Me Without You (23 page)

"Do you think Dad knows about this?"
Xavier asked.

"You've got to be kidding me. Dad can't
keep anything from mom. And mom can't keep anything from her. And
before we know it, everybody knows," Hugh said.

"I know," Xavier said excitedly as an
idea came to his mind. "Fr. Ulysses! He knows something. I trust
him." Xavier quickly narrated to Hugh the conversation he overhead
a few days back.

"They're all in it together, man!" Hugh
said. "We can't just trust him easily even if he's a
priest."

"The seal of confession," Xavier
said.

"That's a good idea!" Hugh
replied.

The next day, Hugh and Xavier woke up
earlier than usual. Even Gilda was surprised to see both boys
already dressed and ready to go. After Gilda blessed Xavier, the
two boys dashed for the door in haste.

Hugh and Xavier agreed the latter will
take the confession. But when they reached Fr. Ulysses' office, he
wasn't around. They found a plump girl with twinkling blue eyes and
short blond curls up and about in the office.

Xavier recognized her as Jonah's
sister. Unfortunately though, he could not remember her name at
all.

"Hello! I'm Jenssen! I am
the new Chairperson of the
Predators
Conservation Foundation
organized by Fr.
Ulysses. How may I help you?" the girl greeted Hugh and Xavier
warmly. She indicated the monobloc chairs that were neatly stacked
up to the ceiling in one corner of the office. "Please do grab
yourselves chairs so that I can introduce to you the program.
Actually, we had our volunteers' orientation yesterday, but if you
missed it, it's okay. And we are just getting organized as you can
see and sharing Fr. Ulysses' office until the renovation is done.
Although, we don't really need a physical office because we will be
travelling a lot." She chattered on bubbly. She began taking out
leaflets and brochures from the table's drawers and handed them to
Hugh and Xavier.

"Actually, we came here to see Fr.
Ulysses!" Hugh said while taking the brochure Jenssen was handing
to him.

"Oh, I see!" Jenssen said, sounding
really disappointed that Hugh and Xavier did not come for the
program. "But there's no schedule for confession now!"

"Oh, I see!" It was Hugh's turn to
sound disappointed.

"Hey, I know you—" Jenssen addressed
Xavier. "Aren't you my sister's boyfriend?"

"Xavier," Xavier offered.

"Oh yes, Xavier!" Jenssen said and
giggled. "So how about listening for a while about PCF while you
wait for Fr. Ulysses? It's a worthy cause. And you may never know
who you'd meet who'd be interested about this. You can say a word
or two and refer them to us!"

"Of course," Xavier said and started to
grab one of the chairs from the lowest pile. He nudged Hugh to do
the same.

"Yeah, why not?" Hugh said, giving in
which brought a triumphant smile across Jenssen's face.

For the next half hour, Hugh and Xavier
listened intently on Jenssen's explanation about conserving
predators like crocodiles, wolves, sharks, hyenas and more through
education. Jenssen explained that knowing these predators'
behaviors will likely save them from being endangered and managed
well. Jenssen mentioned of sponsorship by the diocese to fly people
to the natural habitat of these predators so that they can have
first-hand experience on how to care for them.

"We are looking for funding now to send
a few of our volunteers to Africa," Jenssen concluded her carefully
crafted speech about the program. "Some of our volunteers are
willing to shoulder the expenses for fare and accommodation. But
still, there are other expenses that the program must
consider."

"Of course," Hugh said and exhaled a
long breath. He stretched out his arms and legs as far as they can
reach. "Does the program have your own predators here?"

"Oh, yes!" Jenssen said. She lowered
her voice secretively and added, "We've got people who caught
smugglers of hyenas. But they are preparing to bring back the
beasts back to their habitat soon. And some of our volunteers may
be on the same ship by then. Of course, it is a hush-hush thing so
that the media will not catch on. Otherwise, what will people think
of hyenas in the US?"

"Well, some may think that there are
hunters here," Xavier said knowingly and Hugh caught on to his
meaning immediately.

At the precise moment, the door opened
and came in Fr. Ulysses. In his late thirties, Fr. Ulysses was
about six feet tall and gangly. He was garbed in a crisp lawn shirt
and a pair of button-down jeans. Anybody would barely recognize him
as a priest. He looked more like the typical guy-next-door
desperate housewives will throw themselves at.

As Fr. Ulysses saw Hugh and Xavier, he
extended his hand towards them in a greeting. He went directly to
his table and rummaged for a few documents.

"I am so sorry, boys! I am all over the
place today," Fr. Ulysses said. "With the new program and without
my own office." He chuckled charmingly.

"I told them about the program, Father!
And that we are renovating " Jenssen spoke up. "I also mentioned
there is no schedule for confession today."

"You are becoming an all-rounder here,
Jenssen! A really big help!" Fr. Ulysses said while he continued to
search his drawer.

"I'm glad to be of help, Father!"
Jenssen replied and beamed. "I will leave the three of you now
while I check how the other office is doing. Thanks for listening,
guys!" she added and ran off outside like a little girl with her
cheeks flushing pink.

"So how can I help you, boys?" Fr.
Ulysses asked without looking at them. He held up his right hand
and mouthed silently, "Just a sec!" He took out his phone which was
vibrating and answered it.

Hugh signaled for Xavier to step
outside. However, Xavier pretended to ignore Hugh and continued to
look over the leaflets Jenssen had given them.

Fr. Ulysses lowered his voice and said
through gritted teeth, "Please don't do this—!" He covered the
mouthpiece momentarily and told Hugh and Xavier, "I'd like to take
this call privately, if you don't mind, boys!"

"Of course, Father!" Xavier said and
stood up. He and Hugh left the room silently.

While Xavier and Hugh were waiting
outside for Fr. Ulysses, they debated whether to pursue what they
had in mind or not.

"Just ask him directly about the
healers," Hugh said. "Let's see how he will react!"

Fr. Ulysses was quick on the phone. It
only took him five minutes before he stepped out of his office and
ready to go again. The priest started walking and the two boys fell
in step with him. "Gosh, I'm terribly sorry about this, boys! But I
need to be some place really important! A matter of emergency!" Fr.
Ulysses blurted out.

"It's okay, Father! We understand,"
Xavier said keeping up with Fr. Ulysses while Hugh hanged back a
couple of steps away. "I heard you talking about the healers and
hunters and we wanted to ask you about them," Xavier continued and
slackened his pace a bit.

Fr. Ulysses did a 180-degree-turn and
completely halted. "What do you know about them?" he asked Hugh and
Xavier, eyeing them suspiciously.

"That's why we came here, Father!"
Xavier said. "To ask you about them!"

Fr. Ulysses looked at his watch and
said, "Ride with me and I will tell you all I know about them.
Then, tell me what you know. Is that a fair deal?"

Xavier and Hugh exchanged looks for a
moment. What will they tell Fr. Ulysses—the truth? And what will
they discover about the healers and hunters that they hadn't known
from Gilda yet? Will it help Jonah in any way? Or will it only put
everybody in danger?

Xavier and Hugh accepted the offer.
While Fr. Ulysses was backing out of the parking lot, Hugh and
Xavier were trying to map out half-truths and half-lies to tell Fr.
Ulysses in their own respective thoughts.

The Black Scarf

"Ma'am Judith specifically instructed
me not to use the car," Damian said. In between scratching his head
and looking outside the window once in a while, it was very evident
that anxiety was seeping through the man by the minute.

"We saw you last night," Jervais said.
She could not keep her annoyance anymore. To go directly to the
point and pin the man, she was concocting the story as if she had
witnessed being followed. She was already annoyed the moment Jonah
woke her early in the morning with the mission to ask Damian and
let him confess the truth. And it was one thing which Jervais knew
will keep her in a bad mood for the rest of the day. She did not
like being roused from her sleep. Her body knew when it was going
to wake up. "Why were you following us?"

"I wasn't following you, Ma'am! I
swear." Damian answered. He was starting to sweat in his forehead.
He took out a handkerchief and wiped them away with shaking
hands.

"So where were you last night?" Jonah
asked.

"I was driving Ma'am Jane to and fro
the whole day, Ma'am!" Damian insisted. "I used her car. You can
verify from her," he added hesitatingly.

Jonah and Jervais looked at each other
momentarily as if debating if the man was telling the truth after
all.

"Damian was with me the whole day,"
Jane said from behind them. "From the hospital to the church to the
grocery and finally home and back to the hospital again. Why is it
so important for the two of you to know?"

"Thank you! You may go now," Jonah
dismissed Damian who looked relieved when Jane appeared.

Jane sat on the tall stool at the
kitchen where the two were having their late breakfast with a
helping of pancakes, bacon and eggs. She placed her bag on top of
the bar.

"So? Mind explaining what that was all
about?" Jane demanded. She took Jonah's fork, cut into the bacon
and put a small size on her mouth. "This has too much fat on it. I
have been ignoring the kitchen for so long now. I'm
sorry!"

"What are you talking about? These are
okay! Although, you're right—I miss your cooking," Jervais said.
"But we're not complaining. You have a lot on your plate and we
understand!"

"Oh! That's so sweet," Jane said and
squeezed Jonah, who was nearest her. They were cheek-to-cheek "So,
what's with Damian?'

"Jonah was being followed by a black
car just like your mother's on the way to the hospital last night,"
Jervais blurted out.

"No, way!" Jane said. She was shocked
to hear about it. "But it couldn't have been Damian. He was with me
all day."

"That's what we are trying to find
out!" Jervais said. "Actually, that's what the brat is trying to
find out," she corrected herself, meeting Jonah's eyes with a
scowl.

"Did you get the plate number?" Jane
asked.

"Of all the things the brat failed to
do—that's one thing she successfully did—failed to get it!" Jervais
chuckled.

"I was so nervous, I couldn't think
anymore," Jonah said defending herself.

"Of course!" Jane said reassuringly. "I
wouldn't be able to think straight myself if it were
me!"

Jane dug from her bag and took out a
black scarf. The stole was a lightweight wool gauze which was
almost six feet long. She spread it out with the gold metallic lace
ends dangling from her hands.

"Brice!" Jonah and Jervais both said at
the same time.

"I thought so, too!" Jane said. "I
found it among the mess in my room. By the way, everything is all
tidied up. And I bought a new settee. But it is not an invitation
for persons to share my room," she added with a wink at
Jonah.

Jonah took the scarf from Jane and
muttered, "We will give this to Brice. But I don't need an invite,
right, Jane?"

Jane smiled and kissed Jonah on the
cheek before she got up. "And I will be at the hospital if anyone
needs me! By the way, Aunt Judith has the keys to your mother's
car," she said.

Jonah gaped at Jane's
retreating figure.
Could their Aunt Judith
be following her? What for? Kill them one by one? Was she also
responsible for Jemmah?

"Stop it Jonah, please!" Jervais said
as if reading Jonah's mind. She got up from her stool and took the
scarf from Jonah's hand. She draped it around her neck and walked
to and fro like a model would in the catwalk. She paused by the bar
and took a bite of her pancake. Then, continued modeling the black
scarf around her neck.

"Brice will be so pleased if we give
this back to him," Jonah said, diverting her attention away from
her Aunt Judith.

"Definitely!" Jervais said excitedly.
"He has been looking for this for so long. It's his favorite
scarf."

"Yeah, I remember—this was given to him
by a special someone who bought this from Italy," Jonah
said.

"But he never mentioned who that
someone was. Or did he?" Jervais asked.

"He was so mysterious about it," Jonah
said. She stood up and unwrapped the scarf from Jervais' neck. She
placed it on her head like a veil and it flowed right through her
thighs. "Do you know what this means?"