The Fourth Robredo Daughter

Chapter 3 The Little Wooden Box

When Jorge arrived at their house, she was greeted by her dog Jacques with a loud bark wanting to tell her how happy he is that she is finally home.

"Hello, biboy!" she said and gave her fur baby a belly rub

"Anak, kumain ka na ba?" his papa asked

"Tapos na po. Doon ako nag dinner kina tatay." she answered and was about to take the stairs when her mom noticed the little box that she is carrying

"Ano yang box nak?" her mom asked

"I don't know what is inside yet. I am going to open it sa taas. Bigay ni nanay." she said then proceeded to go to her room upstairs

Her mom fixed her eyes on the box and was puzzled since the box is familiar to her.

"Mama still have that?" her mom asked

"I think yes since hawak ko siya ngayon." Jorge answered

Her mom froze while looking at the box and it's just weird.

"Ma. Alam niyo po ba kung ano ang laman nitong box?" asked Jorge

Her mom finally went back to her senses.

"I think I know what's inside pero hindi ako sure. Siguro mas mabuti pang buksan mo nalang sa kwarto mo. Baka yan yung priced possession ni mama na gusto niyang ibigay sa iyo dati pa." her mom said

"Okay." she answered and took the stairs and went to her room

Jorge is so nervous. She never encountered the little wooden box before but she feels that it has something to do with her nanay's revelation about her true identity.

"Ampon kaya ako?" Jorge thought to herself

She first looked at their family picture before opening the little wooden box.

"Sa aming magkakapatid, medyo iba nga ang hitsura ko. Baka ampon ako." Jorge still talking to herself

"Buksan ko na nga lang para masiguro ko."

The little wooden box has a little lock on it and a there's not even a key to open it.

"Hay si nanay, nagbigay nga ng box pero wala namang susi. Paano ko kaya to mabubuksan? Sayang naman kung sisirain ko." she thought

She pondered on what to do and finally thought of calling her nanay to ask.

"Hi tita! Si nanay po ba gising pa?" she said when her tita answered

"Oo. Gising pa, bakit?" her tita answered

"Can you please put her on the phone? I need to ask something." Jorge said

After a little while, her tita passed the phone to her nanay.

"Apo, ano yun?" her nanay asked

"Nay, nakuha ko na po yung box na pinapakuha niyo po sa akin kaso may problema ako." she said

"Ah alam ko na. Ang sagot ay ang iyong kwintas." her nanay answered

"You mean, itong kuwintas ko na bigay ninyo?" she asked

"Oo, yung suot mo kanina." her nanay answered

She looked at her necklace with a key pendant on it. She clasped it to her chest before removing it from her neck.

"Thank you nay! Bye." she said and ended the call

She removed the necklace and used its pendant to open the box. She was so surprised to see what's on the box.

She saw a pink swaddle blanket with her name written on it.

"Jorgina Amalia." she said while reading her name on the swaddle blanket

She smelled the blanket and put it near her heart.

Then she took out a pair of pink newborn clothing as well and she saw a picture of her with a very beautiful young woman and a man whom she knew she had seen before.

"Ang ganda naman ng babaeng may hawak sakin at pogi rin yung lalaking naka-akbay sa kanya. Sino kaya sila?" she thought to herself

"Bakit ang familiar nung mukha?" she asked herself again

Then she flipped the photo and saw some writings on it.

"Today, on my 37th birthday, I gave birth to this beautiful little angel of mine. Jorgina Amalia Gerona Robredo." she read the writings at the back and looked at the bottom and saw a signature that says "Leni Robredo, April 23, 2002"

Tears suddenly came running on Jorge's cheeks after reading it. The woman holding the newborn her in the picture is none other than her presidential bet, Vice President Leni Robredo and the man in the photo was the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. She saw a notebook that seems to be a diary and she started reading it. The last entry was dated April 25, 2002, two days after her birth.

"April 16, 2002

Ngayong araw ay itinakbo namin si Jane sa ospital dahil nadulas siya sa banyo at nalaglag ang batang dinadala niya. Ito ang una sana naming apo, ang bata ay babae. Napakaganda niya. Sayang nga lang at maaga siyang nawala sa amin.

Hindi muna namin ipinaalam sa pamilya namin sa Negros na wala na yung bata. Saka na lamang namin ipapaalam kapag nakauwi na kami at bibigyan namin ng marangal na libing ang bata. Keisha Marie ang ipinangalan ni Jane sa una niyang anak. Sa ngayon, nasa ospital siya upang tingnan ng mga doktor ang kalagayan niya. Sobrang lungkot namin dahil sa nangyari.

Sumalangit nawa ang kaluluwa ng aming munting anghel.

- Myrna"

She continued flipping the pages of the diary of her nanay until she came to the last entry.

"April 25, 2002

Ngayon, habang isinusulat ko ito ay lulan na kami ng barko papuntang Negros. Uuwi na kami. Kanina lang nakalabas ng ospital si Jane at habang pauwi na kami sakay sa tricycle ng kanyang ama ay naaksidente ang sasakyan na nasa aming harapan. Pinuntahan namin ito at nakita namin ang mag-asawang Robredo, ang dating mayor ng Naga at ang asawa niyang si Atty. Leni na hawak ang isang sanggol na babae. Walang malay ang mag-asawa at umiiyak yung bata kung kaya't agad ko itong kinuha at ibinigay kay Jane.

Tumawag naman agad ng ambulansya ang dati kong asawa para i rescue ang mag-asawa. Noong dumating ang ambulansya ay agad na rin kaming umalis at nagdesiyon na uuwi na ng Negros kasama ang bata.

Nais ko sanang isauli ang bata sa tunay nitong magulang ngunit sabi ni Jane kukupkupin niya raw ito na parang tunay na anak. Ang anak naman niyang namatay ay agad na ipinalibing ng ospital at hindi siya nagkaroon ng pagkakatong masilayan ito.

Alam kong uusigin ako ng aking konsensya sa tuwing makikita ko si Jorgina ngunit kung ito ay para sa kaligayahan ng aking anak ay titiisin ko ito.

Jorgina Amalia ang aming ipinangalan sa kanya para kapag dumating ang panahon na malaman niya ang tunay niyang pagkatao ay magiging madali para sa kanyang tunay na inang malaman na siya ang kanilang anak.

Tiningnan ko ring maigi ang bata, mayroon siyang balat na paru-paro sa kanyang kanang balikat. Nakuha ko rin ang isang litrato ng bata kasama ang kanyang mga magulang at may sulat ito ng kanyang ina.

-Myrna"

After reading the diary, Jorge can't help herself from crying knowing that she is indeed, the fourth Robredo daughter.