INSIDE THE MALL, MY SON WHIPPED: “MOM, IS THAT DAD?” — HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON A BUSINESS TRIP, BUT WHEN WE FOLLOWED HIM, I DIED WHEN I SAW HIM HOLDING
THE “BUSINESS TRIP”
I am Carla. I am so proud of my husband Roman. He is a Regional Manager in a large company. He is often away from home because of his “Business Trips” to Singapore or Hong Kong.

“Hon, I’m leaving,” Roman said goodbye, carrying his suitcase. “I’m in Singapore for one week. I need to close the deal for Bimby’s future.”

“Be careful, Hon. Pasalubong, huh?” I kissed him.

Roman left wearing a suit, smelling rich, and looking respectable.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The third day Roman had been missing. It was Saturday, so I decided to take our son Bimby (7 years old) to a large mall.

While we were eating ice cream on the upper ground floor, Bimby suddenly pulled the hem of my dress.

“Mom…” Bimby whispered. “That’s Papa, right?”

I laughed at him. “Son, Papa is in Singapore. Have you forgotten? He’s not home until Wednesday.”

“No, Mom, that’s Papa! The one who went into the Fast Food Court!”

Because the child was insistent, I looked. I saw the back of a man. The stance was familiar. The way he walked was familiar.

I was nervous. Why was he here? Is he with a woman? Is he cheating on me?

“Come on, let’s follow,” I said to Bimby. I held his hand tightly.

THE FOLLOWING
We followed the man. He entered the Employee Entrance or “Staff Only” door behind a famous Fast Food Chain.

I became even more suspicious. Why would he go there? Who would he make money from there?

Bimby and I waited outside the food court area. We hid behind a large plant.

30 minutes passed.

“Mom, I’m hungry,” Bimby complained.

“Just wait, son, he’ll come out too.”

After a while, the kitchen door opened.

A man came out.

My eyes widened. My heart stopped beating.

It was Roman.

But he wasn’t wearing a suit. He wasn’t wearing an expensive watch.

He was wearing a red fast food chain uniform. He was wearing a hairnet. And his shoes were old, worn-out rubber shoes.

WHAT I SAW
I wanted to think I was just dreaming. Maybe it just looked like it.

But he approached a table that the students had left.

There, I saw what he was holding.

He wasn’t holding a briefcase.

He wasn’t holding another woman’s hand.

Roman was holding a rag in his right hand, and a mop in his left.

He wiped the table. He took the leftover chicken bones and put them on a tray. He picked up the tissues with the cold that were scattered on the floor.

“Brother! You’re so slow! Clean this up!” shouted a grumpy customer at Roman.

“Sorry, Ma’am. Here it is,” Roman replied while bowing.

That’s where I gave in.

My vision darkened. My husband… the Manager I thought was in Singapore… was just a Service Crew that people were shouting at?

“Mom! Mom fainted!”

THE TRUTH
I woke up in the mall’s Clinic. Bimby and Roman were next to me—still in uniform but with the hairnet removed.

Roman was crying while holding my hand.

“Roman…” I said weakly. “Why? I thought…”

Roman bowed his head. He burst into tears.

“I’m sorry, Carla… I’m sorry if I lied.”

“I’ve been fired from my job for six months,” Roman admitted. “The company went bankrupt. I was afraid to tell you. I was afraid to disappoint you. I was afraid you’d think I was worthless because I couldn’t give you a luxurious life.”

“So I pretended. I leave every day in a suit, but I change into a uniform at the gas station.”

“This is the only job that accepted me because they said I was overqualified or old. I accepted this… I endured cleaning up other people’s vomit and feces… just so Bimby could have tuition money and buy your medicine.”

THE HUG OF ACCEPTANCE
I held Roman’s face. The hands that used to be soft, now were rough and smelled of bleach.

But in that moment, I loved him even more.

“You’re really stupid,” I cried. “Do you think I loved you because of your title? Roman, I’m your husband. Even though you’re a garbage collector, you’re the pillar of our home.”

I stood up and hugged him tightly. Bimby joined in the hug.

“I’m proud of you, Papa,” Bimby said. “You’re my Jollibee!”

We laughed a little in the middle of crying.

END
That day, Roman didn’t go back to cleaning. We worked together.

We used the rest of his separation pay (which he was hiding) to build a small Carinderia. Because he’s really good at management, we were able to grow it.

Now, he’s no longer cleaning up other people’s mess. He’s the Boss of our own business.

We learned that you don’t have to pretend to be a “good father.” True honor isn’t in the uniform you wear or the beauty of the office—it’s in the blood and sweat.

this is what a father is willing to pour out for his family.

END