The Fabric of Us

We stayed for many days at our friend's house. We had no choice but to get back up, so despite the hardships, we continued fighting through life's challenges.

I returned to work the next day, while dad went to our old house to clean and salvage whatever he could.

One night, when I came home from work, I found my dad sitting quietly on the porch. I quickly approached him.

"Dad, you've been here for a while? Come on, let's getp inside," I invited him.

He let me clean up and eat first before calling me over to talk.

"Nora, I've been thinking... it's going to take a long time to repair the damage to the house," my father began. "It will be lengthy and expensive to rebuild. We simply don't have that kind of money, my child," he added.

"There's an old family home that's been vacant for a long time. It was passed down through generations," I knew where our conversation was heading.

"That house originally belonged to my grandfather's family line. I've never been able to visit that place since I grew up here," he shared carefully.

"Just the other day, your uncle visited and offered for us to stay there for a while, since no one lives in the old house. They heard about our situation and planned for us to move in there."

"What about our life here, Dad? And where exactly is that place?" I asked hesitantly.

Honestly, I was reluctant to leave the place where I grew up — it's the only connection left by Mom.

"It's far, child. We have to cross the sea to get there," he said, looking deep in thought.

"I have some savings left, so that's what we will use. I hope we can leave by the day after tomorrow," he said with a firm tone.

"I don't know how long we'll stay there... or if we will ever come back, but I hope we do," he said as he stood to get some water.

I listened quietly, wondering how we would live there. What about the house here if we leave it behind?

Our conversation continued. I agreed because I really had no other choice — we had no home. It was also embarrassing to stay with Alice's family since we had been living with them for several days already.

The next day, I didn't waste any time. I went back to work to formally say goodbye.

"Thank you for understanding, Mrs. Tes. We will be leaving in two days," even though it was sudden, she understood my situation.

"Today is my last day here, so I'll make sure to clean every nooks and crooks," I replied jokingly.

After finishing my work, I thanked everyone and said my farewells.

On my last day, Mrs. Tes gave me some extra money to help me start over.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, Mrs. Tes. I will never forget your generosity," I said before we finally parted ways.

When I got home, I rested and cleaned up. I began packing my things one by one, preparing for the move.

As I packed my clothes into the bag, my heart felt heavy. "Mom, I'll make sure to comeback. Please guide us from above," I whispered as placed the last cloth in the bag.

"Nora, wake up. We need to leave early so we won't miss the boat," my father gently said as he tapped my shoulder to wake me.

I quickly got up and got ready so we could leave early and avoid being late for the trip.

Before leaving, we gave our sincerest gratitude to Alice and family, and made a stop at our old house to bid goodbye to my mother.

When we arrived at the ferry terminal in the neighboring town, I almost backed out, if not for my father holding me back. The heaviness I felt inside was overwhelming — leaving the village where I grew up, a place full of memories of my mother.

A heavy feeling settled in my heart as I stepped onto the boat. Once onboard, I sadly looked down, thinking the town where I was born and raised was now something I have leave behind.

"Goodbye for now, Mom. I will surely make it back to you," I whispered to the wind as I wiped away a tear.

My father took my hand and guided me to an empty seat so we could rest during the trip. Carrying our belongings, we sat quietly. The weather was pleasant, so our journey went smoothly.

After seven hours of sailing, we finally arrived in Otio, a town I had never heard of before. From above, I saw the beautiful view — surrounded by mountains.

The sadness I felt began to fade, replaced by awe and excitement with what I'm seeing.

When the boat docked, the passengers started to disembark one by one. We waited patiently for the crowd to lessen before we stepped off.

The fresh scent of the place greeted me immediately. Unlike our hometown, which smelled of salty sea air and the scorching heat of the sun, here was a refreshing blend of nature and city.

"Dad, this place is beautiful," I said in awe; eyes wandering around the place.

.

"If we are able to settle down in a day or two, your uncle will tour us around the town," he replied, organizing our belongings.

"Ernesto!" A man called out to my father in a deep voice. A smile spread across his lips as he approached us.

"Good day to you, Manuel!" Dad greeted him warmly. "Nora, this is your Uncle Manuel. He was the one who offered the ancestral house where we could start anew," my father introduced.

"Good day, Uncle. I'm Leonora," I shyly introduced myself offering my hand for a shake.

"Wow, your child has grown so much since I last saw her. The last time was when she was just a small toddler," my uncle said, staring at me in awe; he reached for my hand and shook it.

They caught up for a while, exchanging stories before we got in a car. Uncle Manuel will take us to the house where we would be staying.