Should I tell them about my son?

Dear Tita,

My parents were both very poor and they had to struggle to raise their five children. I was lucky to be an honor student from grade school up to high school so I was able to go to college as a working student by tutoring children of rich families.

One of the families I tutored for had a son, Tommy, who was my age. Every time I was at their house tutoring his younger brothers, Tommy was always around to chat with me afterwards. Oftentimes, he would offer to give me a ride home in his motorcycle which I accepted, as it would cost me two rides if I took a jeepney. I could sense that he was falling for me and I tried to discourage him as I knew his parents would never approve. They wanted a rich girl from their own social group to be his girlfriend.

Tommy was very good at hiding his feelings for me from his parents, so they never suspected he was courting me. He would invite me for snacks after I finished my tutoring job. A couple of times I stayed out late, which caused my parents to get angry with me.

It wasn’t long before I found out that I was pregnant. I panicked and told Tommy on the phone. He assured me he wouldn’t abandon me and said he was coming to see my parents that weekend. On his way to school, he met an accident on his motorcycle and was DOA (dead on arrival) when he was brought to the hospital. I was in shock when I found out. I knew I wouldn’t have the guts to tell his parents about my being pregnant with Tommy’s son as they had no idea he was even courting me.

The day, I told my mother about my situation; she broke down and cried. I couldn’t tell her who the father was so I just said it was a guy I met through the Internet but he disappeared when I told him I was pregnant. My father was sickly at the time so I had to go to an aunt in Iloilo who helped me through my pregnancy until I delivered a baby boy.

My son is now one and a half years old. I am very worried how I will raise him as I am jobless at the moment. Tita, do you think I should tell Tommy’s parents about their grandson? I’m so afraid of rejection. Please advise me what to do.

SINGLE MOTHER

Dear Single Mother,

You have to let them know about their grandson. Tell them to submit the baby to a DNA test if they have doubts about the paternity. They would be shocked, but in time, they might warm up to your baby especially if he looks like Tommy.

Even Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile revealed that his mother was the labandera of his rich father’s family. He was already grown up when he went to see his father to tell him that he was his son. The father knew it was the truth because he looked exactly like him and gave him the best education, that made him one of the best lawyers in the country. He then went on to become a rich businessman and eventually, a top ranking official of the Philippines.

So go ahead and tell Tommy’s parents.

I wish you luck.

TITA

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