The Words

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Margarita Gonzalo

 

A large bouquet of white roses had just been delivered from a flower shop when Margarita returned back to the mansion. White roses were her favorite. She smelled them. 

The roses were from Carlos. It came with a note. 

Margarita,

 I’m really looking forward to see you again. I wish we can talk more just the old times.

 Take care.

 Carlos

Then her mobile phone rang. It was a call from Nina. She wondered why because they just talked before she left the hospital. 

“Yes, Nina,” she answered. 

Nina said, “Papa Conrado just died. Please inform Tito Alvaro.” 

“Okay,” she said then asked, “Did you already call Carlos?” 

“Yeah, I did. He gave me his business card when he visited this morning. I already told him,” Nina answered. 

“Okay. Stay strong for Junie,” she told her best friend. 

Nina replied, “Yes. I need to make more phone calls. Bye.” 

Margarita Gonzalo was born on April 18, 1982. She was the only daughter of Alvaro Gonzalo with his first wife, Margaret Ryle. 

Her mother was a daughter of a British Ambassador to Filipinas. Her parents met through the Legardas. Don Conrado’s father was then the Governor of Quisia and the British Ambassador along with his wife and his daughter came as guests of the Legardas. They stayed at the Legarda Mansion and were also honored through a Thanksgiving Party.  

Alvaro attended the party being Conrado’s best friend and being from a wealthy and known family in Quisia as well. He came with his parents. 

It was a mutual love at first sight between her parents. Her father even went to London to court her mother. After a year they got married. Her mother just then finished medical school and passed the board of medicine. Her mother wasn’t able to practice her medical profession. She just engaged herself in various civic activities. She wasn’t born right away. Her parents were already five years married when she was born. 

Her mother died on a plane crash when she was just seven years old. Carlos’ mother took care of her until her father remarried to Dona Eleanor Sy, first cousin of Dona Carlota. 

His father remarried when she was eleven. She then just finished her elementary education in an exclusive Catholic school for girls as valedictorian. Afterwards, she was invited by her grandparents by her mother to spend a vacation at London. 

She decided then to stay with her grandparents and continue her studies there. Her father agreed provided that she would spend school breaks back in Quisia. 

After finishing secondary school with sixth form, she was admitted to a prestigious medical school in London where she earned her medical degree in five years. 

She went back for good in Filipinas and took her pediatrics residency in Filipinas General Hospital. 

After passing her board in pediatrics, she joined the pediatric section of Olymvas Doctors’ Hospital. 

Her relationship with her father’s second wife was good. They weren’t able to give her a sister or a brother because they got married by their forties already. Dona Eleanor treated her like a real daughter and she also treated her like a real mother. When she returned from London, they both became busy with church activities.