and write a mom a morning letter.

"Good morning beautiful momma! Thank you for letting me sleep beside you. I love you, I love you, I love you. I will love you as rain falls and I will love you as the sun breaks out through the clouds. I will love you when the sky is red, and orange, and yellow, green, blue, purple too, because I will love you with every sunrise and sunset. I will love you as words love being spoken and written and sprawled across a page. I will love you until my To-Be-Read list is empty. I will love you as curiosity loves little children and the working world loves stripping it from them.
Valentina<3"

While she's asleep, I entered mom's walk-in closet, it looks exquisite! I have one but hers is beyond compare but I bet mama Meldy has the most exquisite closet among them. I run my hand across mom's pearls, smell her perfume, then gazed at mom's stunning clothes. She is so cool.

"Hey, beautiful young woman, good morning and thank you for your letter mahal na mahal kita my little ray of sunshine, it's the most beautiful letter. What are you doing here?" Mom asked and kissed me on the forehead.

"What is mahal na mahal? I am just looking and admiring haha-your robe, it's so pretty! And your closet, exquisite!"

"It means love you so much haha your cute accent. Thank you! It is? You want my robe? You can have it. I was wondering if auntie Irene can spend the day with us?"

"Oh, mahal na mahal kita! And of course mom she can"

I pulled out my small canvas before I lost my train of thought. I grab my paints and paintbrushes hoping I had the right colors for the color scheme I had in my head. Once I did everything, I sat it back on my vanity table. I was satisfied with the work I had done. I pulled off my messy clothes going to go shower.
After I showered, I opened the door and I saw auntie Irene looking at the painting I did.
"I didn't know you paint?" she said while looking at my work.

"I don't- I just got bored. I heard you are the most talented" I said and laugh nervously.

"It is exquisite Valentina! I love it and yes I do paint and we have so much in common! Like painting and singing! Also, your mom said we have to eat. I am starving"

Downstairs, Mom is all dressed up and looks like she's leaving. "I have to go, I can't believe I am leaving you two because I need to go to the senate. They need me. You and Tina can eat these empanadas I made. I am sorry and love you." Mom says and leaves right away.

Auntie Irene stared at me and we both looked confused.

"Did your mom just ditch us?"

"She did."

"Oh my she invites me over to spend more time with her and you and she is just going to leave? Poor ate she's always busy- Well I guess I am stuck with you" Auntie Irene said and took a bite of her empanada.
I also took a bite of the empanada my mom made and it was surprisingly good... And orange?

"This is amazing!! But why are they orange?" I ask.

"You asked the wrong person sweetheart, auntie Irene only knows how to eat! But did you know we have an empanada song?" she started singing the empanada song and laughed hysterically.

"You are so adorable! I love that empanada song" I also laughed hysterically.

This is such a great day for me because I got to spend time with auntie Irene. She's chaos to be with just like mom. She asked if we could spend more time together, and I obviously agreed. She also mentioned that she would show me her works, she just sent me a photo of her artwork, it was the most beautiful piece of art and she said that we could paint together and go crazy.