"Are you illegitimate?"

One of my teachers asked after she read my name on the answer sheet.

Are you an illegitimate child? She asked me again which made me gain back my senses. I don't know what's illegitimate that time so I don't know what to say.

Out of my mind, I said "Yes, ma'am."

Oh, that's why you don't have a middle name. So the one sending you to school is your grandma? I thought she's your mom.

I fakingly smiled at her and left the classroom.

That's the time I realized that illegitimate child means a child born of parents not lawfully married to each other. This is when the parents are not lawfully wedded, the child will be considered illegitimate.

NOT A BIG DEAL FOR ME.

That was 4 years ago when I was in college. Honestly, being an illegitimate child doesn't affect me at all. I am even thankful that I and my sisters are in the care of my grandma and grandpa. I don't hold any resentment towards my biological mother and father but, I feel complete even without them. Well, maybe those days when I was still a kid I've looked for them but now, they don't give impact to me anymore. The fact that they really didn't care about us made me angry for some time but as time passes by, I realized maybe things for them before is way too hard and leaving us behind would be their best choice.

My mother was just 14 years old when she got pregnant. Yes! Very young. She's still in High School and doesn't know how to take care of a child, not even herself. She's the only daughter so she was loved grandly and I could say, she was also spoiled by my grandpa. Everything she ask, it would be given. Life for her was very convenient. During her birthdays, they were always grand - a lot of food, toys, balloons, cakes and all a child wants for a birthday. All of these things she had are the things we never experienced. Yes, there are gatherings during me and my sisters birthday but not as extravagant as my mother's.

My mother was also sent to school of course and she did well in academics. I know this because former teachers told me that my mother was one of the honor students before. I'm sure grandma and grandpa is so proud of her that time. She's also a member of the school band as band majorette. I had her picture but I forgot where did I put it. In fairness, she has white and flawless skin when she was still younger (which I didn't inherit from her 🤣). Aside from she's good in academics, she also has a face that can attract. Days went by, with the influence of her friends, she was fond of going to parties. She skipped classes without my grandma knowing. In short, she was carried away with bad vices. One day, one of our neighbors asked grandma. "Did Evelyn go to school today?

"Yes, she was wearing uniform." my grandma replied

Oh I thought it's her in Aling Lorna's house drinking with her classmates." Then she left.

My grandma couldn't contain herself upon hearing that so she went to Aling Lorna's house and there my mother was caught in the act drinking - she was drunk.

Who wouldn't be mad of that? Expectedly, my grandma asked her to go home immediately. That was the first time my grandma and grandpa felt discouragement towards her.

A month after that, a bad omen for them has come. My mother was caught vomiting and would always sleep instead of going out. Grandma and grandpa just observed her and notice that she's getting bigger and her tummy is somewhat bulging. Of course what you think is right. She's pregnant at 14 years old and that baby is me. The world has fallen for both my grandma and grandpa. I couldn't imagine how devasted they were during that time. But what can they do? They can't bring back the time so they slowly accepted it. What they can't accept is that my father is just our neighbor like the house next to ours. So hilarious 😅 Because of that, they let the parents know as well as my father. BUT, they refuse to accept me, or my mother. They wouldn't accept that their son who is of age of my mother would also be a father.

"That's not our grandchild. Your daughter has many boyfriends so better ask each one if them" - My father's family responded.

"We are just letting you know because we believe it's your right to know as well. We are not forcing you to support them or treat them as one of you. You'll regret this great denial even if you already know the truth." - grandma

So that's the reason why they didn't live together. I was called "illegitimate".

Life doesn't stop there. As my mother's tummy growing, my grandpa can't still fully accept what happened. He disgust the sight of seeing my mother so he didn't come home from work much often than before. However, he still financed the family and provided the pregnancy needs. He just can't swallow that her princess wouldn't have the fairytale he believed she would have.

1997

My mother gave birth to me. Of course it was my grandma who took care of me. I forgot to write at first that the school gave my mother like a maternity leave so whenever she's okay to go to school again, she will be accepted. Moreover, my mother went to school to continue her studies.

While my grandma was busy making snacks to sell, I remember she told me that during that time, I was crying heavily but no one would come to carry me and stop me from crying. My grandpa got irritated and told my grandma to make me stop but my grandma was so busy that she didn't heard it. He had no choice, he's the one near me so for the first time, he carried me then I stopped crying. Meanwhile, my grandma went to check on me and she was surprised with the sight of me with my grandpa. After that, I was my grandpa's favorite. He bought extra milk for me and stuffs needed for a baby. He gave extra money to grandma to buy for my needs. Because of that, everything got back to normal. My grandpa is now happy, and my mother was in school.

BUT

A year later, my mother got pregnant again by the same man which is my dad. Still, the family didn't accepted. After giving birth, my grandma and grandpa send my mother to school again and then got pregnant again but with different man. My mother was such a rule breaker and doesn't know the hurt she's been putting up with grandma and grandpa.

This is kind of a long story so the detail for the second and third pregnancy would be written tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed reading and I am also certain there's someone out there who had the same situation as mine. Let's just keep fighting and hustle hard. Laban lang jod ta diring dapita.

I also want to thank my sponsors, @Zhyne06 and @Bloghound You guys have the biggest heart that you will be blessed with so much abundance.

Also, to the generous writers who upvoted my first article, I am very grateful to have you in this journey.

And to the ones who read my very first article, thank you so much! 🙏

Photos are taken by me and from unsplash.com

Are you illegitimate? Feel free to respond. ☺️

Ciao! ❤️