Twelve

After the funeral of my dad, my mom stayed at home wearing white clothes alone for three months, as the custom of the land to grieve for her husband. She was emotionally exhausted. Whenever they served her any food, there was this old woman that always tasted the food first. This old woman was my dad's grandma.

Mom said she told her never to trust people around her too much, now that everyone knows she's pregnant, they can do anything. "Remember those who killed your husband are still outside, you must brace yourself up, for your husband and your baby's sake!"

The old woman would always sneak in native medicine and ask my mother to drink it all.

"Mama, what's the prescription for?" Lola asked.

"This is to avert miscarriage, I heard you had two miscarriages in the past. Even if anybody attempts to kill this child in your womb, they won't succeed. You must drink it all."

Lola kept drinking the concoction. Grandma is blessed in knowing when you add anything strange to food or drinks. S