SEEKING IDENTITY

Chapter 1: I am Ava

(photo credits to the owner)

Chapter 01
I am Ava
[ Ava Maureen ]

"Ava... itsumo ī ko ni nari nasai, ne?" he instructed with softness in his voice. Ava, be a good girl, okay? I immediately nodded in response and smiled a bit.

I wiped my tears off that are now nonstop streaming down my cheeks. "Pa, watashi kara hanarenaide kudusai..." I pleaded. Pa, please don't leave me... On the age of 54, he's bedridden for 2 months, feeling weak and breathing for him seems difficult.

My father... my dear father is dying. He is suffering from a Heart Enlargement Disease. He has been longing for Mama, I know, and there's a possibility that this is the reason why he suffered this sickness. But no matter that reason encircled my mind, my instincts tells the otherwise.

That this is not just a simple disease. Noon, bago pa man malaman na mayroon siyang sakit na ganiyan, I noticed some symptoms coming from him, aside from the symptoms of Heart Enlargement. And I think someone poisoned him... or whatever.

"I-I need to, sweetie. My body w-wants t-to. D-Dont worry . . . because I'll make s-sure to follow your mother. I'm sure s-she'll be happy if I'll f-follow her. P-Please be good." He inhaled a large breath, again. "Y-You have to take care of our b-businesses in the Philippines, while your uncle w-will be the one who'll take care of the others here in Asia."

Seriously, 'Pa? You're still thinking the business in between of your life and death situation? Masyado ka namang masipag, e.

Hindi ako sumagot dahil abala ako sa pagsinghot at pag-iyak, kaya nagsalita ulit siya. "I l-love you, Ava. You are the greatest gift the God gave us. T-Take care of yo.. yourself. F-Find your real parents. Your m-mother and I loves y-you so m-mu..." Hindi na niya natapos ang kaniyang sinabi dahil tuluyan na siyang nalagutan ng sarili niyang hininga.

I cried the whole week for that. Everytime I saw things that will remind me of him, my tears will beg to flow, as if it is a nonstop pouring rain. The man who took care of me for 15 years was gone. But still, I'm so greatful that they became my parents and guardian in my whole life.

They're not my biological parents, actually. Sinabi nilang nakita lamang nila ako sa harap ng mansyon nila, sa mismong araw ng pagkamatay ng kanilang nag-iisang anak na lalaki. I was like a blessing to them and a savior to their life since they almost committed suicide after the life disappearance of their child. And the day they found me was the day they set my birthdate.

Natutulog lang daw ako nang mahimbing no'n at nakahiga sa semento. They have a thought that I was just a 2 year old infant that day. The cloth that was covering my little body was full of red dots, that they recognized it as blood. They were worried, of course!

May isang papel din daw at nakasulat ang mismong pangalan ko roon sa aking tapat. And to make my name more longer, they added 'Megami' in the middle. It means 'goddess' in Nihonggo, a language used in Japan. Totoo rin naman. I have a breathtakingly beauty of a goddess. I'm confident with my self, yes, but I'm not bragging. Magkaiba naman 'yon, 'di ba?

They treated and loved me like their own daughter. Ang anak nilang lalaki ay namatay dahil sa sakit na Brain Tumor. He was so young back then, and was just five years old. Mama never failed to tell me a good story about him like how joyful and friendly he is.

THE COLD breeze of air welcomed my face the time I stepped down in our private plane that my family owns. The wind was whistling, as if welcoming me in the place where they are. Napangiti ako. Na-miss ko ang lugar na 'to.