Stone Mill - Part 3

I am rewriting this from my entry to Philippine Fifty-Word Story Writing Contest done a couple of weeks ago. This is a fiction referenced after real historical events, my life as a boy, stories I was told, and our town.

The first two parts of the story can be read here: Part 1 Part 2

It was in April 1941 when grandma Veronica finished highschool education from Bulacan Highschool. It is now called Marcelo H. Del Pilar National Highschool. She graduated a couple of months before the Japanese took the school annexed in Casa Real de Malolos to house the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in the whole duration of the Japanese occupation. During that same year, grandpa Agustin was completing a course on agriculture from the Central Luzon Agricultural School in Nueva Ecija.

Grandpa would later on accept teaching assignments at Mountain Province High School until he and grandma Veronica gets maried in 1948.

Agustin Bernardo
Mountain Province High School, Baguio, Philippines
November 13, 1947

My Dearest A,

I cannot wait to see you again at Christmas break, and finally get a chance to catch up. I sure hope you are keeping healthy, well, and true to your love. Your mother and father came to talk to my mother today. I woke up earlier than usual to make rice cakes like mother instructed me to do. It seems like she was expecting them. I am not sure what they spoke about, and am hoping you will kindly tell me in your response, have you any idea? It was all pleasant. I did not imagine they would get along well specially that their first encounters after learning about us iwasn't exactly nice.

I think about you all the time, and will not forget to greet you on your birthday. In the three consecutive birthdays you celebrated after we met in 1945, you are always away from me and your family. Your birthday next year falls on a Saturday, and you will not have an excuse to not come home on your special day.

A, I am hoping you would consider your father's offer for you to come home and manage the farm. I find it difficult being away from you. I also saw in the morning paper today a feature article talking about a posibility of a Third World War. Charles de Gaulle is calling for making an alliance between France, Britain, and the US to fight communism and reconstruct Europe. We both know that ideologies like this can lead to war. It is a good thing that Carlos Romulo signed the Japanese Peace Treaty in September at the bidding of president Roxas. Still, it doesn't matter much who we go to war against if it gets to that, I just really miss being with you.

Happy Birthday my dear A. I will look forward to your response, more than that the Christmas break when I can finally see you again. I can still remember how we first met at the plaza next to the cathedral in May 1945. I did not think that someone of you stature would fancy somebody like me. You startled me when you approached, my guess is that it's the anticipation that gave me away. I know who you are, I have seen you during our younger years at the farm, but it was different seeing in person again after many years. I remember you to be the brat, rich, mestizo looking boy from back then. I love how you turned out to be alright, I must say I was quite surprised too.

This is becoming a really long letter, and I am aware that you are quite busy. Still, I will be pleased to read a response from you soon. Happy Birthday again my dear.

Love,

Your V

Veronica Agtarap
Dakila, Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines

There is a trunk full of letters like this kept in readable condition. By the way aunt Maring is taking care of the trunk and the letters in it, I can almost imagine how much importance grandma Veronica gave in keeping them preserved all those years. Aunt gave me permission to read through the letters with the condition that I'd be extremely careful not to cause ruin in any form. In grandpa's response to grandma Veronica he detailed why his parents went to see grandma's mother, how he really is planning to stay in our town after the school year, why he thinks the world will not allow a third world war, and how he looks forward to marrying grandma.