5 Hearts of Stone

"Hello, Mama! we'll be coming back there soon for a vacation. It would be next week. How's Sebastian?"

" Hmm, she's not doing any better, but anyway, just last day he was in a hurry going home and seemed happy. But yesterday he flew with his luggage again. I have no idea, the neighborhood were even asking me about him. He even started to groom himself and first day two days ago that he wasn't drunk." Grandma Tere explained.

"That's something suspicious. But its good that he's now trying to move on. But Ma, keep him closer to you always. I'm worried with the news." Gloria cautiously informed her mother.

Gloria flew to their land development property and villa in Tarlac after the eight year ago plot that he has committed against Karla. Her conscience was stuck so deep and her anguish heart of stone with her husband and grandma Tere that grew even worst than ever. They really hated and cursed Karla that much and accordingly even beyond death.

At their veranda in Tarlac, Gloria and Rodolfo had a chitchat after their lunch.

" He's not there right now and went somewhere else according to Mama Tere. I'm petrified by your son's poor views in life. He was 20 when he registered their secret civil wedding, a month after we financed their church wedding just to save our business reputation, then weeks after, she luckily died and he was depressed, self-blaming. He should have thanked us for saving him from the pitfall of a curse, instead of her become a widow it ended up that he became a widower. Haha! poor couple, at least they both conceded because she died. We won. But look at how your idiot son's doing these days. He continuously stayed in their house and rekindle their memories, became a drunkard, weird and refused to obey my orders anymore. I am only doing my job as a mother, parenting is just as simple as that. But I'll be selling their house next week, hope he wouldn't be back early from his vacation, somewhere else. Anyway, I'm not worried if he left for a while, its an advantage. Hmm, I hope he'll get to love stargazing, I missed him that way. Yes, he's maybe alone but I know trying to cope up. Likewise, and also because he never even meet up all the girls I've arranged for him, nada!" Your idiot and insensitive son is extremely crazy!" Her temper arouse like lightning again.

" Be sure he'll never know that you'll be selling their nipa hut, haha! Have you forgotten that they planned of making it as their ancestral home?" He left laughing.

She was burning with anger, trembling and threw the coffee mug at the back of Rodolfo.

"You are brainless!" She burst.

The phone rang and its a long distance call.

" This is Kelly, from the Moontrust Land Developer Inc. and SandyARC Construction, headed by Engr. Nestor X. Bagulo, our OIC organizer and Assn't Foreman. We are informing your company that the thanksgiving for the new site had been moved on the 14th, Saturday, and not on the 13th, Friday. We apologized for the changes."

"No, its alright. I was about to call the CEO about the Friday the 13th previous schedule as an unlucky date . Good its finally moved on Saturday, no worries, our plane tickets were booked earlier than the schedule for the thanksgiving and opening for the new site. But Ms. Kelly, may I know if where would that opening site be? If you mind me asking."

" Its a surprise Ma'am, the CEO told us. He also would want to inform all the stockholders that you'll all be ferried by our company bus going to the site. There'll be a catering team to host for our food and drinks, tents will be installed in the site and please wear comfy shoes and jeans. Umbrellas will be provided too for those who wish for sight-seeing and kindly inform us ahead of time if you go for a vegetarian or non-pork viands. Programme, food menus were faxed in a while. Thank you very much Ma'am."

"Well-said." Thanks and see you there soon.

"What's up?" Rodolfo asked.

"There's a change of schedule. But anyway, there's no big deal with the movement aside from Friday the 13th, it sounds ridiculous!"

" I see, it matters anyway. That sort of bad luck. Karla was choke to death during Friday the 13th." She saw in her eyes that Rodolfo commented it that way.

" You son of a pig! how dare you provoke chaos as always! Go outttttt!" She slammed the door and took her anti-depressants. She sparingly breathe and cried. Karlaaaa, come down I hate you!" Rodolfo wanted to rescue her but she already locked the door. Good that she had taken the meds and her hyper emotionality slowed down and slept.

Rodolfo rushed her to the nearby hospital where their family Doctor is one of the hospital's resident physicians.

" Sir, your wife's condition is experiencing a relapse as recorded. The previous MSE noted that she had one delusion and several hallucinations. You have to be careful since you're her direct contact every now and then. You can always be a potential subject for her visual and auditory hallucinations.

" I see, that's why she shouted facing at me just recently, accusing me of bullying her where I exactly didn't do."

" She was triggered of certain topics along your discussions. Topics that caused her that way must be avoided. Just please follow the prescriptions and careful on dividing the tablet twice." Doc Eric said.

When she woke up, she asked him what happened. Then when she learned it, she cried. Its enough, let's go home now. We have to pack our things early for our travel heading to Sta. Cruz."

She did seriously packed up and even brought the house and lot title of the couple Karla and Sebastian. She coveted the papers after she learned from the hired killer that she already died. Gloria was determined to sell their property and to totally erase Karla's memory away from their family.