A Grim Future

“Do you want to be like your Nana Pachita? Ha?”

“She fell in love with some farmer boy and ran off with him when she was just sixteen”

“Do you want to be like her, ha? If so, then get out of this house immediately. Get out!”

I was fuming mad when I caught my daughter texting some unknown number. Again. She’s had countless text mates. I tried my best to discourage her from talking to unknown men, yet she won’t listen to me.

I just don’t want my daughter to end up like my mother. By the time that I was six, my father left us for some other woman he met in Manila. My mother took the responsibility of both being a father and mother to me. We had a hard life. There were even times when we had to eat rotten food from the dump. I don’t want my child to end up in the same fate as my mother had.

“Mama… We didn’t do anything. We were just texting each other.” Rafaelita argued.

“Texting, texting. They all say that. But in the end? They all end up courting each other. Same result as your grandmother. My child, I’ve warned you countless times about the dangers of the world. Please, listen to me, just this once.”

“But Ma, when will I learn to grow up?”

“What do you mean grow up? You’re just twenty. You’ve got plenty of time to learn just that. I just don’t want you to get pregnant at such a young age and get your heart broken by some man. Honey, all men are the same. When they’ve already gotten what they need, they leave. Simple as that.”

“Don’t you think you’re a bit over-reacting? And not all men are the same, I mean look at Dad.”

“And where is he now?”

“Six feet under?”

“Exactly. He was too nice that’s why he died way too fast. Rafaelita, the man for you will come. Y’don’t need to find him. He will find you.”

“But Ma…”

“No buts. Now give me your phone. You’re grounded young lady.”

“But…”

I gave her the look as she rolled her eyes at me and surrendered her phone to me.

“You won’t be using this until the end of this year”

“But Ma!”

“No buts. Now, off you go.”

“Argh! I hate you! I hate my life!” she yelled as she stormed upstairs.

I got used to her sudden outbursts whenever I do stuff like this. She might hate me now, but sooner or later she’ll realize that what I am doing is all for her welfare.

Rafaelita and I didn’t talk the whole week. She was still upset of me grounding her. Which was okay with me. Sooner or later, she’d budge. I worked my whole butt off these past few days and now is my glorious day to rest.

I was watching a film about time machines when suddenly, I heard a sudden ping coming from my purse which sat beside me. I took a look inside and saw that that ping sound actually came from Rafaelita’s cell. As I looked at her screen, I saw that there were 23 missed calls and 119 text messages. Boy, this guy seemed to like my daughter very much. Moments later, the cell phone buzzed.

“Hello?” I answered.

“R? How are you? I’ve missed you.” Said the guy from the other line.

“No. This is not “R”. This is Rafaelita’s mother and I’ve grounded her for the rest of the year so if you could just refrain from calling and texting my daughter’s phone and just leave the two of us alone, that would be grand.” I said in my most authoritative tone.

“With all due respect, ma’am. I am sincerely in love with your daughter. And I would do anything to gain your trust to prove that I am not some guy that would do harm.”

“Oh? Then prove it by doing what I just said. Don’t call her nor text her. It’s that simple.”

“Is that Fiel?!” a voice from behind shouted.

“Ma, give me my phone. Please. I just want to have a word with him.”

“No.”

“Please, Ma. It’s already been a week.”

“And you have four more months to wait.”

“But Ma…”

“I said ‘No’. N-O. No. Now go back to your room.”

Rafaelita was trying her best not to cry. I knew my child. I ended the call right after I heard a loud banging of the door. I felt guilty, true. And so, I got up from where I was sitting on and made my way towards Rafaelita’s room.

As expected, she locked the door.

“Rafaelita. I’m sorry, alright? I know you’re mad at me for grounding you but you’ll soon realize that what I am doing is all for you. If he really loves you, He’d wait. Mama loves you, okay?”

As soon as I said those words, I went downstairs to finish what I was watching. The film was about how the protagonist changed her fate by travelling back to the past. It was a good film. It ended nicely. When I was done, I went upstairs again to check up on Rafaelita. This time, the door was unlocked. I sneaked my head in and saw that Rafaelita was not in her bed.

“Rafaelita?”

I checked her cabinets and saw that her clothes were still there. I rushed to the window but saw nothing. I searched for her in the bathroom, living room, dining room, garage… almost every part of the house, but still no sign.

I was about to have a heart attack when I noticed the calendar. It read “August 2030”.

“2030? Where’s Rafaelita? I’m ten years into the future?”

I was pacing back and forth in the room. This can’t be…

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I rushed to the front door to see who it was.

“Aunt Felicidad! We’re here.”

I peeped through the looking hole and saw my sister, Fatima, together with this young boy.

What are they doing here? Maybe they know where Rafaelita is. And so, I opened the door.

“Hey, Aunt Felicidad. Remember me? I’m Deocer!” said the little boy.

“Deocer? Last time I saw you, you were still a baby.”

“Silly Aunt Felicidad. We were just here yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

“Aunt Felicidad, we came to deliver your meds.” said Fatima.

“Fatima, have you seen Rafaelita? She’s been missing-”

“Oh, Aunt Felicidad…Y’must really miss your daughter Rafaelita…”

“I do! I do. Do you know where she is? I’ve been worried sick.”

“Do you want to visit her grave after breakfast, perhaps?”

“What do you mean grave? Where is she? Where’s Rafaelita? Where’s my Rafaelita? What happened to her? What are you saying? What grave?”

I could feel my eyes water. What are they talking about? My daughter’s not dead. She’s the only one that I have. What is happening right now? Before I knew it, I was already crying my heart out. I felt like falling to the ground when Fatima caught me.

“Aunt Felicidad…Shhh…Shhh…Please don’t cry. Here are your meds. Please drink them first.”

“No! Where is Rafaelita? Where is Rafaelita? I need to see her now!” I exclaimed.

“Your daughter Rafaelita killed herself ten years ago. Today is her 10th death anniversary.”

“NO! NO! YOU’RE LYING!”

After what seemed like an eternity. I blacked out.

I opened my eyes and saw that I was looking at the ceiling. Slowly, I sat up. I was in Rafaelita’s room. Again. I looked to my right and saw the time. 10:39 am.

Someone opened the door. It’s Fatima…

Beside her was a young man.

I called her out but it seemed like my voice has been silenced. They seem to not notice me there too.

“Such a shame Aunt Felicidad died.” said the young man.

“She died all alone from heart ache.”

And with that, it’s as if something struck within me. All alone? I’ve worked my arse off just to give my daughter the best…Rafaelita was my life...How have I come to this?

I decided to leave the room, went outside of the house and just walked.

All these emotions of pain, guilt and hurt were all swimming inside of me. I was so absorbed with what I was feeling that I didn’t notice the approaching truck.

Then I woke up.