The Other Half

EPILOGUE

YEAR 2018
(10 YEARS LATER)

ALLIE

I took my sunglasses off and I looked around. It's been seven years since the last time I've been here. Much can happen in seven years and it's no wonder that right now, I feel that a lot of things have changed.

And one of those is this soft, little hand wrapped around my finger. I looked at him and I couldn't help but smile while my five-year old son was innocently staring at everyone and everything he could see.

"Papa Allie?"

I caressed his soft jet black hair. "Che cos'e, Ricco?"

"Dov'e Angelo?"

"He's is with your Papa Rodel. They just bought something. They'll be here any minute now. I'll just make a call while we wait, OK?"

"OK!"

I smiled as I heard the ringing sound from the other end. A few seconds later, she's already on the line. How I missed her!

When Rodel and I decided to leave, all the servants (aside from Faye) resigned. They told me that their loyalty was with me and they didn't want my parents to torture them of my whereabouts.

So we brought Mama Macel with us. We lived in the province and she took care of us for three years. When we left for Italy, she decided to stay. We wanted to bring her with us but she said that she's too old and that she would find it hard to adjust to a different environment, and so I contacted Rhea, Jackie, and Mariela and asked them if they wanted to work for me (again) and be with Mama Macel so she wouldn't be lonely and they all agreed. I also employed three other men (Rhea's brother, Jackie's cousin, and Mariela's boyfriend - for some reasons, I couldn't contact Martin and Nelson anymore. Maybe they went home to their families to continue their studies.). These people stayed in our house and took care of it while we're away.

"Allie!"

"Mama Macel! We're here."

"Talaga?" I heard the happiness in her voice. "Kararating niyo lang? Ipapasundo ko ba kayo kay RJ (She's referring to Mariela's boyfriend - I mean, husband. They got married years ago.)?"

"No need. We'll just take a cab."

"O sige. Magluluto na lang kami. Si Rodel?"

"May binili lang po dahil nangungulit ng popcorn si Angelo."

She laughed. "Eh si Ricco?"

"He's with me. You want to talk to him?"

"O sige nga."

"Ricco, honey, Mama Macel wants to speak with you."

He reached for the phone and he smiled at me. "Ciao, Mama Macel!"

"Ricco, in English please." I said.

"Benissimo!" he said excitedly, na parang hindi narinig ang sinabi ko.

"Ricco, what did I say? We already talked about that, right?"

"Mi dispiace, Papa Allie. I'm good, Mama Macel."

Hinimas ko lang ang buhok niya habang tuloy pa rin siya sa pakikipag-usap. Maya maya ay nagItalian na naman siya.

"Bene! Ho capito." he said while laughing.

"Ricco."

"But Mama Macel speaks Italian, Papa Allie. She just told me 'Ricco, if you'll speak Italian, parli piu lentamente.' That's why I talked to her in Italian too."