I Want To Remember

Carolina ran after Elvira and stopped her.

"What are you going to do Elvira?"

"I don't know yet"

"Are you going to look for your son?"

Elvira's heart started beating so fast. She knows where her son is, but she can't tell her that she has found her son.

"Yes. I will look for my son"

She felt guilty for not telling Carolina the truth.

She thought, 'I am sorry for not telling you the truth. God please forgive me'

Carolina held Elvira's hand and said, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

"Yes, I will" Elvira nodded.

"Thanks for taking care of my son for those times that I was not with him. It's all because of you my son is save and alive" she added.

"Don't thank me for anything. I am just so happy for helping you. You are a good friend to me and you have helped me a lot" Carolina smiled.

"We will get going now. Thank you again"

"Okay" Carolina waved goodbye at them and left.

Elvira waved down and jeepney and they entered it.

***

When they got home, they were surprised to see Alex in their house.

Elvira looked at Isabelle, confused.

Isabelle stood up and walked to them. "Alex has been waiting for hours here. I thought you went to his house and how come he is here"

Elvira was surprised to see him in her house. The other time, he was angry and chased them out of his house and now, he is here. Elvira was becoming confused.

Carissa immediately rushed to Alex and asked, "Why are you here?"

He rose from his chair, took in a deep breath and said, "I have agreed to do the DNA test"

They were all left flabbergasted.

"Wh-what... What did you say?" Elvira asked almost crying.

"I said I want to have another DNA test done today"

Elvira began to cry helplessly. Well, those tears were tears of joy. She did not know how to react to what he has just said now.

She will finally prove to him that he is her son.

Carissa blurted, "Why are you just agreeing now? You chased us out of your house the other time and now you are here" Carissa was happy, but pretended as if she was angry.

Lola belen pushed Carissa to the other side gently and walked towards Alex. "Don't mind my granddaughter. She talkes without thinking most of the time" she chuckled and stole a glance at Carissa.

Carissa's face turned red in anger, but she knew her grandma was only joking.

"Thank you so much for finally giving us a chance to prove it to you that you are related to us" Mrs belen said as she cried tears of joy. She held in his hand Alex's face.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go to the hospital before he changes his mind" Carissa said.

"Before we leave, let's agree on the hospital we should go to" Mrs belen said.

Everybody's gaze fell on Alex. That question was for him. He looked at them helplessly for few seconds before answering, "St. Clare's Medical Center"

They all left the house immediately without waiting for one second. They were afraid that Alex might change his mind.

At St. Clare's Medical Center.

Elvira's and Alex's blood were taken for the DNA test. It took five hours before the test result was out. A doctor came out and gave the report sheet to Elvira. Elvira collected it and gave it to Alex to open it.

Alex unfolded the paper. He studied the paper and to his surprise, it was POSITIVE.

He raised his head to look at their faces and tears rolled down his eyes. His hand were shivering and the paper dropped from his hand. He sat down on the chair and dipped his fingers in his hair.

He thought, 'Why can't I remember them? Are they telling the truth? Are they really my family?'

Elvira sat down beside him and patted his back gently, "You must be wondering why you can't remember us. Right?"

Alex turned his head to look at his mother, Elvira. "I want to remember. Help me remember"

Elvira nodded. "We will help you remember, my son"

Alex did not want to argue anymore with them. He has seen the first DNA test result and it was positive and the second one is positive too.

He really wants to remember his family.

Elvira took him to Novaliches at their old house. His gaze swept around the street, but he could not remember living in this street before.

Elvira turned the knob of the door and it opened. The house was not different from before. The furniture were covered with white cloth.

After the accident happened, Elvira has never visited the house. All her memories; the good and the bad ones were in the house. She looked around the living room and her mind flashed to those times when they were still living in the house. She remembered Carissa running around the living room with her doll and Leonel playing with his father.

She turned to face the dining room and those memories they shared were coming back. The way they ate on the dinning table, their laughter, their prayers and Nicolas cooking in the kitchen and calling them out to eat breakfast.

She smiled and at the same time she was crying.

Carissa could not remember much, but she remembered her father and how he told them stories when they were young.

Elvira walked to her room, opening the door slowly. She could here Nicolas' voice calling out Leonel's name. She heard Leonel laughing happily at his father's joke. She closed her eyes and shook her head and immediately shut the door.

She moved to Leonel's room, opened the door and walked inside. The room has not changed a bit. It was only dusty because no one has been coming to clean the house. She reached out her hand down and touched Leonel's bed gently. She could see Leonel as a young boy sleeping on the bed with Nicolas patting his back gently.

"Ma'am Elvira"

Alex's voice her thought and brought her back to present.

She turned to look at him with a smile on her face. "Leonel this is your room" she said and burst into tears.

Alex looked around the room and his mind flashed back to him as a young boy. He was playing with his toy in the room. He could remember his mother dressing for him and after she wore his school back for him.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his head. He was feeling headache. He held his head with his hand and lowered his head.

"Are you okay?" Elvira rushed to him when she saw his paled face.

He raised his head slowly and nodded.

Elvira walked towards the closet. She opened it and brought out a photo. She blew the dust on it away and patted it gently. It was a photo of Leonel when he was a young boy. He was smiling in the photo. He wore a blue shirt and a blue jean with a black sneakers in the photo.

"Leonel this is you" she turned the photo to face him. "That was when you were seven years old. You were so cute then" she gave him the photo.

He reached out his hand and collected the photo from her. He lowered his head and looked at the photo.

He could not remember that time, but he knew with the way he was smiling in the photo, he was truly happy.

***

In the living room, Carissa took the photo that was placed upside down from the table. It was a photo of her father, Nicolas. She placed her hand on the photo and rubbed it gently.

"Tay, we have missed you so much" tears welled up in her eyes and ran down her white cheeks as she kissed the photo.

Elvira showed Alex around the house. His memories were coming back little by little to him. She showed him so many photos of herself, him, Nicolas and Carissa. She also told him stories of his past and how his father died and how she lost him too.

As he listened to her stories, his memories began coming back to him.

As he was trying to remember, he felt his head hurt again. He placed his hand on his head telling himself to calm down, but it was too late. He staggered back, and lost his balance. He fell on the chair.

Dazed, but still conscious.

Elvira rushed to the kitchen to get him water. She came back with a full glass cup of water and handed it over to him. He reached out his hand to collect the water, but his hands were trembling. He felt dizzy and lost consciousness.