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The sun was salmon and hazy in the west. Dodong was thinking oftelling his father about his plan to marry Teang when he got home.

He hitched the carabao from the plow toit’s shed and fed it. He was hesitant, butwanted his father to know. Dodong finallydecided to tell him, although his fathermight refuse.

Dodong wanted to marry, however he wasonly seventeen. He had pimples on his faceand down on his upper lip was alreadydark. He was growing into a man- no, he wasalready a man.

Dodong stumbled upon a creek on his wayhome. As he was walking, he thought ofTeang, his girl. She had a small brown face,small black eyes, and glossy hair. She wasa dream girl to him.

Nine months later..

Dodong stood in the swelteringnoon heat, sweating profusely.He was as still as a tree and histhoughts were confused. Teangwas giving birth to their firstchild. Dodong was hearing herscreams that chilled his blood.

He did not want her to screamlike that. He figured that in afew moments, he would be afather. He was young.. herealized now.

Teang was sound asleep on the bed with her softhair around her face. Dodong heard a thin voiceand it pierced him queerly, he was happy.

Blas was not an onlychild. More childrencame. Dodong did not wantany more children, butthey came. It seemed likeit could not be helped.Dodong got angry withhimself sometimes.

Teang did not complain, but the bearing of children told on her. She wasshapeless and thin, now, even if she was young. There was so mich work tobe done. Cooking, laundering, the house, and the children.