Ria Valdez
Every first Friday of the month, my relatives and I would stage this play. Before they found out I was a lesbian, these Fridays reminded me I had relatives. Each family was supposed to take turns in being hosts, which meant we had a different theater every Friday where we all pretended to pray the rosary. Or pretended to be relatives.
Setting: On this Rosary Friday, it was my family’s turn to host. We live in a two-story house in Woodridge Park, Davao. The night was so quiet that our voices echoed through the village. Outside, a half-moon sank low on the horizon.
Characters:
Auntie M – My mother’s sister had suggested that we do this tradition because it was what her friends in Couples for Christ did. She discussed this with us over my mother’s birthday dinner—the night I fi
