He Who Doesn’t Have a Dog Hunts With a Cat

"I'm home" the young 14 year old year Reen shouted. She couldn't wait to share with her mother and siblings the earnings she had today. Despite still being scared of being scolded for going home this late her anticipation for her praise won over the fear she felt. Ever since their father left them they had a bit of a difficult time.

Their relatives helped them in terms of their allowances it was still not enough for a 4 family jobless single mother. As other fees such as the children's clothes, food, day to day allowances could was not enough to shoulder the little allowance given to them.

Because of this, to earn extra money for their allowances, the siblings despite their young ages did small time business in school. As they saying meant "he who doesn't have a dog hunts with a cat [1]".

Selling their paper when classmates forget some, reselling tiny figurines and accessories children love a bit higher than their original price; their classmates who knew their circumstances bough some in pity while others needed it in emergency situations like pop quiz and the like.

Despite knowing the pitiful gazes towards them, they chose to ignore it as long as they could have that extra cent to buy the things they needed to buy.

Regardless of their situation, they were a happy and fulfilled family. Their mom never deprived them with anything as long as it was within the budget. The children with their little savings could buy the things they want as long as it was not expensive.

However despite this, the children grew to be a bit more mature than children their own age especially her older sister.

Despite knowing that their father left them for another woman, she couldn't help but not hate him. He left them a few months after she was born and grew up without his guidance unlike his brother and sister.

She couldn't hate what she never loved or knew in the first place so her feeling towards her "father" was more of a distant relative known only sort of feeling.

Thinking of the teasing and taunting of her siblings and the helplessness filled smile yet warm gaze of her mother she couldn't help but smile wider.

However, upon closing the door she heard some scurrying.

"Is that a rat?"

Reen made an ugly face, their house was a 2 story old house that they rented with a cheap price. The house was made of wood, some being rotten while others have termite marks in them. Despite this, the house was complete with kitchen, a dirty kitchen at the first floor and 1 master bedroom with 2 other bedroom at the 2nd floor. She could only sigh at their poorness.

Author's Notes:

٩꒰ ´ᆺ`꒱۶

FYI: The emojis are not mine, got them from Google

[1] From Portuguese translators Gustavo Rocha and Leonardo Silva which means "You make the most of what you've got" Basically, you do what you need to do, with what the resources you have.