It was a humid afternoon when Lester and I met up to go to Mommy Perla’s hotel. I was overly excited to finally, see in person, the late Julie Vega’s mom. I expected to see someone who was an elitist, one who would think that I’m a writer who hasn’t made a big name yet, but I was wrong.
Clockwise: Kuya Joseph, Lester, Mommy Perla, and the author.
She was everything Lester described her to be — kind and congenial. I felt at home in her presence right away. I knew that I could relax because she was very gentle. Her family took Lester and I to dinner just so we could chill and get to know each other and chat a bit. I remember Kuya Joseph (Julie’s brother) telling me to sit right next to Mommy Perla because we needed to talk.
It was a lovely dinner (in a restaurant in Quezon City). I also met Julie’s nieces, her sister-in-law (has she had the chance to meet her), and grandchildren(!). The food was great but the Postigos’ warmth was greater. They accommodated everything that I needed in order to set up the said interview for the upcoming book.
After dinner, I thought — this is it! I was finally going to interview Julie’s mom. We sat in her hotel for hours, just talking casually about her long-missed daughter. Lester was there with us all the while, taking a video of the interview, also pitching in an idea every now and then. Of course, a great part of the interview had to center on the events that transpired prior to Julie’s passing and the events that followed right after she was already gone.
As a mother, though I know Mommy Perla is at peace now, I can still feel the longing that she had for her daughter. I felt the pangs of pain when I asked her about Joey’s (Julie’s other brother who passed away two years ahead of her) death also and more so when she had to describe Julie’s last, few months. Back there, I felt two moms’ spirits, just connecting with each other. I even gently told her, “I’m a mom, too, I know that this is painful to discuss but I will have to ask you all over again…”.
I thought then, this is going to be a great revelatory book, one that would give us an in-depth look on what really transpired. After all, the things that we discussed will be included in Julie’s book — one that she’ll be remembered in forever — and ever!
Filed under: Personal, This Mom's Writing Gigs, Uncategorized Tagged: | Julie Vega, Julie Vega's book, Julie's book
