– PAST IS PAST –
"That's it," Emily sighed heavily the next morning. "I'm done. I'm going." She quickly grabbed her suitcase and opened her closet. Without further ado, Emily started to take all her clothes and personal items, shoving them straight to her bag without folding them. "James, book me the earliest flight back to Milan."
But Merkel and James just stood in front of Emily, watching her as she panicked inside her room. The two assistants were too astonished to move, quite surprised of her compulsiveness to leave so suddenly. "What!?" She viciously stared at James.
"Uh-oh, sige Senyora." Just when he was about to leave the room to arrange flights, Stanley fortunately came in.
"What on earth are you doing Emilia?" Emily turned her back away from her stylist and continued to fix her belongings. Stanley asked Merkel and James to leave and close the door of her room before he took a heavy breath and said, "You're leaving."
"Isn't it obvious?" Emily did not dare look at Stanley and decided to get her other suitcase. "I came for the sole purpose of visiting my son and my father. I have no intentions of seeing a man so clueless that I do not like him. And certainly, meeting the Montenegros are not part of my itinerary." She frustratingly explained.
"Well," Stanley sighed again. "Why not calm down for a second? And tell me what's happened?" Emily finally turned around.
Her eyes were almost in tears but she gulped, forcing herself not to cry. "It still hurts." Emily swallowed hard and looked away from Stanley. "I've forgiven them. Yet seeing them again brings back a lot of unforgivable memories that I can't forget." Stanley nodded as if he understood. He then stepped forward and took the piece of clothing she held to set aside.
"Look, I understand. I mean who wouldn't feel the same after all the things they have done to you? But you still have a fortnight to stay here. And again, as you said you came for the sole purpose of visiting your son and your father whom you never get the chance to visit for more than twenty years. Spend the rest of your stay away from Manila and just you know, relax. Don't respond to Henry if he's giving you too much pressure. And work wise, well, I guess that can always wait when you come back to Italy."
"Then what am I to do?" She croaked.
Even Stanley was almost surprised to see Emily this vulnerable. She was not normally this affected except when it came to her son and father, which of course, made a lot of sense. She spent more than half of her life grieving, never stepping a foot to her homeland to avoid the pain, the sorrow. The melancholy.
"You've been working so hard for years just to get away from poverty. Give yourself a break. Spend the rest of your fortnight to find a closure. Mourn as much as you can." Before she could even say a word, her friend already embraced her. Emily had no choice, though she did not shed a tear to hug Stanley back and whispered, "But my father is buried in Olivares. And so is my son, just a few towns away from that place."
"Deary, even though it's painful, you just have to face it, till you make it." Emily finally laughed and let go.
"But isn't it fake it till you make it?"
Stanley chuckled and straightened his blue suit. "Nope," he chuckled popping his letter 'p'. "Not this time. Now, call James and instruct him not to book a flight back to Italy. God, I hope he hasn't peed his pants!"
***
"So, Madam Margaret, Marco, how did the meeting go with Emilia Guidotti?" One of the board members asked during their board meeting. Marco was forced to look up and stare at his mother. "A report from our company secretary, Mr Tolentino, is not looking quite good."
"Right, I hope the meeting went well? I really like the idea Margaret. From our last meeting it seems like we're just one of the few lucky companies who had gotten the opportunity to coordinate with Emilia Guidotti's team."
Margaret Montenegro lifted his chin and with all her pride and ego finally said, "Unfortunately, Marco and I decided that the requested assistance from the National Wine Association in partnership with Guidotti Imports will not go ahead." His sharp tone echoed in the sepulchre-like board room. And within a second, almost all of the members gasped.
"What?" Mr Tolentino blurted out. "I hope you did not offend Emilia Guidotti Marco?" This made him gulped deeply. "We've been having board meetings almost every week which is completely unnecessary and rarely done not unless the company is having major issues, which of course is very evident. Alam naman natin na bagsak ngayon ang ekonomiya ng bansa. And no investors would just randomly seek for wines at this stage."
"Nagbawas na tayo ng ilang employees last year to save profit. Nagbawas din tayo ng production. And our sales are not as good as it was ten years ago. We've hired celebrities to promote our products, seek for professional advises from various experts and although it worked, it did not give us much than we're hoping and aiming to achieve." One of the board members followed. "Our famous Bignay Wine is no longer in demand and out of date. I get it, it's vintage but commoners can't afford it."
Marco opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the right words to explain himself. But he was cut off. "We're also running out of funds for marketing and because our sales are down, we've been laying off more employees. Wala na tayong mapatrabaho sa kanila." It was Mr Vargas, who was the marketing strategist said. "For short, we're running out of options. We've been trying lots of options as Mr Tolentino and Fernandez reported. We can't just sit here and watch the company fall apart. It's already crumbling Marco and Margaret. As if namang hindi kayo aware dito? We had our best chance to resolve the issue that we've been trying to fix for the last three years. but you're saying we're not going ahead?"
"Hindi ba't nakahalubilo nyo din si Emilia Guidotti a couple of days ago sa isang gala?" Mr Fernandez asked. "Hindi nyo man lang nagawan ng paraan na makausip muli si Emilia Guidotti? Do you guys really care about your own company? Because I do, naglaan ako ng malaking pera with the hope of having a successful business partnership."
"Hindi naman sa ganon Mr Fernandez." Marco started. "It's just that-"
"Did you even submit the proposals my team and I prepared for her team to look at?" Mr Tolentino suddenly uttered. Marco pressed his lips and could only gulp again. Margaret on the other hand, kept her head up high, still prideful and quite narcissistic, believing that they do not need a single help from anyone. "Also, I heard rumours around from the gala, is it true you have disrespected Emilia Guidotti that evening?"
All of the board members now looked at Marco and Margaret in utter shock and disbelief. "This is a huge disappointment from the two of you. At this stage you know I am more than willing to put my shares for sale." It was the time Margaret felt as if she had been stabbed, unable to believe that one of their partners were willing to leave her company. And yes, that was all because of Emily. This made the old lady even more furious.
"Mr Vargas, how can we trust a foreign company? This is a huge risk! And as if si Emilia Guidotti lang ang makakatulong saatin diba? I'm sure there will be a lot more people who would be more than willing and more than capable of providing us assistance." But Mr Vargas laughed. "Are you being delusional Margaret? Eh di sana we never had this problem if there are people or companies who would be willing to spend their damn time and money just for us." Margaret was left speechless, she had no choice but to clench her jaws. "And trusting a foreign company? We have nothing to lose. In fact, it's them who has something to lose from us if we didn't do well. We've taken risks to implement various strategies that clearly failed. At teka nga Margaret, isa ka sa mga tao na nagpropose nito bakit ngayon nagbaback-out ka?"
"We found out that Emilia Guidotti should not be trusted." Margaret finally said. "Hindi sya makakapagtiwalaan."
"Yet, multi-million companies trusted her? Yet, the National Wine Associated trusted her?" Mr Vargas was really growing frustrated. The board member heaved a heavy exhalation and suddenly stood up. "Please, whatever your reasons are, make it more believable Margaret and Marco. Montenegro Corporation is becoming more of a joke now to me, and I'm assuming this also applies to everyone else in this room." He looked around other board members and surely enough, though all of them were silent, they agreed. "I'm leaving."
Without even having the chance to explain himself, Marco was left in the room with his mother. The moment Mr Vargas left, without the board room meeting being adjourned, others eventually followed him with disappointed looks on their faces.
***
Following Stanley's advice, Emily checked in the one and only hotel in the town of Olivares. Despite the fear and anxiety that now rather surrounded her tainted heart, she decided to stay for about five days in order plan her wish to excavate her father and son's remain and be transferred to a more accessible and better burial site.
"Senyora." James opened the door of her hotel room. "Ayos lang po ba talaga kayong magisa?" Emily smiled timidly and let her assistant enter. The moment the doors closed, she nodded. "Oo naman. Lagi naman akong mag-isa James." She chuckled, finding it quite funny for someone to be concerned about her being alone. Because it was true, she'd spent most of her time alone rather than being with someone. "At nakakapagdrive naman ako. Ready na ba yung nirenta mong sasakyan?"
"Ah, Senyora asa baba na." He then handed her the keys which made her frown.
"James." Emily inspected the key and noticed that the brand was a luxury vehicle. "Bakit naman ganitong sasakyan ang nirenta mo?" She eventually recognised the Aston Martin's logo. "Hindi ako si James Bond." Emily raised the key, referring to the fact that an Aston Martin vehicle was indeed, featured in a James Bond movie as the protagonist's car.
But the assistant could only laugh. "Eh si Merkel po pumili nyan hindi ako. Alam nyo naman yon fan siguro ni James Bond." He scratched his head. "Gusto nyo po bang palitan?" Emily sighed in disbelief but nonetheless, disagreed. "No, don't. Huwag na, matatagalan pa."
"Sige Senyora, I should get going."
"Please update me sa mga nakausap nyong funeral directors na magaayos ng bagong libingan ng ama at anak ko ha?"
"Merkel will call you shortly. Ang alam ko he's spoken to some companies already."
"Salamat, tatawagan na lang kita pag may problema. Basta after five days andito ka para sunduin ako, malayong magdrive pabalik sa Maynila."
"Osige po, pag hindi ko man masagot ang tawag nyo, anjan naman si Merkel at Sir Stanley."
"Of course, James. Thank you."
And so, around three o'clock in the afternoon, inside the luxurious 1964 Aston Martin db5 vehicle in blue tiffany colour, Emily ventured her way around the town of Olivares. Her windows were opened. She was wearing a very simple sleeveless white midi dress partnered with her nude sandals, white big sunglasses and old rose floral scarf that was wrapped around her head. From afar, she almost looked like a picturesque version of a perfect woman from the 1950s on her weekend getaway. Except that it was not weekend. And except that there was no way she would be having fun visiting such a place that reminded her of nothing but pain and cruelty.
Her long wavy hair was swiftly being blown by the wind despite the scarf around her. But at some point, she loved it. The afternoon sun peaking in between the white cumulous clouds radiated against her sunglasses but it did not hinder her ability to enjoy the tranquilness she felt being in solitude. Years had passed yet only very minimal changes have been implemented in the town of Olivares. The trees, the hills and the grassland she once loved and adored remained. The air was fresh and cool. Flowers still bloomed around the area and its soil remained fertile. Even the old houses, though some had been renovated were still standing.
Emily drove past the mansion of the Montenegros without a glance and just went straight to the town's main city where the old church was. As expected, driving such a luxurious vehicle was eye-catching. Some locals stared at her in awe, in fact it took her some time to get out of the car and pretended as if she saw no one. Thankfully, she wore a scarf to cover her face and she only took her sunglasses off once she was already inside the old basilica that also remained unaltered.
She silently lit a candle and kneeled in front of the altar to say a short prayer. Emily raised her hand to her forward to do the sign of the cross and turned around to leave but she stopped, finding Marco just a few seats away from where she previously sat. There was no way she would have known he was in Olivares.
Emily gulped aware that Marco hasn't seen her yet. She was about to leave as if she did not see him but it was hard not to notice someone like her. Someone so beautiful and sophisticated visiting Olivares had always caught people's attention. And Marco was one of them. He looked up finding Emily placing her sunglasses on her and walking rather quite hastily as if she was running away from something - someone.
Marco was able to immediately recognise Emily and automatically stood up. His heart was pounding. He was so shocked to see her in Olivares he could not help but to be curious and had eventually blocked her way. With her sunglasses now on her eyes, Emily looked up to Marco in the middle of the church's aisle. She looked around first. She swallowed hard. She gave him a small nod. Emily turned to the other side away from Marco to leave but again, she was stopped when he caught her arm.
"Emily." He breathed, holding her with a certain kind of tightness, which made her flinched. Emily stared at his hand around her arm. Marco noticed her discomfort and immediately let go. He opened his mouth to say a word but she already said, "Hindi ako nagpunta dito para manggulo Marco. Bumalik lang ako dahil may binisita ako. Yun lang." Emily did not exactly know why she had to explain herself but she did it anyway. To finish the conversation straight away.
So, she left. And Marco did nothing but to watch her walk out of the church.
Emily tried her best to get rid of Marco in her mind. She went out and drove across the market she once walked upon to distract herself. She also drove past various farms where she used to work. The elementary school she used to go to. Emily was also tempted to check where their old house was but that meant she would have to go through the Montenegro's land to have access, which of course she was trying to avoid. By the end of the day, she of course, visited the tomb of her father and then her son a few towns after Olivares.
The drive was not that long and she was glad to have followed Stanley's advice. Her day ended in the hotel where she slept. It was probably one of the most peaceful sleeps she's ever had in her life knowing that she was quite close to her father and her son.
***
Emily planned to visit her father and son's burial sites every day of her stay. She even wished to walk through the streets of the main town of Olivares but she knew she had to tone down her clothing to avoid people's glances and it seemed impossible from the car she drove. She had no choice but just to visit some tourist attractions around the area, go to some beaches and have a look at some famous local restaurants. Emily eventually discovered a farm that was open to the public. It was well known in the town for its glorious beauty. The farm had a way towards a cliff where restaurants were built around. She was actually quite surprised to see a number of people who visited the area.
It was also obvious that only people of the upper class were able to afford to go on such places. With a sigh, Emily went out of her Aston Martin and walked towards the restaurants. This time however, Emily wore a big hat along with her light yellow midi dress that was floral patterned. Her hair was tied in a bun, showing her extravagant flower pins and simple pearl earrings. Again, she was like this walking statue of Audrey Hepburn of the town.
Emily was not that hungry and so she decided to walk around the man-made park to see the beauty of the nature. She went to the railings on the edge of the cliff to have a good view of the beach and its surrounding landscape. But she was distracted by a dog that came next to her. She turned to her side finding a brown Chihuahua who seemed quite delighted of the view as well like her as it wiggled its tiny tail.
"OMG Brussels! Come here, quick!" Emily assumed that the owner was calling the dog. She smiled and was about to pick up the Chihuahua when she realised that Johanna Montenegro was walking towards her. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. He's so stubborn." As gentle as she could, Johanna picked up her pet and attached the leash she carried with her. Emily just nodded and was about to leave but Johanna remembered who she was. "Oh, you're Emilia Guidotti, right?" She noticed how the young lady looked at her from head to toe with pure admiration. "It's really you!"
"Uh-yes." She uncomfortably said.
"I just want to let you know that I loved the dress you wore from the gala. I'm Johanna Montenegro by the way." She presented her hand. Emily stared at her for a second but she accepted her offer of handshake. "What are the odds that you're here in Olivares!? And also, I can't believe I'd be seeing a McQueen dress from one of my favourite collections. I didn't get the chance to talk to you that night because you were so busy but I'm so glad you're here. It's an honour to meet you."
Emily forced a smile. The talkativeness of Johanna Montenegro was way beyond her comfort zone. She was not really in the mood to have a conversation with someone. Especially that she's Marco's daughter. "Thank you, Johanna." She discretely responded.
"Uhm, so what are you doing here? Have you eaten? Why not some wine? Or coffee?"
Emily sighed deeply. "I'm here visiting someone." She answered the vaguest way as possible. "Thank you, Johanna, but I am -"
"Johanna, nahanap mo na si Brussels?" Emily and Johanna were interrupted when they saw Marco walking towards them. "Dad!" And of course, Marco stopped as well. His eyes travelled from Johanna to Emily. "Emilia is here. Aren't you and mamu were just talking about her the other week?" Emily stared at Marco curiously, quite confused and curious that she was the star of their conversation.
Marco licked his bottom lip, unable to find the right words to say. He didn't know why but every time he sees Emily, his body just felt so rigid and stern that he had no idea how to control what he was supposed to be doing. He did not know for how long he had been staring at her but he flinched when Johanna's dog started barking for release. Emily looked away and paid more attention to Brussels. "Gosh, I'm so sorry he's very stubborn and persistent! Would you have time Emilia if you don't mind waiting once, I've taken Brussels home? Dad can keep you company and please, our house is just very close by. I can come back in five minutes." Johanna hopefully asked before looking at her father then to Emily.
Emily had no idea what to say. She checked the time first before looking up to Marco whose eyes never left her. "Uhm, if you don't mind. I'd like to speak to you too." It was Marco who asked her this time. Emily exhaled and stared back at him with utter emptiness.
"Perhaps we should really talk Marco." She said. "But I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for Johanna. I sincerely apologise." Johanna seemed disappointed of course but nonetheless was still glad that she met her and that her father would have the chance to spend time with Emily.
"Oh, of course. It's fine. It's lovely to meet you. I'll leave you with dad." Emily nodded.
Marco led the way and she followed.
The moment they reached the cafe, people looked up to her in admiration. Marco noticed this as they were immediately offered a table with a view. The manager of the cafe was the one who approached them and was also one of those people who could not stop staring at his companion. The manager pulled her a chair, he also gave her a glass of water and asked her if she needed anything else. And as Emily browse through the menu, Marco could not help but to glare at the manager who hardly even acknowledge his presence. He let this pass and just silently waited for their orders.
A tea was served for Emily. The moment she poured some into her cup, Marco finally said, "I'm sorry sa ginawa at nasabi sayo ni Ma'ma noong isang gabi. And I'm sorry sa insensitivity ko the last time we talked." Emily did not touch her cup and just stared at Marco with incalculable impassiveness and nonchalance. Her back was not leaning on her chair. Her feet were flat on the floor and her hands were clasped on her lap. It was as if Marco was talking to a royalty.
"Then you should stop caring whether I am a call girl or not. Or whether I use men to gain what I have because this my life and not yours to deal with." Marco clenched his jaws and looked away because he knew she had a point. Who was he to care after all? He had not seen her for more than twenty years. "I did nothing to hurt your family or did nothing to ruin to your life. You might have thought that I hurt you intentionally when we were still together back then. But past and past." She blinked, finding his gazes once again. "I don't have the energy to hate. Nor would I be willing to put the effort to resent you and your mother."
Marco nodded, guilty of her maturity. In truth, he was not expecting her to act the way she did. It would be more acceptable if she was angry or frustrated but Marco received nothing. No expression. No sadness or pain. Nothing, which made him wonder whether Emily was sincere or not. "I came back for the sole purpose of visiting my father Marco." He saw that her eyes slightly softened with the thought but nonetheless, it was not enough for him to see if she was hurt or sad or angry or whatever she was feeling. "Ilang taon kong tiniis na hindi bumalik dito dahil nagtatrabaho ako. Ngayon na nandito na ako, ngayon na gusto kong bisitahin man lang ang puntod ng tatay ko, sana naman makatanggap ako ng kahit koonting respeto galing sa pamilya mo."
"I'm," Marco sighed, mortified on the way he had acted. Not only that he was humiliated from his actions but also for his mother who was not willing to stop and accuse Emily of something quite horrendous. This made him realise how avaricious they had been. Emily wished nothing but peace, yet here he was bringing nothing but chaos in her life. Her life that he had no rights meddle with. "I'm sorry Emily. Sa lahat."
"You don't have to say sorry Marco. Ang tagal na non." Emily finally took a small sip of her tea. With nothing but class and sophistication, the moment she placed her cup down the table she followed by saying, "Ang akin lang, ayoko nang balikan yon."
"Naiintindihan ko."
"Hindi mo kailangan intindihin yun Marco."
Marco could not look at her straight in the eye. "I don't expect you to understand. Hindi ka namatayan ng ama sa harap mo habang wala kang magawa. Hindi ka nakulong. Hindi ka naging mag-isa sa buhay." Surprisingly, Emily smiled a little knowing that he could not argue with her. "Good bye Marco." She gulped. "I wish you all the best in life. And to your company of course."
Right that moment, their orders arrived. Emily stared at her food for a second before looking up to Marco. "I guess I'm done." Emily was about to stand when Marco said, "Thank you."
She nodded and took her bag to leave but again, she stopped. "Emily." Her eyes found his. "Tama ka. Past is past." Emily waited. "Pero kailangan kita." Even Marco was stunned with his own words. He paused but immediately uttered, "My company needs you. I need your help."
***
Song: Cruel World by Lana del Rey
Thanks for reading! And I know I haven't updated Irretrievable in a while but I will try again once inspiration sparks back to me :)
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okay so wattpad is not cooperating as well, the images I provided are not loading properly I give up!