Perfectly Imperfect

Chapter 7

*Alonso*

Valeria sat in front of the dressing table, combing her long brown hair when I walked into the room.

"Oh Alonso you're back already," she turned to my direction revealing her dolled up face.
"Yes. Are you going somewhere?" Removing my Rolex watch, I walked over, leaning to kiss her on the forehead.

"Remember Mrs Madrigal?..... She's opening a new Spa today so she invited me," my wife wore her jewellery but I'm sure with the news I'm going to give her, she's going to forget Mrs Madrigal and the Spa all together.

"Well, I have something better for you and I'm sure, you'll love it," with a pointing finger, I sat on the bed, getting rid of my shoes.

"What is that?" She looked at me from the mirror.
"I found our daughter, I know where Maria Camilla is," the ice broke and her brush fell of her hands.
"You... You found Maria Camilla?"stammering, she sat next to me in quest for answers.

"Where is she?" By now her ears were welled with tears. She had insisted on looking for her daughter for the past five years but I only want her back with us to finish off what I started a long time ago.

"Can you imagine that bastard Simón Alves had her all this while and kept her from us," my jaw clenched and my hands came in a fist. I hope he didn't tell anything to Maria Camilla about me that will make worsen the image of me in the eyes of Maria Camilla.

"What?..... How could Simón do that to us?" A tear slipped from her eyes. Goodness why can't women get a grip on themselves? They cry over unnecessary things, get mad over unnecessary things. You can never just understand them.

"I... I want to see my daughter. Let's go get our daughter," wiping her tears away, she stood on her feet trying to pull me up with her.
"No Valeria, I can't come with you," I sighed.

"Why can't you Alonso?"
"Maria Camilla is probably mad at me for throwing her away and... Things might only get worse if I appear in front of her. I suggest that you go to her first, try to convince her to come to her family," I went left, standing a few feet from the bathroom door.

"Can you give me Simón's adress?" She asked.
"Go, your driver will take you there," behind me I heard her collect her bag, her heels clamping on the tiles.

"I'm leaving," the next thing I heard was a slammed door.
Go bring Maria Camilla back. It's time for you to benefit me once again Valeria.
Do what you do best.
Be the good mother you're but I promise you one thing.

Marshall will pay for what he did to us.

****

*Maria Camilla*

The way I acted yesterday with the General was really insane. Turned out I was on my period, that explains why my I was acting that way.

I'm yet to apologize to the General so right now, I'm on my way to his office.
"General, Lt. Del Rosario is here to see you," the man at the door informed before ushering me in.

"General," I salute in respect.
"Del Rosario are you feeling better now?" Was I not feeling good or what?

Obviously he might have thought that something was wrong with you judging by the way you acted.

The small voice in me spoke and I felt like shutting it down forever.
I realized that it would mean shutting myself too forever cuz it's a part of me.

"Ah.. I'm feeling better now sir. My apologies for my inappropriate behavior," I said professionally.
"Accepted..... By the way, we will be giving the rebels a visit later in the evening. You may join us if you want to. It's not mandatory but I'm sure you'll pick up one or two things from there," he said his thumb under his chin and his index on his cheek.

"Yes sir!"
"Permission to speak sir."
"Granted."
"I don't think it's really my place to say this but I believe, I can be able to raise out my opinion..... The rebels haven't attack since we arrived here which means they are either avoiding a war or planning something else. As far as I know, if that's the place they live in, then I wouldn't call it a home for humans and according to the information I've gathered, these people were living in the slumps. I think I'm even sugar coating it, they weren't even allowed to live anywhere. Being chased away by civilians, police and even the Military. And to be frank, the president wasn't thoughtful enough to give them all they need so this wouldn't have to happen some day. Everyone deserves a chance in life and maybe all they need is that. A chance to live equally just like every other civilian," I said with no hesitation. When I mentioned about the injustice the military has done and about the president being un thoughtful, he might have thought that I was an alien or something.

"Del Rosario, I must say, I like your bluntness. You didn't hesitate to say what you think of even the president." He smiled at me.
"But you have to be really careful. Not everyone is like Marshall Del Lione," he chuckled walking towards me and I did too.

"I know sir," General stopped a few feet away from me and stared.
"You know, it's like you were reading my mind. I was thinking of the same that's why, we have to go talk to them but it's left to the president to decide whether or not they should enter the country. It isn't our call to make,"his hand rested on my shoulder and I nodded quietly.

"I would like to talk you for a while, do you have the time?" He asked.
"You're the boss," I shrugged.
"Lets go for a walk," we both stepped out walking in comfortable silence for a while.

"You remind me of my daughter. She would have been your age you know," for that, it means maybe I have something in common with his daughter but.....
"What happened to her?" I stopped to ask before proceeding.

"..... I don't know," his voice and eyes turned sad. I could see a twinkle of tear in his eyes. He has no idea where his child is? Did he abandon her just like my father did?
I don't think he's like that but I can't help it.

"Did you abandon her?" I asked almost angrily causing him to stop and stare at me.
"You think I would do that?" His answer wasn't satisfying enough so I raised a brow at him.

"February 12,1998, Maria Camilla was born.....," my head shut up at him. Did I just hear him right. My face showed confusion and he looked at me question ably.
"That's the same day I was born," seems like he was digesting what I was saying. So his daughter's name too was Maria Camilla.

"Coincidence," he laughed it off. It's coincidence that I was born on the same day as his daughter, shared the same name and meet him here. It's strange.

"And then what?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Truth is, I never got to see her. Not even once," he looked away and I knew he was trying to hold back whatever sadness that was coming.

"Why?" I asked again.
"Three months before Renata gave birth, I was supposed to go for a war and so I left. More than three months, I spent over there and when I came back, they were gone. There was no one. Renata was gone. I don't know if they are dead or alive," he wiped the tear that was threatening to fall.

"I went to all the hospitals, had all the patients names under Renata checked but non found her records. Before I left, she told me that, she'll name our daughter 'Maria Camilla'. If they are alive, I hope they are well,"he forced a smile my way and I did too.

General was opening up to me and I just can't help it. It reminds me of mine and all that I went through.

"You must be really special because for the first time in twenty two years, I discussed this with someone."

"Your parents must be very lucky to have you," when he said that, my heartached. I felt a huge lump in my throat which slowly went down upon my chest.

"I don't have any."