The Mercedes mansion looks like a five star resort with its wide area and luxurious landscape. It has a huge kidney shaped pool with marble tiles and slides. There was a garden on the left side of the Villa with varieties of flowers and ornamental plants. The whole area was covered with Bermuda grass and a marble fountain with a statue of cherubim gracing the center of the Villa.

The mansion looks as if it came out straight from a lifestyle magazine, even better than the picture, standing elegantly in a perfect landscape. My heart dropped a bit at the sight of it. Then the security guard escorted us up to the mansion with a club car. I’ve never ride a club car before. It was worth coming here after all, just for the club car ride. It was really cool.

We were allowed to wait in the sitting room that has the same size as our bungalow. While the uniformed maid called Don Marcelo in his study room, mom was silently looking around, surveying the house with great appreciation. The sitting room, like the mansion’s exterior, presented elegance and luxury. The floor was marble, the furnitures looked expensive and made of top quality materials, the paintings were exquisite and unique, like abstract arts or something, surely made by famous painters, and the windows were made of stained glass. I felt like I could wait here forever. Then I saw the chocolate eclairs, lying neatly in the center table. I made a quick glance at my mom and when I saw that she was busy reading a copy of Time magazine, I took one and popped it on my mouth.

Then Don Marcelo, followed by his wife, came down from the grand staircase like two royalties. I saw my mom stood up so I did the same. For a minute, I was expecting her to curtsy or kneel before them but she shook their hands instead.

″Lorna! It’s a pleasure to see you,″ Don Marcelo warmly clasped my mom’s right hand.

″Me too, Sir,″ Mom replied.

″Oh please, call me Marcelo,″ Don Marcelo said with a cheerful laugh.

Then Mrs. Mercedes kissed my mom on both cheeks. I started to change my mind about mom and dad’s employer. They seemed nice and down to earth. They exchanged greetings while I looked stupid, waiting for the Don and his wife to notice me. Finally, my mom motioned me to come near.

″By the way, this is my daughter, Denise,″ mom told them as I awkwardly stood beside her.

Don Mercedes gave me a handshake, smiling at me while Mrs. Mercedes kissed me on both cheeks and hugged me.

″Denise! I’m so glad to finally meet you,″ Don Marcelo said, his voice was loud and cheerful. He reminded me of Santa Claus.

I remained speechless then I felt mom nudging me from behind.

″Me too, Sir,″ I said, quickly.

″You’re like our little Twyla,″ Mrs. Mercedes exclaimed. ″She’s in a boarding school now and only comes during summer. You should visit us often, Denise.″

Er... Twyla? Who was she? Their cat?

I looked at mom, puzzled.

″Twyla is their granddaughter,″Mom explained.

″Oh.″

″She’s about your age, thirteen if I’m not mistaken, very sweet child. I’d love for you to meet her,″ Don Marcelo added. ″Anyway, Have you eaten? Do you want anything to drink?″

″No.. No.. Thank you,″ Mom said, quickly. ″We’re fine. We just had our breakfast.″

″Well then, you must come with me,″Don Marcelo ushered us to a huge sliding door. ″Martin will be happy to see his new caregiver.″

We entered into another huge room, with a large sofa and antique furniture and decorations quite similar to the sitting room. There was a grand piano on the right corner, with a huge photo frame of a smiling little girl on top of it. It was an old black and white photograph so it couldn’t be Twyla. Perhaps, one of Don Marcelo’s children back when she was young. There were violins, flutes and trumpets hanging on the wall. I figured it was the music room.

Suddenly, a wooden door opened, and a middle aged woman pushing a wheel chair came out. The woman was stunning and looked every inch a lady born with a golden spoon, with classy hairstyle and fashion sense. Then my eyes fixed on the guy sitting on the wheel chair. And his shallow eyes were gazing at me.

Strange feeling swept over me. I could tell he was also mesmerized. More on shocked actually. As he didn’t move even when Don Marcelo introduced my mom to him and to the lady beside him. Okay, technically, he wouldn’t be able to move as he was already paralyzed but he was still staring at me and I couldn’t take my eyes of him as if we were locked in our own world.

The strange moment was interrupted when suddenly, Don Martin collapsed on his wheel chair, while his eyes were still transfixed on me.

″He’s having a heart attack! Call an ambulance,″ Mom yelled for help and Mrs. Mercedes quickly went to the side table and dialed a phone number on the telephone with trembling hands, while Don Marcelo helped Mom to put the body of Don Martin in a straight position and carried him to the sofa.

I was left dumbfounded. I didn’t know what to do. It was good mom had care-giving skills. She used to work in the hospital until she married Dad. I watched as she tried to apply emergency first aid on him. After thirty minutes, the ambulance came.

Two hospital workers wearing blue uniforms put Don Martin in a stretcher and took him out of the mansion. I would never forget the familiar gaze of Don Martin and the strange feeling I had on the day I first met him.

Deja vu!

I remember this happening before. I was waiting anxiously for someone, staring at the window. I was alone and it was dark with only the tiny lampshade on my bedside table was open to light the whole room. Suddenly, the phone rang.

I was startled when I heard the phone ringing in the living room. My mind came back to the present time. I quickly went to the living room, switched on the light and answered the phone. It was mom.

″Hey, Denise,″ her voice sounded distant.

″Mom! How’s Don Martin?″ I asked.

″Not good. They put him in the intensive care unit and he’s still under observation. Look, I won’t be able to go home tonight so please cook something for your father and be sure to lock the door, okay? I love you, bye.″

″Mom-′

I was about to ask her something but the line was cut. She probably hung up on me.

I went to the kitchen and tried to pass the time by cooking dinner for Dad. I couldn’t help not to blame myself for what happened even if I knew that it wasn’t my fault. Am I that ugly for him to have a heart attack the moment he saw me?

I spent the rest of the week at home. Mom was always coming home late and Dad’s usually working the whole day so I was alone most of the time. I heard Don Martin is in coma.

Finally, they brought him home. He was still in coma and the doctors were not sure about when is he going to wake up or if he would. Don Marcelo and his wife decided to bring him home and hire a private doctor and two nurses instead,aside from mom, who would work in shift.

I was also busy preparing for my school. I went school shopping on my own and I was glad I did for I had the chance to see the neighborhood outside the Villa. Unfortunately, I saw nothing but mountains and forests and no buses or public transportation were passing by. I walked for about fifteen minutes until I reached a small plaza. There was a small twenty four hour convenient store around the block and an antique shop across it. I saw a sign saying ‘Bus stop’ and asked the guy in the ticket booth on how to go to the city. He gave me one ticket and showed me where to ride.

My trip was the most exciting trip I’d been to, so far. For I’ve never been in a public bus ride on my own. I used to go to school with Jenny all the time and we have our own school bus that brings and picks us up from school and mom never allowed me to go shopping on my own.

Well, Don Martin’s sudden heart attack was a blessing in disguise. Mom’s finally has something to keep her busy aside from making my life miserable.

I went to buy things for school and passed by a sweet shop to order a milkshake. I was about to go back in the bus station when I passed by a park. Something was telling me to stop by.

Mary Knoll’s botanical garden is a paradise. It has a butterfly and bird’s sanctuary and the magnificent garden with the largest floral collection I have ever seen.

Then there was a wishing well beside a fish pond, with golden fishes swimming lively across the clean water. The pond was well maintained, not a single piece of garbage on it. Only corals, pebbles and a bunch of coins. I was about to drop a fifty centavo coin but before I made a wish, a feeling of recognition swept over me.

Deja vu!

I stared at the flowing water. I felt like I’ve been here before, trying to make a wish in the same old wishing well. But when?

I hate having flashbacks of things that happened before but I have no memory of the exact event. I sat on the bench and took a sip of my milkshake. Dried leaves were falling from the maple tree beside me and I felt a sudden chill from the afternoon breeze. It was very quiet and the melancholic atmosphere made me nostalgic. I felt like crying for no reason as if I was missing someone but I have no idea who that person was.

A butterfly rested on a pink hibiscus flower beside me. And once again, I felt a sudden rush of nostalgia.

It was my last week of vacation before the beginning of classes. Yesterday was my mother’s day off and we went to St. Jude’s Catholic school for the orientation day. The school was pretty nice. It was a private catholic institution with school bus and elegant white and gray uniform. I just hate the fact that it was run by nuns. Not wishing to be rude but nuns are a bit old fashioned and narrow-minded. I still prefer my old public school even if the facilities and quality of education are a bit crappy.

We were invited to Mrs. Mercedes 60th birthday and my mom even bought a new dress for the party. She bought me a pink and silver dress as well. It must be a special occasion because according to her, everything was set several weeks before the said event.

I was busy straightening my hair with a hair iron, preparing for the party when my mom called from the living room.

″Faster, Denise. We’re going to be late,″ Mom yelled.

″Wait!″ I scowled. Mom was the most annoying companion when it comes to attending parties. She’s always rushing and putting the stress on me. In my opinion, everyone is allowed to be late. After all, we go to a party to enjoy and rushing won’t set the right mood.

I quickly put a hair clip with a fuchsia floral design on my long straight hair and critically examined myself in front of the mirror. I heard Dad started the engine of the car. Like, seriously, the mansion wasn’t that far and we don’t have to waste gasoline just to be on time.

It was the most glamorous party I’ve ever been to. There were more than one hundred round tables with silver covers and expensive silver wares arranged in a formal table setting with pink and white bouquet of roses in the middle. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of pink and silver helium balloons adorned the whole venue with floral arrangements and huge lamp shaped lanterns . The grand piano was placed importantly on one side of the room with the violins and the harp and on the other side, the longest buffet table was arranged although the food and liquors have not yet arrived.

The party has barely began when we came and I saw how the empty venue accommodated all very important guests. The huge garage was filled with luxurious cars and the people were all dressed in expensive, elegant gowns made of fine silk. Most of the visitors are hugely important people and obviously came from high society. Next to them, I felt like like a beggar wearing rugs.

It was like a magical ball in a fairy tale book. Something I never thought I would be able to attend. I was grateful to Don Marcelo and his wife for inviting us even if we were just common employees. I saw Dad talking to one of his colleague. I guess, all staff from his office were invited. Mom was also busy having a conversation with a woman that looked familiar to me but I couldn’t remember her name. There were teenagers my age but they seemed to know each other and looked like spoiled brats.

I’d love to watch the party forever. But as I was watching everyone’s happy faces, I was suddenly hit with nostalgia. Something was telling me to leave and be alone.

I got up from my seat and decided to get away from the cheerful crowd and went inside the mansion to find serenity.