The Aunties

 Today's post starts the A to Z Blogging Challenge. I'll be going through the alphabet during the month of April. No posts on Sundays though. 

The challenge was founded by Arlee Bird. Thank you, Arlee! You can check out  A to Z participants  by clicking here.

Now, on with the first post.... The Aunties.
  

 
"Iago?! Iago! Iago! It's Iago!"
 
The Daddy jumped out of the Filipino tricycle (a motorcycle cab) and strode up to the house, as the Aunties came tumbling out of it. The grey-haired women cried as they hugged the brother they had not seen in nearly 25 years. 

Then they saw me standing by the tricycle and they came running and pulled me into their arms. "Susie! Susie!"
 
They had never seen me before, but they knew it was me. I had never before felt so much unconditional love from strangers. Immediately, I understood what it meant to be part of an extended family. And, it turned out I was related to a lot of people in the barrio of my parents. 

The house that we stood in front of belonged to Auntie Masa, which was short for Tomasa. It was one of the more modern houses in the barrio, made of wood and hollow blocks. In 1974, many families still lived in the bamboo houses on stilts.
 
I don't know if it was just good fortune that two other sisters were visiting that day—Auntie Luciene, the oldest sister, and Auntie Pacia (short for Bonifacia)—or if they hung out together every day. Someone must've runned over to another sister's house to tell her that Iago was home because in a short while another Auntie stood in the living room, crying and shyly hugging the Daddy.
 
Everyone around me chattered in Ilocano. None of the Aunties spoke English. I understood Ilocano, but could not speak it. That's for another tale.
 
I'm sure some of my cousins and other people were there, but my memory of that afternoon was the interaction between the Daddy and the Aunties.
 
Then came the moment the Daddy opened the suitcase full of gifts. It mostly held dresses, blouses, and skirts that the Mama had packed for the Aunties.
 
The Aunties were young in glee as they held up one item after the other. The Brother who returned was quickly forgotten. The Aunties tugged and grabbed and argued over each piece of clothing.
 
The Daddy took only a few minutes of it. He grumbled, "I've only been here a short while and already you are all fighting." He slowly stood up and walked out the room.
 
Silenced, the Aunties looked at each other. "We made Manong (older brother) mad," said one Auntie. "You started it," said another.
 
I tried not to laugh. I had seen the Daddy's smile.

A very young Su-sieee! Mac with three of her Aunties.