The House Of The Unholy

The guests are escorted to the huge dining room where the long wooden table is almost covered by the festive supper. At the center of the table is the lechon, a whole pig roasted in burning coal for hours, with its oil spilling over the banana leaves where it lays. Beside it rests a huge pot of fabada, a meat and beans stew. Ditas had to prepare the beans overnight before they were cooked along with tocino, morcilla, chorizo and longaniza; the hot stew is a perfect complement to the rainy night. Opposite the fabada stew is the pot for paella; the rice is cooked in seafood broth and is topped with shrimps, mussels, chopped cuttlefish and prawns.

On the side of the wooden table there also lays a plate for potato omelet; beside it rests a pot for vegetable tapas such as marinated carrots and fried slices of eggplant.

The festivity would not be as grand if not for the wine, and this night, Ditas settled to serve their guests with rice wine pangasi. All the while, the typhoon is raging outside bringing its wrath to the vast rice fields, inundating the fields with its rain and beating the stone house with its strong winds. This night though, the stone house seems to regain its life, the life that it was known for and the chatters in the dining table overpower the noise of the furious thunderstorm outside.

"How I wish I could bring the cocinera with me back in Manila" Dr Farin ponders while pulling the shell off the shrimp, "she could bring tastes back to the bland meals at the Cuerpo Sanidad Militar"

"I would have stolen her and place her at the monastery to cook for me; before I let you have your hand at her and step in a boat boarding Manila, Doctor" Fray Luciano cackles as he sips wine from his cup

"The old lady's heart belongs to this stone house" Teniente Leon answers, "it has always been and it always will be," he continues while raising his cup of wine to initiate a toast to which everybody joins in

"The Madame of the house has a talent, that's undeniable," Ana Rosa retorts with her usual smile, "but I prefer my soup with more broth,"

As Ana Rosa glances at Ditas, she sees her at the corner standing along with the other servants. Her head is down, both hands clasp together.

The awkward silence is suddenly interrupted by Fray Luciano;

"My lady, what you have in your bowl is a mixture of beans; which I am sure was soaked in a bowl of water overnight. Not to mention that the water has to be changed at least once; and different meats have to be added after. What that means is that while you were still at the port waiting for the coachman, the old lady and her staff were already up and meticulously preparing this stew" Fray Luciano answers taking another sip from his cup, "which brings me to my point that what you have in your bowl is not a soup, but a stew, rather. If you could notice, the meats are generously cut larger; and they do not drown in broth intentionally made to stand out. It saddens me actually since the broth is not meant to be the main component of this dish, but the beans and the meat; but they were looked passed to in favor of the broth," he continues staring at Ana Rosa

"Pardon me, Padre" Ana Rosa responds still smiling though tense, "but that's just my preference,

"I would not have known the difference either," Teniente Leon starts to laugh

"That is fine my Lady; Teniente, I understand the natives are still adjusting their appetite and taste," Fray Luciano slurs, as he continues intoxicating himself with the wine

"Padre, you seem to be in a rare form," Dr Farin cackles as he continues to sip the shrimp's head making a squeaky sound

"Ha, Doctor!, I can even dare you to examine my bloodstream; and prove yourself that I am not as intoxicated as the good Teniente here thinks," the friar laughs then he looks at the shamed faces before him, "my lovely lady, Ana Rosa, isn't it?" he pauses in anticipation

The lady bows her head gently,

"that is right, Padre,"

"Our young gentleman here, Mateo, spent his years in Manila. He basically grew into manhood in the city and like any other adolescent boy, I am sure he had spent his a.d.u.l.thood with the city's finest, if you know what I mean," the friar traces the cup with his hand provocatively repeating the gesture up and down

"What exactly do you mean, Padre?" Ana Rosa responds curiously

"Tell me Segnor, have you ever wandered in Calle Iris in Quiapo?" Fray Luciano enquires at Teo who awkwardly shakes his head in disapproval, "or visited Paseo de Azcarraga, perhaps?"

"I was just at the University, Padre" Teo finally answers

"The lovely lady was from Manila as well, Segnor, I was just thinking you two might have bumped into each other," the friar then sips from his cup again

"My apologies, Padre, but I have never been to those streets either," Ana Rosa responds, with a much tensed voice

The friar holds his gaze at her as he puffs his tobacco,

"Oh!, it was so disrespectful of me," he pauses, "those streets are flocked by the vagamundas. Those women who sell p.l.e.a.s.u.r.es to men. Those who were the spawn of the very demon that seduced Adam and Eve that caused them exile from the Garden of Eden; who until this day and age; these demonesses continue to seduce men towards acts against the will of God. May it be to break the holy sacrament of matrimony or the vow of celibacy. I see those are no streets for such a lady like you, Ana Rosa,"

The gentlemen on the table exchange glances at each other as they make it obvious a tension is building up. The friar picks up his glass and look around him to dodge the uncomfortable looks on the faces of the gentlemen before him;

"This town has been plagued by our very own vagamunda as well. The woman has been inflicting the men of this town with her trade, especially the Civil Guards and Cuadrilleros, isn't that right, Teniente? She has been roaming around like a walking infection, luring every men she comes across with, young and old, even those who are already married. I am sure you will come across her with one of these days ," the friar pauses, "I admit to be mistaken, so pardon me, Segnora. That harlot has nothing in common with you,"

" I will have the cochero bring you home later, Padre, you must have had too much wine," Teniente Leon imposes while he assesses his blushing wife.

The friar slaps the air with the back of his hand as if deflecting the lieutenant's concern. He takes another sip from his wine before lifting it up as he examines the faces of the people surrounding the dining table

"I'd like to propose a toast to Teniente Leon, this town's Captain pro tempore," he announces

The servants, who have been standing at the corner unconsciously lift their head slowly to take a glance at the lieutenant; while Ditas tilts her head to where the lieutenant is seated and smiles in agreement. Dr Farin remains silent in his nonchalance still finishing his bowl of paella; while Ana Rosa reaches Teniente Leon's hand and presses it gently as she nods her head as soon as the lieutenant's eyes meet hers. Teo lifts his cup and joins the friar with his toast, only then the rest of the guests followed.