Chapter 128 - The Similarities

Leo turned pale despite his effort to maintain a weak smile while listening to his son. Tears were long rolling down his face, brought about by his sense of pride and guilt. Ajie's question came as an unforeseen stab against his heart, making it ooze with accumulated, bloody elements of guilt.

"Tay, Nay, I'm sorry for asking this part of me. But I never question the way you cared for me. I owe you my life forever, from the beautiful memories of my childhood where I became the darling of our home to the day you send me to the city to work on my dreams."

This declaration prompted Leo and Issa to sob loudly and the atmosphere fell into a deep silence.

"Yet, the most painful statement that you said is when you told me that you are sending me to the city to let me build my future and my dreams. And when you also told me that you are always praying that someday, I may find my true self in my true family."

Mr. Lopez and Jane sharpened his gaze at him together with the rest of the crowd, curious of what he exactly meant.

"Nay, Tay, I could never ask for more. You are more than enough for me. I can't thank you enough for providing me a home and for loving me as your very own since the day that you picked me up from the street."

"What?" a low gasp escaped from Mr. Lopez's mouth but loud enough to be heard in the hall which fell into a deep silence.

The crowd created a likewise simultaneous loud gasp as they were hit by a heavy surprise. Mr. Lopez was unconsciously propelled to stand up and Jane was suddenly shaking, a reaction she couldn't explain and understand.

"Adrian, can you make it clearer?" Mr. Lopez couldn't also understand why his heartbeat suddenly raced up in Ajie's revelation.

"Several years ago, when I was three years old, my parents found me sleeping in a streetside. Perhaps, I was one of those many children who were lost during the Sinulog Festival that year."

Mr. Lopez and Jane's eyes grow even wider in his answer and Jane did not realize that she also stood up beside his dad, staring sharply at Ajie, as if they were widely shocked at his revelation. The opinions of the crowd were divided. Some thought that the Lopez's were shocked to the extent of regret because they didn't realize ahead that their coming family member was from a society which was far irrelevant to theirs.

Others also remembered that many years ago, Mr. Lopez did a great effort to find his three-year-old son who was lost during the city's festivities.

They put up the pieces together and linked what Ajie had just said a while ago that he didn't understand where his love for marine vessels came from. The people also stood up in anticipation, all drawn out towards the silent emotional frenzy of the moment, making Ajie confused for a long while. Before he recalled that the Lopez's had lost a son, the main entrance of the hall opened and a woman in an elegant get up, walked in.

Ajie's gaze fell on her and wondered what made her come over. She chose to disconnect from the world for years that the people had already forgotten that she existed. She was totally different from the last time he saw her. She walked in gracefully with a happy and confident aura, an air of elegance was emanating from her in every step she took. Gone were the sad glows in her eyes and her looks didn't gave any trace of the major depression she was into.

Jane and Mr. Lopez, together with the rest of the crowd who knew them well, also came surprised and unprepared of her presence. Nevertheless, a feeling of joy and relief overwhelmed them. They waited for this moment for so long already and even came to the point despair. They thought that the life on her, which died on the day she lost her son, would no longer be revived. Yet, now she's here and surprised everyone with her vigor and elegance.

"Mom! "

"Dear! "

Both the father and daughter exclaimed as their mouths opened in bewilderment. The master of the ceremony, the interviewer and even Hayri himself stared at them without blinking, blending with the curiosity the whole crowd was experiencing.

"My husband and dear daughter, I always look up to you as one of the most brilliant persons of the society. But how can you be so insensitive to the important clues the chance has provided you for so long? You really disappoint me," she said, gathering all eyes to her.

"Mom, what do you mean? "Jane answered while Mr. Lopez draw out a deep breath to calm down his racing heartbeat.

"Honey, don't you ever wonder why he was pushed by his conscience to save you from the brink of death years ago?" Mrs. Lopez went on as this time, she glued her eyes to his husband whose lips were already quivering.

"Don't you consider his love for the ships as an added coincidence?" she further poked him but his shock momentarily made him dumb.

"And you, sweerheart, you're being known as the epitome of beauty and intelligence, haven't you ever realized why you were so easily hooked to him emotionally from the beginning?"

"Haven't it occured to you why his name is so similar to your lost brother?" she taunted, as with glints of disbelief, she looked into her daughter's eyes.

"And lastly dear, haven't you realized why Ajie cannot give you the affection beyond the limits of just plain friendship and companionship?"

Jane felt her circulation was pooling on her face, restricting her to utter a single word. She just stared at her mom as if she was announcing an impending doom rather than a good news.

"And you, my dear Ajie, " she said as she returned her attention to him, "you may be wondering why I am here."

"I am here to explain where your love for marine vessels come from. It's, of course, from your own biological father whose love for ships run in your genes."

Ajie froze in his place while his narrrowed gaze was stuck on Mrs.Lopez's face. Was she making sense or was she in her right mind? Was her depression on exacerbation again?

Mrs. Lopez raised a hand as her eyes were shifted to the wide screen. Without further ado, animated photos of a child were played, accompanied by a melancholic flow of a music titled, "An Angel To Watch Over Me" by Sally Deford.

The song was a touching piece in its lullaby tone. It talks about a mother caring for her child as her angel from infancy to adulthood. Anyone listening to its slow wave would be moved emotionally, especially that the atmosphere was already heavily-laden with melancholy.

The photos started from a happy couple where Mrs. Lopez was heavy with pregnancy down to the photos of an infant in her arms. It then shifted to a scene in a playground where Mr. Lopez was seen tossing a plastic ball to a child down to a clinic scene where Mr. Lopez carried him in his arms while a doctor was injecting him a vaccine.

The music then changed to a Sinulog chant and a three-year-old boy and a girl were seen playing on a hotel lobby. A caption then floated which said, "On the day of the Sinulog Festival".

There was a narration then, telling the crowd that the son of the world's top yacht-builder got lost in the height of the Sinulog jubilee. The whole nation was said to be stirred for days then it slowly and eventually embraced the reality of hopelessness in finding him again.

The scene changed once more and a question rolled out into the screen. "Can you see the similarities?"

Ajie, himself, stared at the screen and the photos that followed were the ones mailed to him by his parents per Mrs. Lopez's request.

And right, the boy's face was indeed similar to the ones in the pictures during the day of the festival.