One Summer with the Sinner (Monteverde Series 5)

24

Chapter Twenty-Four

ALEXIANA CALLISTO

I've never seen Vane this raw, this broken... this vulnerable. It's as if someone cut his chest open and left him to bleed. That's what it feels like to look in his eyes and see nothing but pain and grief that seems to have no end. It's almost like the gloom I've witnessed from my dad when we lost Grandma, but Vane's despair seems to stretch far beyond.

When he picked me up earlier and told me that he wanted me to meet someone, I thought he was referring to some of his friends that I haven't been formally introduced to. But the farther we drove away from the city, and the sadder and more silent he became, it started to dawn on me.

When I saw the properly maintained and polished headstone that had his father's name on it, I immediately felt like this moment is far too personal for me to witness. But I walked alongside him, and held his hand, nonetheless.

He brought down the flowers we grabbed on the way. A cool breeze blew and made the petals rustle as he placed the bouquet on the damp grass, in front of the tombstone. I stared at the inscription that read Javier Blanco Clohessy. His father shares the same birthday with Nana Pacing. This year, when our entire family celebrates another year of Nana's life, I'll be sure to drop by Mr. Clohessy's grave so I can give him fresh flowers and a proper birthday greeting.

"Hello there, old man..." Vane's voice was low, cracked. I reached for his arm and gave him a light tender squeeze. He gave me a reassuring smile to say that it's going to be alright, before he asked me to plop down on the grass with him. The grass was damp because of drizzle, but I didn't mind. "Pa... This is Asheng. Asheng, I want you to meet my father."

"Good morning, Mr. Clohessy..." I greeted slowly. "It's nice to finally meet you, sir."

"If he were here," Vane's eyes crinkled around the corners. "He would say drop the formalities and that you can call him Tito."

"Thank you, Tito. I would love that."

"He would also say that you're very beautiful and polite."

Vane placed his hand on the cross engraved on the tombstone before he spoke to him. "You remember when I last dropped by, and I told you that... that I was getting married?" His lips curved upwards, but his smile lacked sincerity. "Well, that won't be happening anymore, Pa, because I called it off. Knowing you, you'd probably be ecstatic right now, telling me that I made the right choice, asking what took me so long to realize... because you always want the best for me. And you always have a way of knowing what's best for me, Pa. Always." He paused to look at me. "I'm... I'm sorry you have to see me like this..."

"No..." I placed my hand on his cheek and he put his hand on top of it and closed his eyes as if he was savoring the moment, as if my touch brought him a little sense of comfort. "You don't have to apologize because we're humans. We feel, we hurt, we get sad, we get broken. We are who we are because we feel the way we feel. I feel for you, Vane, and I feel with you, too."

He gave me a slow nod. I pulled my hand away to touch the cold headstone.

"Tito, I know you can hear me." I can feel Vane's stare and hear his heavy exhales. "I just want to let you know that you've raised your son exceptionally well and I hope you're very proud of the person he's come to be. I'm not sure if anybody told you this already, but... he's kind, and giving, and caring, and loving." I took a quick glance at Vane and noticed how glassy his eyes are now becoming. My heart swells with so many feelings unsaid. "And above all, Mr. Clohessy, sir, I want you to know that he has made the world a better place... just by being in it."