The Reunion

By: Cynthia De Vera

One peaceful and quiet evening, I was sitting on a blanket laid on a fine grass.
Then suddenly a man came, he gently touched my tummy, he was very happy talking to
an angel inside my womb. “Baby, I am so excited to see you”, he said to our first child.
Hearing what he said, makes my lips formed a curved, I smiled because of happiness.
Then I looked up high to the sky, and saw a lot of dancing and falling twinkling stars with
the moon that gave the world a light in the darkness of the night.
“Thank you lord”, I said. I am so thankful for having John Montefalco as my
loving, caring and a perfect husband for me and a father to my child. John is a doctor in
a prominent hospital named Saint Lake International Hospital. It is where I gave birth to
our first baby, named Carl Russel Montefalco, a handsome and charming baby boy.
When Carl is in his 14th birthday, I asked him. “What course did you want to get in your
college, my son?”. “Mom, I want to be a doctor like daddy, because I want to cure you if
you have illnesses or if you’re sick, because I want to be with you forever, I love you
mommy.”, he answered, then he hugged me tightly. I am so happy and overwhelmed
that time.
After a year, I was going to give birth to our second baby. But, in that moment the
one who is beside me is my mother in law, Mrs. Litecia Montefalco, because my son
and my husband are both busy that time, my son is now a great doctor. They have an
urgent and important patient that they couldn’t leave. I understand their situation, so
now I have my second baby, I named her Jane. As I have said, my husband and my
son are so busy on their work, so most of the time I was the only one in our home. I am
very happy when I have this baby girl, because I am not going to eat alone three times a
day. I have my happy pill, who will be going to entertain me. On her 7 th birthday, I asked
her “Baby girl, what do you want to be”? “Mom, I want to be a good pianist and a singer,
because I want to entertain you when you are sad and alone” she answered. My heart
melts when I hear that respond coming from my angel.
On the December eve, it was on the 24 th day of December, I am so happy and
excited for our family reunion, where my family is going to be finally complete and we
will eat together during what we called “Noche Buena”. All foods are prepared; I was
only waiting for them. Later on, I received a call from my husband. “Honey, hello, what
time are you going home?” I asked him. “Honey I’m sorry we have a lot of patient and
we can’t go home tonight, the same as your son, I’m sorry honey, we are in a hurry”. He
said then “toooot, toooot, toooot”. He cut our calls. I understand their situation.
Wait! I am going to call my baby girl, she was not a baby, because Jane is 19
years old now, but I used to call her baby girl. “Kriiing! Kriiing! Kriiing!” “hello mom” she
said, when she picked up her phone, “hello baby girl, please go home now”. “I’m sorry
mom we have an outing together with my friends and we have a lot of “Gigs” tonight
mom” she answered. “But I am alone here in…” I’m not yet finished but she cut our
conversation. This is the saddest Christmas I ever had. I wish that they are here and we
are complete but, I guess it won’t be happening. This is not the kind of set up that I
want. But once and for all I need to understand them, even if I’ll get hurt a thousand
times. It’s their profession, their passion their wants, I don’t want to be a hindrance or a
barrier on what they want and need to do. I want them to fulfill their responsibility to their
field, I want them to become happy. I don’t want to become selfish.
That night, my heart beats so fast and I almost couldn’t breathe. Yes, I have this
heart failure, but they have no time to listen, to know that I am sick. I was diagnosed by
my private cardiologist and I am not allowed to get stressed or feel that I am alone,
because my illness will get severe. By any chance, by anytime, I am expecting this to
happen. That’s why I prepared a letter to my loved ones. Before I forever close my
eyes, I forced myself to text my husband. “Honey, I understand what profession do you
have, please get my letter under my pillow, you can read all that I want to say there, I
love….”
“One message from honey”. “Honey, I understand what profession do you have,
please get my letter under my pillow, you can read all that I want to say, I love….” What
does this mean? I got a text like this from my wife, and she can’t even finish what she
wants to say. Is there any problem?” I asked myself. “kriing! Kriiing! kring!”, unknown
number calling. “hello, who’s this”? I asked. “Doctor John Montefalco, this is Doctor
Alex, I know that you are in America today together with your son because you have a
forum, but you need to go home now, your wife is dead. “What! Are you joking?”. After
that calls, we hurry to book a flight to go home in the Philippines.
When we got home, all is fixed. My mother hugged me, while crying. “Son, your
wife is dead, she got a heart attacked, and there in no one saw her when that incident
happen, we are so late to rescue her, she was dead in arrival going to the hospital, I’m
sorry son”.
I don’t know, how to look at my wife. My knees are shaking, when I was beside
her coffin. She was beautiful as ever, my tears are racing to fall down. “I am a good
doctor, but I don’t save you. I’m really sorry, I love you so much honey, why did you left
us? I’m sorry it is all my fault. God, please take my life too”, I screamed. Our home was
full of mourn. My two kids hugged me. “It’s all our fault dad” they said. I remember my
wife message before she passed away. I need to get the letter under her pillow. When I
saw it, my tears began to fall down again.
“To my beloved family;
I am very blessed to have you, John Montefalco you taught me the true meaning of love,
which is about happiness and pain. I hope you continue to cure every patient you have, I am very
proud of you.
To Carl Russel Montefalco, Son, I am so blessed to have you, I remember when I asked
you what you want to be, you answered that you want to be a doctor, I am happy that you fulfilled
it.
To my baby girl, Jane Montefalco, I know that you are happy because you became a
good pianist and a singer. Your mommy is very proud of you.
 I am so happy to be a mother and a wife to you, you are my blessings, you all made my
life complete. When I passed away, don’t cry, instead I have my last wish. I want to have one week
of reunion. Where my two children and my loving husband will not leave my vigil, please stay
until I get buried. I want this family to be complete in one area once and for all. I don’t want all of
you to be sad, please give me a song like you promise me baby girl.
Cynthe Montefalco,
Love.

This is the 7th day, and it was my mom’s burial, we are in the cemetery to put her
in her final destination. “Mom, I’m really sorry, because when you were alive, I do not
fulfill my promise to you. I said that I will entertain you if you’re sad and alone, but I
forgot to do it when you’re alive. I know that you can’t hear me now literally, but I hope
that you can hear me there in heaven. But before I sing this song for you, my brother
has to say something first.
The whole area was covered by mourns, “Mom, I can’t avoid blaming myself
because, I cure lot of patients, but not my own mother? How could I become a good
doctor? You want to have a reunion, but why are you not talking? I can’t hear your
laughs mom. Is this your way of having your wish to be fulfilled? I’m sorry mom, for
everything.
As my brother and all the messages have finished, I began singing a song. Mom,
this is for you. (A song for Mama by Boyz II Men)
“You taught me everything, Everything you've given me, I'll always keep it inside, You're the driving force
in my life, yeah,
There isn't anything, Or anyone that I could be, And it just wouldn't feel right, If I didn't have you by my
side,
You were there for me to love and care for me, When skies were gray, Whenever I was down, You were
always there to comfort me, And no one else can be, What you have been to me you will always be, You
will always be the girl, In my life for all times, Mama,

Mama you know I love you (You know I love you), Mama, Mama you're the queen of my heart, Your love
is like tears from the stars, yes it is,
Mama I just want you to know lovin' you is like food to my soul, Yes it is, yes it is, oh, yes it is, yes it is,
yes it is oh,
You're always there for me, Have always been around for me even when I was bad, You showed me right
from my wrong, Yes you did,
And you took up for me, When everyone was downin' me, You always did understand, You gave me
strength to go on,
There were so many times, Looking back when I was so afraid, And then you'd come to me and say to me,
I can face anything,
And no one else can do, What you have done for me, You'll always be, you will always be, The girl in my
life, ooh oh, Mama,
Mama you know I love you (You know I love you, you know I love you), Mama, Mama you're the queen
of my heart.”

After I sang that song, we let our white balloons carried in our hand to freely fly.
What we learned in this event is that we must have time for our loved ones, before the
time ends. I wish that we can make a reunion where my mother is alive, but it won’t be
happening again. “We love your mommy”, we shouted. And we go home carrying all the
lessons we’ve learn from our mistakes and shortcomings.