Bona Fide Image VIII

-“Please mom? Can I stay the weekend with them?” Pablo asked Linda with heartfelt earnest. Even though Pablo was very tall for his age, which made him appear older than his twelve years; Linda was apprehensive about letting him go spend the weekend in the neighboring tribe of his best friend Paco.

Linda hid a smile provoked by the enthusiasm displayed by Pablo, his unusual blue eyes contrasted deeply with the honey shade of his skin, and these were lively as he expounded on the desire to be allowed to go.

Linda knew that the elders of the tribe had developed a special affection towards Pablo, and his insatiable curiosity was appeased somewhat by the tutoring of the wise men of the clan in the art of natural healing, and the instilment of a profound reverence for Mother Nature and of all the species of the rain forest.

Linda rested her apprehension and allowed him to go. He did earn that merit by excelling in his studies, obtained the highest marks, and easily assimilating the subjects presented.

-“Okay, you may go, and I will take a special dish for Paco’s grandfather. I am very happy that you have taken an interest in healing Pablo, do you think that is something you will pursue professionally?”

-“Hmm…I don’t know exactly. I do know that I like to investigate things. I am learning about the medicinal properties of many plants inherent to our rain forest. I think that I would like to assimilate the two and find a way to cure people with what nature provides for us here.” Pablo said after some giving some thought to the subject.

When Linda said goodbye when leaving Pablo in the care of the wise men and his best friend, she was startled when Pablo came running to give her a goodbye kiss and a hug. Something in his expression, has reminded her of Phillip. Except for the pigment of the skin, the marked resemblance was undeniable.


Some things seem beyond repair, no matter how much one would wish they would work. The attraction for Cindy had faded some time ago. Basically after she gave birth to their son, she had stopped trying to make it work. She was settled and married, and Cindy did not feel the need to strive to make their relationship a loving one. There was no real love anyway on both parts, but make the best of her situation, she did. She was considered one of the most fashionable women in the society circles they oscillated in.

To her credit, Cindy was a good mother. She lobbied to make sure that her son Charles got into the most prominent private schools. She knew that even from pre-kinder, the alliances, friendships and clout created from the association to those prestigious schools, would affect her son’s future in a profound way.

Even though Phillip existed in a loveless marriage, his commitment was enduring. It was Cindy who eventually severed the ties, when she happened to be madly in love with one of her opportune lovers. She simply left a note on the refrigerator saying that she was taking a sabbatical for an indefinite period of time.

That sabbatical lasted two months before she called home, and talked to her son. She inquired as to how he was doing in school. She then initiated the divorce proceedings, without attempting to obtain child custody. She felt that she was still young to make a new life for herself. Love and passion blinded her to the pain she caused those who loved her, in this case, only her twelve- year-old son, Charles.

When Phillip was a free man, the idea of searching for Linda once again cemented in his head. Would she even remember him? She most probably would be married with children of her own too. Regardless, Phillip wanted to take this trip which he had halted when called home, all those years ago. He was taking advantage that his son was vacationing two weeks with Cindy in her new home.

Linda had not changed much from twelve years ago. There was a profound sadness and maturity in her eyes, yet the rest was relatively the same. She still ran the kitchen of the tourist inn. They recognized each other instantly when they gazed upon one another.





To be continued…