Short and Sweet

The Eighth Christmas

(First published in PNY 12: December to Remember. This short story and the previous one, "Left Behind", were all part of the book anthology series of "Project NY".

Thank you very much for this special opportunity, nayinK )

(December 1986)

Every night of December 24, she would sit by the window with a brightly-lit parol that hung in the middle. She seemed to be waiting for someone.

Eight years. That was the length of time she endured waiting for him, her son.

Eight years ago, during the Martial Law era, her 19 year old son disappeared. The memories felt as if it only happened yesterday.

Elmer, her son, was the editor-in-chief of their university newspaper. He wrote and allowed the propagation of "subversive" articles that stood against the tyrannical rule of the government back then. She knew this all too well, but no matter how she tried to forbid him from his writing, Elmer's fiery spirit won't be easily dampened by threats of arrest, torture, and death, if ever he got found out.

One time, she saw a draft of Elmer's article that lay around in his room. She happened to come by during the night and brought him a glass of milk. Elmer was up again as usual, weaving words on his typewriter, a birthday gift given to him by his father who worked in Saudi. Just as she placed the glass of milk by his bedside table, she saw a piece of paper on top of the bed. She picked it up and recognized it as her son's handwriting. The moment she read what was written, it was enough to make her heart pound nervously.

"Son, I know you love to write, and I won't stop you from doing so. But can you please steer away from danger? These articles can get you arrested!" she cried out furiously, throwing the sheet of paper in her outburst.

Elmer stopped typing the moment he heard his mother's words. His fingers hovered motionlessly against the typewriter keyboard, as if carefully thinking of what to say. Then he slowly turned around and answered his mother calmly.

"Mom, I can't endure not doing anything. I want to bring change through my words. Arrest and death isn't enough to scare me."

"I know how idealistic you are, how you want things to change. But can you please care a little for your mother? You're my only son, and I don't know what I will do if ever you got found out. I don't want you to be like Aling Pacing's daughter, who was arrested and was found dead in a ditch!"

She felt like crying at the thought of her Elmer disappearing and dying just like that. "Don't be too hooked on your idealism," she whispered. She bit her lip and felt the tears flow from her eyes.

Elmer stood up from his desk and approached his mother, hugging her tightly. "Mom, don't worry so much," he assured her.

It was the last time her son hugged her. If only she can turn back time, she wished she never let go of him from her arms.

The next day, which was a day before Christmas, Elmer told her that he will buy soft drinks from the nearby sari-sari store on the next block. It was for their Noche Buena celebration. His father was coming home from Saudi for his Christmas break, and they expected him to arrive anytime during the night.

She remembered telling Elmer to get money from her wallet. She was busy cooking when her son told her, "I'll go now, I'll be back soon." Elmer went out quietly.

She lost track of time as she cooked. When everything was done, she went to the sala and slumped on the sofa. She took a deep breath and happened to look at the clock. Then she realized that her son hadn't returned yet from the sari-sari store.

He should be home by now. A trip to the store surely wouldn't take him so long.

Then it dawned on her: What if he doesn't return?

Fear and anxiety took away her weariness. She dressed up and decided to look around the neighborhood. She asked every neighbor she knew if they saw Elmer. Most of them said "no".

She continued to search the entire neighborhood for any sign of her son. But there was not a trace of him. She went home with heaviness in her heart.

That night, her husband arrived from abroad, and she had no other choice but to tell him the bad news. Instead of eating their Noche Buena meal, they went to the local police station to report Elmer's disappearance. But their efforts were futile. She ended up crying helplessly in her husband's arms over losing their son.

Since that day, Christmas was never the same for her and her husband.

It would have been easier to accept if he died and his body was found. But until now, there was no answer to the question that tortured her for 8 years.

Is my son dead or alive?

For 8 years, Marina Gomez would sit by the window with the parol, still hanging on to the thin thread of hope that her son, Elmer, would return.

But he never did. Yet she remained hoping against hope. Meanwhile, her husband gave up and accepted Elmer as dead.

Christmas Eve came by once again, and as always, Marina sat by her usual place near the window. She consoled herself with the memories of her son and their happy times before his disappearance.

"Aling Marina!"

There was someone outside. She peeked out the window, and was shocked at what she saw.

A young man who looked exactly like Elmer stood outside their house. He was smiling at her the moment she peered out.

It can't be. Her heart raced and she went down the stairs leading outside. As she stood in front of the man, she wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"Are you Marina Gomez?" The young man asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Mom, I'm alive."

Her mouth gaped open at this amazing revelation. She walked towards her missing son and she hugged him tightly.

"Don't you know what you did to me?!" Aling Marina asked tearfully.

"I was arrested on that day and tortured. But I managed to escape with the help of a police officer. He hid me. I went with the name Elmer Dizon. He and his wife were childless. They raised me well and treated me as their son."

"Oh thank God," Marina cried out.

"I promised myself that I would return here and say sorry for giving you so much heartache," Elmer revealed. "By the way, I have my foster parents with me."

An elderly couple came out from the corner and approached them.

"We're returning your son," the man said smilingly. This was Elmer's adoptive father.

"He finished his Journalism degree, and is now an editor-in-chief of a national broadsheet," his adoptive mother said.

Marina broke away from him. She approached his adoptive parents and embraced them both. "Thank you for taking care of my son. Would you like to have Noche Buena with us?"

"Of course," Elmer's adoptive mother agreed.

They all went together inside with joy in their hearts.

Marina couldn't wait to let her husband know about the good news.

-End-