(2012) Heights LX, Anniversary Issue

also every vestige of her life up to that point. Innocencia said that during those times, her thoughts would repeatedly go back and forth between her parents and del Monte.

While she certainly did not want her parents to be angry at her and she did not relish the idea of being called a bad daughter, she felt that going away with del Monte was something she had to do. Not doing so would mean being relegated to living her life according to the constraints of the community as well as her parent’s wishes.

In contrast, del Monte seemed to offer a life of unlimited possibilities, and more importantly for Innocencia, happiness. Since she felt certain that she and del Monte would be happy together, and that his family would be more than able to provide for their needs, Innocencia said that she eventually decided to go with her John – John.

Besides, she was also certain that her parents and friends would eventually come to terms with her decision, especially since she knew that they wanted nothing more for her except happiness and security in life.

And so, Innocencia said that at their usual time on that Sunday, she met up with del Monte at the Church of the Nativity. She had earlier begged off from attending a luncheon wedding reception with her parents by telling them that she was feeling a little under the weather. While her parents agreed to let her stay home, Innocencia said that at that time, she had felt a little annoyed that they had made such a big fuss about her being sick that it took awhile for them to leave the house. This only gave her enough time to scribble a hastily – written note stating the reasons for her departure.

During the times I asked her why she neglected to bring even a change of clothes when she left, Innocencia would only reply that she was anxious of what del Monte’s parents would think of her outfits, and had only been placated by del Monte’s telling her that she didn’t need to worry about any clothes since that would be readily taken cared of once they arrived at the Hacienda del Monte.

Innocencia said that any misgivings she may have had disappeared once she saw del Monte’s face when they met at the Church. After saying that no words could describe how he felt, del Monte then took her hand to lead her to the awaiting Mercedes sedan.

Despite her wanting to take in the scenery of the countryside en route to the Hacienda del Monte, Innocencia said that she fell asleep almost as soon as they left the Church. When she woke up, she said that del Monte had told her that she had been asleep for around six hours, and with a kiss on her forehead, he informed her that they were already inside the hacienda’s compound.

In her description of what she saw from inside the car, Innocencia recounted that she was amazed at how much the hacienda resembled how she had imagined it. From where she sat, she could only see row upon row of pineapple tops stretching as far as the moonlight allowed her to see. The only thing that seemed to stand out was the dirt road that they were traveling on, which appeared to cascade up and down towards nowhere.

After what seemed to her as an eternity of passing through thousands of rows of pineapple tops, Innocencia said that they eventually got to a concrete road that led up 176