So many things have happened today! But I never thought it could be this exciting!

First, the secretly planned visit of Jemima (Joyce's friend from the other church) has been clandestinely done. Right after Bro. Freddie (a worker and a helper) left for lunch to his house, hectic phonecalls back and forth from Jems to Joyce were received, and soon enough, Jems were found knocking softly at our front gate.

She and Joyce almost too privately talked in Joyce's room. They couldn't make it so private, though, because I was there and it's very easy to eavesdrop anytime I want to. Another thing was, their voices were too loud enough to be heard next door. So they chatted for hours; they never seemed to run out of things to talk about.

At about 3 in the afternoon, I heard Joyce calling my name just to inform me that Jems was ready to leave. Unfortunately, Bro. Freddie was just right outside the front gate and Jems couldn't get out of the house with the man right there. The reason? There's some hidden conflict that run between Jem's church (our previous church) and the family of Bro. Freddie. Bro. Freddie, being the head of the family, sure does know too many things, that being seen with Jems inside our house would probably make a great issue. This is just one of the things that have been kept secret from Jems and to so many other church members by the Carlyles. So the three of us sat down for awhile, ate some snacks, and talked some more.

Oh! How my heart ached for every thing we talked about. Even until now, Jems couldn't grasp the real reason why the church split. But us, me and Joyce, seemed to have no real courage to tell it to her. I felt like a coward; not teling her the truth seemed like an easy task, but yet I couldn't even tell it. What a coward! Not even a single Biblical principle did I utter for the fear of being misunderstood. What's the matter with me?! Of course, I do care for her. But why couldn't I say something meaningful to her just then?

One more thing that I realized during our talks: that everything worked out for the good of me (at least to every one the believed on God as their personal Saviour). I realized that it would be a (almost) chaotic life having Bethany Carlyle as a (best) friend living near me. Jems and Joyce talked about boys a lot; they mentioned something a little later about Bethany falling in love with a cute boy in their church. I thought, "Oh my goodness! I could never ever do that! We're such opposite persons." I realized once again our differences. Why did I treat her so much like a best friend when she didn't even return the affections I showed? Why did I reject everthing, everyone just to show that I want her to be my friend rather that anyone else? Why did I abandoned Jacqueline's passion for me, her boasting off that I'm the only best friend she ever had, telling everyone that it was only in me that she found real friendship - why did I forget all those just to flaunt that I like Bethany better? Was it because she has an American blood through her veins? Was it because they had lots of money and looked rich in my mere childish eyes? And why do I care so much about our differences now? She likes cute, active guys while I like those quiet types (like me) although they may not be so cute. She gets a guy whenever she wants him and dump him off when she found another handsome guy. She flirts a lot (I think). She have had too many boyfriends. I stood there wondering - all too different from her. Another thought about this would make me shiver; it was like a slap in the face when you expected a kiss. If ever she's still here, I don't think I'm going to stand being with her too much now. Now that I know better. Well, I just thank God that He put me in solitary for a while to make me realize such things as this...

When we thought the right moment came for Jems to leave, just then, my father arrived and parting was cancelled once again. Joyce quickly hid Jems in her room while I casually opened the gate for my dad.

Dad did and talked something with Bro. Freddie, and went away again a little later to buy some building construction things.

Jems went out of Joyce's room. We sat down on the living room couch and tried to talk some more. But the idea of Jems going out through the back door, jump right into the back neighbor's lawn (which stood empty for so long now) and out of the gate, escaped my mouth. So, although the parting seemed a little awkward for the two friends, at least they made it out for the day without anybody besides me knowing it.

After a few moments, dad came. Followed by the announcement that Ms. Aubrey was already in the hospital ready to deliver the twins. She was supposed to do that on the following Monday but contractions came early so her husband sent her to the hospital.

Me and Joyce were so excited that even I was really eager to go back with mom (who, by the way, just arrived minutes after my dad came, bringing also the same good news). So we all went to the grocery store to buy diaper and stuffs Ms. Aubrey wanted for the babies. Then we went straight to Sto. Nino to pick up Ruthann and Isaiah so they could visit their mommy in the hospital too.

Going back to the hospital, we stopped by Jollibee* to eat dinner. I felt like a nanny around many people staring at us with those two American kids tugging behind me and my sister's skirt. I just wish they didn't think of us that way.

Having finished the dinner, we went straight to hospital, which were located just at the back of Jollibee.

We saw the babies. Mom said they weren't identicals because they came out of different eggs inside their mother's womb. Too bad, I wanted them so badly to be identical twins. But still, I couldn't find the difference between the two babies!

Oh!!! There are so many other excessive things that have happened today and it's almost 12:00 in the midnight now. I still want to write everything, formulate some stories, and read books but I'm so tired all over that I just want to rest...



*Jollibee is a local fast food restuarant here in the Philippines.