the other woman by virgilio r. samonte (summary)
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It's our Report in Philippine Literature. It's not done yet, i just wanna upload it :DTRANSCRIPT
THE OTHER WOMAN
By: Virgilio R. Samonte
Manuel possessed a vitality that was
insatiable. His healthy, younger years were
marked by a succession of mistresses. Even
servant girls were prey to his desires.
Cecilia, the wife had taken Loida, the
harelip as a house help in a desperate hope
that she would repel him.
His philandering caused the state of penury
in which they existed. So it was surprising
how even with his intended imperfections,
Cecilia seemed to have loved him even
more.
Loida had been with the couple since. She
possessed a face which to a stranger would
most likely be described as hideous. The
cleft lip, with repulsively livid gums went
up in an angle to a flat nose framed in an
equally flat face as though it had been
bashed in by repeated fist blows.
Now Manuel is dying, his appearance a far
cry from the lusty man he was once known
to be and he has the ashen look of a corpse.
Cecilia cares for him and she seldom goes
out his room. For Cecilia, Manuel has
finally became hers.
Loida on the other hand had adopted an
unservantly attitude. Suspicious of strangers
and guests, she doesn''t bother to hide her
bitterness at the thought of Cecilia alone
caring for Manuel and sleeping in a room with
him. She seems to bristle with suppressed
anger and moves around doing her chores in
furious haste.
In one of those rare times when Cecilia went
out of the room, Loida screamed repeatedly.
Her screams sent Cecilia back to the room
where she saw Loida holding the inert form
of Manuel, screaming while tears flowed
down her face, saliva flying from her mouth
that he is hers too, that he loved her.
THE END!