Paulo had only been married to Mira for a week. Their wedding in Batangas was simple, yet there was a lot of laughter, tears, and sincere promises.
Mira was the best daughter-in-law because she was sweet, pleasant, always smiled, and treated everyone in the family with respect.
Her family and neighbors spoke highly of her.
I would proudly tell my acquaintances at the market, “We are so lucky to have such a nice daughter-in-law.”
But a few days after the wedding, I noticed something odd…
The Secret of the Sheets
Every morning, no matter what, Mira brought the sheets and blankets outside to wash them and hang them out in the sun. Sometimes, she would even change the bedding twice in one day.
I asked her once.
“Why do you change the sheets every day, hija?”
She smiled at me and said,
“Nanay, I can’t stand dust.” I sleep better when everything is new.
But I still wasn’t sure. The linens were completely new, smelled great, and were chosen with care for the event.
And no one in our family had an allergy.
I began to believe that there was more to the story than what I had been told.
The Shocking Discovery
One morning, I pretended to be going to the market.
I quietly walked into Mira’s room while she was in the kitchen.
When I opened the door, I could smell metal right away.
My heart raced.
I strolled up to the bed and slowly pulled aside the sheet…
My legs were about to give up.
The white mattress was covered in blood. They were thick and stacked on top of each other.
And that wasn’t blood from a period. It looked different—darker, heavier, and scary.
I opened the drawers in a hurry.
Inside were neatly folded and hidden rolls of bandages, a bottle of disinfectant, and an undershirt with blood on it.
The Real Story About Mira
I ran down the steps, took Mira by the wrist, and brought her back up.
“Explain what this means!” What’s going on here? What is the blood for? Why are you withholding this from me?
She didn’t say anything at first. Her whole body shook, and her lips and eyes were shaking.
After that, she fell into my arms and cried hard.
“Nanay… Paulo has leukemia that is very advanced.”
He was told by doctors that he only had a few months to live.
We hurried the wedding since I couldn’t leave him.
I wanted to stay, no matter how short the time.
My life fell apart.
My kid, the little boy I raised, cared for, and loved, had withheld this from me to protect my heart.
He chose to be silent so I wouldn’t lose it.
A Mother’s Choice
That night, I couldn’t sleep. I laid there looking at the ceiling and thinking about how much pain Paulo must have been in and how quiet Mira had been.
The next morning, I went to the market and got new sheets. I helped Mira clean the old ones. I got up early every day to help her and both of them.
One morning, while we were changing the sheets together, I hugged her tightly.
“Thank you, Mira, for caring for my son.”
For staying.
For choosing him, even though you knew you would lose him.
Finally, three months later, Paulo died peacefully in his sleep on a tranquil morning. Mira clutched his hand and said “I love you” to him till she died.
It didn’t hurt at all. There was no fight. There was nothing except peace. He smiled a little bit.
After that day, Mira never left.
She didn’t go back to her parents.
She didn’t marry again.
She stayed with me and helped me operate our little food stand.
She treated me like her mother.
It’s been two years.
And when people ask,
“Why does Mira still want to be with you?”
I just smile and say,
“She wasn’t just my son’s wife…
She was my daughter too.
This will always be her home.