Genesis Mendoza

11 - Ferrari

BITTERSWEET MEMORIES

I wonder what’s worse than moving to a new country, a new town

and a new member of the family you’ve never met before. What
happens if you move away from your home that you have lived since
that day you were born? Is it madness? I mean, I’ve spent my life
around my loved ones. I was so accustomed to always seeing them
down the street and knowing exactly where they were at every
minute of everyday. That was my life in Italy, but now things are
different. Now, I’m torn into pieces as I wonder about this new
world and the life I’m going to have. A new life. This past
summer I spent differently. I was with my family in Italy,
spending every waking moment with them. I lived with my Dad,
until my Mom offered me an opportunity to make my life different
and invited me to live with her in the Philippines. Yes, my
parent’s are divorced. They divorced when I was five years old. I
don’t think it ever affected me because I always saw them and I
was a big traveler. Italians are big with families so I never
really suffered from it. They just weren’t together anymore. When
I landed in Manila, the polluted air greeted my face and lungs. I
wasn’t excited about this. I was always smelling the freshness of
our backyards air. I miss my family in Italy. I was always the
only child and the only thing that was close to siblings were my
cousins and my friends, and I have many of them. Big Family. This
is why Philippines will torture me to death. Philippines isn’t
the same, I’ve only been here for an hour and I already feel home
sick. There are so many houses and they don’t even look friendly,
not like my home. There are too many streets, too many buildings,
too much pollution and technology. Everywhere I look is
technology. Where I live, we don’t have much of that. We have
houses and small streets. Many shops and tourists but not this. I
do get what people mean when they say you feel free, there’s just
so much space, but it makes you feel alone. Finally, we already
arrived in our house, not too big but not too small, just perfect
for the four of us. I went upstairs and went to my bedroom. I saw
the king sized bed, I jumped and darkness consumed my
consciousness. It was a windy afternoon, I was sitting in the
bleachers, when I saw this beautiful girl with golden flocks. She
was petite, beautiful, clever and such. There are no words that
can explain her perfection. I was mesmerized by her beauty. She
caught my attention in instant. She was gracefully walking in the
aisle of flowers, the wind blowing her long curly hair and the
sun hits her skin reflecting in her pale complexion. I stand up
and slowly following her footsteps, I didn’t know what came into
my mind and why I’m following her. She stopped midway and I saw
her looking in her peripheral view and I knew that she’s checking
out on me. So I slightly raised my hand and rub it against my
nape acting like a bashful kid. “Hi.” She looked at me intently
but managed to reply. “Why are you following me?” I was stuck in
the moment, her voice sounds angelic. I snapped and reply “I’m
Gen may I know your name?” Extending my right hand asking for a
handshake. She accepted my hand and happily replied “Hi, I’m
Sam.” And that’s the start of our love story. We are a happy
couple. We married at the age of 27 and had our small business.
We are happy. I was happy, Sam was a perfect wife, until that
tragedy happened that took her life. It was a silent evening, I
was working that time and my wife at the house bearing our first
child. As soon as my shift finished, I quickly went to the mall
because she called me and asking for Mangoes due to her cravings.
After getting what she wants, I called her to check if she’s
alright and was about to tell her that I bought her cravings, but
no one answered so I thought she’s busy. So I went home, while I
was in the car already near in our house. I saw a lot of people,
they were in chaos, the wailing horn of the ambulance and the
authorities in our front gate. I glanced at our house, I saw our
gate broken, windows are shattered and blood everywhere. I saw my
wife lying on the floor looking lifeless with our unborn child. I
stood there frozen. Looking pale, extreme sweat dripping in my
forehead. My eyes are burning because of crystal tears, my chest
felt heavy. It was hard to breathe. I was back into my senses
when I saw my wife’s hand moved. I quickly rushed to her, I held
her tight and cupped her face. Tears still dripping on my cheeks.
Her beautiful face, full with blood and bruises. I clenched my
fist. I am fuming mad. She spoke “Gen.” I replied “Shh. Baby,
please don’t talk. Hold still, I’m going to bring you in the
hospital. Please don’t leave me.” She held my face “I won’t last
long Gen, I just want to say that you’re the greatest gift that
I’ve received in my life.” Crystal tears rushing to her pale
cheeks. “You too baby, you’re my greatest gift.” I hugged her
tight. I kissed her for the last time until her last breath. I
screamed the top of my lungs in agony, anger, sorrow. I snapped
when a ball hit my feet, I looked up and saw a child looking at
me sternly. “Why are you crying Mister?” I wiped my tears and
replied “Nothing young one, I just remembered something.” He took
the ball and turn his back on me, walking slowly but he look me
again with a smile on his face “Smile mister, life is too
beautiful.” I was shocked, for a kid he’s surely mature. Then he
started walking in the street. I glanced at the road and saw a
car running crazy fast. I ran as fast as I could and grabbed his
hand pushing him on the other side, and the Car hit my head and
fell on the ground. My vision started to blur, I saw a white
light. I closed my eyes because the light are hurting my eyes, as
I open the, I saw the face of my wife smiling at me, extending
her arms and reaching for me. I smiled back, and uttered. “I’m
home.”