Torment

REQUIEM

Tears had gone dry already on Burns' face. Now, from the inside out everything ached; Her head, her limbs, her heart. Alas, she finally knew the truth. And it pained her so much it was almost impossible to imagine how she was able to breathe. Rosalie thought he was dead because her beloved Edgar didn't want her to be part of their world. Then Edgar thought that Manang Hilda actually gave her to an orphanage. However, her father was smart enough to intervene and raise her.

"Jane buksan mo ang pinto." Harriett demanded while knocking on the piano room's door. Burns squeezed her eyes. It would take an enormous amount of time to assimilate everything she had discovered. She sat on one of the sofas in front of the piano and rested her blistered feet on the floor. Next to her were her mother's shoes. There was no way she would want to wear those shoes again. Not only it brought her an unimaginable pain that it was Rosalie's possessions but it literally tortured her feet.

"What happened? Can we talk?" Burns said nothing. Her back was leaning on the sofa. Her feet seemed to scream in pain where every blister popped and the slight bleeding lacerations in her heels stung. Her eyes were still closed. Her fists were clenched as anger poured down her veins. The horrible thought of reality spun in her head like an endless whirlpool. It was driving her down into the grief-wracked city of miseries. "Jane." Harriett called one last time but Burns could not bear to talk at the moment. Not right now that she was on the edge of surrendering her patience. Never in her life she had encountered such injustices. She was never used to the prejudices of other people. Neither did she have the opportunity to experience this kind of pain before.

Harriett finally surrendered and decided to leave her alone for a while. Burns had spent hours and hours in her solitude. She did nothing but to cry and release all the burdens she carried.  She had tried her best to understand Manuel, Minerva, Edgar and Rosalie's decisions but she made no progress. Burns was revolted that they were all sinners perhaps except for Minerva and Michael who had been victims. The thought was very sickening.

Sunlight slanting from the windows had gone already. There was no lighting anymore everything was dark. Still, Burns did nothing but to remain seated on her spot. Her feet continued to cringe. Blood had dried on her heels. Her limbs were starting to go numb. And Harriett came back. This time the old lady had the key and opened the door.

Her eyes fluttered but she was calmer. The radiating anguish in her nerves subsided as the old lady walked towards her. "Nag-aalala kaming lahat sayo. Umuwi ka ng umiiyak." Harriett gently turned the switch of the lamp next to them.  "Can I sit next to you?" Asked Harriett but Burns did not reply. The old lady sat next to her and slowly caressed her hair. "It's almost eleven. You haven't eaten anything." Harriett sighed. "I know something happened. Carlos told us pumunta ka kina Hilda. But it's fine if you're not ready to say it." Silence. "May hindi pa nga pala ako nasasabi sayo. I know this is hard but hopefully you'd understand your father- why he did this. Homer told me he wants you to know the truth. He didn't tell me the real reason why but I'm certain, we both know, he could not say this all by himself because it is painful. He loves you. Perhaps he thought this is the best way for you to know because-"

"I understand him." Burns suddenly said. "I think I can never blame him after all. They loathed my father Harriett.  He's not perfect of course but he's not that bad. We are all burden with faults in this world but it is not the reason why you should ruin someone's life isn't it?"

"I have to admit that I witnessed all the sufferings your father had experienced and it was horrible. But remember Jane, they don't know the truth therefore, they do not have the rights to judge him."

"But they still did." Burns breathed. "And they ruined him, they are ruining us." She faced the old lady and shook her head. "Just because he's poor and illiterate he doesn't deserve anything? Just because he's poor and dumb Rosalie rejected him? Just because they thought he's Michael's father they thought my cousin deserved to be discriminated? I believe people can succeed as long as they work hard. I believe that everyone has no right to judge someone without knowing the person, without being biased by others. I believe that they should give everyone a chance to prove themselves Harriett. But my father-" She paused and breathed deeply again. "They never gave him a chance."