Who is Emilio?

Emilio Destin POV

They call me Emilio Destin. But my question is where did that name come from and who gave it to me. I never knew my parents. And it seemed that no one else knew either. I grew up in an orphanage where every child I learned had some kind of background. Some children were in fact not orphans at all, their parents were too poor to care for them so they just left them at the orphanage.

For me, that was not the case. There was no one ever coming back to claim me as their child. The woman in charge of feeding us was very motherly toward me. I liked her a lot because she always saved some extra food for me. She knew I loved eating a lot.

She was there before I arrived. When I asked her one day if she knew anything about me, she told me that I was a brand new born when I was found clutched in the arms of a dead woman. According to the sheriff, he suspected that the woman gave birth to me because of all the blood on her clothes. At first he thought I was also dead. My lips had already turned blue. Then suddenly I let out a cry and to them it was a miracle I was still alive.

She also told me she was the one who opened the door when the sheriff rushed in and asked the nurse to save my life. Since then she was the one taking care of me. She spent a great deal of time nursing me back to health. I was very sick but I was a fighter and that's why she didn't give up on me. Upon hearing everything she said, I then understood why we were so close.

"So you are my mother." I said to her, showing her my teeth with the biggest smile.

"Just remember that for the rest of your life." She responded.

"Who gave me this name Emilio?"

"Hmmm, the sheriff. He said the name just came to him when he took you out of your mother's clutches. As for your last name, well it's mine. I'll let you borrow it in case you need it someday." She glanced at me.

"You understand, young man. That's how you're registered in this place." She said it in a higher tone.

"Yes mother!"

I was doomed to that place so I accepted it as fate. Early on I learned the art of appeasement in order to live peacefully and got what I wanted. Some labeled me as cunning, I saw absolutely nothing wrong with that. I also learned to be obedient and friendly. In my mind that was the key to surviving and getting adopted.

I never considered myself unlucky because I've watched many of the other kids leave the orphanage. Some got adopted by city families or people from other places that looked nothing like us. And some others left because their families came back for them. But whatever the case, I was never one of those kids. So I decided that I was there for life and I would get along with everyone and obey the adults.

My luck changed when I turned 14. It was not an adoption. I have passed that age. Instead, I was going to live as a servant to pastor Nicolas and his family.

There was nothing to be excited about. I still had no one to call mother or father. And It wasn't all of a sudden my life was going to change. I was doing many chores at the orphanage already since I was one of the oldest. I was certain that my life will continue as is but just in a different place.

Emilio's mother

My name is Olga. I grew up in an orphanage managed by a Catholic church. I recently turned 20 and am about to become a mother.

5 years ago I came to be a servant at the Mondestin family home. However, for the past three years, I have been sexually involved with my patron Gerald. It was very difficult for me at first but I got used to him coming to me every night.

I remembered the night he came to me the first time, I did not know what he wanted from me. I've never been with a man before I was afraid. He gave me no choice but to accept him or he would tell his wife that I seduced him. There was no doubt that the woman would lose her mind and get rid of me in a heartbeat.

It hadn't been easy but with this current situation, if I were to be kicked out I would be homeless. I couldn't go back to the orphanage after all these years. What would Yvette do to me? if she knew that her husband had been coming to me for sex for three years, and I was carrying his child.

When he made his moves on me I refused. Perhaps I was too young and naive. I had no idea what I was supposed to do or what he expected from me.

I remembered clearly when Yvette Gerald's wife chose me as her servant. She made it clear that I needed to stay away from her son who was approximately my age. Only separated by a couple months. I supposed she never imagined that her husband would be the one chasing me. I was amazed how she always slept like a log and was never able to keep an eye on her husband. I wondered if the Vitamin powder Gerald asked me to put in her fruit juice every evening during dinner would make her sleep so hard at night.

It was a hot sunny day, on my way to the street market, which was a good walking distance away. It used to take me about one hour to get there. The pregnancy made me tired and had to stop more frequently than before. It took me approximately 2 hour last time. This was a weekly routine for me, except this week I was buying instead of selling so I did not have much to carry going there.

I woke up tired this morning but I managed to pull myself together. I had a long trip ahead of me.

Going to the market was my favorite day of the week simply because I was away from Yvette's watchful eyes.

Looking at me no one could tell that I could give birth at any minute. I myself wasn't sure I was pregnant until I felt it kick the first time. I suspected it when I missed my period but I had no apparent changes to make anyone question me.

I didn't know exactly when the baby would come out, but I conditioned myself with expecting it every day so that I was ready for the moment. I had no idea how I managed to keep it a secret but it was hard keeping it from Yvette. That woman was so nosy. In order to find out when in the month I had my period, she insisted on seeing the used menstrual cloth pads every day for the length of the period. Every month for the past eight months, I have used animal blood on my menstrual cloth pads to keep her from suspecting me.

It was difficult for anyone to hide a pregnancy. At some point it will become visual. As for me, I was lucky. I had no morning sickness, and was not bothered by anything or any smells. My body never showed any sign of changes or stress due to the one growing inside me. Luckily I was gifted with some huge mammals on my chest so I was able to carry him there metaphorically speaking. I was not able to see a doctor. Not only could I not afford it, also the doctor was located in the city. Too far and too costly to even consider.

I could not go to the small clinic with only a nurse or anyone else without alerting Yvette she was well known in this little town. There was no one to help me without risking people finding out about it.

I felt a twitch in my belly which reminded me that I had been walking for a while. I was feeling heavy and dehydrated . I found a tree and sought comfort for a little while. When I felt rested enough, I got up to continue my journey. It was then I felt an urge to push.

"Oh my Goodness," there was no prior announcement such as contractions to warn me. Suddenly I felt the urge to move my bowels. There was nothing unusual about what I was feeling. But I was scared this feeling was not about that. I hid myself behind a huge tree in a semi secluded area giving myself enough privacy.

I surveyed the area making sure no one's around. Though secluded, today was a trading day. Many people would pass this way specially if one wanted to relieve oneself. I pulled down my panties and before I had the chance to position myself, a mixture of thick clear liquid and blood gushed out of me. To my astonishment, the baby dropped to the ground.

It took me a few moments to grasp the gravity of my dilemma. I became scared and yet aware. I lifted my skirt and pulled my jupon over my head. I picked up the baby and held it against my chest. The umbilical cord was still linking us together. I used my knife to cut the cord and tied his end with a piece of cloth, and then wrapped the baby to keep him warm.

It was a difficult situation to decipher. I was bleeding excessively, feeling lightheaded. I rummaged through my bag and grabbed my headwrap. I placed it between my legs to use as a shield to lessen the blood flow. I was becoming tired. I really was not feeling well so I began to question my decision.

What was going to happen to me and this baby? How was I going to explain any of this to Yvette? Will Gerard deny that this baby is his? I plopped myself down under the tree and brought the baby close to my bosom.

"Emilio, yes that's what I want to call you." I smiled. Not because I was happy to be his mother but out of desperation. I felt sorry for him coming into this world through me, a "nobody" like me. I did not choose him he was the result of many years of forceful sex. So I felt sorry for him.

My mind was buzzing with many different emotions. I could not take the baby with me back to the house. moments have passed and I was slipping in and out of consciousness. I could take the baby with me and claim to have found him. or I could leave him where he could easily be found. I wanted to close my eyes for a few seconds, while deciding on the best decision for us as I drifted deeply into unconsciousness…..