A Daughter's Final Dress
by: April Jadormeo
In a small town lived Laila, a dedicated mother raising her 10-year-old child, Arya. Her
loving husband, James, managed their farm, raising poultry as their main source of income while
Laila worked as a tailor in the city for five years now.
Laila stayed in the city every two weeks due to the three-hour commute, so she only came
home twice a month on payday. Each time she returned, she made sure to bring something special
for Arya and James. She was a dedicated wife and mother, always thinking about providing for
their needs and desires.
James was supportive, taking on the role of a househusband. He efficiently managed the
household and farm in Laila's absence. Arya appreciated their family arrangement and the efforts
of both parents.
"Pa, adto nako sa syudad,” Laila said.
"Sige ma, amping didto ha! Ayaw palabi ug kahago," James replied.
"Oo pa, mag amping ko para sa inyong duha," she assured.
She then turned to Arya and asked,
"Nak, adto na si mama ha? Unsa man imong gusto nga gift?"
"Kuan lang ma, barbie doll,” Arya replied.
"Sige nak, ako na paliton para sa imoha basta dili ka magpabadlong," Laila promised.
Arya simply smiled and nodded in response.
And so, with promises and hugs exchanged, Laila left for the city to work for another two
weeks. She stayed in a small apartment with her coworkers. They shared expenses like rent, water,
and electricity. From 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Saturday, she diligently sewed various clothes–
shorts, shirts, polo, dresses, and even customized garments to meet her customers' needs.
Despite the demands of her job, she never missed a day of work. Her calloused and bruised
hands were evidence of her dedication. Amidst the exhaustion, her family's picture hanging on her
room's wall brought her comfort and strength.
After two weeks, she headed back home, carrying gifts and groceries. Upon entering the
house, Arya rushed towards her with a smile, asking eagerly,
"Mama, gimingaw ko nimo. Nagdala ka'g gift para nako?"
"Oo nak, dili jud nako kalimtan. Naa sa bulseta imong barbie doll, kuhaa ni," Laila
responded.
Arya's face was full of joy as she took the doll from her mother's hands. They walked inside
together. Her husband, visibly relieved to see her safe after the long drive.
"Ma, kumusta man imong trabaho?” James asked.
"Ubay-ubay pud ko og gitahi kay daghan order. Unya, kumusta naman diri sa balay, pa?"
she asked.
"Busy asikaso sa balay pero makaya ra gihapon," he responded.
Laila smiled warmly. She felt grateful for her family's resilience.
They all had dinner together, enjoying her husband’s special pakbet with buwad pinikas.
During the meal, Laila noticed Arya catching her breath but assumed it was from playing hard that
day.
Laila ensured she kept the house clean, washed clothes, and helped on the farm on her day
off. She also balanced her time between her daughter and quality moments with her husband.
The next day, Laila prepared everything she needed before going back to work.
"Unsa naman sad imong gusto nga gift, nak?" Laila asked.
"Ma, tahii ko ug dress pareha sa gisul-ob sa Barbie doll nga imong gipalit kay ako'ng sulobon sa Christmas Party namo sa school,” Arya replied.
"Akong paningkamutan nak pero dili ko maka-promise ana ha kay daghan pa'g tahion si
mama para sa mga customers. Kung dili makaya palitan na lang tika?" she gently replied.
"Ma, ikaw lang tahi para special. Please," she responded with a teary eye.
Laila just hugged her daughter tightly.
As she kissed her husband and child on the forehead, Laila knew she had another halfmonth away before returning home.
It had been a busy week at work with an urgent quota she had to meet. Her boss emphasized
the importance of satisfying their big-time customer, urging everyone to double their effort.
The mother was focused on completing her work that day when, at exactly 2 PM, someone
called her. She took the call and recognized that it was her husband calling her.
"Ma, naospital si Arya, anhia sa mi diri," the father said in despair.
The mother was in shock and didn’t respond for a couple of seconds.
"Naunsa si Arya, Pa? Tubaga ko!" she managed to say.
And the phone suddenly went off.
Laila went to her boss immediately, informing him that she needed to go home urgently
due to an emergency—her beloved daughter was in the hospital.
"We have an urgent task today, so prioritize your work if you want to keep your job,” the
boss responded firmly.
In that critical moment, she was confused between going home and potentially losing her
job, or staying to complete her work.
It was a difficult decision but she decided to keep working to cover the hospital bills.
Despite her worries, she worked as quickly as she could. However, her mind was bombarded with
her child's condition, causing her to accidentally prick herself with a needle and struggle to
concentrate.
After three hours, she completed her quota for the day. Rushing to gather her things from
her locker, she grabbed her phone and was shocked to see 14 missed calls and 9 text messages.
With her heart pounding, she dialed her husband's number immediately.
"Pa, padung na ko uli, huwata ko ninyo," Laila said.
But instead of a reply, she heard him crying heavily.
"Sige ma, maghuwat ko," James responded after.
The tension in the moment was noticeable, her mind raced with worry as she hurried home.
During her commute, she felt uneasy. From a distance, she saw her house brightly lit, with
a tent and many chairs where people were seated. She kept walking, and upon reaching home, she
noticed familiar faces staring at her.
Then she saw her husband, crying and he said,
"Ma, dugay kaayo ka. Ikaw gyud ang gipangita sa atong anak ganina. Sige siya og sampit
sa imong ngalan pero wala ka nitunga."
Laila was shocked. She struggled to comprehend the words. Her heart pounded as she
moved closer. Inside the softly lit room, she saw her beloved child lying in the coffin.
Grief flooded over her all at once.
"Nak, ngano man? Nganong wala man ko nimo gihuwat? Nak, humana nako og tahi imong
barbie dress. Bangon na nak, kay ato ning sukdon ang dress nimo. Nak, please mata na,
naabot na si mama," she cried out loudly.
"Ma, girevive siya sa doctor og nilaban ang atong anak pero wala na natabang, ug ang
findings, naa siya’y Lower Respiratory Infection. Kalit ra gyud kaayo ang panghitabo. Ma,
wala na nakaya ni Arya. Gikuha na ang atong anak," James continued, sobbing.
Laila couldn't process what had been said, continuing to cry in disbelief.
"Ako ni nga sala! Pasayloa ko nak nga akong giuna ang trabaho kaysa sa imoha. Pasayloa
ko Ginoo, ibalik ang akong anak! Malooy ka, ibalik akong anak!," she added.
Her tears flowed heavily as she spoke, realizing her only daughter was gone.
In a heartbreaking twist, she unexpectedly lost her child. The Barbie dress, lovingly sewn
for her daughter's Christmas party, now worn on her funeral.
