LOVE ALWAYS WINS

CHAPTER 1: Tyron’s Heartbreaking Past

July 3, 1990. Tuesday. Tyron Rivera was born to parents, Ronaldo and Teresa Rivera living in a remote barangay in a rural town of Leshba, a municipality located in the State of Piasco, which was southwest of the State of Missi.

His parents were poor but he was very much loved. He father worked as a driver and mechanic for an operator of several passenger tricycles, while his mother worked as a laundrywoman for several households including that of his father’s employer. They lived in a small shack on the property of his father’s employer. Despite their socio-economic status, his parents did not let him to get starved. He might not have toys like other kids but his parents made sure that he would have everything he needed as he stated schooling.

May 31, 1997. Saturday. It was the start of the school break. Tyron was almost seven years old and just recently finished first grade in the public elementary school. In weeks’ time, he would already turn seven.

It was dinner time and Tyron was having dinner at the long picnic table under the tree near the garage with his parents and the entire family of his father’s employer, along with some other tricycle drivers, when the drug addict son of his father’s employer ran amok and shot them all with an unlicensed high power rifle.

When the police officers came, they inspected the crime scene and discovered that all the victims had multiple gunshot wounds. They were thankful to find a survivor.

Tyron was that only living survivor. A bullet had slightly grazed the upper part of his forehead and two more bullets entered his upper abdominal area with no exit wound. His parents seemed to have covered up for him. The paramedics had applied the necessary first aid. He was immediately air lifted to the Piasco Hospital at the state capital, Lano City, for immediate attention. It was the only government hospital in the state that could handle a trauma case for free. According to the neighbors who witnessed the m*ssacre, they had seen the drug addict son of the tricycle operator fleeing from the scene throwing the rifle on the ground after hearing a series of gunshots. One neighbor said that the survivor was the son of the driver/mechanic of the tricycle operator and had no known relatives except for his parents who had both perished on the m*ssacre.

Tyron survived that operation. Two bullets had been extracted from his left side and right side upper abdominal area. Luckily, the bullets did not pierce deep into the skin so no vital organs had been hit. He woke up after two days. Scene of Crime Officer Edwin Santiago questioned Tyron as Miss Kara Crizaldo, the social worker in-charge of him, explained that the police officer wanted to ask him some questions.

The police officer’s first question was, “How are you feeling, Tyron?”

He answered, “My tummy still hurts, sir police officer.”

The next question of the police officer was, “Do you remember what happened that night when you got wounded?”

He narrated, “We were all having dinner at the picnic table under the tree when Kuya Bonbon arrived. He was carrying a long gun and demanding money from Bossing Boni. Bossing Boni calmly told Kuya Bonbon to have dinner first but Kuya Bonbon just suddenly ran amok. Nanay covered my eyes while Tatay covered my ears, but I still heard a lot of gunshots,” and then he asked, “What happen to Tatay and Nanay, sir police officer? Where are they? Where they also hurt like me?”

The police officer could not right away answered Tyron. He looked at the social worker to help him out.

The social worker said, “I will tell you everything when you are fully healed already, Tyron.”

But Tyron asked with tears in his eyes, “Are the already dead, Miss Kara?”

The social worker just hugged him tightly and then eventually said, “Yes, they are already gone Tyron. All of them died from several gunshot wounds. You are the only one who survived.”

Tyron then asked, “Where is Kuya Bonbon?”

Officer Edwin answered, “He had just been caught after hiding for two days. He will stand trial and will definitely be sentenced with multiple life imprisonments for the horrendous crime that he did. You will be safe, Tyron. Miss Kara will be looking after you. And if you will need my help, then I will try to help you the best I can.”

Tyron asked another question, “Are my parents buried already?”

Miss Kara responded, “They would be buried soon. I will accompany you to visit their graves once you are fully healed already.”

After a few more days, Tyron had already been discharged from the hospital. Officer Edwin had accompanied Tyron, along with Miss Kara, to the graves of his parents at the public cemetery in the Municipality of Leshba.

Tyron then inquired, “Officer Edwin, Miss Kara, will Tatay and Nanay be just fine wherever they are even without me…” and then added, “…because I don’t feel fine without them.”

Miss Kara’s tears almost fell but she tried to hold them back. Officer Edwin then knelt down and hugged Tyron warmly. He could relate to what the little boy was feeling because his parents also died when he was his age. If not for his paternal uncle who took responsibility to be his legal guardian as a foster parent, he won’t be what he was at present. He already asked Miss Kara about being Tyron legal guardian, but Miss Kara said that the fostering guidelines as well as the adoption guidelines in Piasco had gone much stricter so as to prevent child exploitation that had been prevalent among foster parents and adoptive parents. So the state government had just set up group homes all over Piasco for the orphans that could not be accommodated anymore at the non-profit orphanages, and support their schooling until they reached the legal age of eighteen. Tyron would be placed in the group home in Lano City, where Miss Kara is the social worker in-charge. The group homes were regularly serviced by volunteer house parents, doctors, and child psychologists to help out the orphans to adjust to their new lives.

Officer Edwin told Tyron, “I already gave Miss Kara my contact details, Tyron. I will also visit you at the group home whenever I have time during the weekends. Your father and your mother had tried their best to keep you alive, so keep on living and study hard.”

“Yes, I will keep on living, Officer,” Tyron also told the police officer, “I would also like to catch bad people like you do, Officer.”

Officer Edwin said, “You can be anyone you want to be, Tyron. Life as a police officer is not as easy as you think it is.”

Tyron asked, “Then will you tell me how you solve crimes and catch those bad guys if you have time to visit me at the group home, Officer.”

Officer Edwin assured him, “I will try my best, Tyron,” and then changed the topic. “Anyway, do you want to learn self-defense? That way you can defend yourself from bad guys.”

Tyron became interested and asked, “Will you teach me how, Officer?”

Officer Edwin said, “I might not have the enough time to teach you personally but I can send someone else at the group home to teach you as well as the other children with basic self-defense. I already talked to Miss Kara about it. Just always be good and don’t be a bad guy. You still have a long life to live. Listen to Miss Kara as well as the houseparent. If you persevere then you will have a good life ahead.”

Later on when they returned to Lano City, Tyron was escorted by Miss Kara to the group home and tour him around the entire gated facility. She introduced him to the other children and the present volunteer house parents. The entire facility had three buildings in U layout. The two-story living quarters was on the far center, and the two other one-story building were on each side. The two vacant lots on each corner were for the vegetable & fruit garden, and the chicken coop & goat house

The two-story living quarters had ten group homes, five on the ground floor for girls and another five on the second floor for boys. Each group home has two bedrooms, shower room, toilet room, kitchen, dining area, and living room. The bigger bedroom had four double decker bunk beds while the smaller bedroom has a single bedroom for the house parent.

The one-story building on the far left was the multipurpose covered quadrangle while the other on the far right was the adjacent administration office, and infirmary. And the vacant lot on the center was for the parking area for the two coaster van, which would transport the children to the nearest public elementary school and public secondary school within the city, and other vehicles of the staff and volunteers.

Miss Kara even gave him a newly framed photo of him with his parents during the recognition day in his former school where he received several awards and the Top 1 Honor.

Miss Kara told him as she gave the photo frame, “Just think that your parents are always watching over you. As for your medals and other mementos that I collected in your former residence, I stored them for safekeeping. We will store all your other future awards and medals there too. You can have them once you are adopted earlier or emancipated at the age of eighteen.”

Tyron responded, “Thank you very much, Miss Kara.”

Miss Kara replied, “It is part of my job as a government employee, Tyron,” and then recalled, “By the way, we also have a study hall with books and computers here at the administration office. Once you all resume schooling on the next school year, then you can quietly study here. Just continue doing well in school and I am sure that your parents will be proud of you up there in heaven.”

From then on, Officer Edwin and Miss Kara had been the two constant people in Tyron’ life. The police officer had spent his free weekends volunteering at the orphans’ home and spent time with Tyron and other children telling his personal detective stories in a much lighter tone. Officer Edwin had instilled on the children’s minds that there is always something good in every individual, that one always has a free will to live his own life, and that he wished for all of them to take the path to goodness all the time.

When Tyron graduated from elementary as class valedictorian, Officer Edwin was finally granted legal guardianship as a foster parent. After sometime, Officer Edwin and Miss Kara ended up getting married in their 40s.

After graduating in senior high school as a class valedictorian, the couple also arranged for Tyron’ emancipation. Tyron qualified to study at UF – Vienburg in all the degree programs he chose, but he opted to study Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing because he wanted to be a novelist of crime and mystery stories.

Tyron was a voracious reader. During the school break in his first year stay at the group home, he had read all the reading materials available at the study hall including newspapers and magazines. Tyron’s literary talent and skills had been discovered earlier by his elementary school teachers. He was also good in public speaking. Thus, he had always represented his public elementary school in every literary and public speaking competitions. It carried on through his secondary education. He had also been contributor and eventually editor of the school’s bi-weekly newsletter during his secondary schooling. His foster mother had carefully collected all his essays, short stories, poems, newsletter through the years since he went to the group home.

Tyron insisted not to depend financially from his foster parents during his emancipation and so he just requested them to arrange a job for him at Vienburg. His foster parents had already done so much for him. They had paid for his comic drawing, swimming and judo classes. They provide him with a loving family environment. They even paid for him driving classes so he could secure a professional driver’s license. Thus, he felt that he should not abuse their generosity.

Luckily, Tyron was accepted as a night-shift (10 PM – 6 AM bellboy at Palais Isabelle through the connections of Officer Edwin. But as parting presents, his foster parents provided him with a second hand laptop and a cellular phone with prepaid SIM card.

August 4, 2008. Monday. It was the first day of school year for UF – Vienburg. Tyron had already settled in his dormitory room with three other male students inside the campus. With Tyron’ striking impressive smile and ruggedly handsome face and physique, he had won several adoring admirers already. But he just focused on his studies and his night shift job as a bellboy. At times, when he had free time on day time, he also worked part-time as valet driver or substitute driver.

Because of his chiseled jawline and awesome physique, he had been asked since in his freshman year to be the nude model for the painting and sculpture classes of fine arts students. He was hesitant to agree at first because of his gunshot scars on his sides, but they were not that noticeable on front view and rear view so the professors and students did not mind at all. He was also paid handsomely for every hour so he agreed to pose as nude model. He saved all of his income and just spend on food, other schooling expenses, minimal school fees, and travel expenses.

Several fine arts students flirted with him but only one lady piqued his interest. She was Vivienne Yan. But he did not pursue her right away. But circumstances also led them to meet outside the campus. He had often been hired as a substitute driver whenever Vivienne and her friends partied around, and he was available before 10 PM.

During school breaks from June to July, he worked two shifts at Palais Isabelle, 2 PM – 10 PM shift as F&B waiter, and 10 PM – 6 AM shift as bellboy. He was allowed to stay at the staff quarters of the hotel during school breaks as well.

He only got to visit his foster parents in Lano City during his day off on school breaks. But his visits also lessened when he started dating Vivienne during their third year in their respective degree programs. Vivienne was the one who took the first move and he was not able to reject her. He lost his virginity to Vivienne, who was already sexually experienced back then having spent her elementary and secondary education in USA.

May 18, 2012. Friday. Tyron was just a few weeks away from his graduation when his girlfriend of two years, Vivienne Yan, had broken up with him. Vivienne was a fine arts painting student and would also graduate that school year.

Vivienne told him, “I got something to tell you, Tyron.”

He replied, “What is it? Have your father already found out that you are dating a poor guy? Does he want you to break up with me?”

Vivienne became silent for a while then eventually spoke up again, “I cannot turn back on the luxurious life that I am enjoying just to continue on a life full of uncertainties with you, Tyron. Dad is right. Our so called love won’t be able to keep us alive. If we elope just as we initially planned, I am afraid that I will just suffer.”

Tyron’ response was, “I will still give you enough time to think things over, Viv. Anyway, we still have thirteen more days before our graduation. I will wait for you on our meeting place as planned.”

May 30, 2012. Wednesday. It was a joyous event for Tyron, a literary agent, Abner Ramos, who was a brother to his fiction writing professor, Arman Ramos thought that his dystopian fiction trilogy novels featuring the male protagonist Theon Di Santi and the female protagonist Krystal Cruz would make it big. So he was provided with the business card. It was also the college graduation which was attended by his foster parents where he received awards and graduated as Summa c*m Laude.

Tatay Edwin told him, “Your Nanay Kara and I won’t be able to attend the university graduation tomorrow. But I am available for the weekend to visit you on the apartment unit that you leased for your stay here in Vienburg as you graduated.”

Nanay Kara added, “Let us be hopeful that your novels will be published indeed. We are so happy for you, Tyron. You have come a long way. We are very proud to have you as a son.”

Tyron responded, “And I am also happy and proud that the two of you became my second parents.”

Tatay Edwin also reminded him, “And also do not work two shifts anymore this coming school break. That way you can have more time for writing. And please rest more.”

Tyron agreed, “Yes, I won’t, ‘Tay.”

Nanay Kara then asked, “So where is your girlfriend, Ty? When will you introduce her to us?

Tyron answered, “She is having their college graduation this afternoon so she is not here, ‘Nay.”

May 31, 2012. Thursday. After the university graduation that morning, he received a modeling offer from a modelling agent, Cenon Lim, who happened to have a fine arts (sculpture) student niece, who was also graduating at that time. He accepted the business card.

At around 9 PM, Vivienne did not come to their meeting place. Instead, the manager of the restaurant handed him a letter from Vivienne. The letter –

Ty,

By the time you read this letter, I might already be on my flight back to US. Dad insisted that I marry the son of his Filipino-American business partner. It is an arranged marriage that Dad agreed on with his business partner since we were young. I have no way to escape because I am heavily guarded. And even if I am not heavily guarded, I will also not elope with you. I cannot live on that studio apartment unit in a not so good neighborhood with you, Tyron. Even if your trilogy novels get published, there is still no certainty that you will be able to provide me the privileged life that I have always enjoyed since birth. I am really sorry.

Viv

Tyron went back to the dormitory to pack his luggage. He would have to move out the following day and move in to his new residence. He felt devastated. All the while, he thought that Vivienne would change her mind He just felt so heart-broken that he wanted to end his life.