Luningning sweet revenge—6

Part Six

The police came and the ambulance. All efforts failed. The body was hauled off to the mortuary. Nobody felt that any more than a perfunctory inquest was needed. The undertaker was called to testify and old Doc Manners. Yes, it was decided that the car fell off the jack and crushed the poor fellow. “Yes,” Doc told the jury. If only someone had been there to help, the poor man would almost surely have been saved. It’s a pity no one was there.”

Luningning sweet revenge—-5

Part–Five

Luningning trudged home and put the whole experience as far out of her mind as she could. She wanted to get the house picked up before Mama got home from her weekly shopping. Not that there was all that much to do. She and Mama were very neat and clean and kept the old three-room house spic and span always.

Luningning sweet revenge—4

Part Four

Then she did the only thing she could do. She put all fantasy aside and commenced cleaning house so it would look real nice when Mama got home. Her thoughts never strayed far from what had happened to her that afternoon. She kept reliving the ordeal over and over again, time after time. Finally, the housework all done, she slipped into her room and knelt and prayed. That did her no good either. For the first time in her young life she felt completely alone, adrift without an anchor.

Luningning sweet revenge—-3

Part three

“Well, Mama, whatever the reason is, you just hang onto it. I don’t need nothing right now. “You keep it, Mama.”

The last doubts she had about her daughter’s chastity faded and vanished. If she had of been being a hold she would have wanted the money! “Thankee, God, for my daughter Luningning! And please forgive me for doubting her! Amen,” she prayed half aloud. She smiled proudly at the thought of her wonderful daughter and went inside the house to begin to prepare the Calderon’s evening meal.

Luningning sweet revenge—-2

Part two

Then the window would be rinsed with  vinegar water and shined with old crumpled newspaper. The finished result was a spotless glistening window. She would then climb down, move the ladder again to the next window and repeat the process. During the long afternoon, she never said a word. She silently did her work, lost deep in her own thoughts and feelings of shame and humiliation.