parents' stuff

i have always had a normal family life. my father was away until i was in college. he had to work away from home, first overseas then around the country. it was a normal set-up for us not to have a father growing up. (most of my cousin's fathers were all way, working as well) so i grew up with a mother to look up to. it was always mama who was around. the father was just a visiting figure who came to stay for about a couple of weeks to a month. he wasn't the disciplinarian. he let us get away with stuff we wanted to do etc. i remember taking trips, going out and having fun when my father came home. he only retired when we were all grown up. i was about to finish my degree and my brother was starting his first year in college. it was like getting-to-know father again.

now that we are older, our family is closer than ever. we enjoy weekends, out of town trips etc. even our family meals are such fun (compared to the adolescent years of course) the bf, on the other hand, feels jealous of this. it's because he is not close to his family. when i think of it, he got influenced by our family. only recently has he been visiting his folks and bonding with his siblings. he used to see them only during special occasions like fiestas, Christmas or birthdays. and often its his parents who visit.

the bf's parents often quarrel. almost every year since i got together with the bf, his mom runs away from home. its because his father physically and verbally abuses her. but his father is so repentant afterwards that his mother always goes back home. this year, it happened again. and so his mom is in the metropolis to stay with the bf's brother. she vehemently says she is never going back home and is thinking of starting her own business there. his father has begged the bf to take him to his mother the next time he travels. he has said he will take him, probably next month.

i have never seen my father hit my mother. before, my parents would only fight inside their bedroom. there would be no raised voices or violence. now, as they are older, they only give each other the cold treatment. and they make up within a couple of days. for me, the trouble with the bf's parents is an alien concept. i know that the bf is not like his father for a fact. i am not worried about that. but i think it's sad because they are already old people. they are supposed to love and care for each other more. and i feel for the bf who is feeling torn. he has told his father not to do it again or he will personally take his mother away. he didn't have to do it this time, his mom ran away on her own. and according to her, she is never going back-ever! and to think that the fight was not even about a major issue. just the typical husband and wife argument that led to violence.

this is still a developing story, there is no conclusion yet. i think his father will really beg for his mother to come home. the only question is this: is his wife going to fall for it? i have a feeling the answer is no.