The Box

45. box

"I don't know." Chuck would reply. "Mommy getting my box was pure luck. And, if I just ignored her friend request, we probably wouldn't have met and become friends."

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A fire broke out in one barangay near the orphanage. The affected families were evacuated to the basketball court next to the orphanage. The weekend after the fire, Maia and Chuck's kids spent the day at the orphanage to do their regular weekend activities.

While some children were engaged in the different activities prepared by the siblings, someone screamed and cried loudly, "Akin yan e!"

Maki ran toward MaryJoy who was crying and trying to grab the box that Mireille was hugging. "Akin yan! Isoli mo! Akin yan!" MaryJoy cried.

"Ang alin?"

"Yung kahon. Binigay ni Sister yan. Akin yan!"

"Mireille? Please give the box back." Maki said gently.

"Is Mireille box. Is mine." Mireille replied her body twisted away from Maki and MaryJoy.

"Hmm. Okay, if it's yours, what's inside?"

"Towel, soap, toothbrush, pencil..."

"Tama ba sya?"

"Opo"

"Mireille, can Ate have a look?"

"No!"

"Mireille?" Maia approached and Mireille looked at her. "Can Mommy have a look at the box?"

Mireille thought for a moment before giving the box to Maia. They inspected it and found the items Mireille mentioned!

"...pen box...open...Mireille paint..."

"Huh? Go over there to Kuya Rocky, they're painting over there" Maki pointed to a group of children in the opposite side of the court.

"Open...move...this..." Mireille said again and tapped on the box which Maia put on the table.

They opened the box again. "Yes, it has a towel, toothbrush, soap, a pencil..." Maki said while holding up each item. There were other things inside the box.

"Paint" Mireille said again.

"If you want to paint, Kuya Rocky is painting over there." Maki repeated.

"Paint! Mireille paint!" Mireille insisted.

"Where?"

"Open! Take out paper!" Marielle said again while tapping on the box.

After opening the box and removing the contents, Maia and Maki showed the box to Mireille again.

"It's empty, anak. Walang paint sa loob." Maia tried to explain to Mireille.

"Paint...inside..." Mireille insisted.

The box had been wrapped in gift wrapper, so Mireille pulled on a torn piece in one corner of the box.

"Mireille. Stop that. Masisira." Maia said.

Mireille ignored her until finally she was able to create a small hole on the gift wrapper. MaryJoy immediately grabbed the box while Mireille was still pinching the paper in her fingers. This caused a bigger tear in the paper, revealing the design of the box underneath.