Living in the Shadows

Eve and Adam

“Yes, thank you Mrs. Jones for informing us. How soon can we meet the nurse?” I said softly as I speak to the Head Nurse on the phone.

“Thank you, let us know so we can meet her the soonest possible time,” I added before we said goodbye. “Dad, we finally found you a caregiver, but it would be temporary. Don’t worry, Art and I, together with your grandkids, would still stay here with you.” I whispered to my father, before leaving a kiss on his forehead.

“Try to get some rest now,” I told dad picking up the used cups on his side table.

“Yep, chuck on the telly for me, will ya,” Dad answered. I walked around the room and turned on the television,

“I’ll start the stove, so you can have a cuppa.” I smiled at him and headed to the kitchen.

“Mommy, can I have some biscuits?” Sydney asked while running, coming from our backyard.

“Watch it, honey! Where’s your brother?” I asked as I approach the counter table where the cookie jar is. “Austin is playing with Dad,” Syd answered while munching the cookies I just gave him.

“Dad said we would have a family day out this weekend, is it true mommy? Are we going out this Saturday?” he asked while eating.

“Dad did not tell me about that, I should check on him.” I answered.

“Eat slowly, and drink lots of water after, ok? I’ll just give grandpop his tea, I’ll meet you outside with Dad and Austin, ok?” I added.

“Uhmkay mom,” Syd replied as he enjoys his cookies.

“Dad, we would be going out this weekend, I’ll check with your doctor if you would be allowed to go outside this weekend. I’ll make sure the nurse would be available before our trip and would ask for a wheelchair so you would not get tired walking around.” I told my father while putting down the cup of tea on his bedside table.

“Baby you can just leave me here with the caregiver, don’t bother tagging me along on your family trip. I know that Art was so busy back home, so this is your chance to spend this time as a family.” Dad held my hand and patted the back of it.

“You sure, dad?” I asked worriedly.

“I’ll be fine sweetheart, the nurse would be here so there is nothing to worry about,” Dad answered.

“Just bring me home a pavlova.” He added.

“Daaad! No! We must watch your sugar!” I smiled.

“Thought there would be an exemption.” He shrugged.

“I’m gonna tell mum, you see.” I looked dad with a sheepish smile.

“Alright, I was just joking, just don’t tell on mum, yeah?” he answered.

“Oh, I’m just kidding!” I laughed seeing him scared of mum.

That was classic. Can’t blame him, hell’s gonna break loose when mum’s angry. I missed my parents so much, staying with my father makes me feel like a little girl again. But at the same time, I have Art here, my son-shines – Sydney and Austin.

So, in just a few weeks that we’ve been here in Australia, in one roof I wear different hats – a daughter, a wife, and a mother.

Women are truly flexible as we can multi-task, we can do different roles simultaneously. We can be the sweet little girl in front of our father but then change to the controlling, authoritative mother in front of our children, and at night fulfill duties for the husband as we make love to them to cap the day.

Amazing, how we tend to switch emotions, roles, and perceptions in a snap. Like having an automatic button, changing based on who is in front of us, who are we dealing with. If you would ask me, I’d choose to be born as a woman over and over again.

As I know that this world would not be complete without mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, like us. Life would be dull without our existence.

That is why God made Eve, to give meaning to Adam’s life. That is how precious the female species is. We are God’s gift to humanity. We are God’s gift to men.

I was reading a book about how women changed the world. But if we would look back at history, women cannot do much in society.

Women were just born to become wives, to become mothers. We were just baby makers! I can’t imagine how difficult it is to be a woman in historic times.

Back then, in any part of the world, women don’t have a voice. They must endure everything, as a woman back then, you must be held responsible for how your children would turn to be.

They must suck it up when the husband loathes them, they must endure the pain of the unfaithfulness and were expected to accept the husband after all the infidelity.

But what about women? You would be frowned upon when you cheat. You would be a disgrace to your family. You would be dishonored by your parents. You would have this shame unto your grave. I know cheating is wrong, but what I am pointing out is, how society perceives it.

How society takes it lightly when it is the husband who does it and curses the woman if ever, she committed it.

I have realized that even up to this day, this thing hasn’t changed. Maybe women’s rights have improved, women can now vote, our voices are heard, we are being considered in any political roles, we are now allowed to drive a car and have our license – yeah, I passed and finally got mine. Ha! So proud of it.

Anyway, as I was ranting, women can do almost any man can. ALMOST. This is where gender equality would come in. This is where we still lack.

Men and women are still not treated equally, it might be difficult to scrub off the machismo and misogyny.

We hope that it would be better soon, hoping for better days to come.

(Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cindy Lauper playing)