Zia was depressed. Her father had just died, and her mother was going to a nursing home. She had been at college when her mother called her.
“Zia? Is that you?” Her mother had asked. Her voice sounded fragile through the phone. “Your father died.” Zia couldn’t believe it. “I have decided to give you the house. It is too big and I am getting old. I will be going to the nursing home, where there will be nurses and I’ll be taken care of comfortably until the day I join your father. I trust you will raise your family in the house, just like we did, and my parents, and their parents did before us.”
Zia moved in when she was 23. She began to clean up the house, and before you know it, she noticed there was a new email. It was from Gregino, a boy she had met in college. He asked her to marry him! Trembling with joy, Zia accepted, and waited until he came to the house. Zia was no longer sad, and no longer lonely. But would she be able to have children, and raise her family just as her mother told her to?

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After several tries to have children, Gregino and Zia became disappointed. Why couldn’t they have children? They tried one last time.
“If this doesn’t work, we may have to consider baby boost if you want to have children,” Gregino had said. But Zia came out of the bedroom with a baby in her arms. Gregino and Zia both celebrated. Their first child! Zia decided that Gregino should choose the name for their new red headed son. To her surprise, he chose the name Bingozo. Oh well, Zia thought. It’s a unique name for our unique little boy. She showed her new baby the garden where she had played as a child and the toys, which were the same ones she had played with 20 years ago. When Bingozo was 2 years old, he was able to run around the house, playing and exploring. Gregino and Zia decided to try for another baby. Bingozo deserved a sibling. Again they were successful! Zia couldn’t believe their good luck after so many years without children. This time it was a red headed girl, and it was Zia’s turn to name her. She chose Friana, another unique name.
Gregino and Zia loved their children with all their hearts and they wished they could play with them forever, but Gregino had to get back to work while Zia was caring for the children. Gregino was a lyricist, but not very well known and he didn’t get a lot of money. Actually, the only money they had to buy groceries and such was from Zia’s inheritance. They talked about it at dinner one evening.
“Dear,” Zia said to her husband, holding a third baby in her arms, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to go back to work. I’m not sure how long my inheritance will last, especially with three children!”
“But, Zia! I am a lyricist. No one knows about me. I barely get any pay!” Gregino told her.
“A little bit is better than nothing. Do you want your family to live in poverty when my inheritance runs out and I am unable to work because of our children?” Those words seemed to decide it. Gregino would work until they stopped having children, and then Zia would also work as a dress designer. Eventually Gregino was able to make more money, his rank raised to apprentice, but his salary was still only $45 a day. It was just enough to keep the family going.
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One day Bingozo came up to Zia.
“What is it, Bing?” Zia asked her small son.
“Mommy, Friana is chasing me and she won’t stop!”
“That’s because he took my bunny and now I can’t find it!” Said Friana, running up behind Bingozo.
“Where did you put her bunny?” Zia asked Bingozo.
“I’ll show you, but don’t tell anyone!” Bingozo lowered his voice to a whisper and took Zia’s hand. He lead her to his bed. “Under here,” he whispered, pointing under the bed. Zia looked and saw a collection of stuffed animals, toys, and dolls that she knew were Friana’s.
“Dear, you’ll have to give these back to Friana.” Zia told her small son.
“Then I want all of my toys back!” He said indignantly. Zia peeked under Friana’s bed. Sure enough, there was a collection of cars, toys and action figures that belonged to Bingozo.
“You two better give back each other’s things,” Zia told her two children when Friana came to the doorway. “That way everyone will be happier.” The children did as she had suggested and all was peaceful for a few days. Gregino worked on his career, Zia cared for baby Sprite and Bingozo and Friana played train, played with their toys or played in the sand to amuse themselves. Zia personally liked when they didn’t play train, because when they did, just walking down the hallway could be dangerous. Bingozo or Friana would come rushing around the corner yelling “CHOO-CHOO!” at the top of their lungs and usually ended up running right into people or things in their way.

Then one day, when she was three years old, Sprite found an old coin in the yard. She took it to Zia. “What is this Mommy?” she asked.
“That’s an old coin, Sprite! We’re lucky you found it. I used to collect these as well as bugs, nuts and twigs, and old pieces of a picture. I’ll show you where you can put it.” Zia led her to the dresser that was standing in the hallway, and Sprite carefully placed her coin inside. “If we already have something you find,” Zia told Sprite, “Give it to Daddy. He’ll be able to sell it and we’ll earn some money!” Sprite skipped off to tell the other children what she had learned, and from then on they would comb the yard, looking for anything interesting.
It was during this time that Carola was born, and Zia again was not able to work as she was caring for her fourth child. When Carola was 6 years old, Gregino and Zia decided to try one last time for another child, since Zia was getting old. They were very lucky, and had twins! Red haired boys, Gepono and Bou, were born when Bingozo was twelve. Soon after that, around when Bingozo was preparing for collage, Gregino got an email. The professional society had noticed him, and was giving him a promotion! The whole family celebrated at this good news. Gregino was now an accomplished lyricist, and was receiving $165 daily.
One by one the children grew up and left for college, and finally the house was quiet once more. Zia began wondering who she should give the house to. Should she give it to Bingozo, who was their first child, or serious little Friana, or witty little Sprite, or helpful Carola, or to one of the twins, Bou or Gepono? Zia couldn’t decide. And when she asked Gregino about it, he shrugged it off.
“We’re not dead yet,” he said, “And we still need this house to live in! We can think about it more when we know we’re nearing the end of our lives.”

About ten years later Gregino died of old age at 62, and Zia was again alone in the house. She thought about who should inherit it, and decided on Bou, who was the youngest in the family. She called him the next day and told him the news. He was joyful and asked Zia if he could move in the following week. Zia agreed and looked forward to seeing him again. When Bou finally came to the house, Zia greeted him and showed him around the house. But then she began feeling weak and went to her bed to lie down. Zia passed away that afternoon, with Bou at her side. Now Bou could raise his family in the house, and pass it down through generations.