The Young and the Beautiful

Chapter 35

I remembered that day, a Sunday in July1962.

I arrived in the hospital from an ambulance and fell asleep after the doctors administered treatment. When I opened my eyes, I saw Camila, and my family, in my hospital room when I woke up after the doctors sedated me from the pain my back had and after they sew my wounds around my pelvic area. The doctors put a neck brace around my neck to prevent me from moving it too much.

"You're here, Camila. How was your Bacolod trip?" I asked.

"Of course I'll be here. Don't stop talking nonsense." She replied.

"How are the kids?" I asked. She then sat beside my bed.

"They're fine. Andres took them home, they're with the nanny now. My máma will drop by our house to watch the kids too. Stop worrying and just take a rest." She replied. Then she held my hand.

"Remember the day we met almost fifteen years ago?" She said.

"I remember it. How could I forget. That's the day I saw you again. After being my date on a dinner, your name was Julia, and I was Samuel." I replied. I was talking like the sedatives were still in my body and sounded like I was having hallucinations.

"What is he talking about? What dinner? I thought you met in a hospital. What injury were you talking about? Have you been dating before?" Máma said.

"I was saying that I met her, when both of us were spies for the Allies during the war. I listened to the Japs conversations and reported it to my superior." I replied. Máma looked shocked upon hearing it and took a seat. Everyone was shocked to hear it except for Camila.

"I also got maps in the camp where Andres was held for almost a year." I added. Andres stood up and approached my bed.

"You were Agent Samuel Carter?" Andres asked and is still in shock upon knowing that his brother was the hero who doesn't want to be identified.

"Yes I was him. I was the radioman who discovered your situation in the camp, and we went to rescue all of you and I was hoping you're there. I didn't see you and didn't receive a letter from you for almost a year." I added. Andres sat down, his face flushed in shock. It's his first time to hear this story.

"So you're the one who saved us in the camp?" He said. He sat down and put his hands on his face.

"Of course, no one else would do it. Nobody can understand what they're saying." I replied. What am I saying? This pain killer is revealing my secrets like a truth serum. Was that really it? Or was it the fact I was on a near death experience that's why I was telling them about this.

"I can't believe it. You went out of the mailroom just for me?" Andres said. I nodded back and Andres approached me and sat on the chair beside my bed. He was in disbelief on how I risked my life just to save his.

"That's the reason why I got the job in Madrid. Now, I answered your question Andres." I replied.

"I'm sorry if I kept what I really did during the war. I wasn't allowed to talk about it for the next ten years." I said, then I looked at my parents who looked so concerned.

My máma was sobbing upon finally knowing what really happened to her sons during the war. Pápa was still in disbelief on what he heard.

My family now knows my war secret. Later that night after they all left, I talked to Camila. I talked to her about what happened with Natalia. She didn't shed a tear nor got mad at me.

"Pancho, I remember my máma telling me before we get married to not get affected if you will have an affair with other women. She said that my pápa had several ones that she knew about but pretended it wasn't there. But now that you told me about her, it hurts. Now you told me that you had an affair with the starlet on the movie where we invested in? How dare you Pancho. If you're not in your condition right now I would've slapped you non-stop." She said. Then she started to cry.

"Will you leave me because of that? I understand if you don't love me anymore. After we lost Cristian, then now this, I'm getting older." She said.

"No. No I won't Camila. You're the only woman I loved like this. I understand if you'll get mad at me and may want to annul our marriage but please know that I'm sorry and it won't happen again." I said. I started to shed a tear too because it hurts me to see her like this and it's my fault. She just sobbed and cried on my chest while hugging me.

"I don't want to lose you my love, I won't leave you for anyone else." I said. As I stroke her hair with my fingers.

"I made a promise to God and to you that no matter what happens, we'll stay together." I added. I truly regretted what happened. She continuously cried while still hugging me.

"You know what? I just came to the doctor today, and she said that I am pregnant. You're going to be a father again, Pancho." She said.

That's great news. I realized that I love her more when she chose to stay by my side despite of knowing what I did and she didn't leave me despite of my mistake. I spent two weeks in hospital and a month in therapy.

Now it's Christmas time and I wasn't able to put up the tree like I always did. The kids were all very excited and on Christmas Eve we announced that Camila's expecting. I was still on my crutches on the Holiday so when we went to church my cast and crutches gained more attention than I did despite on seating at the last row of the church.

Camila was putting on a show whenever we are with our kids. But the second we enter our room, she wouldn't talk to me, she doesn't face me when we were sleeping, it's like she's there but she was distancing herself from me. I know that after what I did, I would be lucky if she stays with me.

I don't know what to do to regain her trust again but I will try everything I can to get her trust again. From helping her with her job to being her personal driver when she has to do errands, but the only time I saw her smile for ten short seconds was when I gave her a bouquet of flowers one night. Maybe she wanted me to suffer and made me earn her trust again, if it's her way to forgive me then I guess I have to accept it.

Until one night, she screamed of pain and we went to the hospital where she immediately gone in to labor, she wasn't talking to me but was holding on to my hand tightly. Until the time came when our youngest child went to the world. I saw the doctors held our new baby and it wasn't crying like how Charlie and Bela did when they were born.

I was nervous if this baby would suffer the same fate as Cristian but when the doctor slapped the baby's butt for the third time, we heard the baby crying and was a sign that it can breathe on its own.

The doctor said that it's a baby boy. He was immediately cleaned up and was placed on Camila's arms. I fell in love with my wife again when I saw her carrying our son, she was crying and was very happy that he's alive and healthy.

Wenamed him Lucas Alfonso. Camila and I made up when we saw our youngest son. Ipromised her that I will never betray her trust again. I would have had three boys by now, and I can'thelp it but think that if Cristian made it, he would be twelve this year