After breakfast, Joaquin invited Shanaia to take a walk at the back. Shanaia agreed and they walked to the backyard garden that Shanaia saw earlier.
“Who maintains this garden?” Shanaia asked as she looked at the row of tomato plants.
“Manang does,” Joaquin answered.
“Aren’t the chores too much for her age?” she asked.
“If you worry about cleaning the huge house, Manang doesn’t clean, she would hire the mothers nearby and supervise them. But she is hands-on when it comes to this garden and cooking, but when there is heavy lifting, she would get help,” Joaquin explained.
“Oh. That’s good. I wouldn’t want someone her age to do heavy work,” Shanaia said and Joaquin nodded.
“I understand,”
Then the two of them went to sit in the nipa hut. As they sat down, Shanaia heaved a deep sigh bef
