Belinda kept trying to breathe in and out to calm herself. Yes, she was nervous, overwhelmed, confused and yet oddly not frightened anymore. But sleep? Sleep never came that night.
She laid on the bed with her mind racing. Everything the mystery man (Juan??) had said repeated and repeated as if on a repeat cycle. She could not turn it off.
It was as if all he said was put of a fiction story...and at the same time, it was as if it all made sense. She was shook and also at ...peace?? hmmm. Peace? When had she ever felt peace? Peace...hmmmm... not in her lifetime. Her mother was always driving her. She was on edge to be the best in the class, the school. To prove to her mother she was..what exactly?...worthwhile? useful?
Belinda kept going over her life to date. The things he said about her mother were true, weren't they? She never did mention anything spiritual or supernatural. And when Belinda shared about her dreams (nightmares?), she scoffed at her and called her a child.It was true that not once could she recall her mother reading her a fiction bedtime story. Not once could she recall her mother even referring to one. She was not allowed to check them out at the library,even as a child. She was taught anatomy, physiology, history (ancient and modern), Latin, Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, Mandarin, Japanese even how to read Arabic and Hebrew, Russian she learned the sciences and , of course, mathematics. She escaped being pushed to be a medical doctor by going into the field of Education. Her focus? Yep, the sciences and a secondary focus of foreign languages. Her mother said that would make her employable. Her mother expected her to teach at a prestigious school for no more than 5 years then return to the university and teach. Belinda had had her while life mapped out.
"isn't this why I came here?" she mused. Belinda wanted some adventure before settling into the life her mother expected. She had heard from her Father's mother before she disappeared when her plane went down over Mindanao 10 years ago that her father was an anthropologist and an adventurer. It was Grammy who told her he had come to Mindanao and that is why Grammy was headed here as well. There were no survivors found at the wreckage but no bodies either. Everyine assumed they were burned up, incinerated when the plane exploded after it crashed in the mountains of Bukidnon.
Now Belinda questioned everything she thought she knew about ...well... everything! She never did feel as if Grammy was gone.In fact two days after the news arrived of the crash, Belinda had a dream. She and Grammy were sitting having tea and talking. Grammy had assured her she was fine,happy and would fill her in soon. She never told her mother about that. After all, why share when everyone she did it provoked a lecture from her mother on being "reasonable."
"Could it be true? " Belinda spent the whole night asking just that question as she flipped through her mind's memory files.
Dawn broke the dark sky and Belinda still had not closed her eyes. She felt confused and weary, not just tired. Juan knocked on her bedroom door and she stood and walked over to open it. She realized halfway there she had no robe on so she asked him to wait, threw on a jacket over her nightshirt and then went to open the door. Juan stood there smiling. "Maayong buntag." (Good morning) Belinda smiled and turned back to sit in the end of the bed. Juan entered and asked if she had slept. She said,"No." He sighed. "You must sleep. Your health is most important, especially if we are to travel to Mindanao and go up into the mountains."
Belinda arched her left eyebrow in confusion, "And why would I want to travel with you to Mindanao now? I still have language training. I still have my work!"
Juan continued to stare at her. He found her so beautiful."Ummm. Your father?"
Belinda swallowed and stammered, "He really is alive? I mean...really?"
"Yes, why would I lie?" Juan was indignant.
"Well, you kidnapped me so why would I automatically believe you!?" she barked out angrily.
Juan's turn to swallow hard."Oh. Yes. Well, he is. He is alive and wants to see you."
"You mean meet me!"
"Oh, he has met you. You just did not know it was him."
Juan turned to leave her room. "Wait! What do you mean I have met him!?" Belinda inquired.
Juan smiled. "Dress and come to breakfast. We will continue later about this. ok?" and he walked.out closing the door behind him.
Belinda sat there for a few moments thinking about what Juan just said.
Could her father really still be alive?
She showered mindlessly: her mind was filled with so many thoughts. None of those thoughts seemed to make any rational sense nor did they come in any rational order. She dressed. And then sat down on her bed with a plop. She grabbed her cell phone she had left on her nightstand to check for signal. She did have a global plan. But she had no signal. If she was still in Cebu city she would have a signal but she was remote. She couldn't call her mother to ask her the many questions she had. Should she trust this mystery man who looks so like the ma. in her dreams? Would she be in danger of she went with him? She did still have 6 weeks until the new semester.
She walked aimlessly down the hall to breakfast on the veranda.