Behind Curtains

Kabanata 39

Kabanata 39

Absolute

My grandmother is part of this province's biggest extended family that greatly contributed in its development. They mainly did just that, since the 1920's, through the business aspect of real estate. And partly because of it, one of my Lola's maternal uncles became Mayor before the city was even declared a municipality.

And in the 1940's, when the town was in the middle of transitioning from being a municipal district, my grandmother's father was appointed as its acting councilor during Sergio Osmeña's presidency. Ngunit, kahit na ganoon, ang panay pa rin na sinasabi ni Lola ay parehong farming lang ang pinagkakaabalahan ng mga magulang niya.

Since our current side of the family never really dreamed of delving into politics, we are no longer as powerful. Pero nang dahil sa lumang apelyido, masasabing maimpluwensya pa rin naman kami. 

Although from families who are originally from Cebu, both of Lola's parents' families homesteadied in the municipal district; intermarried with families of the same social standing and then, acquired tracts of lands beyond eyes could reach. Kaya dahil doon ay may mga kalsada, abenida at purok na sa apelyido pa rin ni Lola nakapangalan.

My grandmother's parents also individually owned vast haciendas and possessed almost a fourth of the entire district. That's why after my grandmother graduated from college with a degree in Pharmacy, her father especially provided for her and promised her a huge plot of land. Hindi panganay at sobrang nilingap na bunso, pero dahil si Lola lang iyong nakapagtapos sa kanilang magkakakapatid, siya ang ginawang orihinal na tagapagmana ng lahat.

Kung hindi lang sana... tuluyang nahulog ang loob niya sa Lolo kong maton at... nakipag tanan.

My grandparents' relationship wasn't the most ideal. It was a love affair fueled by passion and defiance. My grandmother was small, smart and well-off, but meek and a bit of a back-off; and Lolo was her total opposite. A scalawag. Basagulero. Barumbado!

Being half-Spanish, my grandfather had all the perfect features of an Angel. Also unquestionably talented, determined and funny, kahit kami ay hindi na nagtaka kung paano niya nakuha ang loob ni Lola. Kahit na kilala pa si Lolo bilang sanggano, hindi rin naman makaila ang likas na kagwapuhan niya!

From what I heard, when my grandfather tried to court Lola, ilang beses na siyang muntik patayin ni Don Demetrio, ang Papa ni Lola. A shotgun was always ready at hand to shoot Lolo and kill him off. Pinagbawalan din siya kahit na ang tumapak sa kahit saang kalsadang pagmamay-ari nila Lola.

But instead of heeding to fear, mas lalo lang na nainis si Lola sa mga nangyayari. Narindi sa mga paratang at paulit-ulit na mga angil, she decided to leave. In an act of rebellion, at the age of twenty six, tinalikuran ni Lola ang buhay na kinalakihan, at naglayas. Dahil lang hindi na gusto ang kaguluhang naaabutan sa pag-uwi, nagdesisyon nalang siyang iwanan ang lahat.

In the year 1966, my grandmother eloped with an almost-stranger who frequented her pharmacy to tease her; married him... fell deeply in love with him, and built an entirely different life... with him... for more than fifty years.

Kaya noong nawala si Lolo, after securing her survivor pension, Lola decided to let everything go. Dahil nag-iipon lang naman siya noon para tantyahin ang sakaling mga gastos nila ni Lolo sa ospital, ngayong nag-iisa na lang siya, wala na siyang gustong panghawakan pa.

Nilatag na niya ang mga kinimkim na Mother Titles, and moodily distributed them to her children. Gusto na niyang bitawan ang mga assets na maaaring maging ugat ng away sa pagitan ng magkakapatid.