They were already driving towards Dawis. After an hour, Patresiah, feeling sleepy and asked her parents, "Are we still far? I'm getting tired I wanna sleep."
Her dad replied, "We still have about five hours to go. There's a bit of traffic ahead."
"I'll just sleep, Dad. It's farther than I thought," she said.
"Okay," her mom and dad said together.
"We'll wake you up when we get there, honey," her mom added.
"Okay, Mom. Thanks," she replied. "Zhian, let's sleep. Come here," she said, picking up Zhian and hugging him close.
Patresiah sleep, snuggling Zhian close to her.
Three hours later, she woke up. They were still on the road. "Mom do it's still far away?, I'm bored. Can we stop for some shakes? And add a cake for Zhian?"
Her dad, understanding her need for a break, pulled over at a milk tea shop. He ordered a shake for Patresiah and a cake for Zhian.
"Here's your order," he said to Patresiah, handing her the milk tea and Cake. He also gave one to his wife, "For you, bhe." He added then he continued driving.
"Wow, Dad! The cake shop and the milk tea place are right next to each other," Patresiah exclaimed.
"Milk tea shops move around a lot here, depending on where there are more people. It's different from New Zealand," her dad explained.
"Really?" she said, sipping her milk tea. "Zhian's really hungry, look how much he's eating, Mom!"
"Dogs are like that," her mom replied. "Pls change his clothes later if he's gets dirty."
"Yes, Mom. Don't worry, she has lots of clothes," she said.
While she was sipping her milk tea, she looked outside the window noticing the dilapidated houses and the dirty children playing in the streets. She wondered why things were like that.
"Don't those houses have owners, Mom?" she asked.
"Why?" her mom asked back.
"They're so run down," she said, pointing at the dilapidated houses.
"That's how houses are when you're poor. Be thankful your dad is rich, because if not, your house would be like that too," her mom explained.
"I am thankful. I just don't like that kind of house," she replied.
"I know, that's why you should listen when I tell you to study hard. Do it so you won't end up like them," her mom said.
"Yes, Mom, don't worry. I'm studying hard. And when I go to college, I will do my best so that soon I'm 100% best Attorney," she said confidently.
"That's what I like about you, honey," her dad said proudly.
"Don't you want to be a businesswoman?" her mom asked curiously.
"Mom, I don't want to. I want to be a lawyer," she replied firmly.
"Just support her," her dad said to her mom, giving her a reassuring smile.
"Hyts ask you said" her mom replied.
Few hour later they finally reached at Dawis. Patresiah was greeted by a large group of her mom's relatives waiting to welcome them while her grandparents car was parking in the right side of their car.
"Mom, why are there so many people?" she asked, looking out the window.
"That's how it is in the Philippines. When you arrive, they'll all gather together to welcome you," her mom explained, unbuckling her seatbelt.
"Come on, honey, let's go. Get out of the car," her dad urged.
"Later, Dad. There are too many people. I don't like it. It's too hot," she replied, refusing to get out.
Her dad got out of the car and opened her door, saying, "It's okay, we're going inside. Our room here with your mommy has air conditioning, so come on."
"Good," Patresiah said, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Daddy, can you carry Zhian for a bit, please?" she asked, pleading with her dad.
"I know, you're just scared he'll get bitten by other dogs," her dad said, laughing at her, then taking Zhian from her.
"Yes, Dad, I'm scared. You can have him for now," Patresiah said as she got out of the car, holding onto her dad's arm.
As she stepped out, her mom was busy talking with relatives. As she and her dad walked towards her, everyone was stunned by her beauty plus a handsome dad holding zhian. The 3 of them had became a center of attention.
Many people were filming them with their phones, so her dad and her just smiled and waved back even Zhian. Most of them were saying that they really like Zhian and they also saying how beautiful patresiah was, comparing her to a goddess, which made her mom beam with pride.
When they were finally beside her mom, she introduced them to the people there. Her dad just greeted everyone with a smile since they all spoke Bisaya and he and patresiah didn't understand.
After a few minutes, Patresiah started to feel the heat, so her mom took her to their personal room in her grandparents' house.