IMMORTAL LOVE - Josh and Erika

Part 4 : The Little Mortal Prince

    The five year old little boy was playing all by himself.  He  ran around the marketplace near his mother's vegetable stall and eventually wandered away from his mother. The market on that particular day was bustling with activity and people were busy going about their business and not noticing the little boy who has gone missing.

     It was market day and  so the place was packed with people.  Joshie suddenly stopped running and looked around him. He could not see his mother's face anymore from amongst  the crowd of people and he suddenly got scared. He whimpered at first and then started to cry. Just then, an old lady came and knelt down beside him and  in a soft, gentle voice asked, "Baby boy, are you lost? Where's your mama? Come here. Aaawwww... poor thing. What's your name little one?" 

     "My name is Josh. I want my Mama."  he replied then he started to cry again.  "Hush...hush...come now. Baby Josh, that is such a cute name, don't you think? Your Mama might be looking for you right now. Okay let me help you find your Mama. Stop crying now....Ssshhhh.  Let's go look for your mother, okay?" as the old lady stroked his hair and hugged him.

     She gently pulled him towards her and hugged the small boy who was scared and crying. Joshie hesitated at first but then felt comforted as the woman's voice was soft and gentle. The little boy thought the old lady  looked kind and nice and so he let her hug him. She stood up and held Joshie's small hand. Just then, Joshie pointed at a market stall that was selling bread and all kinds of pastries. "Do you like those?  Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?" Little Joshie shyly looked at the old lady and nodded. "Okay, let's go buy you food. Which one of these do you like?" She turned to the other lady who was with her and asked, "Is this okay for him to eat? Is it safe? I don't want him to get sick." The other lady nodded reassuringly.  

     Little Joshie just grabbed two packs of bread. "Is the other one for me Baby Josh? Are you gonna give that to me? "  asked the old lady, Senora Elena.  

     " No, it is for my Mama. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm big already. My Mama says I'm a Prince. I am Prince  Josh.  I love my Mama,"  the little boy said.

      The old lady smiled and gave him a kiss on his forehead, " Oh...well, of course... you are a handsome and adorable little Prince... you are Little Prince Josh."

    "Nooo....Not little. I'm a big boy. My Mama says I'm big already.," Josh reiterated..

     Meanwhile, Amelia was busy selling fruits and vegetables to customers when she noticed little Josh was no longer  near her.   She looked around her but could not find him.  She started  to panic and asked people in the market if they have seen her five year old son.  She asked her friend at the market to watch over her stall as she continued her search for Joshie.  

      She was about to go outside the market when she saw from afar little Joshie talking to a small group of people at a bakery near the marketplace entrance.  She called her son, "Joshie...Joshie..." She ran towards him and hugged him tight. "Oh thank God you're here. Are you okay? Are you hurt?  Why did you ran too far away from me?  I told you not to go far from me.  See?!  You got lost.  Don't do that again, okay?"

    Josh cried when his mom spanked  and scolded him.  Amelia engulfed the little boy in a tight hug once again, "I'm sorry Joshie, I did not mean to raise my voice on you. I was just scared that you'll get lost and get hurt. I'm sorry,  son. I love you. Hush now. Let's go back, okay? Ssssshhhhh...stop crying now. Mama's here."  She looked up at the old lady and smiled. Amelia thanked her for helping her son and for giving him food to eat." 

     Amelia then turned to Josh, and asked the little boy, "Okay, what will you say to your Mama now, young man?"  

     Josh with his head bowed down replied sheepishly,  "Sorry Mama. I love you Mama." He planted a kiss on his mother's cheeks.

      "I love you too, son.  What about her, Joshie? (pointing to Senora Elena) What will you say to this kind grandma after she gave you food?"  Little Joshie smiled at the old lady and sweetly said, "Thank you."

    The old lady, Senora Elena, asked "Can I get a big hug then?" as she open her arms out to Josh.  The cute little boy slowly walked up towards her and gave her a hug.  

     Senora Elena hugged  little Joshie tight and gave him a kiss on both cheeks. She was crying as she did so.

     Amelia suddenly realized that the old lady looked just like Jose Hernan's grandmother. Amelia remembered Josher (Joshie's dad) had shown a picture of her once before. She got wary all of a sudden and slowly removed Joshie away from Senora Elena.  Amelia abruptly said, " We have to go. I'm sorry for the trouble Josh has caused you. But we really have to be on our way. Thank you...thank you for this."  Amelia carried little Joshie and walked away from them.

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    The old lady, Senora Elena, was seated at the back of a car watching the crowd, hoping to see a glimpse of the little boy, Josh.  Just then, her driver,  came back from his search and exclaimed, " Senora, the store inside the market is close right now. The people there said that it has been two days that the store has not opened but nobody knew where Amelia and the little boy went. What else do you want me to do, Senora?"

     "Did I scare them away, Luisa?"  Senora Elena looked at her personal maid and asked. "I only just  wanted to see them from afar. But now...."

      "Did you remember that little child that got lost in the market the other day,  Luisa?  He was such a cute and adorable little boy.  And well... he looks just like his dad when Jose Hernan was little.   Oh...my poor 'apo sa tuhod'  (great grandchild). That little boy, Josh,  is actually the only legitimate male descendant... a third generation  offspring that will carry the Lopez name . I can already tell he has Lopez blood in him just by looking at him.  Jose Hernan has to know that Amelia bore him a child."

     Luisa retorted, "But what about your other great grandchildren? You have Anton and Bella. They are Jose Hernan and Trisha's children aren't they?" 

     Marie Bella is, yes their legitimate daughter.  But  Anton, the eldest son,  is not.  Trisha was already pregnant at the  time he married Jose Hernan. The reason why Trisha Hernandez's family married her off to Jose Hernan is because of that.  Anton's real father was a college dropout  and a drug addict.  To save Trisha's reputation, the Hernandez family agreed to help us by saving the Lopez business from bankruptcy.  

      The marriage between Jose Hernan and Trisha was a set up made by my husband and Trisha's dad. We almost lost our business that year but the Hernandez family saved us. I am grateful that it happened but not until I learned about this other woman that Jose Hernan loved and yet he abandoned. 

      I witnessed how Jose Hernan suffered after his Dad tried everything to separate him from Amelia. He had  lost the woman he loved and I am not even sure if he ever knew about his child, Josh.

      I want to make things right, Luisa. Now that my husband is in a wheelchair unable to walk and unable to talk because of a debilitating Stroke.  He has lost all power and so lost a voice in the company. I need to do something to put everything in its rightful place. Besides, the true heir of Lopez company is just right here before us. And it's that little boy Josh.

     Josh is the rightful heir of the thriving Lopez company. Tears ran down Senora Elena's cheeks as she imagines the harsh life that Amelia and Joshie might be going through right now.  She has to do something before it is too late. She has to protect Josh and his rightful place as a true Lopez descendant before she leaves this world. Josh is the true Prince....he truly is 'Little Prince Josh.'  Senora Elena smiled as she recalled the brief conversation she had with the little boy.