← Opposing Characters Part 1

Grace
Even when we were young, I've always been aware of the changes in our upbringing. It's safe to say that even back then, Grace had always been taken care of better.

We were born to a middle class family and were raised in a province in Mindanao. Back then, I've always dreamed of completing my studies in Manila so I can have a better future. When I told my parents this, they said the family business was down and they could not send me to school in Manila. Crushed but still determined, I decided to raise the money myself and find the means to study in the city. I eventually graduated from the University of Santo Tomas.

Our parents supported our eldest throughout college, also providing for her board in a lady's dormitory. My two elder brothers, however, had to take vocational courses in the province so they could study for free and receive cash allowance from the university. But when it was Graces turn to go to college in Manila, our mother uprooted the whole family to move here. Being independent-minded that I am, it didnt matter to me, but after everything that happened, it all comes back to me.

With the help of our mother in falsifying her school records, Grace eventually graduated as a nurse in UST. She did not practice as a nurse locally and instead built a career as a flight stewardess in Philippine Airlines. Eventually, she became involved with a pilot who was married. She also habitually stole small items from the aircraft like dental kits, bedsheets, souvenirs, etc. Eventually, when she was retrenched, she took advantage of her US visa to start anew in America. Perhaps being accustomed to having people at her disposal, she treats them with disrespect when she feels they have no use to her. Maybe someday, karma will deal with her. I think it is starting now.

Her husband, an unapologetic gambler and a former TNT in the US, claimed ownership of their conjugal properties-- when they decided to get a divorce-- despite having no contribution in acquiring them. Grace decided at first to divorce him because he became jobless and still cant stop gambling. But when he got his act together and got a new job, they reconciled. Her son is also suffering from severe autism and apraxia. Because of this, her world has become smaller, more limited.

Yes, I still feel raw about everything that happened. I wish things did not turn out this way between us but it did. I trusted her but instead I was betrayed and cheated. I got into trouble but I survived and became a better person. While Grace might get away with her greed, she has to deal with a lifetime of domestic hardship. So no matter how sore I felt, I would never trade shoes with her. I've laid down the facts. You, my friends, be the judge.