Goodbye

A cup broke last night and as the old people say “bad things come with it”. Who knew that around the same time that occurred my lolo in Iloilo also suffered from heart attack. His sister called us here in Manila and she said my lolo was already in the Hospital. As I called my mom to inform her she was about to go home, not expecting that this day was going to be unusual. They called from Iloilo once again and it was when they said that my lolo was already gone. It turns out that he didn’t reach the hospital and died right then and there in their house as he was about to go to their banyo.

We were all stunned because they were just here in Manila as we gathered for my Tito graduating in Law School. At that time though, I also noticed my lolo not being as active as he was. He wouldn’t join us in going to see some places preferring to stay at home and look after my baby cousin. The thing that stood out to me throughout their stay was when we had our last dinner in the restaurant. He asked me, “Muupud ka ‘to sa Iloilo?” (Are you going with us to Iloilo?) and I told my grandparents that I was too tired to join them. He accepted my answer and my Lola even justified it. Coming to think of it, my Lolo was never the one that invited me to come over to their place. My Lola, yes! But my Lolo, Just that instance! I should have known.

The whole side of my mother’s family also went to Iloilo to celebrate for their town’s fiesta except for us and another one who has a family and is based in Canada. We planned to join them but we quit at the last minute and it was a decision that we regret the most. My mom, felt depressed the most since she was not able to spend quality time with her father.

It is the second death that I have in my family. The first was my father’s dad and now my mom is mourning over her father’s loss. Both of them I’m happy that I got to have growing up.

I LOVE YOU LOLO ERNING! :D