Dear Caroline

Epilogue

Devin Gabriel Ramirez

"We really did our best, but my wife could not bear a child." I hear man's voice, it was deep and manly but filled with disappointment. "I heard her crying every night. Her sisters pressured her to have a child. And..." even from here, I can sense the bitterness in his voice. The helpless and hopeless was there. "And I don't want her to feel that I only married her to have a children." from the stairs, I slowly walk down to see who it was.

It was Tito Vic. My father's best friend. They've been friends since kindergarten. "You know what, Vic? We don't need a child to build up our marriage, it is just that, people expecting us to have one." my father pat Tito Vic's shoulder. They were in a bar island. Sitting on a stool while drinking their alcohol on a goblet glass.

"Maybe, an adoption would be great." my father suggested. Tito Vic's head shook in disapproval.

That was the last time I saw Tito Vic's visited our house, the next visit was him, together with his wife, Tita Belle. The way Tita Belle smiles and laugh with my Mom, I can't tell that she was dying to have her own children, but whenever Mom calls me, I saw the longing and sadness on her eyes telling me that she just faking all of happy facades to calm us down. I thought Tita Belle would be forever wish to have her own child. Not until one day.

It was a sunny sunday when someone in our court yard, dribbling a ball. I thought it was my Dad, having his basketball routine but when I saw a young boy with a brown hair, fair skin and was wearing a gray t-shirt, my brows immediately furrowed. The nerve of that guy to went here inside and play in our court yard!

"Hey!" I shouted, angry was audible in my voice. "Who let you in?!"  I was walking faster until I reach his spot. I snatched the ball in his hands before I look at his face. His eyes look so innocent and yet his brows were furrowed just like mine.

"Uhmm..." he scratch his head and smile at my shyly. "Hi, I'm Caroline—"

"I don't care who you are, just get out!" I spat and shove his shoulder.

I saw him wrinkled his nose before scratching his head again. "Uhm... About that—"

"Eviel!" I heard my Mom calls me so I hurriedly faced her before pointing at the boy in front of me. "Whose this, Mom?! You let a stranger wandering here inside?" I angrily spat and rolled my eyes to the boy. My mom pulled me before he smiles to the boy.

"I'm really sorry, Caroline. Eviel hates seeing people invading his privacy." my mom calmly said. I don't get it why she said her apologize in behalf of me but... she shouldn't be apologize to a tresspasser. "Eviel, listen. He is Caroline." my looks at me while kneeling. "Caroline, this is Eviel, my son. Eviel, Caroline was your Tita Belle's son."

My shock face was evident when I turned my head to the boy. I thought Tita Belle's can't conceive a child?! Then what is this boy...? Is he...

"Yeah, I'm their adopted child. My name is Caroline Gabriel Echavez." he gave me his friendly smile. I just rolled my eyes at him and walk away without realizing that I was rude to him earlier.

That was the first time I met Caroline. He was an adopted son of my Tito Vic and Tita Belle. After that day, I never thought he could be my very best buddy just like my Dad to Tito Vic.

It was a summer camp when our instructor said that our camp will be held near the beach. All I could imagine with a beach is an ocean, a sea or an island but when we get there all I could hear was sound of wave. The instructor lied to us. It's not near the beach. It was near a cliff. A freaking cliff but for the safety precautions, there are bob wires around there. But in the far side, there are no barriers, and it looks perilous.