I knew it wasn’t meant to be, but at the back of my mind, I wish it would be. From the start, I was silently protesting against my wife. But seeing her enthusiasm, hard as she tried to hide it, I just could’t let myself be the one to burst her bubble. And like I said, I too, though discreetly, was hoping it might work.
When Angel was only three years old – modesty aside – many people have told us that her name really fitted her. Like most parents, we taught our little Angel to sing and to dance, which she performed to our hearts’ delight.
Babies were the sweetest things to watch, especially if she was your own baby. The problem was that, when we asked her to perform when there were other people around, like close friends or relatives, she would run away, stood still or just clung to us. But she would not perform – leaving us embarrassed and trying our best to change the topic. Okay, so our little Angel wasn’t the showbiz type.
One day, my wife told me my little Angel was chosen by the day care to be the school’s candidate for the search for “Munting Prinsesa ng Angeles” (Little Princess of Angeles) in the upcoming town fiesta. I couldn’t remember how I reacted then. I didn’t say no, but neither did I say yes.
My wife knew that I wasn’t keen on the idea, but it didn’t bother her. She saw it as an opportunity to show the world how beautiful and talented our baby was. A sentiment that I shared with her. She also saw it as a chance for my baby to develop herself and somehow overcome her stage fright.
I, on the other hand, was very much worried. The thought of putting my little darling on the spot, this time with a bigger audience, filled me with anxiety.
But amidst my silent protest, my wife insisted. She said that she asked Angel if she wanted to do it, to which my baby said yes. So with less than two months before the contest, the preparation began.
The road to the beauty contest wasn’t a smooth one. For one, we couldn’t afford to hire a trainer that would help us train and develop my little Angel’s talent. Hence, we had no choice but to train Angel ourselves. But then again, I was a weekend father. Being assigned in a place far from home.
Her daycare teacher was very unsupportive and compromised my baby in the first place; this left my wife by her lonesome self to prepare Angel for the contest.
Juggling her schedule between teaching, herself being a teacher in secondary school, and looking after the studies of my other two sons, and training Angel and looking after the house and the children’s needs.
Something was bound to give, and so it did. My wife eventually got sick for a week, the succeeding weeks, my two sons alternately got sick, and Angel was sick almost every week. In fact, the day before the contest, my baby had fever, and the apathetic daycare teacher was of no help; she even threatened us, “Is Angel ready? Because if she’s not, I have someone who is ready and willing to replace her at a moment’s notice.” The nerve!
(TO BE CONTINUED)
All photos by Mel B.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Roy delaCruz is a dedicated and indomitable blogger who successfully authors 13 blogs namely, House of Puroy , Reflections, Letters to Mama Sugar Coated World The Struggling Blogger (1 & 2)
Be Inspired Now Subukan Taya Ing Kapampangan
The Copy Paste Blog Roysville AND
a creative writer (poetry and short story) with his newest baby: Short Stories Blog
He writes expertly about a variety of topics as evidenced by his numerous blogs. A good writer , father and family man, let’s put our hands together for him.
Thanks Roy for being my Guest Blogger in the Inspirational Stories Book.
