The Yellow Document

April 26, 2013

9:14 am

Christine Romulo

Family meeting.

Yes. My father called up this day for us, the family, to talk about things going on in the world. Here I sit on the sitting area with my back leaning on the sofa and my legs crossed. The only thing that's missing is me raising a middle finger to this formality. I mean, father could just have all of us having a meeting at the table. I mean, it's not like most arguments occur in the dining hall. But, no. He specifically said that we talk at the sitting area. Basically, this is no meeting. He is just going to announce something that he already decided.

For days, Margaret and I have not talked. I know I was wrong to speak up about her relationships, but I truly meant everything that I said. She can't keep her lover away forever just for the sake of education. Even in this shithole, Margaret still chooses to read her case studies. Oddly enough, as I look into the page that she is reading, she is still stuck in that same page about some form of endometriosis. Not that I understand any of it, but it seems that no matter how many times she read that page, she can't seem to move anywhere.

On my left, I see my mother's folded hands as if she is praying to all the saints that things will go well. Oh, mother. You just married the wrong man. No amount of sacrifice and offerings to the saints will quell a devil.

"What's taking father so long anyway?" I say in this cursed silence. "Does he expect fireworks to be lighted as he walks into this sitting area? Will he make a grand entrance by re-enacting some 80s dance culture? Dear, god!"

Mother and Margaret just looked at me with stares of scorn. And, finally, the devil comes. He comes with the majordomo trailing behind him like a pet trained to do so. There he holds his iconic clipboard and a full-on suit as if he is indeed in a board meeting. I could almost laugh if not for my mother's solemn prayer and Margaret's serious readings.

"Right, I have called everyone here to discuss serious matters," father begins. "We could simply discuss this at our meal times, but I'd rather tell it right before you this important matter for this will be a lengthy talk."

"Just cut to the chase, father," I say instantly with his length introduction. "We have been waiting for too long for you and we are still trapped in these goddamn formalities of yours."

I see mother and Margaret give me that sharp look. I hardly care at all. They are thinking the same way, but they do not know how to speak it out. Father does not seem to be intrigued at the slightest. He just shakes his head and continues his talking. "As per Christine's request, I will cut to the chase." He then looks straight ahead to Margaret's reading face. "Margaret, you are to marry into the Chen Family of China."

When he said that he will cut to the chase, he did indeed cut to the chase. I see Margaret look up as if she did not understand. Even I am aghast at what father had done. Did he just sell my sister into another family for the sake of a deal? Now, that is just despicable by all levels possible.

"W— Why?" I stammer to ask father.

"You said cut to the chase, and I did," he says frankly. "I give the short answer, and you are mad. I make a lengthy introduction, and you are mad. Make up your mind, child. You are just like the women in the bible – always causing trouble and can't even have their own decisions."

Misogyny. Of course, it figures. As he speaks, I cannot help but bite my lip just to hold myself from saying anything more. "Anyway, since you ask, here's my reasoning," he continues. "Margaret has been of marrying age for a while now. And, since it is for the good of the family, I think that it is good that we settle on a deal with a Chinese family to have Margaret in marriage to them. It gives us a reason to expand to China and actually have a partner there."

"But the Chinese practice endogamy, meaning they only marry other Chinese people and – "

"I will not hear anything more. I have said what must be said, now I only need your actual useful reactions."

Instead of crying or throwing a hissy fit, Margaret just laughs. She laughs as if the world has already driven her into madness. I look with much pity for her. Medical school is already taking a toll for her, and now father wants Margaret to marry.

"I will not marry," she says bluntly. "I already said it before. No marriage talks will happen while I am still completing my residency."

"Unfortunately, Margaret, it cannot. The Chen family wants the marriage to happen as soon as possible, and we had a deal."

She lets out a half-smile. "Father, no word from you is going to happen. I am not marrying. I am on my final year of residency. You can go to hell for what you are saying. We did have a deal, and part of that deal is that I finish my studies first. Well, guess what? Med school is forever. I will forever learn as a doctor with my conventions and seminars. And for that, no talks of marriage will happen in my lifetime."

Father's face just turns red out of his anger. It takes only one sharp look from father to Mister Bautista to say what he feels. Right then and there, Mister Bautista claps his hands thrice to dismiss everyone.

This can only mean one thing – father is furious.

"You fucking bitch!" Father exclaims in his anger. "You promised that you will marry into another family of my choosing. You cannot outsmart me, Margaret. I control your life for you are mine!"

The words do not even go through Margaret's bubble. She faces a beast with a sword and shield on her arms. As she takes a breath, she takes a slash with her sword into father's words. "No, father, you do not own me. I am my own person. In any case, you can't make me marry. I already have a boyfriend."

"John Edward Ramos is a peasant and can bring nothing into this family. I can make you marry as long as you are my daughter."

"No, you can't. When I reached the age of 18, I am already my own person. I am no longer your dependent, so stop muttering reasonings such as being your daughter."

All of a sudden, father pulls out a document from the clipboard. He pulls out an eerily yellow document that has been aged with time. The moment father pulled the document, mother's eyes widen as if she had seen a ghost of the past.

"Christopher, don't," mother says nervously. "You don't have to go this further to convince Margaret to marry. Please, keep that document away."

"It's time that she knew, Irene," father says sharply. "It's time that she finally understood the reason why I can control her life and everything with her." Father just hands the document to Margaret like it was just a napkin. "Read that document."

With meeting eyebrows and a pouting mouth, Margaret takes the document from Father's hands. At the heading, I saw the most haunting phrase I can read.

"Certificate of Adoption"

I did not bother reading everything. All I can see clearly is Margaret's name and my parents' names. Dear, god. Margaret, a sister that I have known my whole life, is not actually my sister. With simple words written on a piece of paper, I can already see the tears forming in her eyes.

As he can see Margaret's pains, he just smiles like the devil he is. "You see, Margaret, I control your life. The moment I adopted you, it was a moment that you owed something to this family. You can only repay your debts by abiding to my wishes."

Margaret looks up to Father's arrogance with anger screaming out of her. No more tears of sadness. All she cries for is for her own freedom. Father cannot help but laugh at Margaret's expense. "Oh, so you think being determined makes it all up? Margaret, wake up! It's not like you never suspected of this moment. It's not like you never wondered why when I proclaim my legitimate heir it was always Christine and not you. You never even asked why the inheritance is not divided into half just like it should be between sisters. The truth is, you were just scared to ask but you knew all along. In any case, marriage will suit you. You can maintain the life you lived with just a ring and a paper. After all, this is your choice!"

She just blinks her tears away and looks at me straight in my eyes. No, there was no anger. It was just pure sadness and disappointment. She shakes her head in this. Without another word, she walks away from the sitting area and into the grand staircase. "You cannot run away from the truth forever, Margaret!" father exclaims as she walks away. "You will always be the adopted child!"

His smug look annoys me. Even mother shakes her face in father's arrogance. "You shouldn't have shown the document, Chris," mother says scornfully. "You prove yourself to be the sadist you are for what you are doing."

Despite mother's scorns, father just throws an easy smile. "Irene, it's time that she knew. How long are you going to keep this from her? When she's sixty? Looks like you need to wake up too."

"But is it right to do it that way, father?" I ask immediately. "You are good to degrade women in this household with your misogyny, but have you even tried looking at your own soul. As Margaret would say, you can go to hell with your words."

"Well, my dear, I hope to see you there. In any case, Margaret wouldn't have to know if only she hadn't made a sacrifice for your sake."

That's when he got me. I find myself speechless at what he's saying. What is he talking about. "Sacrifice? What is this?"

"Oh, you also do not know? Well, this is how it goes. As my only heir, you were supposed to be the one that will be married at my bidding. When Margaret found out my first arrangement for your marriage at your legal age of 18, Margaret volunteered on your behalf to be the one that will marry. And, it actually works. She serves her true purpose in this family as an adoptee."

"Christopher, that is enough!" Mother interrupts. "I will not have you –"

"It was because of you that Margaret decided to become a doctor instead of pursuing whatever she wanted in life. She also wanted to save herself from the promise, or at least, prolong the promise. And, like I said, it actually works. This promise has been going on for years due to Margaret's studies as a doctor. So, you see, Christine. Thank Margaret for having the chance to have sex with all of the men in the elite. If it wasn't for her, you would have already been married off."

That is enough. I will no longer listen to him. I get up from my seat and walk away from this shithole of a family. As I walk, I can feel my vision blurring away. As I blink, I see that it was not blurriness. I blink with water falling out of my eyes like falling angels from the heavens.