Mariano's dark past

Here I am again, all by myself to the big table. It really gets boring being by myself all the time, I just don’t know what to do but sleep all through.

But something felt strange. The atmosphere around him is different, like he is a different man. I haven’t seen him this way before, even on TV or journalist’s reviews. Well it’s my first time being closed to him this much, but I never expected that the world most dangerous man in Santiago had a cheerful part. What could be his story?

I stood up again from the dining table and made it to the living room. I sat down on the cushion and switched on the TV as I tried to get myself busy and not be bored.

“Cassandra. You are here? By yourself?” I turned around and it was Celia.

“Hey Celia. Is there anything wrong with me being here?” I asked as I noticed the sudden change of mood.

“He doesn’t like anyone sitting by the TV, or on his chairs. He gets angry.” 

“Ohh I see. But he isn’t around, and he probably won’t notice by the time he gets back.” I said.

“You really think so.” She said and fixed her eyes on the painting. She wouldn’t take her eyes off and I became confused as to what she was looking at.

“Is there something up there?” I asked with great curiosity.

“He is watching you Cassandra.”

“What do you mean he is watching me?” I paused and then I remembered he had paintings of himself all over the place but not one camera could be found. “Don’t tell me that he has…”

“There are camera’s in every painting and sculpture you find in the building and outside. He is connected to them with his cellphone, that’s how he monitors things around even when he’s gone. So if I were you, I wouldn’t want to anger him at the moment. Most especially in his state of mourning.” She turned around to excuse herself.

So it wasn’t a coincidence. He probably saw me the moment I tried to escape, and here I thought I was unlucky to have stumbled on him. 

“How stupid of me. I should have known better.” 

Still sitting on the cushion, I realized she made mention of him in a state of mourning.

“Celia, Celia.” I called out to her and chased after her. I got close to her and held her back.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I am just curious about something. You said he is in a state of mourning, what happened to him?” her eyes widened in surprise as she stared at me. “What!” 

“Nothing, I just thought you wouldn’t be bothered by what I said earlier.”

“Wait, was it a lie? Which part of it?”

“Everything I said was true. He doesn’t like people sitting on that cushion because it holds a lot of memories about the ones he had loved

“Ohh I see. So he’s just obsessed about a failed relationship,”

“It wasn’t a failed relationship Cassandra, it was more than that. Her name was Becky and she was the sister he cherished.” She said cutting me off my words.

I bit my lips. “I was to quick to judge the who scenario.” I said feeling unconcerned.

“I know it may not be of great importance to you but to us, it means a lot. Mariano suffered greatly when he was a child, his father never loved him as his son but he saw him as a tool to do his dirty works. Mariano’s mother, no one knows about her and no one has seen her not even him, as he was a baby when he was brought to live with his father. His dream was to go to the best school and study law, but his father never approved of it. He treated him differently and that turned him into the man he is today, a man without love in his heart. Everyone feared him as he spoke of terror wherever he goes, he became cold-hearted until Becky’s arrival. Mariano never thought he had a stepsister and that was the only time he saw his mother. Just like him, she dropped her off and left. Mariano never knew what to do but seeing his sister made him happy, then he was about coming off age. He bowed to protect her all his life but that was impossible as she was diagnosed with fibro and that took her life. Mariano’s world became cold again but not as he used to be. That why if you ask him, he’s not a bad person. He’s just someone who lacks the mutual feeling of love in his life, someone who can warm his dead heart and makes it to start beating again.”

I became entirely speechless. I never thought I would hear such a sad story. 

“That’s the reason why he values family so much and that’s also the reason he separates families because he gets envious whenever he sees a happy family. Well, that’s all I know if there’s anything I think you should ask the chief chef, he has been here since Mariano was a child. He knows more than the rest of us.” She walked away.

It all makes sense to me now. The reason why he dislike ladies and only sees them as a plaything. His childhood must have turned him into becoming the monster the world thinks he is and he must have accepted it. If what she says is true, that means there’s a lot of good inside of him which he is yet to embrace. 

I walked back to my room, locked the door and squatted down there. I looked at the picture of him and the little girl, I could see how smiley he and happy he looks. I guess the little girl must be his stepsister.

***

Dusk was fast approaching. I have been in my room and the only thing that filled up my mind was what Celia said earlier. I had no idea why I was deeply troubled and why my heart was beating fast, but what I did know was that there was a feeling of pain and brokenness inside of me which I could not seem to explain.

I heard the moving of vehicles, he must be back. In haste, I walked over to the window as I looked down. He steps out and looked up to me with a smile, the feeling increased a bit and I felt a sense of pity for him. I closed back the curtains and made it back to my bed and sat down there.