Reversal of fortunes
Lawyers. I find little good to say about them in general. But just like the proctologist, sometimes you have no choice. You know you won’t like the experience. You know you are paying to not enjoy it. But you pay anyway and put up with the discomfort.
I have all the paperwork that Ping gave Jomar, plus the NSO1 certificate of marriage, with me.
I walk the attorney through what Charline did to me, and then the paperwork. She takes her time, going back and forth. She asks a few questions, and looks at the papers again.
Sir Roland, what do you seek to do?
I want the house in my name. I want the property kept away from Charline and her family forever. I am not sure I like the bit in the paperwork regarding the executor, but maybe we can fix that. I want the car in my name. And finally I want a legal separation from Charline.
Not an annulment?
I didn’t think it is possible.
Maybe yes. I think you are correct. Maybe it will be OK for an annulment, but maybe it will not work. Still she admits she entered into the marriage by lying. That is an admission of a crime here. But, we will start with the separation. Later, there may be a way you can get an annulment even if she is not convicted of fraud because of this admission.
I am not really sure I want an annulment. To be annulled will allow her to come back as someone else’s wife. It would allow her to marry here again. Maybe a separation alone is best.
If you change your mind, maybe you can give a copy of her confession to the US officials. I do not know their law, but I believe it is illegal to lie to obtain citizenship. Maybe she has committed fraud. Maybe she get her citizenship revoked because of fraud. What she do, it immoral. Marriage a sacrament. It against God what she do.
Huh, OK, I hadn’t seen that. Can we do the rest?
Yes. I do not see a problem. It will cost some money to process the papers with all the government offices, but I have an assistant who can do this for you. What do you want to do about the executor of the trust?
Can we get him to relinquish the executorship to the first girl who gives me a child? And can we allow for any other mother of a child of mine to be added as a co-executor?
More than one woman? Not a wife?
I didn’t even consider marrying again as I didn’t think it possible. And yes, in case there is more than one woman, I do not want to pick a winner and a loser. There is no one in my life pregnant now.
But you think there may be in the future?
Yes.
May I ask how many and who these women are?
I prefer not to say. As I said, no one is pregnant.
How will you be sure they are yours?
The US Embassy conducts a DNA test before verifying a ‘birth abroad.’ If they have a US passport, they will be mine. Also, the mother will be identified by DNA.
Very good. First, we must get the deed changed to the trust. Then, yes, I can write a legal instrument to change the executor to the mothers. But this Jomar must agree to sign the change.
As his niece is likely going to carry my child, I do not think it will be a problem.
Very good. You are in agreement? I will have my assistant handle this, yes?
How much for the assistant?
Maybe two thousand pesos now and three thousand when completed? My fee for the change in the executor will be eight hundred pesos. As there is no sale of the house or property, just a non-cash transfer the cost for that will be only three thousand pesos.
So you need five thousand eight hundred now and three thousand later?
Yes, that will be fine. The separation is not so inexpensive. I need twenty thousand to start, but you can plan that the cost will be higher than fifty thousand pesos when complete.
If I was in the States, just three hours with an attorney might well cost far more than what I just forked over. We will see how much more all, but the separation, costs me. I bet the government agencies’ employees will need some grease to process the papers.
The separation will take more than six months, as there is a mandatory cooling-off period. I don’t want to even consider pushing a fraud issue until I have the legal separation complete. If I do it sooner, she might get pissed off, contest the separation and then, if the annulment fails, I am screwed.
I hand over some cash and get a receipt. And now, all I can do is wait.
The gals know I was going to see an attorney, and four out of five of them are waiting for my return. When I come through the gate, I am handed a cold beer and an afternoon snack of a few hopia with caramelized onion filling.
We are all sitting on the terrace. I am feeling a vague discomfort; an aftereffect, I always feel when dealing with attorneys. It seems to have something to do with the feeling of a need to take a shower.
The girls want to know the ‘news.’
Other than withholding the matter of a potential annulment, all the rest is discussed. I talk about how Jomar will be the initial executor until the first one of them gives me an heir. I tell them I am working with the attorney to change the trust so the mother becomes an executor, so long as she stays with me. As others produce children they get added as a committee of executors under the same restriction. In the end, there may be five executors.
They seem happy with the arrangement. I tell them that I will eventually put the house into a trust at time of death, but for now it will be in my name.
Jecim wants to know how fast the separation takes. I explain that the law requires a six month cooling-off period. She is confused.
OK, so how much time left?
No, it’s not from when she left, it is from when I file for the separation.
Six months!
Yes. No choice.
But the house and the land, they will be ours? Not hers, right?
Yes, except that, until we are separated, she still inherits. So getting everything I can into a trust will be needed if the separation filing fails.
This is, in many ways, no different from being with Charline, They will, in the end, get it all. The exception is that they are not all going to leave me. They need security. Charline thought that marrying me and getting everything in her name here would give her all of it and then she could just leave. Of course, the US citizenship also gives her a massive leg up. With the lot and the house paid for, along with the citizenship, she figured she didn’t need me. She had me skinned and nailed to the wall.
If any one of these gals were in the same position, can I really be sure that they wouldn’t do the same damned thing? When I am inside them, I might, for a moment think, yes, this is love. When they, without prompting, bring me the brandy, rub my back and cook food I enjoy, yes, it can feel like love. But it is, in reality, no more than Charline without the seeming protection of a US passport and a marriage license.
This time, I have built in to the deal that they must have my child and be with me, to be fully within the orbit of inheritance. Maybe that will keep them closer to me as I become impossibly old. I don’t know. I am not sure about any of this anymore.
They are good to me. I can’t fault a one of them. No, in truth, they are more than good to me. But the reason for it... what is it? Can it be love? Isn’t it more reasonably understood as self-interest?
I need to not allow myself to be deluded, to succumb to the emotional need to believe in fairy tales. I can be happy that they are cared for without being confused about the underlying motivations.
But… there are times that it is getting harder to ignore the protestations of love they utter so emphatically.
No, not now, as they revel in the likelihood that this land and home is theirs. Not now, as they see their world turned topsy-turvy. Three of them whores and a whore in the making, one maid, and one pharmacy tech, all who will shortly be quasi-landed gentry. No, not now, as they realize the reality of this incredible reversal of fortunes. The wife, who had conned the old fart, gets left in the dust in favor of these unlikely survivors.
It is myth-making sort of stuff.
It is not done yet. No one is more aware of that, as am I. The separation may not be granted. It is not an immediate thing, even after the six month ‘cooling off’ period.
Jecim has been texting and I think I know who, as Jomar is calling my cellphone now.
Roland, Jecim tells me the paperwork is OK. This true?
No, it is not. The lawyer only says she thinks it is OK. We won’t know for sure until it gets processed. And we won’t know about the separation for at least half a year.
Yes, it good that you are cautious. The young ones get too excited I think.
Yes, they do.
OK, I tell Ping. Keep on praying. Say nothing to anyone. He calls me many times. Yes, it true. The man scared you will say it no good.
I am not as worried about Ping as I am worried about Merly. She is dangerous.
Ha! Yes, I agree with you. Ping must take care of her!
No! Jomar, as dangerous as she is, we may still need her.
OK. OK. Maybe we just lock her up! Yes, I see if this can be done.
Jomar, please rethink that. Maybe just let her know that if she does anything to cause a problem, it will happen that she may be found to have broken the law and need to spend time in jail. But if she behaves there will be no problem.
Roland, you too gentle. She need to understand a bit better!
There are times when it is counterproductive to argue. This is just such a time. I let it go. God only knows what he has in mind. I surely don’t want to know.
I end the call and Vieve asks me if I will celebrate with them. I am not sure what she means.
We will get some Sprite and merienda2 from the sari-sari store3. You have some brandy maybe?
Before supper?
Why not? It a special day, I think.
Merienda? Isn’t is almost time for supper?
So?
OK, sure.
Supper may be pushed back to later or never occur. It’s hard to tell. That it goes against my sense of order only goes to highlight a difference in the cultures.
An hour later a family party is in progress. Iren has arrived and so has Myra’s mom, Marjune. Both women seem to want me beatified. They are convinced that only saints do what I have done.
And then… and then, they do something, both of them together… have they planned it?... They tell my girls to be quiet, and then rip into them! It is a fire and brimstone sermon delivered from the arbiters of right and wrong. But as wrong as all I have done is, as might be felt in the eyes of many, it is not me who is getting the lecture. It is most definitely directed toward the girls. And it is partially done in English! I gather the two moms want me to know what is being said.
When Marjune says something in Cebuano, Iren repeats it in English. There is no way to explain this as two individuals speaking. They are speaking as one.
Girls! Shut up and listen! Yes, you have much to rejoice. This a very good day. But do not think you deserve this. You not. You not deserve it. Do not make the mistake that Charline make! Do not think this is yours. No! It not. It his. It belong to his children we hope. It not yours. Never. Never forget, this man, he good to you. Never forget, that can end if you not good to him. Yes, it good to love him. He deserve it. But love, it not enough. What if you love but treat bad. No! Love or not love, treat him good. Then all will be happy. Do not forget, he make this happy world. Not you!
Marjune then turns to me and says something loudly in Cebuano. Iren smiles and says it in English. Make them be good. Hit them if they bad.
What do you say after that? All I could think of is, Will you have some brandy with me?
What do you know? … They do. I retreat from the supper table, where all are gathered, to the sala. The two mothers join me.
When the brandy is served to them, there is a bit of back and forth in Cebuano before Iren says, Roland, this need ice.
I smile and, taking a sip of mine, I ask her to trust me and take a sip as well. She gives me a look of confusion, but does take one virginal sip of warmed brandy.
The look on her face betrays both surprise and confusion. It may well be the very first time she has ever really tasted brandy. Iced down, there is little to taste. Warm, all the fruitiness of the liquid explodes in the mouth.
Roland! What this? Not brandy!
I ask her to urge Marjune to take a taste while I get Jelou’s attention and ask her to bring me the bottle of the brandy. The bottle is corked and not capped. Removing the cork I invite her to sniff the aroma as it comes up the neck of the bottle, and, then recorking it, I hand the bottle to her.
They know the brand. Fundador is the commonplace name of brandy here. But this clearly is not a bottle she has had in her hands before.
How much this?
Oh, too much, Iren. It is too expensive. But it is very good. Do you agree?
How both this and the other have the same name?
It’s the same company. The other is called “Light” but this is called Exclusivo. They are different brandies from one company. The other would taste like brandy, too, if you drank it warm. But the taste isn’t as good. So maybe to hide the not-so-good taste, people kill the taste with ice. I don’t know.
OK. I always wonder why spend on brandy, when rhum is OK and tastes better. Rum good warm too, maybe?
No. Rhum is better cool or cold, unless you mix it with other things. There is a drink called a hot rhum toddy, but there is honey, lemon juice, nutmeg and cinnamon in it. Some folks put rhum in hot apple cider. There is something called hot buttered rhum.
We not drink that.
I know. Rhum alone should be served cold.
Myra say you never drunk. But you drink. Why that?
Do you like the taste?
Yes.
If you have a little each night, you would not get drunk, correct.
Yes, OK. So you drink a little. Taste good. Maybe relax a little, but not too much?
Exactly.
This not the Filipino way.
Yes, I know. I live in the Philippines, but I will never be Filipino.
That is good and bad I think. You different. Maybe we not understand you. Maybe you not understand us.
Yes, maybe.
But mistake or not, we enjoy the brandy before the gals move back to the big table.
I am still sitting in the sala, enjoying the brandy, when Jecim and Marjune come to me. I gather Marjune wants to speak and needs an interpreter. She has selected Jecim, and not Myra. I find that interesting. The conversation is mediated therefore, but I will write it down as if Jecim is a mere conduit.
Roland, maybe I make mistake.
Oh? What mistake.
I have problem with Alida.
In what way?
We fight all day. It always fight. Her girl hear all this. Bad for the child.
I’m sorry. I’m sure both you and Alida are very unhappy. But, as you know, I found Alida difficult and a very bad fit for this house.
Yes, yes. She not good here. She not good with me. She is difficult. Analiza, she cry many times. She not want to hear the fight.
Maybe Alida should just be on her own.
See you not know our culture. No I not tell her to leave. She is the daughter. If a man want her… yes that OK, but not without that. If a man want her, I say, go be with him, but not in this house. Yes that OK. But no man want her. She too difficult.
So, if keeping her at home is not the mistake, what is the mistake?
Her child. My granddaughter. I say she should be with her mother. Same like you say.
And?
That wrong. The child need to be where no fighting.
You have a son who is married. She can go there.
It no good. Jojo say no. He not want it. If he take the child, Alida cause problem for him.
You have relatives. Everyone in the Philippines has relatives.
No one want to do this. The child not want this.
There is activity out by the gate. It seems like we have a contingent of Jecim’s siblings and her nephews and nieces arriving. Each appears to be carrying some food. Some in pots, some in trays. Two brothers are carrying in cases of soft drinks in bottles. Rachelle has come with them.
A multi-cab arrives with a big videoke machine, and some guys are setting it up on the terrace.
I look over at my girls. All I see are happy faces. What I do not see is guile.
Rachelle walks in the front door, spies me, approaches and greets me. I think I am not lucky, but I am happy for you and Jecim. You do a good thing.
I smile. What the fuck am I supposed to say? ‘If you weren’t so difficult, your life would be very different,’ really? I mean, here I am talking about Alida who is difficult and I am not allowing her in my door. How is that different from this Jake and Rachelle? Yes, Jecim and I are very lucky to be together.
Rachelle excuses herself and I am more than happy to see her go.
Marjune chuckles. She and Alida, they know each other. They fight many times. Both girls the same. Both difficult, I think. She have a daughter the same age, same school.
I didn’t know about the daughters knowing each other, but I am not surprised by this. So the mothers must see each other quite often.
Yes, all the time. Oh, the fights! Such language! That why I want the child away from Alida. It need to happen.
I see.
Yes, Analiza love her aunt.
But I thought you said that your son didn’t want the child.
Not her! No! Analiza’s other aunt.
Who?
Myra!
1 - Philippine National Statistic’s Office.
2 - Snacks and breads. Can also be a light meal.
3 - Neighborhood convenience store. Carries very basic items.