An eerie watercolor mix of storm clouds swirled through the
sky as a line of fancy black sedans arrived at the top edge of Academy Road. As
sure as rainstorms on a late October afternoon, Anne-Marie was there with her
entire entourage, ready to put a stop to floodwall construction.
In fact, Anne-Marie was so eager to deliver bad news to
Jonny Gutierrez that she completely ignored the sound of heavy machinery over
at the worksite. That, of course, was perfectly fine with Arvind, Mary, and
Jaki. However, all three of them had neglected to let Jonny in on their secret
plan.
Like two opposing battle lines, Anne-Marie and her assorted
government cronies stood at the edge of the village facing off against Mr. G.
and the villagers. Normally, Jonny would be no match for Anne-Marie. Today,
however, he was in rare form as they stood toe-to-toe.
“For heaven’s sake, Miss Kwok, what is wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I just figured that your parents must have done something
horrible to you as a child and it made you into such a mean-hearted old woman.”
“I am not old. I am 27.”
“The good Lord does not measure age in years but by the
lines on one’s face. By the looks of things you’re no sweet young thing
anymore, but a bitter old soul.”
The children gasped in amazement. Up to that moment, they
had never heard Jonny utter a mean word to anyone.
“How dare you!”
“How dare me? How dare you come down here and wage war on
all these innocent children – and for what…some petty grudge? What, in heaven’s
name, is wrong with you?”
“Well, I’m going to put a stop to this floodwall. Nobody
filed the proper permits.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I’m afraid she can,” interrupted the City Planner, “you
can’t build improvements without the proper permits and it looks as if somebody
from Arvind Construction made a mistake.”
The City Planner motioned to the Bailiff, who handed a
cease-order to Jonny.
“What does this mean?”
“This means no more construction on this site until someone
files a building permit.”
“What if we don’t stop?”
“Then you’ll pay heavy fines or go to jail.”
The children gasped again as the construction workers
quickly filed off the site, leaving everything behind. Anne-Marie led the way
as the government officials returned to their black sedans and headed back up
Academy Road. The trucks filed out behind them, leaving Jonny and the villagers
behind.
“Can they do that?” asked Rosie.
“It seems they can.”
“I’ll give Arvind a call,” said Rosie, “I’m sure he knows
what to do.”
Jaki answered the phone with a tinge of excitement in her
voice. Her tone took Rosie by surprise.
“Oh, good! I’ve been waiting for your call!”
“You have?”
“Yes! That means things are going according to plan. Is
Jonny there?”
“He sure is…”
“Who else is there with you?”
“Brian’s here and so are all the students.”
“Okay, then. I’ll stop by the Academy at the end of the
school day and give you all the details.”
“I’ll let Jonny know. It sounds like you have some good
news.”
“I do, I promise.”
A smile spread across Rosie’s face as she hung up her phone.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but Jaki said she’d pay us a visit later this
afternoon. Until then, let’s get back to class.”
Rosie could hardly keep the children’s attention as they
waited for the day’s end. Jaki arrived at the final bell and when the children
were excused, a small group flocked around her.
“What’s going on?” asked Juvie.
“What’s going on with what?”
“You know – what’s going on with the floodwall?”
“There’s no need to worry about that,” replied Jaki, “that’s
grown-up stuff.”
A collective groan came from the children.
“Go on,” urged Rosie, “if it’s important enough, I promise
you’ll be the first to know.”
“You always say that,” said Joy, “but we’re always the last
to know.”
“You heard her,” warned Mr. G., “run along now. This is not
something for you to worry about.”
Joy heaved a long, hot sigh.
“Come on,” urged Juvie, “let’s go down to the village and
play a game.”
Juvie dutifully led the children back down Academy Road
while the adults stayed behind and discussed the day’s events.
“So,” said Jonny, “what’s this good news?”
“You see, Mr. Gutierrez, it’s all part of Mary’s master
plan. While Anne-Marie focuses on one thing, we’re working on something else.
Can you hear the jackhammers over at the work site?”
Mr. G. nodded.
“And that’s a good thing,” said Jaki.
“What do you mean?”
“We’re still constructing the multi-use complex as it was
originally planned.”
“Is that legal?”
“It’s perfectly legal, but Mary figures Anne-Marie will do
anything to slow construction. If we keep her busy fighting several projects,
she’ll end up not being able to stop anything.”
Jaki led Jonny, Brian, and Rosie to the worksite, where the
second phase of construction was well underway.
“Once the resort is finished, there will be a place for the
resort workers to live. Eventually, Arvind and Mary plan to build another
resort tower here just north of the floodwall.”
“So, what happens to the people of Baluntay?”
“We’ll move them into new condos so they can work for the
resort.”
“What if the villagers don’t want to work here?”
“Arvind says anyone who lives in Baluntay is welcome to live
here – and the rents will be reasonable for everyone.”
“How can he make a promise like that when a reasonable price
for Arvind would be unaffordable for the villagers?”
“I’m sure Arvind will look out for everyone in the
community.”
And so it was – Jaki immediately headed to the Provincial
Auditor’s office at Sarangani City Hall. When she began to file her paperwork,
Anne-Marie Kwok emerged from her office and held out a hand.
“What do you have here?”
“It’s just those permits you wanted.”
“Yeah, I see that. What is with this second set of permits?”
“Arvind’s making an improvement to the Lee Estate.”
“Again with the Lee Estate? Where are the blueprints for
these permits?”
“They’re back at the office. I’ll bring you a copy later.”
“You know you can’t file these permits until we have the
original blueprints.”
“Come on,” pleaded Jaki, “I promise I’ll bring them by later
this week.”
Anne-Marie shook her head dismissively as she returned the
files to Jaki.
“I’ll be back shortly.”
“We’ll still be here.”
Jaki went to her car and tossed the files on top of the
blueprints, which she’d already brought with her. Then, she took a short drive
and stopped at a bakery. She placed an order for coffee and one of their famous
Dutch pastries. While she waited, she gave Mary a call.
“I’m at Balucatan’s Bakery across the street from City Hall.
What do you want me to do now?”
“Wait about an hour and then you’ll file those blueprints
just as we discussed.”
“What do you want me to do until then?”
“Relax and enjoy your coffee. If you need something to do,
buy me one of their delicious mango strudels to go. In fact, buy two. I’m sure
Arvind likes them as much as we do.”
Jaki did as Mary instructed. She ate the last few bites of
her strudel while she enjoyed the peace and quiet. She followed each sweet and
sticky bite with a sip of latte and it truly felt like an escape. By the time
she was finished, an hour had passed, so she wiped her hands and headed back
across the street with all the paperwork ready to go.
Anne-Marie swiftly came up to greet her as she returned to
the Auditor’s Office.
“You’re back already?”
“It was a fast trip. I just had to get these blueprints you
wanted.”
“Hand them over to me. Let’s make sure you’ve got everything
in order.”
As Anne-Marie diligently sorted through the two files, bits
of stickiness clung to her fingertips.
“Unnh,” she groaned, “what an absolute pig.”
Anne-Marie’s assistant was quick with a clean wipe so
Anne-Marie wouldn’t get anything on her dress. She gathered up the files and
quickly got things in order.
“Wait,” interrupted Anne-Marie, “you’ve got the wrong
blueprints on each of these files.”
“Let me get that,” said the clerk.
“You really aren’t very organized today,” scoffed
Anne-Marie.
“Yes, I don’t know where my head is at.”
As the clerk date stamped each page and signed off on the
first part of the permits, Jaki and Anne-Marie both watched. The clerk made a
set of copies for the Auditor’s file and another for Jaki. Then, Anne-Marie
gathered the originals with the signed permits and headed to her office.
“Hey! Where are my permits?”
“You’ll get them in good time. I need to talk with the City Planner
at first.”
Jaki slumped as she returned to her car without the
necessary permits in hand. All she had was the date-stamped photocopies.
“This is perfect!” exclaimed Mary, “Now where are my
breakfast treats?”
“Here you go.”
“”Let’s have a seat and get on with the day. We have plenty
to do.”
“But I didn’t get either permit.”
“That’s okay. I’ve already typed up a motion that I’ll need
you to file.”
Jaki sighed, “This is such a waste of time.”
“Most daily business is a waste o f time. People like Anne-Marie
pretend to be more important and more vital than they really are. For the next
few weeks, you’re going to give her a purpose in life.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re going to keep her busy while we put the finishing
touches on the multi-use complex.”
“Alright,” said Jaki as she took Mary’s motions and returned
to City Hall. For the next two weeks, her trips to and from City Hall were a
daily habit, only to be replaced by court filings and trips between the
courthouse and worksite.
While the resort grew in leaps and bounds, Jaki continued
jousting with Anne-Marie. Now, the condos were all but finished. All they
needed were the last set of sign-offs by the City Planner and Provincial
Auditor. Meanwhile, Mrs. Velasco spent the last half of October going to and from
General Santos City. The letter from the court came and the hearing date was
set for the petition filing. It would be on the last Friday in October.
Because petitions were heard before the judge on a first
come first served basis, Rosie volunteered to take Mrs. Velasco and Joy to
Gensan.
She arrived at the Velasco house early in the morning.
“I’m sorry if I woke you,” said Rosie, “but I figured we’d
better get an early start if we want to beat the rush.”
“It’s okay,” replied Mrs. Velasco, “just wait here while I
wake the girls.”
Mrs. Velasco disappeared behind the bed sheet-turned-curtain
and shook Joy by the shoulder.
“It’s time to get up,” she whispered, “We’ve got an
appointment in Gensan today.”
“Again?” groaned Joy.
“This will probably be our last trip to Juvenile Court for
quite some while.”
“Goody!” exclaimed Joy as she sprung up from the futon. She
scurried back and forth as she rinsed her face and got ready on her own. She
didn’t even notice Rosie as she hurried around.
“Are you almost ready?” asked Rosie.
“Can you comb my hair for me?”
“Of course I can, just take a seat.”
Rosie offered Joy her chair as she grabbed a hairbrush from
her purse. She dutifully untangled Joy’s long, black hair.
“There you go!” said Rosie as she fastened Joy’s hair into a
ponytail. Joy checked her hair in a small mirror.
“Alright,” said Mrs. Velasco, “there will be plenty of time
to check your looks in a mirror while we wait at the Court House.”
“What about Juvie?” asked Joy.
“She’ll be fine on her own. We’ve got to get going.”
Even with rain-covered roads, the trip to Gensan was
relatively quick. Unfortunately, there were few parking spaces, so Rosie had to
park a short distance from the courthouse.
Joy bounced along as she waked between her mother and Rosie.
She used the long cape of Rosie’s raincoat to shelter her from the rain. She
just loved the bright yellow and orange fabric of Rosie’s coat. It reminded her of sunny days. A bright and
cheery smile came across her face as she looked toward the gray sky above.
“Rosie,,why are you going with us instead of Mr. G?”
“He has important things to do back in Sarangani.”
“Oh,” said Joy thoughtfully, “I’m glad, though. We haven’t
taken a trip together in such a long time.”
“I know, I’m glad, too.”
A low, two-story building, the General Santos City
courthouse sat in the center of town – facing the local shopping mall and a
strip of fruit stands. From the outside, it looked quiet and unassuming.
Inside, however, it was crowded with a rush of people, every one of them headed
in a different direction.
“Come on, let’s find out where we should go,” said Mrs.
Velasco as she tugged Joy by the arm towards the information desk.
“Our hearing is in courtroom C,” announced Rosie as she ran
a finger down the length of the alphabetical list.
“I bet it’s on the second floor,” said Joy.
“Me, too,” said Rosie. She gently grabbed Joy by the free
hand and tugged. Mrs. Velasco let go as she followed the two girls towards the
elevator.
The adults stood around her like tall trees as she waited
for the elevator to make its slow climb to the second floor.
When the doors opened, Rosie and Mrs. Velasco lifted Joy by
the arms and carried hr out into the open. A rope cordoned off the elevators
from the main atrium. A line of people waited patiently as guards performed pat
downs.
Joy looked at the courtrooms surrounding the atrium. To her,
they looked like any ordinary shopping mall, but everyone was dressed in suits
and dress and looking important.
“All these people are being adopted?”
“Heavens, no!” said Mrs. Velasco, “there are so many types
of courts – and they’re all here in one place.”
“Oh,” said Joy as she looked around.
They made their way to Courtroom C. The doors were closed
and locked. Joy heaved a sigh.
“What’s wrong?” asked Rosie.
“It think it’s going to be another long wait.”
“I think you’re right,” said Rosie as she followed Joy to
the waiting and took her seat. Joy sat on the ledge beside her, leaning her
back against the tall glass window.
“Get away from there!”
“It’s okay, this is very strong glass.” Joy gave the glass a
firm slap and it sounded out in a dull thud.
“See?”
“That may be so, but I’d fell much better if you sat in a
chair like the rest of us.”
Joy dutifully obeyed her, taking a seat between her and
Rosie. She paddled her feet back and forth like she always did. Mrs. Velasco
quickly clamped a hand over her knees.
“Alright,” she groaned.
Just like before, some important stranger in an official
uniform came out and called a name and just like before small groups
disappeared into the courtroom. Joy occupied her mind in a million little ways:
she eavesdropped on conversations, she made up stories about the other children
as they headed into hearings, she looked at the streaks of rain racing down the
windowpane, and finally, she simply counted the tiles running along the floor.
“Look at that,” said Rosie, “there’s a little doodlebug
crawling along the floor.”
“Where?”
“Over there, beneath the leg of that chair.”
Joy reached down and pressed a single finger upon the little
gray potato bug. Its body flexed under the growing pressure of that single
finger.
“Stop it!” said Mrs. Velasco.
But Joy did not stop. Instead, she pressed slightly harder
until the tiny shell began to crack under the pressure.
“Joy! Stop it!” said Rosie as she jerked Joy’s hand away.
The tiny weevil curled up into a ball. Joy reached out with her free hand and
flicked it away. It rolled across the floor and disappeared beneath a row of
chairs.
“Heavens sake! Exclaimed Mrs. Velasco, “What is wrong with
you? That little bug did nothing to you.”
“I’m sorry,” said Joy. Her head hung low as she waited more
patiently for her turn in the courtroom.
“Jocelyn Ann Jaramillo!” called the clerk. Her voice echoed
through the hall and Joy sat upright. Quickly, Mrs. Velasco motioned for a hand
and led her across the hall.
The courtroom was unlike the courtrooms Joy had seen on
television. It looked more like the map room at Mr. G’s house, with a desk
cutting the room in half, with two chairs facing each side.
“Good morning,” said the Judge, “please have a seat.”
Before Joy could say anything, Rosie plucked her up and
plopped her on her own lap. Rosie’s arm came around her waist as she balanced
Joy on her knees.
The judge wasn’t what Joy expected either. There was no
black robe or dress suit, only a simple outfit: shirt, slacks, and tie.
“It looks like we have a hardship case here, right?”
Mrs. Velasco nodded.
“Well, it’s a straight-forward process, but there are still
some hurdles we have to jump. The first thing you should know is that the Government
of the Philippines has imposed a mandatory 180-day waiting period. You can
still file for temporary custody, but you need to fill out this form.”
“You want more paperwork?”
“It’s a very simple form. The adoption petition will still
be processed during the waiting period.”
“How long until the adoption is finished?”
“Hearings will begin in early March and Joy should
officially become your daughter by the end of next summer.”
Joy sighed.
“Don’t worry, dear, we’ll make it all right.”
The application for temporary custody was brief, due in
large part to the massive amount of work Mrs. Velasco had done in the previous
weeks. She handed the completed form to the judge, who quickly signed it before
passing it on to his clerk. She gave it the stamp of approval and handed a copy
to Mrs. Velasco.
“It looks like you’re free to go,” said the Judge.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it for now. I’ll see you in a few months.”
Mrs. Velasco tucked the paperwork in her purse and grabbed
Joy by the hand.
“Come on, let’s go home.”
Joy’s mood during he ride home was mixed. On one hand, she
no longer had to worry about not having a place to call home. On the other, it
most certainly wasn’t official until those missing were counted as dead.
“Maybe we should make a memorial,” said Rosie.
“I think so, too.”
Joy was surprised to hear her thoughts echoed in the voices
of the adults. However, Mrs. Velasco had lost her own brother and Rosie also
must’ve felt some sense of grief when nobody returned or she wouldn’t have said
anything.
Joy’s thoughts were clouded with those of Dalisay, Jose, and
her parents. As the weekend stretched out before her, Joy could only think
about what Rosie said. On Sunday, Halloween came and went, followed by November
1st – the Day of the Dead.
“What are we doing today?” said Joy to Mrs. Velasco.
“We are celebrating All Saints Day, of course. We will go to
church and say our prayers. Then, we will light candles and hold a vigil.”
Joy sucked a breath of air through her closed teeth. It made
a vacuous, gurgling sound.
“What is it?”
“Mom…Dad…Jose…and Dalisay.”
“Yes, I know, dearest Joy. It must be toughest for you.”
“It’s okay. We will buy some very pretty orange and yellow
marigolds and set them on an altar, right?”
“Of course we will.”
“And we’ll light a candle for each one missing?”
“Yes, that too.”
“Good.”
That night, all of the children were especially solemn as
they pondered over things. They formed a circle and joined hands as Mr. G. said
some bible quotes. Then, he offered everyone a chance to speak. Joy wanted to
say something about the memorial, but she just couldn’t. Instead, she remained
quiet with the rest as they walked by candlelight back to the village and their
own separate homes.
“I should’ve said something,” she confided to Mrs. Velasco.
“It’s okay to be quiet if you are sad.”
“No, about the memorial. We need a memorial.”
Mrs. Velasco’s eyes locked with Joy’s. However, the little
girl did not cry or even bat an eyelash. It seemed as if her well had run dry.
“Don’t you worry,” said Mrs. Velasco as she patted Joy at
the back of the head, “I’ll take care of it for you.”
Joy picked her spot on the left side of the futon next to
Juvie. Without another word, she resigned herself to the empty silence and
overwhelming darkness as Mrs. Velasco extinguished the last candle and went to
bed. Joy figured nobody wanted to listen, especially to anything a sad little
five-year-old girl had to say.
.
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