The Patient

16. ADAGIO

   Cor was five years Dom's junior. She was in many ways Dom's opposite. She's street smart where he was cerebral, pragmatic where he was idealistic, intuitive, where he was analytical...
   And their younger brother, Manuel, although lesser in age gap to her than Dom, tended to mimic their older brother's  behavior most of the time.
   Whether those differences would fuel or hinder her suspicions, however remained to be seen. She had always felt herself tugged between her parents' personalities: her father advocating duty and responsibility while her mother prefers freedom and discovery. These and the sharp contrast in her demeanor from among her siblings sparked her suspicions about their enigmatic patrimony and the veracity of the gossip among those in service at their ancestral home.
Still all these diverse traits between the siblings gave rise to gossip among the helpers, specially those who had been employed there already, even before they left the island for their world tour.
And Cor couldn't help hearing their whispers, though they quickly silenced when they became aware of her presence. That either she or Mannie or both of them were not really Morgarojos... But why? Or how? She wanted to ask her elder brother, Dom about this, or their father, Uldarico, but there was never a chance, they were always not around. And certainly none of the helps would be brave enough to own up to gossiping about their masters.
" Am I adopted? Were Mannie and I adopted?" She tried to ask her mother during one of her lucid moments, but she only got a tearful, " who ever told you that? No, no, you are ours, child, never doubt! I love you all my children!!" The haunted look in her mother's eyes spoke volumes, a silent testament to the invisible scars etched deep within her soul. Navigating through memories that threatened to engulf her in their dark embrace preceeded  Ynez's  fainting spell and severe depression that followed Corazons attempt to learn the truth about her own parentage.
  The incident preceeded Cor's  sojourn to Manila for her higher education. Her departure from their home fostered in Cor a sharp fear of abandonment, that only temporarily curbed her efforts to pursue her quest for truth.
   Until she met Ramero, and his grandparents. When he brought her to their house, she already knew from him that his father deserted them a long time ago. He had shown her a wedding picture of his parents that he kept as a memento. Ramero looked a lot like his father and his grandfather too.
She didn't expect Ramero's grandparents' shocked reaction when he first introduced her to them.
" Corazon, you look so just like your mother!" said his Lola Aldana, in awe, then looked away quickly, as if having seen a ghost.
Surprised, she retorted,
" You knew my mama?"
" Your family was well known in your place, we used to live there, too, and we often see your parents on Sunday Mass and gatherings. That's how we knew your family." Lolo Pirong acquiesced.
" Maybe it's time they learn about the truth , Pirong. " said Lola Aldana.
" Then it's up to them to decide their future. Ramero, your father was her mom's ex lover. We hope you will consider the implications of that before you decide to further your relationship."
Cor felt her tears well up and blinked her eyes to dispel the pending flow. Now everything got more confusing for her. Either she was adopted or she was not her father's  daughter, then she was... who was she ? Was she his father's... No!! Were they ... Siblings? Will they be committing Incest!!?
No! She would rather be an adopted child, than...
And what she felt for Ramero was never like what she felt for Dom or Mannie...
  Despite her doubts, she found herself drawn to Ramero like iron fillings to a magnet. As he squeezed her hand in his, she thought she had never met a man who could make her heart flutter so. She felt like she had known him forever... Awareness coursed through her  and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she loved him most ardently.
Lost in these thoughts, Cor nearly missed the call on her cell phone informing her of her parents' death in an accident while touring abroad, (  or was it really seeking cure for afflictions ? she wondered ) . 
   And it was a month after the ensuing chaos of the funeral arrangements and bereavement rites, that Cor came upon the love letters that her mother's  dressing table held. She particularly noted the one that was addressed with her mother's name spelled backwards, and signed only with "A".  The return address on the envelope was from a Greek shipping vessel sailing in the Mediterranean.
" You gave me reason to hope, to look forward to, and to keep the faith that someday, we will be reunited at last, never to be separated by distance, nor circumstances anymore..
But for how long will the tempo of our lives be in
ADAGIO ? "

(*£*)