I ENDURED HUNGRY EVERY DAY BECAUSE WE “SAYED” WE HAD “NO” MONEY — BUT I ALMOST DIED WHEN MY GRANDFATHER ASKED ME IN THE HOSPITAL IF THE P250,000 HE SENT ME EVERY MONTH WAS STILL LACK
Ana grew up with her Grandfather Augusto. Grandfather Augusto was rich, but because of his business, he had to live in America. When Ana married Mike, Grandfather Augusto became satisfied that someone would take care of his granddaughter.

Mike seemed kind at first. His mother, Donya Tessie, always smiled when talking to Grandfather Augusto on video calls.

“Don’t worry, Don Augusto,” Mike would always say. “I will take care of Ana like a princess. We will use my account number for your remittance so that it will be faster, since Ana doesn’t know how to use online banking.”

Grandfather Augusto agreed. Being old and not very techy, she trusted Mike and Tessie.

But as soon as Grandpa left and returned to America, everything changed.

Ana’s life became hell.

“Ana! Do the laundry there!” Donya Tessie shouted while lying on the sofa and getting a manicure. “Don’t let me eat you here! Electricity and water are expensive!”

“But Mom, I’m pregnant… my back hurts,” Ana pleaded.

“Pregnant?! That’s just an act! Get some exercise so you don’t gain weight! You’re not contributing anything to this house but being an expense!”

Mike came home from work. Ana hoped he would take her side.

“Mike, I’m tired…” Ana cried. “Don’t we have the budget to hire a maid? Even just a washerwoman?”

Mike just stared at her angrily. “Helper? Ana, you know we’re in a tight spot right now! My salary isn’t enough to cover the bills! We’ll endure! If you want a helper, work!”

Ana believed it. She thought they were really poor. Every day, Ana only ate sardines and noodles. She endured hunger just to save money. Little did she know, every afternoon while she was doing laundry, Mike and Donya Tessie would order Steak, Pizza, and expensive coffee that they kept in the room.

Ana saw that her mother-in-law always had new jewelry and a new cellphone.

“Mom, is that necklace new?” Ana asked once.

“This? Oh, it’s just a fake! I bought it on the sidewalk! It was only P150!” Tessie lied, even though in reality it was Gold worth P50,000.

Ana believed it because she trusted her husband so much. “We don’t have money,” that was what Mike always said.

The day Ana gave birth arrived.

She was in the Public Hospital. Charity Ward. It was hot. No air conditioning. The patients were crowded.

Ana was having a hard time after giving birth to her baby. She was very thirsty and hungry, but she had no money to buy water.

Mike and Donya Tessie arrived. They frowned.

“What’s that, Ana,” Tessie complained, fanning herself with an expensive fan. “It stinks in here! It smells like medicine and sweat! Hurry up and get well so we can go home. The fare here is a waste.”

“Mike…” Ana called softly. “Can I ask for some soup? I’m so hungry…”

“I don’t have any money,” Mike replied. “Just bear with it. There’s free porridge later at the nurse’s station.”

While they were scolding Ana, the door to the ward suddenly opened.

An old man wearing a suit entered. He was accompanied by two bodyguards carrying baskets of fruit and flowers.

Grandpa Augusto. He came home from America to see his great-grandson.

Mike was stunned. Donya Tessie turned pale. They didn’t expect the old man to come today. They said in the chat that he would be home next week.

“Grandpa!” Ana cried when she saw her grandfather.

Grandpa Augusto approached. But instead of being happy, his forehead furrowed.

He looked around. The dirty floor. The crowded bed. Ana’s sweaty and thin appearance. The thin blanket.

Grandpa Augusto’s face was replaced by surprise and anger.

He turned to Ana and took her hand.

“Ana, grandpa…” Grandpa Augusto began. His voice was shaking. “Why are you here in the Charity Ward? Why are you so thin?”

“Grandpa… we don’t have any money…” Ana cried. “Mike and I are struggling. The private hospital is expensive.”

Grandpa Augusto was stunned. She looked at Mike who was now sweating profusely even though he was cold from fear.

“No money?” Grandpa asked.

He turned his gaze to Ana and asked the thing that made Ana’s heart stop beating.

“Senza, hija… The P250,000 I send you every month… isn’t that enough? Isn’t a quarter of a million still not enough for you to at least get a decent room and food?”

Silence.

Time seemed to stop.

Ana’s eyes widened. “P-Po? What 250 thousand? Grandpa… I don’t receive anything. Mike said we are struggling so much. All I eat every day is sardines.”

Grandpa Augusto slowly turned to Mike and Donya Tessie.

“Mike,” Grandpa called coldly. “Where is the money?”

“L-Lolo… Sir…” Mike stammered. “Because… we saved! For the child’s future! Yes! For the future!”

“Saved?” Grandpa Augusto shouted. “Look at your wife! She looks like a skeleton! Giving birth in the Charity Ward while you…”

Grandpa Augusto grabbed Mike’s watch. Rolex.

He grabbed Donya Tessie’s necklace. Real Gold.

He looked at Tessie’s bag. Louis Vuitton.

“You don’t have money for my granddaughter’s food, but you have money for Rolex and LV?!” Grandpa Augusto shouted. His voice echoed throughout the hospital.

“You thieves! I give P250,000 every month for Ana! For her comfort! But you made her a slave and starved while you feasted on my money!”

Donya Tessie knelt down. “Don Augusto! Forgive us! We were just in a pinch!”

“Don’t touch me!” Grandpa’s side.

Grandpa Augusto immediately ordered his bodyguards.

“Get the police! Audit all the accounts I gave them! Put these two in jail for Qualified Theft and Estafa!”

“Ana, I’m your wife! Don’t!” Mike shouted as the bodyguard stopped him.

Ana looked at Mike. For the first time, her pity disappeared. She remembered the hunger. The fatigue. The insults her mother-in-law had given her while she was pregnant.

“Mike,” Ana said while holding the baby. “You said we don’t have money? Well, now… you really don’t have money. And you don’t have a family either.”

“Grandpa,” Ana snapped. “Get me out of here.”

Grandpa Augusto immediately transferred Ana to the Presidential Suite of the most expensive hospital.

Mike and Donya Tessie were locked up. All their assets—cars, jewelry, land—were seized by the court and returned to Ana.

In the end, Ana and her son lived happily ever after.