The Decision

As Melissa sweeps the floor, she found her diary lying on the floor covered of dust. She put her diary on the table and continued cleaning her room. Her room is just an ordinary room. A study table with a shelf, a big closet, and a side mirror. She had a French window and a small bed. Space is not too big nor not too small. The house is big and with partly wood and partly cement. It has many bedrooms.

After cleaning her room, she picks up her diary and reads some of it. While reading the diary, she remembers some event that happened.

Melissa did something in the past that makes her parents mad. She was sad to remember it.

Melissa Reyes was the eldest of the family. She had four siblings. Two of her siblings had three children. She has a round face, high cheekbone and her skin is tan. Her hair was frizzy. Her body was not too fat and not too thin. She was shorter than her sisters. She was 5 feet, while her sister is 5'2" and 5'5" tall. She loved to sing, draw anime characters, play an instrument, create stories and cook. She even liked the motorcycle and cars.

Her life was difficult as it looked. But she is learning. While looking at the diary, pictures fell. It is a picture of her and her sisters.

"How I wish that I can turn back time." while looking at the pictures.

"Things has changed."

A baby started to cry. That baby is her nephew.

Her sister, Mira, did not like to take care of the baby because she just wants to have fun. Mira was rebelling against their parents. She wants to remain single without a child. After she left the house, Melissa took care of nephew. She is like a mother to her nephew. Even in the house, she is the second mother to her two younger sisters because of some happen to her family that cost her mother to go depression.

She came near to the bed. She picks up her nephew, Hale Ivan Kaden and calms him.

"Shh, Aunt is here."

After Kaden is calm, she went downstairs with Kaden to make breakfast. She put Kaden inside the crib and look. It is already at 7 a.m. So she went to the kitchen to cook breakfast for everyone. She pulls out some hot-dog and eggs from the frig. Before she fries the hot-dog and eggs, she first cooks some rice. While the rice is still cooking, she fried the hot-dog and eggs enough each person in the family.

When the rice is cook, she went back upstairs and knock at the door of her fourth sister, Isabel Mae and a fifth sister, Dahlia Kaye.

Isabel Mae Reyes is her fourth born in another country. They went out of the country because of their father's work. Their parent doesn't want to leave their children in the Philippines. That's why they travel together in Bangladesh. Dahlia Kaye Reyes is her fifth and the youngest sister. Kaye has asthma when she was 2 years old.

"Mae, Kaye, wake up, time to set the table." While continuing knocking the door.

"Okay, I am up. Please stop knocking at the door. I already heard from you." Mae is annoying because of the continuous knocking.

"I'm up, I'm up, I'm up." Kaye keeps on repeating the word and stop when Mae told her to be quiet. It is Saturday, and it is still summer days that's why they wake up late.

She went back downstairs and preparing Kaden's food. Mae and Kaye came down and prepare the table. Each plate has 2 hot-dogs and a sunny side up egg. They put the rice in a serving plate and serve it on the table. After they set everything, Kaye went back upstairs and knock at the door and told Mama and Papa that breakfast is ready.

Mr. Godric Reyes and Mrs. Genevieve Reyes. Mr. Reyes is a counselor before and counselor to drug surrenders in Barangay Hall and also Pastor. Barangay is a unit of administration in Philippine society comprising from 50 to 100 families under a captain. Mrs. Genevieve Torres Reyes is a housewife, a teacher, a writer, storyteller, and more.

"Good morning, everyone." Papa, Godric greet everyone as he descends from the stair.

"Good morning, Mae! Good morning, Kaye! Good morning, Melissa! And good morning to you, Kaden." Mama Genevieve pinch Kaden's cheeks. He smiles at her. Papa, Godric pat Kaden's head when he's about to sit down. Kaden's high chair is next to him. When everyone settled down around the table, Papa asks.

"Who will lead the prayer?"

"I will lead the prayer," Mae said.

"Dear God thank you for the food that we are about to partake. Bless this food that it will nourish our body. Bless this day and give us strength for the rest of the day. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."

After breakfast, Kaye washes the dishes and Mae clean the table. Melissa put a long chair to block Kaden from entering the kitchen. Mama is sitting in the living room while watching a cooking show.

"So what's the plan for today?" Papa asks while playing Kaden.

"I don't know. Pa, is Mae and Kaye already enrolled or not? 15 day from now it will be June." Melissa ask.

"They are yet to enroll. How about you? Do you want to go to college? What course will take? One of your godmothers will support financially if you take Social work. Your godmother is the head nurse in Mahogany Medical Center. I saw her when I accompany Kaye in her checkup. I even chatted with her Facebook."

"You mean Margery Yutadco. Wow! We never meet her for a long time. How is she? Last I so her when we have a dedication of Melissa." Mama is excited to hear their family friend.

"She is fine. She already married and had two children. They are one year younger than Kaye and Mae. Her husband is Seaman."

"So, Melissa, what is your decision? We will support your decision." Mama gave encourage her.

"I think about it," Melissa replied while thinking.

'Is this Your plan for me? Help me, God.'