POWER: A Tale of Greatness

Chapter 48: Farewell, Estuaria

Jessica went out of the tree house and looked for Geronimo. She found him at the side of the river, staring at the other side of it.

"Uhm, sir."

"Oh! You're one of my son's friend, you are?"

"Jessica."

"Yes, Jessica. How can I help you?"

"Sorry to disturb you, sir but I wanted to ask you something about my mother." She started.

"Your mother?" Geronimo asked as he slowly stood up from the ground. "About what, miss?"

"About Linda San Jose-Gonzales."

Geronimo suddenly froze and slowly stared at the woman in front of him

"How... did you... know her?" He asked.

"Linda was my mother and I am not Jessica... my real name is..." Jessica's eyes began to shed tears. "... Lily San Jose-Gonzales."

Jessica wiped her eyes, "Is there... any chance... that you-"

Geronimo hugged her, "Lily... I... I am sorry." He began to shed tears as he hugged her tighter. "I thought... I thought lost you."

"Are you... Gero?" She asked.

"I am." He replied.

Jessica let go of her emotions and began to cry. She cannot understand but even if she tried to stop her tears, they just won't stop.

"Why did you left us?" She asked.

Geronimo stepped back and bowed his head, "I never left you, I looked for you for ten years straight, even if it endangered my life, I looked for you at the city, from were I left your mother, at our house at the tenth street, but I never found you. I looked at the downtown, at the hills, at the riverside, but I never found you and came back home, here." He looked at her eyes. "But I never gave up and-"

"You... you don't need to explain. It was for our own good." Jessica explained. "She... passed away... fighting for you."

Geronimo kneeled and bowed his head on the ground, "Lily, I'm sorry... for-"

"Dad, she wants me to be with you and she wants you to know that it wasn't your fault, and she said that if ever you start crying, all I need to do is hug you."

Jessica raised his father from the ground and hugged him.

"We never got mad at you, Dad. We missed you so much!"

"Lily... my daughter."

From a distant tree, James was sitting on a branch, watching them. He smiled and breathed deeply, "Another family member, I guess."

An hour ago...

James went to the tree hut where Jessica was taking some rest.

"Jessica!" James called her out.

"Yes?" She asked.

Jessica climbed down the tree house and asked James, "What is it?"

"Do you want to talk to my father, right?"

"If I will be given a chance, why not."

"If you want to talk to him..." James paused and looked around. "He will go to the river at the west of the village in the next hour. Go meet him there and talk to him."

"Thank you, James."

"That's nothing, Jessica... or should I say, sister?"

James walked away and left Jessica.