The Words

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

The Legardas

 

May 8, 2010. Saturday. Carlos came to Gonzalo Mansion in the afternoon. Don Alvaro decided that they would visit Conrado’s wake in the evening. 

In the evening, they arrived at Nazarene Funeral Chapel. Nazarene Funeral Services was the one hired for all the details of Conrado’s funeral. 

Carlota was there. Junie, Conrado’s junior and eldest son by Carlota was with Nina, his wife, and Charity, their daughter. Caroline, Conrado’s only daughter, was also there. 

Junie and Nina welcomed their arrival. Junie was civil to Carlos. He even escorted his mother and his sister, who were about to make a scene, to a private room provided by Nazarene Funeral Services for the grieving family members’ use to give Carlos time to pay his respects to their father. 

“Mom, Caroline, please try to be civil even for once,” Junie told his mother and his sister when they were already in the private room. He left Nina to attend to the visitors.

Carlota asked, “Why are you letting this happen, Junie?” 

Junie answered, “This is for Papa’s sake, Mama. It was his dying wish for me to allow this. Tito Alvaro also told me that after this visit Carlos would just come again during the interment. So, please try to be civil.” 

Caroline asked, “Are you on his side now, kuya?” 

Junie replied, “I’m in no one’s side. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do. Carlos is still Papa’s son. Whether we like it or not is not the point. So, I don’t want you making any scene if you still have respect and love for Papa, Caroline.” 

Carlota agreed, “Okay, fine! But I don’t want to see him so I would just stay here. I’ll just go out when they already leave.” 

Caroline said, “I’ll stay with Mama.” 

Junie came out but he didn’t say any word to Carlos. He talked to his father’s best friend, his mother’s cousin and Margarita but not to Carlos. 

He might not hate Carlos the way his mother and sister did but he also didn’t want to talk to him. 

Carlos just stayed for an hour. He noticed that so many visitors at the wake were already whispering about him. 

He left with the Gonzalos. 

On their way back to Gonzalo Mansion, they were riding Carlos’ expensive SUV which was being driven by his newly-hired driver/bodyguard, Rogel. They also rode in the SUV on their way to the funeral chapel a few hours ago. 

“You can stay with us for the mean time,” Don Alvaro told Carlos. 

“We’ll just drop you off back to the mansion then we’ll go back to Vienburg, ninong. Avoiding the local press ,I think, is the best way to lessen the commotion that I had made by visiting. I’ll just be back for the interment,” Carlos said. 

Doña Eleanor said, “Junie told me that the interment will be this coming Wednesday. Conrado didn’t want a long bereavement period.”

Carlos replied, “I’ll be back by then, ninang.”  

Don Alvaro said, “Don’t worry much about the press, hijo. Conrado had always been open regarding your existence. If you want to visit Conrado’s wake every day, it’s your right. If you want to stay there, there’s nothing wrong about it.”