Wazzup Pilipinas Original Short Stories Series: Broken Boundaries

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Andrew thinks low of Ferris because apparently she’s a “woman.” He hasn’t been a good husband to Ferris.
Back in the old days, girls we’re supposed to stay at home and do the chores. Andrew thinks of himself as the ‘dominant’ because he’s the only guy in the house which makes Ferris the one who submits.

Andrew doesn’t allow Ferris to go to work even until he was recently been fired from his company due to the factory’s shut down. While Ferris is just a normal house wife with no education backing her up.

Below is our story for the day all about the life of a family with their own share of problems. The man has his own point of view about women whom she downgrades to a point that could become a critical phase in the relationship.


The brilliant light of day brought a ray of love to this day of gloom. Yesterday, Andrew lost his job handling a business for a man building cars. The entire factory shut down, but they were the lucky ones. Ferris knew this in her heart and mind. She knew very well that the hundreds of factory workers who worked the lines, toiling over their handiwork, were without the means of taking care of their families. At least Andrew’s wife was well prepared, even if she did not have the education to back up her work.

“Gena!” she called, beckoning her child.

The girl came in looking like a youth of no more than eight. She was small, but the budding curves of her body gave away the evidence of her age. She was a sweet and quiet girl. She was not very studious, but Ferris could see the smarts beneath that quiet exterior.

“Yes mama?” she asked. Gena was a smart girl and would learn her own ways in due time. “You called me?” she asked.

“Doc has told me to stay in the bed for now,” she explained, “In the meantime, I need your help cookin’ the supper.”

Gena’s eyes lit up like wild fire. It was like she had been handed a new toy. Ferris started to wonder if she was handing her too much to handle. “I can do it! Don’t worry mama! I can cook up dinner! You’ll be proud and you’ll love my cooking!” the girl said eagerly.

“I won’t let you cook on your own, you’re too young,” Ferris said.

“Yes mama!” the girl nodded, eagerly.

She sighed with relief, knowing that the best of the chores were going to be done. In the meantime, she could rest in peace. Jackson would watch over Gena and make sure she did not get hurt. Gena was a good girl and would clean up her own messes. Everything was going to be just fine in the house. As long as she had her children around, no unemployed husband, or spill of the back porch, was going to keep her down.

“What’s going on?” Andrew asked as he came on. The hairs rose on the back of Ferris’ neck. It felt like she was doing something she should not and he was about to find out all about it. He was never involved at home, so he never knew about some of the things they did.

“I’m cooking eggs, pa,” Gena said, flipping one of the eggs over.

“What? Ferris! I said no cooking! She’s by a flame, she can’t handle that pan, and it’s much too heavy and dangerous for her!” Andrew yelled at her.

“She’s fine,” Ferris replied, trying to be calm. She rose slowly to her feet, and then toddled over to the stove to take a closer look at what was going on in the pan. The popping eggs smelt delicious and looked like they were almost done.

“Ma! Please sit down! The doc says you need to rest!” Gena gasped.

“Gena, don’t be so excitable! And Andrew, leave her ‘lone! She’s doin’ good!” Ferris said, toddling back to her seat.

“I don’t like this,” Andrew grumbled, “She’s too young to be cooking on her own like that!”

“She’s not on her own, Andrew,” Ferris sighed with irritation, “Shouldn’t you be going to work?”

“I haven’t gotten work!” he barked at her. His face was starting to turn red.

“Then maybe you should worry yourself about that rather than bother your daughter with what she’s doing,” she said, firmly.

He left the kitchen grumbling beneath his breath. He said nothing more to her, but Ferris felt like she might get chewed out later. She could only shake off the feeling of fear and refocus her attention to what Gena was doing.

“Those smell delicious hon,” she said, with a smile.

Gena’s smile was very small, but at least it was a small. Ferris could see the fear in her daughter, the fear that she felt. They felt like they were in trouble. He might not have yelled or screamed now, but he might as well later.

“Don’t worry,” she assured her daughter, “Your father will get over himself. Just… try to stick with what you’re doing already.”

She watched carefully, as if Andrew might come rushing in to stop them again. He might just get so drunk he won’t remember right from wrong, she thought. She felt like she had to watch like a hawk, though exhausting as it was.

Andrew came toddling into the kitchen, pulling on his suspenders. He reached into a pan and bit into a cold piece of bacon. “Ick!” he dropped it into the cold grease and turned to grab a pad of bread. He was well pleased with it as he toddled towards the orange juice. With one sip, he shook his head. “This needs refrigerated!” he barked. He turned to Ferris, “Have you been sleeping this entire time?”

“Pa! She’s not well!” Gena begged.

“Clean this up!” he spat bacon spittle at Ferris as he left the room.

Ferris sighed with relief and slowly got to her feet. Gena was quick to grab her hand to try and steady her mother. “Mom, I don’t think you should be on your feet!” she said.

“I walked the stairs! I think I can stand!” Ferris argued. I’m her mother! I shouldn’t be pushed around like that! She took a deep breath and leaned one hand against the back of the chair to steady herself. “See? I can walk!” she said, with a sharp nod. She was not sure of herself though. But she would not let that be known. As long as Andrew was around about and in the house, she would not let any of them know.

“Ma, would you at least like a hand?” Gena asked, “Just to steady you, I mean.”

“Sure, a little help doesn’t hurt,” Ferris smiled as she accepted Gena’s shoulder. She did not want to admit it, but she was leaning a lot of her weight on her daughter’s shoulder and they were stepping very slowly.

Gena bit her lip and Ferris knew it. Her daughter was straining to hold her weight, but she did not complain. What a little trooper.

“Stay out of this,” he said, “I’m the man of the house and I’ll take care of what I think is wrong.”

Gena darted out of the way as he reached for her. He was fast, but apparently not fast enough as Gena dashed for the front door. She accidentally knocked over the side table next to the couch.

Forced to act, Ferris bounded forward. She was put right in between Gena and Andrew when he came at her with his fist balled. His knuckles slammed into Ferris’ shoulder, making her feel crippled under the weight of her body. He slammed his fist into her again, this time sending her to her knees as though crippled by the heavy blow of hand to the bone.

She could hear him going on a rampage. He was throwing things now. All the things she cherished as part of her family life were being thrown across the floor like rubbish. Everything she held dear to her heart as pieces of memories from her children’s childhood and her own childhood was being broken like it was worthless and meant nothing to Andrew.

That was it. That was her cue. This isn’t his house, it was hers. Everything was hers.

Her eyes scanned their spacious kitchen, landing on the sharp knife that lay waiting on the granite counter top.

“It’s time…” she silently told herself.


Contributed by Aurora Valles