Caroleen’s Treasures

Ella is back home. It was her first time to go with someone not a family member and honestly I was very nervous. I haven’t blogged yet about this young couple who really adore her. The first time I heard about the wife is when Ella brought home a couple of papaya fruits a few days after we moved in here. She said it was from the neighbor named Irene. I come to know her by what Manang Inday has told be about, that she is nice and that her husband is working abroad. Then a few weeks ago Ella brought home a Tupperware filled with fruit salad. She proudly announced she helped Irene prepare it.

I have been seeing a guy who drives a little motorcycle the size of a toddler’s bike and Ella calls him kuya (big brother). We didn’t know he is the husband of Irene not until Donald checked Ella in the neighborhood and found Ella in their house. His name is Richie and he grew up in Manila but loved the laid back life in Davao. He started telling Donald how they adore Ella and how they find her so smart. He even told me that too and kept on repeating that our daughter is not like the other kids in the neighborhood. I was wondering what made Ella so special because I see her just the ordinary kid. Of course I know my child is smart (hehehehehe) but I never expected someone would adore her to the point of lying that their love birds just had some eggs so Ella will come in their yard. LOL That time, Ella was playing with other kids and she cannot be called in not until they lied about the eggs. That same night, Richie told us that they were looking for her for three days because they missed her so much. He said they will buy her a gift when they go out and that was two days ago. Yesterday we went to my sister’s apartment and they looked for her again wanting to bring her to Eden Nature Park.

This afternoon, Ella came home telling us that Irene and Richie would want to bring her to SM to buy her a new bicycle. Ella was so excited but we are telling her it is just a joke. Heler! Who would buy a bike for a neighbor’s kid eh? THEM. Richie and Irene told Donald that they will really buy her a bike because they heard the kids won’t let Ella use their big bike (when they are always borrowing Ella’s small bike). I don’t know what is the proper reaction if someone will buy your kid a bike or something that is not that cheap. To think they are not relatives really drove me crazy. Ella could sweet talk to my sister Crislyn about stuffs that is expensive but not to neighbors and I know Ella never ever sweet talked them into buying one. They said they really wanted to get her a bigger bike. Her old bike is 26″ and although she still can ride it, she wanted to ride the bike for big girls and boys. I thought they are buying her a toy bike….like that of Barbie’s bike.

So she went with them to SM. Before she left, we kept on repeating some instructions. Donald let her bring his cellphone and taught her how to answer a call. There is also a piece of paper tucked in her sling bag with his name and contact number in case she will be lost. I also put in money in her coin purse just in case. They left here quarter past 6pm and after 3 hours they are back with a red bike. They let Ella call us using their cellphone 4 times and I didn’t realize how cute Ella sounded until today. While she was gone I kept on telling Donald how I miss our little miss. As I said, it’s the first time we let her go somewhere with someone not a family member. They have an agreement that the bike is hers but it will be sleeping in their house. Of course that is a nice arrangement since the house is really small for a motorcycle and two bicycles. But Richie told Ella in front of us that when we move to our own home, it shall go with her for good. I forgot to take a picture of it while Ella was test driving it around the neighborhood. I hope tomorrow I can post some pictures.