The Other Half of a Song

Chapter 2: Aika

"Condolence, Ali." It was a neighbor; before she left, she tapped my mother's shoulder. "Condolence, Aika." She also said when she passed by me and I recall giving her a quick smile in response.

Mom was sitting in the first pew in the right side of the chapel. I was at the back, greeting and attending to people who came to pay their respects.

Ever since Lola Regina died, Mom has been silent. Though she still tried to work, get on with her daily life, she still couldn't manage to talk. And it has been a week since then.

Because of this, I asked Mom to take a break, she needed it. And so, I was the one who have been organizing everything and it's alright. Mom is already having a tough time grasping the fact that Lola left us already.

So, there I was, assisting and taking care of the people who visited us during the last day of Lola's wake. Tomorrow, Lola Regina will be buried in the family mausoleum beside my great grandparents. Because of this, there were more people in the chapel than the other days.

I was busy handing out sopas, biscuits, and refreshments to our guests when I saw him enter the chapel.

"What are YOU doing here, DAD?" I asked with a tone of disgust.

"Honey-"

"Don't you dare call me that. You lost your right to that when you filed that annulment case. Oh wait, I stand corrected, since that day you went out with that witch." I told him as I forced myself to keep calm.

Dad just heaved a deep sigh before continuing, "I would just like to pay my respect to Tita Regina. She treated me like a son and I am forever grateful to her despite-"

"Whatever, DAD. Just be quick and leave immediately. Mom's already sad. I don't want you adding to the list of her many stressors. Oh right... you're already there." I said before turning my back at him, blowing over my thin fringe, which I often do when I'm vexed, as I go.

I went beside my Mom and told her about Dad, "Please be strong, OK? If it hurts too much just tell me, I'll ask him to leave."

Mom turned to me and tried to smile. She held my hand and squeezed it. "I'm just in the kitchen." I told her before entering a narrow door leading to the chapel's cramped quarters for the family of the departed, which also has a small kitchen.

After an hour, Dad left Lola's wake. He didn't talk much but I saw him sat beside Mom. I know because I watched them from the small window of the kitchen overlooking the chapel.

Ever since Mom and Dad's annulment, I became overprotective of her. Well, even before that. As soon as I've learned of my Dad's affair with his secretary, I have been overprotective of my Mom.

She may have handled Dad's affair and the annulment with calmness and grace, but I know it killed her deep inside. I've seen and heard her cry secretly every night as she stayed in my room, thinking I was already asleep.

I never want to see her cry like that again.

But... that's just inevitable. Especially right then, when Lola Regina just died.

Before Dad left, he touched my Mom's hand and squeezed it. I was about to interrupt but then Mom looked at him and smiled. Even though it was sad, it wasn't forced, so I stayed in my place. I guess, Mom has finally learned how to move on from Dad. Urgh... how to be her?

When Dad finally left, I went outside the quarters, sat beside my Mom and hugged her.

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A week after Lola Regina's burial, her lawyer, Atty. Manalang, called for us. Mom decided to stay in Marilag to take care of the ancestral house so she was already there.

I was already back in Manila but luckily, I didn't have any work to do over the weekend so I was able to go back to Marilag for the reading of Lola Regina's will.

As soon as I arrived, Atty. Manalang started. On the fifth article of the will, he paused before continuing. He might have sensed our discomfort.

"I give, devise, and bequeath unto my daughter all of the rest, residue, and remainder of my real estate and wheresoever situated.

"She's talking about this ancestral home and your Dad's rest house in Benguet. She also left a fortune amounting to $2.5B. A fortune tracing back to your grandfather and father, Mr. Davis, which your Mom has never touched at all." He looked at my mom as he said this.

"As for my personal estate, the list of which is in the letter attached hereto, I give, devise and bequeath them unto my granddaughter." Atty. Manalang handed me a separate letter and he continued reading the rest of the will.

After he has read the last will and testament of my grandmother, he asked me to open and read Lola Regina's letter to me.

Dear Aika,

Probably as you are reading this, I have already gone back to our Father and I was not able to say goodbye. I'm sorry if I was not able to say goodbye.

Despite this, I leave the things I treasure the most to you. You will find them in an old rosewood chest inside the mahogany closet in my room.

All of it belongs to you now. Please, take care of it. And, one more thing, I want to make a request to you. Please... look for him and finish the song.

Love, Lola Regina

"Who's the guy you're supposed to look for? What song are you supposed to finish?" it was my Mom. She was finally able to talk a week after Lola's death. Thank, God!

"Uhm... I don't know." I answered as I closed the letter. "I guess, there's just one way to find out."

Mom and I went to Lola's room and opened the mahogany closet. There in the middle of it, almost covered with dresses, is a medium-sized rosewood chest.

Mom helped me remove it inside the closet and placed it on the floor where we inspected it.

Inside the chest were music sheets of old love songs yellowed by time, a butterfly kite, a music notebook also yellowed by time, a bunch of letters addressed to Lola Regina, an old military uniform, a paper cup walkie talkie, and a tin box

I opened the tin box and found inside it numerous black and white photos, a harmonica, a rose gold gladiolus brooch, another letter but it was also addressed to Lola Regina, a portrait of a young Lola Regina painted in oil (who surprisingly looks so familiar), and a diary.

"Why would Lola Regina give me all these?" I asked rhetorically, perplexed by all the things we've found in the chest, and Mom shrugged. So, I opened the diary and from there, a letter fell off. This time, it was for me:

Aika,

Do you remember the song I sang to you back when you were ten? The one I told you that I composed?

Well, it is not just my composition.

It was our composition. A composition Paeng and I wrote. I don't have much time left, so I want to ask you a favor.

Please, look for Juan Miguel Serrano and finish our song. That is my last request for you.

I will only be complete when the song is finished.

Please continue our song. Give us our happy ending.

Love, Lola Regina

I looked at the edge of the paper and saw an address written there.

"Who's Paeng? Who's Juan Miguel Serrano?" Mom asked, curiosity evident in her every feature.

You and me, Mom, you and me.