Twisted Fate (TS1)

Kabanata 17

"My fate maybe twisted the way I never imagined, 

but my family and my passion kept me going"

It was the quotation written on the epitaphs of the gravestone of Gerlie's mother. We accompanied her in visiting her mom since today is her death anniversary. 

"I love your mom's name and she's really beautiful, Beb", Samantha uttered as we helped Gerlie lit the scented candles and put two pots of pink Kalachuchi bonsai trees that according to her were her mom's favorites. We also put candles and white roses on the grave beside it and that's when I realized that it was her father. 

"Yeah, I got my first name from her, Gersile Lorainne Fernandez", she smiled as she carefully wiped the picture frame of her parents with a tissue. Her mom looks like her. They are both simple and beautiful.  

"That's why your name is Gersile Lienne...", I smiled and sat beside Samantha inside the mausoleum, "You looked like your mom, Beb. You got your beautiful hair from her. And you're really both beautiful"

She smiled at me, "Thank you and thank you for always complimenting my hair. Don't worry, Czai, I won't touch a single strand of it that would cause its damage. Maybe just a trim?", we smiled at that.  

"I'll keep that in mind", I uttered. I really love her hair, that was still untouched, it was naturally soft and flowy. 

She put the picture frame back on top of the gravestone before sitting in front of the grave, "Most of the people were telling that I got most of my features from my mom. And I think that's also the reason why my Dad never got married anymore even after my mom died. He remained single until his last breathe because I remind him of my mom", her eyes were full of love and longing. She misses her parents so much. Maybe it's really hard to be an orphan especially that she's an only child but she proved us how brave and strong she is. 

"Your mom was his greatest and truest love then"

Gerlie nodded, eyes fixated on the beautiful picture of her parents, "When I asked him one time why he didn't want to date at all even though it's been years since my mom died, he just told that.... no one can replace Mom in our lives... especially in his heart", she smiled softly, "Since that day, I prayed to have a man like him. I thought that was Melvin because he'd been with me through the hardest times of my life... but maybe I was wrong?", she shrugged and smiled at us. 

"Don't worry, Beb. The right one will come when the time is right"

"Yeah, and that's also what I've learnt. There are always right timing for everything"

"Your mom died young", I voiced out when I saw that Tita Gersile died at the age of 36. Still too young. 

"Death snatched her from us through Leukemia", she's so sad, I could feel her pain, "She was diagnosed when it was already stage 3. She fought, you know. She undergone chemotherapy, we even went to the US because the doctors here told us that the technology there was more advanced than here. We left everything here. We left her passion of helping people in hope of her healing, which we thought she was...", she shook her head lightly, "but it seemed that medication only weakened her more. Cancer ate her up and medicines only damaged her.... and the rest was history", she shrugged a little.