RAMBLINGS OF THE MIND
“Yes, we choose well, don’t we, grandpa”? Leo giggled.
“And we will meet them tonight. How do I look, grandpa?”
“You look just like me, when I was your age.”
“Knock, Knock, Knock.”
They all heard it and immediately went to their places in their tree-house. The knocking was persistent, but not offensive. “It must be them,” whispered Lovelyn, trembling with excitement, as she walked toward the door.
Lovelyn opened the door, which was laden with new twigs added just this morning by her father. The fragrant smell of the fresh twigs did little in calming her down. Trying not to show her trembling limbs, Lovelyn made the introductions, struggling to remember everything her mother had instructed her days before.
“Good evening, this is my father, China, and my mother, Gino,” her parents gave her a quizzical look.
“I mean, father Gina and mother Chino. Oh sorry, uhm, Please meet uhm my parents, China and Gino.” Lovelyn was blushing all over.
After a couple of minutes...
“Where am I?” China asked, still dazed, everything was blurry.
“Where is Dave?”
“Calm down, China, take a rest. You and Ramonito collapsed.” Gino tried to comfort his partner, too reluctant to ask who Dave was.
At the other side of the room, Ramonito woke up. Still dazed, he mumbled, "Sheena, Sheena, where are you? Where am I? What happened?”
Don’t stand up, dad. Just lie down, please. You collapsed,” said Leo softly to calm his father down.
“What’s going on? Who’s Dave, who’s Sheena?” asked Gino.
“They’re Dave and Sheena,” they all turned to Spikes who was standing at the door, pointing at the two who were still on the floor.
“China’s name used to be Sheena, and Ramonito’s real name is Dave,” Spikes said like a Pope declaring a doctrine of the church.
“Ten years ago, both of them were partners. At that time, the idea of having one partner was not accepted by the troops yet, and somebody really went out to prove that it was wrong so that it would not be declared official.” Spikes explained.
“So, my son did not die?” everybody turned to Tubby who appeared in the doorway beside Spikes.
“He didn’t. But his friend did. It was Dave they intended to kill so that you would not agree to monogamy. But Dave was with a friend so they killed them both. Or they thought they did. I took Dave and nursed him until he recovered and raised him like my own son. I renamed him Ramonito.”
“I will testify against my father,” Gino looked at Spikes, then back to Tubby. And Gino knew only his father could have done it.
Gino was Haig's son.