CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Reconciliation
Days and months passed. When they found out about the sexes of their babies, Carlos and Margarita busied themselves setting up the nursery.
They would have a boy and a girl. Carlos had already thought of names – Carl Alesandro for the boy and Aimee Margaret for the girl.
They also attended the wedding of Bob and Rhena in November and gave then a honeymoon trip to Venice.
Bob and Rhena moved into their own house in Olymvas Highlands, an exclusive village where Rhena’s parents also lived, after their honeymoon.
They spent Christmas and New Year at their home. They were firsts so they wanted to have it in Puerto de Amparo.
January 1, 2012, Sunday morning. The entire province was so excited for the marriage between the two most powerful political clans in Quisia – the wedding between Marlon Romera and Caroline Legarda.
But all the glamour had turned into a disaster when unknown armed men showered the newlyweds, along with relatives, friends and well wishers, with bullets.
Marlon, Caroline and Doña Carlota had been dead on arrival at Olymvas Doctors’ Hospital. Junie and Marlon’s mother had been heavily wounded with gun bullets.
Carlos and Margarita rushed to the hospital as soon as they found out about the horrible incident.
Nina was so relieved to see them. She hadn’t been allowed to be in the operating room with Junie.
Junie was being attended by several surgeons. When a surgical resident came out, he said, “He needs blood transfusion. We don’t have much blood on the blood bank that is compatible to his. We need a healthy donor.”
Nina looked at Carlos and Margarita. “Junie is AB–.”
Carlos said, “I am AB– as well. I’m very much ready for the transfusion. Get as many as you can. Just save my brother.”
Nina hugged Carlos. She was so thankful.
Carlos looked at Margarita. They communicated through their eyes without saying any word.
Carlos followed the doctor. After a few tests, his blood was indeed compatible that of Junie. An emergency transfusion had been done.
On the other hand, Margarita led Nina and Chari to the hospital’s cafeteria.
Later on, Junie had been transferred to a private room. The operation and the blood transfusion both went well.
Carlos had to attend to the matters regarding the dead bodies of Doña Carlota and Caroline. Funeral services must be arranged. Nina, who refused to leave Junie’s side, was in no way capable of doing it.
Margarita brought Chari home to Puerto de Amparo. She also phoned the maids at Legarda Mansion to bring a change of clothes for Nina at the hospital and for Chari at the Quinta La Amparo.
That evening when Carlos got home, they talked in their bedroom.
“How’s Chari,” he asked kissing her. He was already on his boxers.
“She’s in the guest room. She fell asleep early,” she said. “Who are with Tita Carlota and Caroline?”
He replied, “Bob, Rhena and her parents are there. We’ll come tomorrow.”
There was a knock by their door. The door was locked so Carlos went up to open it. He returned carrying Chari in his arms. He put the kid to bed in between them.
Then he asked the little girl thoughtfully, “Are you still scared, now?”
Chari answered, “Not anymore. But I miss Papa and Mama.”
Carlos and Margarita both hugged Chari and kissed each side of her temple.
Carlos assured Chari, “Papa is still in the hospital and Mama is with Papa. Papa needs to stay in the hospital for a while. For the mean time, you’ll stay with ninong and ninang. We’ll be your Papa and Mama for the mean time. Is that okay with you?”
Chari hugged Carlos and kissed his cheek, “Yes, ninong.”
Margarita voiced out lightly, “What about ninang?”
Chari turned then hugged and kissed her too.
Chari then asked naively, “Ninong, why are you not visiting us at the mansion? Why are Lola Carlota and Tita Caroline angry with you?”
Carlos looked at Margarita’s eyes before he answered his niece, “We adults have problems that a kid like you wouldn’t understand yet, Chari. You’ll learn about them when you grow older.”
Chari then asked, “Will Papa be just fine?”
Margarita assured her god daughter, “Your Papa is fine now, baby. He just needs more rest at the hospital.”
Carlos then changed the topic to cheer up Chari. “I haven’t given you any present for so long. I’m your uncle too. So what do you want? Ninong will give you six years of presents.”
Chari’s face lighted up, “I just want dolls, ninong. Ninang doesn’t forget to buy one for me whenever she travels. I also like stuffed animals.”
Carlos then promised Chari, “When your Papa is out of hospital already, then we’ll go to the biggest store of Barbie Dolls in Shanghai. Ninong will buy everything you want.”
Chari replied happily, “Okay, but I still need to attend school, ninong.”
Carlos told the little girl, “We’ll go to Shanghai then on weekends.”
Chari then looked at Margarita and asked, “Ninang, will Papa and Mama and come with us?”
Margarita affirmed, “Yes, baby.”
Governor Romera had acted immediately for the investigation while going about his son’s funeral and his wife’s recovery.
The wake lasted for a week. The interment of Doña Carlota, Caroline and Marlon had been scheduled on the same date and time. The Romera Mausoleum and Legarda Mausoleum were just next to each other.
Junie and Mrs. Romera, both on wheelchairs, had been able to attend the interment.
The suspects had been arrested a day after the incident and the mastermind had been known thereafter. Marlon’s ex-girlfriend was behind the shooting incident. Cases had already been filed on them.
After the interment, Junie had thanked Carlos. They had hugged each other as real brothers and everyone who witnessed such just cried from so much happiness.
They all had a weekend trip to Shanghai the following weekend – Carlos, Margarita, Junie, Nina and Chari. Aboard Carlos’ private jet, they left Olymvas Friday afternoon.
After almost three hours, they checked in The Peninsula Shanghai. They stayed in a two-bedroom Peninsula Suite.
Chari slept with Carlos and Margarita. Carlos and Margarita insisted on it so as to give Junie and Nina more privacy. Margarita’s tummy was already seven months. Her tummy was really big making Carlos became extremely careful whenever they made love. The sex wasn’t as often as before but she was very much secured that Carlos wasn’t finding warmth in other’s bed.
Carlos had come to be very close to Chari. In Shanghai, they went to the biggest store of Barbie Dolls and bought everything Chari wanted. Carlos also bought lots of other toys for Chari as well as for their babies.
Nina jokingly reprimanded Carlos, “Don’t spoil our daughter, Carlos. We won’t be able to give her that much if she asked for more in the future.”
Carlos happily disagreed, “Then just send her to me, Nina. I’ll do all the spoiling.”
Junie sided with his wife, “Carlos, I’m no billionaire. We also don’t want Chari to grow up as a spoiled brat.”
Margarita sided with Carlos, “She will be spoiled but she will definitely not be a brat. Anyway, this is just Carlos’ way of giving all the presents he wasn’t able to give Chari for the last six years. So let’s just give this uncle-niece tandem some fun. Right, Chari?”
Chari affirmed, “Yes, ninang.”
February 14, 2012. The Legardas and the Gonzalos celebrated it on the man-made lagoon at the Perez Farm.
Junie was so amazed upon seeing the very much technologically advanced farm of his brother. Also just like Carlos, he had found peace just looking at the man-made lagoon with Nina and Chari.
Junie sighed, “I hope I can also do the same thing for Rancho Legarda.”
Carlos at once said, “No problem with that, Junie. Make plans with Kenji and then we’ll have the improvements right away.”
Junie informed him, “I cannot afford it at this point in time. I’ll just make plans when I can already afford it.”
Carlos knew Junie might not accept his help so, “Carry out the improvements right away. I’ll loan you the money. Just pay for it in your own terms but definitely without interest.”
Junie agreed, “It seems you wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I’ll accept the loan and I’ll definitely pay for it.”
Carlos was just nine months older than Junie. They called each other by their first names.
Don Alvaro and Doña Eleanor who were observing them from afar talked about them.
“I’m sure Conrado, wherever he is, is very happy that his two sons had finally gotten along,” Don Alvaro commented.
“I knew this would come! I’m just so glad for all of them,” Doña Eleanor overwhelmingly agreed.
“Junie never really hated Carlos. Junie understood his father very well. He never had any resentment towards Carlos because Conrado tried very hard to be a good husband to Carlota and a good father to him and Caroline,” Don Alvaro shared.
Towards the end of February, Willard and Angeline got married. Margarita was the maid of honor again while Carlos was the best man. They gave them a honeymoon trip as well to Bahamas.
Margarita still looked very pretty and sexy even with her bulging tummy. Whenever she would feel low due to hormones, Carlos would always reassure her that she was the sexiest pregnant mommy in the whole world. He hadn’t said the magic words yet but she didn’t care much about it anymore because Carlos had always made her feel special, adored and very-well taken care of. But of course, she still wanted him say those words.
She was also aware that Ericka was still around eyeing an opportunity to break them apart. But Ericka couldn’t possibly find even a tiniest chance.
Ericka couldn’t find a chance by which Carlos was alone. He was always surrounded by people. On Carlos’ business trips abroad, Margarita was always with him. On Carlos business trips within Filipinas, he had always seen to it that he was to be home at the end of the day to be with his wife. Ericka felt she needed to change her tactic if she really wanted Carlos and Margarita apart.