The next days were busy days for Veira's family.
After they completely cleaned the house, it was time for them to go back to the market and buy the remaining things they needed in the house.
That day, she finally met Aling Freida's son and daughter. They are called Fernan and Donna. They went with her to buy the things in Veira's list.
Fernan usually drove their family's horse cart from barangay to barangay to transport people who needed to go to the market. But that day, he didn't do so. Instead, he drove it behind Veira's because Aling Freida already saw Veira's and knew that her cart alone wouldn't be enough to carry them.
Donna rode on her horse cart instead of her brother. So the two of them got to talk a lot during their ride to the market at hindi nila mapigilang hindi magkapalagayan ng loob.
Donna and her brother were a little bit older than Veira. While Fernan transports people, Donna was still studying and hoping to become a teacher one day.
After hearing stories from Donna, Veira made a mental note to enroll Lili and Lulu there too. Those two can read, write and calculate. Thanks for the insistence of the birth mother of the Original-Owner to have the maidservants around her daughter to be trained.
But still, Veira thought, it would be good for them to have a formal education. As for herself, if the school could let her take exam and skip levels to graduate right away, she might also give it a try.
Anyway...
After na magawa lahat ng kailangan nilang gawin sa bahay nila, saka lamang sila pinakilala ni Kapitan Tunio sa buong barangay nila.
One morning, bago sumalang ang lahat sa pagsasaka nila sa araw na iyon, tinipon niya muna ang lahat sa meeting area ng barangay nila. Then after some announcements from the municipal, he took the opportunity para ipakilala na din sila Veira. Doon na rin inimbitahan ng dalaga ang lahat para sa araw ng Sabado. She said she would prepare a feast for everyone as thanks for welcoming them.
Normally, Kapitan Tunio would oppose this kind of extravagance. Why did they need a feast? Hindi naman exclusive lang barangay nila. Everyone could buy house and plots if they wanted too.
But he also thought that this would be a great way for Veira's family to quickly establish themselves into their barangay. He was still concern dahil sa pagiging puro babae ng pamilya nila Veira. So he was thinking na kung mabilis na makaintegrate ang apat sa barangay nila, then when they needed help in the future, they coild easily ask anyone. So, he allow this feast to happen.
***
Days before the feast, Veira visited the blacksmith's shop of Aling Freida's husband. Donna came with her but it was Fernan who drove them there. Sumabay lang sila sa paghahatid ng binata sa iba pang mga tao na patungo sa market.
"Nabanggit nga sa akin ni Freida na gusto mo daw magpagawa ng mga gamit pangluto." Mang Ipe said he saw them waiting for him at the waiting area of his shop.
He didn't know Veira. This would be the first time he was meeting her. Pero dahil naroroon din ang anak niyang si Donna, he quickly realized that this was the new neighbor na kinagigiliwan ng kanyang asawa.
"En, Mang Ipe. Pasensya na kayo sa abala."
"Anong abala? Customer ka ni Papa kaya hindi ka nakakaabala sa kanya." Donna chuckled as she said these.
Mang Ipe shook his head as he tapped her head. And then scolded her a bit.
Veira couldn't help smiling as she saw the interaction between the father and daughter. Seemed like Aling Freida's family was really close to each other.
"We made you watch a joke." Hinging dispensa ni Mang Ipe ng mapuna niya na pinanonood sila ni Veira.
They exchanged pleasantries before going to business.
Veira took out a few papers with drawings. Naroroon na rin ang sukat ng mga ito at materyales na gagamitin. When Mang Ipe saw how detailed it was, he was even surprised.
"Mukhang pamilyar ka sa pagpapanday ah."
Of course, she was. She used to visit a lot the armory workshop in the barracks noong nasa northern border pa siya. She would think a lot how to improve the weapons they had and share it to the smiths in the army. Because of this, she had become familiar with the basics of smithing.
That's also one of the reasons kung bakit lumamang sila ng lakas kumpara sa kalaban nilang nation.
But she wouldn't tell that to Mang Ipe, of course.
"I just know a little bit as one of my husband's businesses is this as well."
Tunay ngang mag-asawa itong sila Mang Ipe at Aling Freida. Dahil gaya ng asawa niya, from that simple statement of Veira, he already formed another story in his head.
He knew na namatay ang asawa ni Veira kasama ang kanyang ama matapos silang atakihin ng mga bandit. After finding out na may business din ang asawa nito ng pagpapanday, he quickly assumed na nasa kalagitnaan ng pagddeliver ng mga armas ang asawa at ama ng babae ng atakihin sila ng mga bandit.
With that thought in mind, he thought he would never come in person again kapag kailangan niyang magdala ng mga armas sa army. He couldn't afford to lose his life just like Veira's father and husband.
Again, if Veira knew how creative these people's minds when it came to storymaking, she would have say less.
"One of your husband's businesses? Does it madaming business ang asawa mo, Veira?"
Agad namang pinitik ni Mang Ipe ang noo ni Donna.
"Silly child! Why are you asking so much questions, ha?"
Veira just chuckled and then started to say more instructions about the things na nais niyanh ipagawa.
"Since these will be rushed, I will accept if you increase the prices a little bit." She said after they finally concluded the discussion about the products.
Agad namang ikinumpas ni Mang Ipe ang kamay niya habang umiiling.
"Forget about adding prices, I will even give you a discount."
"How is that fair? You are running a business, not a charity."
"Don't think about it, Veira. Kabilin bilinan ni Mama na kapag nagpunta ka dito at magpagawa ng mga bagay bagay, Papa should give you discount as much as he could."
"Hala, nakakahiya naman po."
"Don't be. You and my family seem to have fate dahil nakagaanang loob mo agad ang asawa ko. Let me calculate first and then give you a breakdown of everything. You can pay half first and just give the other half kapag kukunin mo na ang mga pinagawa mo."
In the end, Mang Ipe gave her a big discount. She also decided to just pay in full since she trusted their family.
Then, the day before the feast, he had Fernan deliver the things at her home. Just in time to prepare them for tomorrow's feast.
***
