DANTE died that night. Si Lotti ay dinala nila sa rehabilitation center. Subalit hindi lang iyon ang naging problema nito. Napakalaki ng pinsalang idinulot ng drugs dito. Unti-unti itong nawawala sa katinuan. Tiniyak nina Keith at Madeline na maibibigay kay Lotti ang lahat ng kinakailangang pangangalaga rito mula sa ospital.
Two weeks later ay dumating sa Pilipinas si Victor Generoso Montoya, III. A handsome man in his late fifties with salt and pepper hair and mustache. Ipinagbili nito kay Keith at Madeline ang buong propiedad nito kasama na ang VGM Broadcasting.
Ang matandang negosyante ay hindi halos nagbigay ng halaga sa dalawampung ektaryang lupain at bahay sa pagtataka nina Keith at Madeline.
"Ituring ninyong regalo ko sa inyong nalalapit na kasal," wika nito. Pagkatapos ay binalingan si Madeline. Masuyong ngumiti. "Madeline Ocampo... Hmm. You look like someone I dearly loved. Ano ang buong pangalan mo, hija?"
"Madeline Velasquez Ocampo."
He was stunned for a moment. May ilang sandaling nakatitig sa mukha niya. Then a smile curved his lips. Pagkatapos ay tumayo na ito, dinampot ang Stetson hat sa ibabaw ng mesa at ang baston. Pagkatapos ay nilinga ang buong kabahayan. He sighed. Then smiled.
"I was born and raised in this house," he said poignantly. "But my father migrated in the States when I was a boy. Nagkanegosyo si Papa roon at lumago nang lumago. I came back once and would have loved to stay here with my family. But my beautiful French-Canadian wife and my two sons swore this house is haunted.
Wala pang tatlong araw mula nang dumating kami'y agad nang nagyaya pa-Maynila ang pamilya ko, as if the very devil himself were after them." He gave a bark of laughter.
"The house has that impression, sir," ani Keith, sinulyapan si Madeline.
"Pero hindi kayo naniniwalang dalawa." It was half-question, half-statement. Then again, he laughed. "You'll never know... you'll never know." Pagkatapos ay masuyong nilapitan si Madeline at hinagkan sa noo. "Pagbutihin mo ang pamamahala sa VGM Broadcasting, Madeline. It is my grandmother's pet."
"I'll do my best, sir. I have actually met Mrs. Lilac Montoya. She was the one who hired me."
Natigilan si Mr. Montoya. "Lilac Montoya?"
"Yes, sir. Gene must be your brother, her husband."
He must have turned pale, but Madeline and Keith couldn't be sure. Agad itong tumalikod at lumakad patungo sa bintana at tinanaw ang labas. "The... the employees at the station had met her, too?"
Tumango si Madeline kahit na hindi nito nakikita. "Sa nakalipas na limang taon, ang sabi nila ay dumarating at umaalis si ma'am kung kailan nito naisipan." Madeline thought she saw the old man stiffen.
Nagkatinginan silang dalawa ni Keith.
Then Mr. Victor Generoso Montoya, gave a bark of laughter that echoed the living room. "You little old devil..." he murmured.
Nakangiti pa rin ito nang bumaling sa kanila. Pagkatapos ay sumeryoso. Tinitigan sila nang husto na tila ba may sungay na unti-unting lumabas mula sa noo nila ni Keith.
"'Gotta go, folks. My flight's tomorrow afternoon. It's a long trip back to Manila." Isa-isa sila nitong kinamayan, mahigpit. "Binabati ko kayong dalawa. Naniniwala akong kayo ang karapat-dapat na magmamay-ari ng bahay na ito. This has been in the market for many years. Nakapagtatakang ngayon lang may nagpahiwatig na nais itong bilhin. Now, I know why."
"Ano ho ang ibig ninyong sabihin, sir?" It was Keith.
The old man's eyes twinkled. "Oh, may mga bagay na nangyayari sa takdang panahon." He turned and strode towards the door.
BINABASA MO ANG
Sweetheart 17: Someone To Watch Over Me
RomanceMadeline was foolish to have accepted a job from a strange old man. Ang trabaho ay nasa bayang nilisan niya may limang taon na ang nakalipas at ipinangakong hindi na babalikan. As if being pulled by some invisible string, Madeline travelled south. A...
