The Sun The Moon and The Stars

10. the one who will die

ADRIANA

Go back home Seb. Meet me at the dining hall. Don't worry. I was able to dismiss everyone. It was easy since everyone wants to celebrate their holidays with their own families at home. I also want to spend the yuletide season with you little brother. Since we are family. Nobody's here. There are no audience here. No witnesses. Just the two of us.  And Barry. And Savannah. And mom. Right now she's very silent . See, we kidnapped her in her own house. Meet me.  Come before the sun says goodbye and the moon and the stars appear on the sky. You are smart and you know exactly what will happen if you try to refuse this invitation.  

-A.J. Aragon

I sent the message with mom's photo via messenger.  Of course, hindi maggawang tiisin ng magulang ang anak, as the cliche goes, pero si Sebastian ang anak na hindi matitiis ang magulang. Iba siya sa karamihan. Ang dakilang anak na si Sebastian. Sayang nga lang at hindi niya naipmalas ang kanyang kadakilaan para iligtas ang kanyang ina. At siya rin mismo ay hindi makakaligtas. Sa mga kuwento mismo na sinusulat niya maaring makaligtas ang bida pero dito sa tunay na buhay anong kasiguraduhan? 

Well, hindi ito isang nobela o soap opera. Lahat ng tao iniisip na sila ang bida sa sarili nilang istorya pero nababatid ba nila kung kailan sila babawian ng buhay? Katulad nga ng sabi ni haring Solomon, "Huwag ipagmayabang ang kinabukasan", walang sinuman ang nakakaalam kung kailan babawian ng buhay ang isang tao. 

Pinaupo ni Barry ang bangkay ni mama sa pinakaharap na upuan ng mahabang lamesa.  Kanina lang ay binihisan ko siya ng isang bago at malinis na unipormeng ginagamit niya madalas. Tinalian rin siya ni Barry sa likuran ng isang lubid at nilagyan ng piring ang mga mata para maging kapanipaniwala na buhay pa siya sa paningin ni Sebastian.  We planned to tell him that she is just asleep. 

Barry invited me for a glass of wine. "Congratulations", he said. 

"yes, congratulations to me." He kissed me hard on the lips. Then he gave me a small present covered with a purple gift wrapper.  I opened it. I saw nothing but papers. Was he asking me to do my job even right at this moment? I read the documents. I was astonished to the point that I could not breath. I dropped the glass of wine on Barry's white button-down shirt and it stained it red. 

The next thing I heard was a gun shot.  The next thing I saw was a red stain spreading larger on my white shirt.

My blood. 

BARRY

I shot Adriana. 

I have waited so long to witness this moment. 

"Traitor", she screamed in pain. 

"You deserve this for killing my father." I told her plainly. 

"Your father?"

"Who is your father?"

"Your father."

She was quiet for awhile.  "Sorry, for a minute I forgot that you were just adopted. Not your father. My father."

"Liar. Saang parte ng Recto mo pinagawa yang mga pekeng papeles na 'yan?"

"Believe what you want to but the truth will remain true forever."

Hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga nabasa iyang dokumento. Mga dokumentong nagpapatunay na hindi siya nabibilang sa pamilyang Aragon. Na wala siyang karapatang maghangad, magdemanda at magangkin ng kahit anumang bagay mula sa pamilyang nakagisnan. 

"My mom died because your adopted mother stole my father from her.  I was ten years old when my mom discovered dad committing adultery.  Anim na taon na nun si Steve, ang anak ng mama mo! Your mom said that she was severely ill so my dad had no choice but to choose your mom instead of us, the first family. Hindi kayo ang tunay na unang pamilya. Hindi kayo ang legal na pamilya. Kayo ang pamilya sa labas.  You have lived the life that was supposed to be mine together with your adopted brothers. Now is the time I am asking everything back. I am the true heir to the Aragon Estate. "