When Tona agreed with Doro, she didn’t think that would be their last meeting. An elegant and young boy, Doro who had just been introduced to their town had already attracted the girl. Why is it that Doro is tall and has strong arms, so in the hearts of young women, intense desire grows every time he is secretly glimpsed. Doro, on the other hand, was also attracted to many young women there, but in the end, Tona was also his choice. And Tona became beyond mad at Doro.
Although embarrassed, Tonang was forced to make Doro repeat the curses of his beloved. “I love you Tona. . . I love you. . .” Doro cursed repeatedly. And Doro got the happiness he wanted from Tona.
At night, Tona confessed to her mother that she and Doro were getting married.
“Doro and I are in love, mother. We are getting married. . . Getting married.”
Tona’s mother burst into tears.
“Don’t cry mother,” consoled Tona, “he comes in people’s lives, no matter who.”
“It seems so,” his old man pointed out.
“We will not leave you, mother. You will live with us. Doro will not object.”
“But Doro’s income is small,” his mother objected.
“I will help, mother. I will do the laundry. We can handle it.”
Tona’s mother also agreed. He even offered his pet pig. “The pig is large,” said the old man, “your marriage is fine.”
“But will you fall in love with Doro?”
“He loves me, mother, so I will surely be loved by him. The satisfaction reflected in Tona’s face had a conviction.
But Doro was never seen again. Tonang tried to hold back the tears, but they hurt. Tona couldn’t hold back the tears because
her heart also shed tears. Then he confessed to his mother why he should marry Doro.
Tona’s son is a boy. He will call the baby Berto. The wound of the memory that Doro left him has been healed by his love for Berto. Berto is everything to him.
Tona’s mother is dead and Berto is a mischievous child. Tona is even more hesitant to accept laundry to earn enough for their needs. Berto is eleven years old and he needs to study. There are many demands on the school. Little by little money for paper or a notebook, or the Red Cross.
Sometimes, without Berto, Tona would cry. He was dead in his clothes. The laundry fee is very cheap. A laundromat like him barely earns fifteen pesos. If he earns twenty, that’s another fortune to be happy about.
In fact, he can still get married and live without that much difficulty. There, the carpenter Mianong was in love and ready to believe in him but he refused. He remembers Berto. This will not be loved by Mianong like his love and respect because Berto is only his son, not Mianong’s son. And if she and Mianong have children, her love will not be selfish of Berto.
He will not allow that because he loves Berto very much.
One day, Tona was surprised when Bertong said he wanted to wear long pants. Tonang never thought that one day Berto would need long pants. He didn’t think Berto was a boy and a teenager.
Tona turned to her son.
It was a long time before Tona recognized the truth. Berto is fifteen years old. Berto is a young man, not a child anymore. Tona seemed hurt. He didn’t know why.
“Mom, you’re going to buy me long pants, right?” said Berto.
Tona did not hear the child. The pain he felt increased.
“Mom, you’re going to buy me long pants, right?” Berto repeated.
“Yes, Berto, I’ll buy you some long pants,” Tona replied.
One day of the week when Tona was coming to the market, she saw Berto bathing in the bath. There is no door between the living room and the kitchen so from the living room you can see the whole kitchen and from the kitchen you can see the whole living room. If Tona takes a bath, she puts a blanket over her but now that Berto is taking a bath, she doesn’t put a veil on so Tona can see Berto’s naked body. Unintentionally, Tona caught a glimpse of
Berto’s whole face and noticed the new additional proof of his manhood. Berto was embarrassed when his mother noticed him. Namula huddled in the corner of the batalan so that her mother wouldn’t see her.
Tona immediately understood the meaning of that. Berto is embarrassed. He already knew why Berto was shy. He doesn’t want to look at Berto’s naked body, the body that Berto doesn’t even want to show him, the body that he still soaks and caresses when Berto is taking a bath. Berto’s body is only Berto’s now. There was something extra that Berto represented and Berto he shouldn’t see in that order. Tona heard the pouring of water on Berto’s body. In her mind, she and Berto were far apart and it was as if the water pouring over her son’s body was a vast sea that separated their mother and daughter.