Three

Miggy's POV

When I stepped out of the cab, I spotted Carla, mommy's helper, who was definitely waiting for me but was distracted by her smartphone. Her eyes are swollen, as I can see.

 "Maybe mommy scolded her again. Tsk, tsk, tsk, I really feel sorry for her."

How many times has this occurred? Carla is the one who gets chastised when there are things Carla can't accomplish right away or when there is tragedy in others. So, I once asked Carla why she puts up with mother even though she scolds her when it's not her fault. 'Mom is kind,' she said. 'There is just one chance to miss out on such an opportunity,' she explained. It will exacerbate the tension, especially if mommy is under pressure at work.

"Carla!" I spoke out right away to gain her attention.

"Sir Miggy, it's good to know you're here," she began, but I knew something was off since she appeared to see a ghost when she saw me. I could sense the tension, and she appeared perplexed.

"What's the problem?" What happened to Mommy? How is Daddy doing?" I proceeded to ask a number of inquiries. She swallowed hard and then returned to the person on the phone, whoever it was she was speaking with, stating she would call later and then hang up.

"Come on," she said simply, and she went up to me. So, I'm even more astonished because Carla isn't like this very frequently when I see her. It's typical for her to talk to me and tell me about mommy's work or where they came from. If I recall correctly, she's been mommy's personal assistant for more than a decade. Despite her chubbiness, she moves quickly and can multitask. When she is at work, she also resembles Meynard. She has memorized everything mommy needs every day, including food, vitamins, clothing, and job, among other things. I used to enviously watch her spend more time with her mother than I did.

"Wait, Carla, where are we going? Why did you bring me here?" I was wondering since the corridor we were walking in was quite peaceful and there were no rooms for the patients, so I continued thinking.

"Because your mom is there," she explained, pointing to the front, which had the word "Morgue" written on the upper portion of it.

My legs suddenly grew mushy, so I got down on my knees. It felt as if I couldn't walk anymore, as if I'd been immobilized by the word, I'd read that it appeared to convey a curse. My entire body became cold, and I had no idea why fear and terror engulfed me. My chest was also beating, and my throat became dry once again. I'm at a loss on what to do. It's difficult for me to stay where I am. My feet feel squishy and wobbly.

Carla looked at me when she saw no one was following her. As a result, she saw how difficult it was for me to breathe due to the hammering in my chest and the dryness in my throat.

"I'm sorry, sir. We also don't know the entire story. We just got a call from Sir G's office because some staff caught him collapsed on the elevator floor holding his chest. Those who spotted him instantly assisted him as they rushed him to the hospital this afternoon. However, the doctor purportedly declared your father dead-on arrival. This was also where the nurse who had helped us earlier led us," Carla said, sobbing. But my focus was elsewhere since everything in my head had returned to what daddy and I had responded to that afternoon. 

FLASHBACK:

 "When is this dad? How could you do this to us?" The words came out of my mouth after a few minutes in my stupor.

"That's why I invited you to come here. We need to talk about this matter," he explains.

"Dad?" the word I only uttered while seeing my father walking towards me.

"Miggy, I didn't intend to hurt your mom and you. I admit it was a big mistake, a night of mistake that I have never repeated and I have no intention of repeating," I could feel his voice full of remorse, but I could not accept what he said.

I totally thought mommy and him were fine in their relationship and our family. But I was a fool because it never crossed my mind. I have a lot of respect for him and I will admit that he is my idol in everything.

"B-But why? B-Why dad? B-Why is there such a thing? W-What happened?" I asked a series of questions. I feel like, little by little, the confusion I used to have been being replaced by the anger that is now building up in me.

"It was two years after you were born, when we were very busy because we had an entry to the Manila Film Festival. Your mom and I were both preoccupied with our own respective errands. We rarely see each other because your mother spends the majority of her time on location shooting. While I was busy doing my own thing here in Manila as a producer of the film. One night, I attended a meeting together with my co-producers that was hosted by the MFF committee. After that, some of my colleagues invited us to have some drinks in the bar, though we already had some shots during the gathering. I didn't notice that I had drank so much wine that time. While we were busy drinking and talking at our table, a bunch of people approached us to say hi, and some introduced themselves knowing that we're from the entertainment industry. That's when I met her, Teresa. She and her co-models had their after-party celebration for the success of their show that night. We had a casual conversation while she sat beside me that time, until we were tempted and swallowed by the worldly activity. It was just one night and we didn't get to see each other after that. I mean, I have no plans to see her again. I actually learned to forget her," he started confessing the mess that he had made in the past.

"Months later, I didn't expect that I would receive a simple birthday greeting card, that was a day after my birthday containing the aftermath of that one night that we had. I admit that it didn't come to my mind that one night would bring an offspring. One mistake that would possibly ruin the family I built together with your mother for years. I know I made such a huge mistake and I can't turn back the time to undo what I did. And I know it was unforgivable, but I am still taking my chance now to ask for forgiveness. I asked you to be here so I could tell you everything and my plan that I'd like to look for my daughter but not to leave you and your mom. But I just would like to do the right thing that long before I should've done, to take responsibility for the one that came to life because of me. I am already old, and I only have a limited time in this world, so I must continue with my obligations and responsibilities as a father. I don't have the ability or the power to go back in the past to correct all the wrongful acts I committed, but I know that it's not too late to do good things and have a better decision either," I could feel and see through his eyes that he was full of regret and pain for what he did.

"Why? Are we not enough for you? You fooled us, mommy! I have high respect for you and you know I idolize you in many things, so I can't accept that these things happened!" I shout at him.

"I am already happy and content to have you in my life," he said while sobbing.

"I swear, since that morning when I woke in bed beside that woman, I truly regret everything I've done. That's why I easily took her out of my mind because I don't want that to happen again," he added.

"You should! Even so, I can't forgive you for betraying me and my mom, to our family dad! You were such a jerk for doing that! You deceived us by letting us believe that you were an almost perfect head of the family, an ideal husband and a father! But the truth is you're not since you're a big liar! You were a selfish dad! You didn't think thoroughly that what you did would wreck us, your family! That one-night mistake will lead to the breaking of our trust in you!" I bawled at him.

THE END OF FLASHBACK

How many times did that notion replay in my mind? My thoughts were at a loss as to what I should do. The incidents happened one after the other. I didn't anticipate all of this to happen in a sequence, like a wave in the water, one after the other. Despite the fact that I had not yet risen from my crutches, we had a series of waves that hit me again, owing to the tremendous battering I had suffered on the beach.

"I do not know. No matter how much I regret what I said to Daddy before, I can't take it back and I can't take his life back. I didn't know that it was the last conversation we had that didn't turn out well. What's worse, I said the hurtful words. What would Mommy say when she found out about what happened earlier? Will he be angry with me? Can he still be angry with daddy even though my father is already in the morgue dead because he is already a cold corpse?"

I was in such a state when I felt arms softly wrapping around me. Even with my eyes closed, I can sense and recognize the owner of those arms. I can't be mistaken since I know mommy so well. I sobbed as well as I heard Mommy's loud sob.

"Your daddy is gone! He has left us, son!" I can sense my mother's grief in those words. I know she misses my father so badly because she loves him so much.

I couldn't say anything. I was hesitant to talk because I hated myself for what I had said earlier to my father. I had no idea this would be the result of what happened to me and my dad earlier. I can't believe that was our final discussion. I won't be able to speak to him again. Gone. There is still no possibility.

My mother continued to cry on my shoulder, and I continued to cry on hers, and we were the only ones left. My father has passed away. In Mandaluyong, I can no longer play golf with him. We are no longer satisfied with the significant events in my mother's and our family's lives. I'm not sure how long Mom and I hugged as we staggered into the chilly hospital corridor near the morgue door, where Daddy's frozen corpse sat.

"Ma'am, the Heritage Park personnel are here, and they want you to talk," Carla said to Mama as we hugged. Mommy hesitantly let go and looked up at Carla before returning her gaze to me. Carla assisted her in standing, and then they assisted me in standing as well.

I noticed Meynard was approaching us. With the entrance of the others, I didn't even know he was here, while my mother contacted the Heritage Park employees to prepare daddy's remains.

"Sir, I'm leaving first since I need to go with Ma'am to look at Sir G's things, but we'll follow you to Heritage Park right away when we finish," Carla informed Meynard and me.

Mommy hugged me once again before Meynard and I eventually departed while we waited for the mortuary employees to go.

We're inside in my car right now, and he's driving for us. We were both silent, and no one appeared to want to talk to us initially. I also don't know what to say to him, despite the fact that he is the only person who is aware of the previous event involving daddy and me, with the exception of daddy's secretary, who I know heard our disagreement earlier inside daddy's office. I also don't have the strength to say hello to the woman I hit earlier or even Meynard's conversation with the daughter. I felt very tired but I was not sleepy even though we had been stuck and endured the heavy traffic from the hospital to Heritage Park.

As we followed daddy's remains carried by the vehicle with the Heritage Park personnel, all I could do was sigh. I'm still perplexed by the circumstances. It's difficult to believe and much more difficult to accept that this is what happened in our family. When the three of us were still having fun, I could see and feel mommy and daddy's affection. Is this why it's so difficult for me to find a girlfriend? Because I aspire to have a long-term relationship like my parents'.

I was deep in thought when I heard the news on the radio on our way. The reporter revealed that my father, who was a well-known film producer, had passed away. He was also the wife of a senior filmmaker whose pictures were well-received at the box office. Mommy admires them both because, in addition to being outstanding at their jobs, they also raised me well as parents.

Daddy frequently produces Mommy's films, but he also produces other films when he believes the quality of the narrative is high and the film will be popular at the box office. When it comes to the Manila Film Festival, however, she solely produces my mother's films. Many people prefer it when daddy is the producer because he does not save money as long as it is relevant and necessary in the movie scene. Because, in his opinion, one of the cornerstones of a good film featuring outstanding performers is the utilization of actors and the whole filming.

Because I don't want to go inside, we're currently hanging around outside the Heritage Park office. I preferred to wait for mommy outside since it was windy, and my breathing got a little easier, unlike in the hospital, where I could scarcely breathe. Meynard opted to take me since my cell phone sounded stable, and he answered all of my calls and text messages for me. He also posted about daddy's death on my social media profiles. While I was perplexed, he was preoccupied with what he was doing.

Our relatives and close family friends, as well as their industry colleagues, arrived one by one. Uncle Manuel, daddy's brother, was also present. He is the older brother of my father. I wasn't sure if one of their siblings could come home because he's living with his family in the U.S. I'm sure Uncle Manuel informed him or Meynard, perhaps? I don't know. I'm not sure who phoned, and I'm no longer interested in knowing.

"Miggy," uncle Manuel said as he approached me. We hugged right away, but I didn't say anything to him. I'm confident enough that he understands me despite being silent.

"Be strong, son; I know this is unexpected, but you must be strong for your mother; no one anticipated this to happen to your father, to my younger brother, but there is nothing we can do but accept the awful truth," uncle murmured quietly to me. Uncle was clearly sobbing when he said those words, and I could tell by the tone of his voice. So, I sobbed even more, knowing that, unlike my uncle, I would never be able to hug my father again.

I'm not sure how long we were in each other's arms. My uncle knew how close my father and I were, so the sequence of events was tough for me to understand.

While I was still weeping, I could feel my uncle Manuel softly caressing my back. Someone had touched me on the shoulder, I realized. I ran into aunt Beth, uncle Manuel's wife. I've moved on from my uncle's hug to Aunt Beth's embrace. We can't stop weeping. I don't care if many people see us in this condition. I also don't mind the cameras since a lot of renowned people rush to sympathize with our family when they learn what happened to my father.

They hugged me and helped me meet my parents' and our family's progressively developing friends and acquaintances following my emotional experience with my aunt and uncle. In addition to people from other nations, several of our relatives have arrived.

Meanwhile, my uncle tenderly told me, "Rest first, son; we'll be here with your mother in the meantime."

"I'm fine, uncle," I said as people continued coming.

Some of my high school and college friends, as well as our corporate colleagues, arrived. One of my officemates told me that the owner of the firm where Meynard and I work has expressed his sorrow and stated that he would be able to come another day.

I was talking to an old college classmate who had also become my classmate when I felt a light touch on the back. When I turned around, I realized that Uncle Rick was daddy's greatest buddy.

"I'm sorry for your loss, son," he said as I turned to face him while he held me. As I grew older, I noticed he was always near Daddy.

As we hugged, it occurred to me that he is the one with whom I can discuss this subject matter regarding my dad's confession to me this afternoon. Daddy most likely informed him about it a few years ago.

The only thing that came out of my mouth was, "Uncle," because my mind was preoccupied with the last talk my father and I had. I let go of the hug first and then I looked directly into his eyes.

"Thank you for coming, but I would appreciate it even more if you could answer some of the questions that have been bothering me. I knew you and your daddy were close when he was still alive, so I witnessed your long friendship, so you probably know something about these things," I said at length, making sure I spoke softly so no one else could hear us. After a few seconds, I stared at him silently.

Uncle Rick scowled when he heard those comments from me.

"About what, son?" he was perplexed.

I moved Uncle Rick away from the crowd to ensure that no one else could hear what we were talking about. However, it is not too far away, only a few meters away from a large group of people conversing.

"Is this so important and serious that we still need to get away from the crowd?" he continued asking, but I didn't respond.

"Uncle, tell me the truth about Daddy's one-night fling a few years ago and about that woman's child."

Uncle Rick's expression was filled with surprise. But I have a strong suspicion that he was knowledgeable of the occurrence.