CHAPTER 24 DEATH

“Ohh Ami, what happened to you? You were never like this, what happened to you? Ohh my precious, precious girl, your mother will turn in her grave if she sees you now. “ Mrs. Gonzales gathered Ami in her arms. Ami was motionless and emotionless.
"Rain! Come quick. "
Just like that, Ami snapped out of her stupor.
"Auntie Claudia, I am fine. Please do not worry, I just spaced out a bit. I do that once in a while to calm myself. It is like a meditation of some sort, meditation a la Ami.”
“Are you sure? For a while there, you almost gave me a heart attack. That’s it, go back to the UAE and bring Rain with you. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. It’s for my peace of mind now that your uncle seemed to have lost his, poor man. I do not know what triggered everything. Before we left in July, he was pretty supportive, even happy and excited for us. When we came back, he was somewhat different.
Oh Rain, there you are. It is okay now dear boy, I thought Ami was in danger, but as you can see, she is okay. So, when are you guys going back to the UAE?”
“We will wait for another week more for Uncle Ronnie’s arraignment. Mansour also told me he will stay until everything is okay for Ami so she has nothing to worry about. We will all wait for Ami’s sake.”
“I do not know how to thank you all enough. You have taken me in when my parents died and now that Uncle Ronnie is being taken away, I am here again. No matter how much I wish things to be different, it doesn’t matter because it is all in the past. I have to look forward to my future. I know Rain has a future to look forward to and as much as I want my friend to be beside me, I can’t do that. He has to marry eventually and I do not want to impose on you two any longer. I appreciate the offer of him going back to the UAE with Mansour and I but I think it is about time, I secure my future on my own. Ohh, I so hate getting emotional, so I have to stop now otherwise, I will start the waterworks again. Any chance of us eating any time soon?”
“Dang it Ami! Here we are getting emotional after that impassioned speech of yours and all you can think of is your stomach? Your name shouldn’t be Ami, you know. IT should have been Glu.”
“For Gloria?”
“Glu for gluttony.”
“I totally agree,” answered Mansour from the doorway and then him and Rain started laughing so hard. Ami glowered at them. Even Mrs. Gonzales was chuckling.
“Boys, boys, leave the poor girl alone. Actually, I brought something for you, Ami. Robert and Jerry remembered you saying you want some jerky so you will be having it for dinner. I brought something else for Mansour and Rain as I had already eaten.
“Yey! Yum, yum, yummy in my tum, tum tummy. “cried Ami, twirling on her toes.
“Would you look at her, one moment she is emotional, the next, she is dancing all because of food? You have another crazy person here, that’s for sure.”
“Oh do shut up Mansour. Jerky is life. Let us go, I can literally hear the food calling me. Ami, come eat me.”
The three other people in her room shook their heads and continued chuckling as they followed her down to the kitchen. True enough, Doris have set the table and a very delicious aroma was coming from one of the covered dishes. Ami followed the smell and uncovered the dish. She almost spooned some into her mouth when the housekeeper clucked.
“Sheesh, Ami, grace before meals, remember?”
“You always know how to ruin my momentum Rain. Rain the Drain, bleh!” Ami stuck her tongue at him before she bowed her head for the prayer. After praying, Rain playfully whacked her backside causing Ami to scald her tongue.
“Aw, Rain. Look what you made me do. My tongue hurts, how am I supposed to enjoy my food?”
“Ohh poor baby, I am so sorry. Here, open your tongue and let me see, say ahh?” teased Rain.
“Auntie Claudia!” hollered Ami. “Rain is being a naughty boy.”
“You two look like two bickering toddlers.” remarked a very amused Mansour. He was about to tease them some more when Mrs. Gonzales bellowed, “Children, BEHAVE!”
The two stopped and glared at each other before Ami smiled at Mansour and nodded at his food. Mansour enjoyed his meal. It is a very succulent beef steak, his favorite so far. After dinner, they all went to the living room balcony. It was a very clear evening but the air was cool and they could smell pine trees in the breeze.
“I think I will retire here, it is so beautiful and peaceful,”
“It is, isn’t it? One day when I marry, whoever the unlucky guy may be, I will persuade him that we live here. Should that day come. “
Rain was watching Ami as she was saying this. In his mind he said, we will stay here Ami and build our future here, you and our children. Just open your heart and eyes and find me, I am here, I am your forever, I am your happiness. Ami noticed him staring at her so she waved her hand in front of his face.
“Earth to Rain! You are staring again. Care to share what’s on that brain of yours?”
Rain captured her hand and once again swatted her backside.
“Rain, that is twice in a row, are you itching for a fight?” Ami posed in a fighting stance much to Mansour’s amusement and then he teased not too loudly though because Mrs. Gonzales already went to bed, “Fight, fight, fight”
Rain got up from his seat and assumed a fighting stance as well. Being tall gave him an advantage so when Ami tried to punch him, he just tapped her head while avoiding her fist because he knows how strong Ami’s punches are.
“You’re no fun any more Rain. “ she complained so she drained her coffee and said, “Good night boys, pray for my uncle and for bright tomorrows. She playfully gave them flying kisses and Mansour playfully whacked it away while Rain seriously caught something in the air like it’s real and just kept his fist closed. Mansour stood up too and bid Rain a good night. When Rain was alone, he released his fist on his lips imagining it as Ami’s.
Two weeks have passed and still no update until the second Sunday of September, they were all having a quiet breakfast when Ami received a phone call. She dropped her mug of coffee and has gone pale before she sunk to the floor, clutching the phone to her heart. After the arraignment, Ronnie pleaded guilty while mumbling incoherent words which prompted the court to let him be checked by a psychiatrist and then he was sent to a mental institution. Ami was relieved he won’t be going to jail although she was doubtful of her uncle’s guilt. She thought everything was going to be alright and that she would see her uncle again, until this call. The day before they went to visit him in the facility and he looked well and healthy. He was not even mumbling and he seemed sane. He was serious though while he was talking with Ami. He started telling her of his will which he said is with his lawyer whom Ami knew as he was her uncle’s best friend. Ami told him to forget about the nonsense he was talking about. And then he requested the attendant to leave him and Ami alone. Ami became nervous because her uncle looked so serious. He started asking forgiveness and he gave her a small notebook. He cautioned her not to open it yet until she receives a call from the police or anyone. He then embraced her and told her he loves her over and over and then he pushed her away and asked the attendant to lock him inside his room. The attendant obeyed his request and that was the last Ami had seen of her uncle. She tried to be cheerful that morning but somehow, she was not feeling okay. The call confirmed her worst fears ever. She was rocking back and forth on the floor amidst the broken mug pieces. Rain immediately gathered her up and brought her on the living room couch. Ami was dry-eyed but she was just rocking back and forth. When Mrs. Gonzales and Mansour followed them, Ami was still rocking. And then she stood abruptly and fainted right into Rain’s arms. Mrs. Gonzales screamed her name alerting all the household staff.
Mansour went back to the kitchen and retrieved Ami’s phone which had fallen when Rain picked her up. The other person on the line was still saying hello so he gave the phone to Mrs. Gonzales.
“Hello, yes, this is Mrs. Gonzales here. How may I help you? I am sorry but Ms. Abelanco lost consciousness and we do not know why. Can you please enlighten us.”
The police officer on the line told her Doctor Reyes suffered a heart attack in the facility and he did not make it. Mrs. Gonzales slumped down on the couch as well prompting Rain to ease Ami gently on the couch and attend to his mother. He grabbed the phone and though he has an idea of what may have caused both ladies to be in shock, he was still unprepared when the officer repeated the news.
“Thank you very much Sir for letting us know. When can we get the body? Tuesday? All right, we’ll be there. Do you mind keeping this quiet for a while, my best friend is still in a state of shock and is still unconscious as we speak. “ Upon hearing the word body, Mansour’s face fell. Poor Ami, he thought. He sat by Ami’s unconscious form and brushed her hair away from her face. Such a terrible fate for a very young woman.
When Ami did not still wake up after an hour, Rain phoned their family doctor who came immediately. He said that because she was in shock and very stressed, it took longer for her to wake up. But he assured them that she will be okay.
“Please be there when she wakes up though, she may need a lot of support. “
“You may count on us Doctor, I will not leave her side.”
“Neither will we.” answered Mrs. Gonzales indicating herself and Mansour and the whole household staff who all nodded their heads. After recovering from her shock, she phoned Robert instructing him to go find out what really happened. Robert too was shocked and told his mom what happened. Antonia was saddened for Ami. While Robert went to the hospital, Antonia along with Jerry and Robert’s wife and kids went to the manor. When they arrived, Ami was just waking up. When she saw a lot of people hovering nearby, she started shaking her head as she remembered the phone call.
“No, no, no!!! It cannot be, “ she started screaming. “Not again! Why do they all leave me?” she wailed.
Everyone was shocked by her outburst, she was not usually like this, she was normally calm and collected but she just kept screaming until her voice has gone hoarse and she got exhausted.
“Why do I always get left behind? “ She got up and started running outside towards the cottage, she locked herself in and went to her old room. She just couldn’t bear it, she thought she was strong but having a broken heart and a close relative dying, she was crumbling inside. She just huddled in a corner looking up at the photo frame on top of her side table. It contains a photo of her and her parents, it was a picture of peacefulness and happiness. Beside that is a photo of Ami and her uncle, she grabbed the photo and pressed it to her chest. There was a loud pounding at the door but she ignored all sounds and reminisced all her happy memories with her uncle. He acted as her mother and father and confidant as well besides Rain. Remembering the small notebook his uncle gave her, she opened it. At the back of the front cover was a letter addressed to her. As she started reading, her tears finally fell.

My dearest niece,

If you are reading this, it means I am already gone. I have been sick for a long time even before you left but I did not want to worry you so I acted like everything is fine. I would like to ask for your forgiveness for all the things you’ll be reading in this book as it contains hideous sins I am so ashamed of. Promise me, you will forgive me.
Before you appeared in this world, I was a very envious and horrid person. I envied your dad for finding a woman like your mother and then Rain’s father caught Claudia in only a short time while I was trying to woo her for years, I felt it just wasn’t fair and then Claudia gave birth to a son that looked like the father. I hated him instantly although I did not let you see it. I will let you read all the sordid details and I really, really hope that the Almighty will forgive me. I am also hoping and praying for your forgiveness.
Just know that when you were born, everything seemed right. I do not know why but your sweet smile when you were a baby was the best gift I ever received. You see, your parents did not really like me because of my despicable attitude. I am just grateful though that when I asked to carry you when you were crying so much, they let me and miracle of miracles, you stopped crying and you smiled. I love you my darling little girl. You have grown into a beautiful and strong woman but you will always be my little girl. Please ask for Claudia and Rain’s forgiveness on my behalf too.
Last but not the least, I ask for your forgiveness for causing you problems during your vacation. In a fit of rage, I killed my wife’s son because he dared destroy your happiness. I may have hated Rain but I will never, ever cause you unhappiness. Farewell my precious little rose, I hope and pray that we will see each other in the afterlife if I am not doomed to hell.

Your loving uncle,
Ronnie

Ami was sobbing uncontrollably that she did not hear tapping sounds from her window. Rain, having no success getting Ami to open the door, decided to go check on her via her window. When he saw her sobbing, he did what they always did when they were kids, he used a piece of wire to unlock her window and then jumped into her bedroom noiselessly. He knelt beside her and when he touched her elbow, Ami unconsciously leaned on him and just cried her heart out. Rain was hurting to see her like this.
He just hugged her and stroked her back while she cried. The first stroke of his seemed to seep through Ami’s subconscious as she suddenly disentangled herself and looked up at him. But the look of concern on her best friend’s face just made her cry some more. She went back to clasping Rain’s shirt and sobbed noiselessly. No amount of words can ease her pain and so he just let her. He didn’t mind that his shirt was soaked through. When he felt that Ami’s sobs were subsiding, he gently pulled her face from his chest and made her look at him. He wiped the slow trickle of tears with his thumb and kissed her on her forehead. Ami closed her eyes and just let him kiss her face. It felt comforting somehow and then she remembered the pounding on the door.
“Who is still pounding like crazy on the door?”
“That would be Mansour and his gang.”
“Mansour has a gang? Already?”
Rain chuckled despite himself. “Robert and Jerry, I swear they will corrupt him should he stay longer here. We do not want to answer to the Sheikh and Sheikha when that happens.”
Ami smiled with that then shook her head. “What happened to me, Budz? I do not know what came over me. I just felt like something crumbled inside my heart. But thank you for coming over and trespassing. Who knows what would have happened if you did not come. I might be another corpse to bury.”
Hearing that Rain shuddered. “Never, ever say that, Ami. You are still young; you still have a life ahead of you. What about us? Are we not your family? What about Mabel, Robert, Jerry, Mom, Auntie Antonia and the Al Fahezis, don’t we count as your family? You are being unfair Ami, haven’t you thought of us (of me)? If you will be gone, you will leave a lot of broken hearts behind (mine especially). Please, never, ever say that, Ami.”
Ami was so guilt-ridden that she said, “I apologize Rain, in my grief, I forgot that you too must be grieving. Do you mind reading his journal with me?”
“Sure, precious but before we do that, shall we open the door first?”
“Of course, but please do the honors Rain, I feel so weak and drained. I will wait by the living room. Can you do me a favor too?”
“Anything, Budz.”
“Do you mind switching on the coffee maker? I would like a strong cup of coffee.”
“Excellent idea, Budz, food too? We brought some.
“I’m afraid, coffee is enough for now. I lost all my appetite.” Ami laughed.
When the pounding became louder, Rain yelled, “Coming!”