My Heart Be With You (Nayon Series 3)

Kabanata 11

Kabanata 11
Panatag

Mainit ang naging pagtatapos ng bakasyon. The summer was so hot that I could almost feel myself burning underneath the scorching sun. Tumakas ang isang butil ng pawis sa noo ko. I was about to wipe it when Levin did it for me.

Natigilan ako. May kaonting gulat sa mukhang napatitig sa kanya. He smiled and looked away.

Pagkatapos ng debut ko, naging ganyan na siya. He is extra sweet and clingy now. Naging mas malapit din sa akin sa hindi ko malamang rason. For the latter days of summer, he was almost living in our house. Ayos lang naman sa akin at kay Ate Arietta dahil nasa bahay na rin naman madalas si Kuya Lance.

Narinig ko sa usapan nila kagabi na baka ayain na ni Kuya si Ate ng kasal. They are already in the marriageable age. Both of them. But the sudden news got me really wondering that this might be related to Tita Aresa's statement that night. Na umpisa na ng ika-anim na henerasyon. At na si Ate ay pwede na.

"Handa na ako, Mama. Si Lance... baka hindi pa. Please don't pressure him. I love him and he loves me, too. Walang kailangan na imadali."

Hindi ako sumabat. Nakinig lang ako sa usapan nila isang araw nang bumisita kami sa Palmes. After my birthday, Mama brought us back to our home. She didn't mind Leo's threat since we were coming back together with the other Lorenzana.

"I don't want it in rush, too, Arietta. Pero itong si Aresa ay parang mahihibang kapag hindi ito nangyari ngayong taon."

Ate Arietta looks problematic. "Ayaw ko na naiipit si Lance sa tradisyong ito. My man is out of this so let him be. Ma, hayaan na lang natin siya kung kailan niya gusto."

"Of course, ija. I will discuss this with Clesti. Hindi pa naman siguro siya nahahanapan ng mapapangasawa ng Tita Selovi mo. Let's just hope that she's not rushing marriage, too."

"We can delay it for at least three years. Hanggang sa college na si Ariadne. Third year?"

Clesti Lorenzana Sandonira. My Tita Selovi's daughter. The first born of the fifth generation. Does that mean... Ate Arietta is the next in line? Sunod ay si Haliya... at ako ang huli?

Lorenzanas fifth generation are all girls. Apat na babaeng hinahanapan ng mapapangasawa ng nasa ikaapat na henerasyon. A bearer of the surname. It should be passed on.

Lahat kami babae. Clesti is a Sandonira. Her children are excluding the Lorenzana name so she isn't expected to bear an heir or heiress for the family. Si Ate Arietta, si Haliya, at ako na lang ang maaasahan sa bagay na 'yan. But since we are all girls that are expected to follow the husband's surname when married... how are we supposed to have an heir?

"This is so wrong. The generational curse has been clinging in our lineage from the third generation, Mama! Kay Lola, sa'yo... pati ba naman sa amin ni Airadne?"

Alam ko ang pinanggagalingan ng galit ni Ate. Lorenzana's generational curse. It is having more daughters than sons in the family. Halos lahat ng miyembro ng angkan ay babae. At kung may lalaki man, karamihan ay nasa ikalawa at ikatlong henerasyon. Hindi na nasundan sa pang-apat at panlima.

The patriarch of this family is so upset about this. He was devastated that his desperation led us to this generational curse up until now. I know this is so wrong but men in this clan are allowed to have other woman to be their concubine. Baka sakaling mabigyan ng anak na lalaki para ipagpatuloy ang pangalang nasimulan. Someone that inherits the dignity and honor of this family.

At kahit isa man lang sa mga babae sa bawat henerasyon ay mananatiling Lorenzana. Of course we are allowed to get married. The country has upholded the law of giving the right to the woman to may or may not have the surname of her husband. It was the power. The only way the head of the clan found to at least give justice to our family.