Sitti and Marco had only arranged to stay in Palawan for two days. Thanks to tight finances, she had no choice but to return to her apartment in Bohol to wait for news. Besides, her family lived on the Island. This was home for her, and it was also where all of her support was. Marco’s father had also arranged to remain in Bohol for as long as it took to find his son. This arrangement made it easier for the two families to stay in close contact. However, the only thing that mattered was finding Marco and reuniting the newlyweds. Sitti’s phone was monitored by the police 24/7. A digital device recorded all incoming calls. There was every expectation that the kidnappers would soon call with ransom demands. While kidnapping for profit in the Philippines was not as profitable as it was in Mexico, it did happen from time to time. So even though he was unlikely to be snatched for ransom, it was still on the table. Every call Sitti received generated a rollercoaster of emotions. Most calls were, however, from well-wishers or salespeople. So when the police finally called Sitti, her heart just about burst. She was hopeful and terrified all at the same time. It took all of her strength to pick up the phone.

Despite all of her expectations. Nothing prepared her for the call that she received from the police department. Her father and mother were all present when she received the call from the chief of police. When she heard the words that her Marco was dead, all the strength in her legs just disappeared, and she collapsed to the ground. Her father, Antonio, gently took the phone from her hand, thanked the chief, and hung up the receiver. Then he, with the help of Angelo Sitti’s younger brother, picked her up and carried her to the couch in the living room.

Christina, Sitti’s older sister, fanned her while Carmelita, their Mother, got a cold glass of water for Sitti. The cold water and a damp wash cloth helped to revive Sitti quickly. After she regained consciousness, she started to sob uncontrollably. The crying continued for some time, with Sitti’s family providing as much solace as possible. Finally, her crying subsided, and she said, “I need to call Marco’s father and tell him the news. He deserves to hear it from me.” As she spoke, Sitti looked at Angelo and asked him if he could bring over her purse. She quickly opened up her purse and took out her cell phone. Before their marriage, Sitti had entered Mr. Chiesa’s number on speed dial, so it only took a second to make the call. When Lorenzo heard the tone of Sitti’s voice, he knew that it had to be bad news. When Sitti told him that they had found Marco’s body, everybody could hear Lorenzo’s wail, “OH NO! NOT MY BEAUTIFUL MARCO!” When she heard Mr. Chiesa scream, Sitti’s heart broke all over. Finally regained her voice enough to speak, “Mr. Chiesa, you shouldn’t be by yourself right now. I will send my brother Angelo over to your hotel room to pick you up. We are all family, and we should all be together at this time.” Mr. Chiesa weakly said, “Ok. I will be expecting him,” and hung up.

Sitti looked at Angelo, who somberly nodded, “I will go get him right now,” as he stood up and grabbed his car keys off the coffee table. When Angelo pulled up to the lobby, Mr. Chiesa stood outside the hotel, with a jacket over his arm. Angelo couldn’t help but notice that Mr. Chiesa looked like he had aged 10 years since the wedding. He quickly put the car in park and got out to help the older man into the vehicle. He was pretty surprised at how frail he was. Mr. Chiesa seemed so strong and virile when he last saw him. Neither of the men talked as they drove the short distance back to Sitti’s apartment. When they arrived, Angelo assisted Mr. Chiesa into the apartment. He was greeted with a big, tearful hug from Sitti. The sorrow in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Sitti and Marco’s father just held each other and sobbed. Finally, they sat down on the couch together, desperately holding each other in their arms, trying to gain comfort.

When Sitti, her family, and Mr. Chiesa finally composed themselves, Mr. Santos, Sitti’s father, said that they needed to call back the police department to make arrangements to see Marco. The problem was that Marco’s body was on another island, and neither the Santos family nor Marco’s father was exactly flush with cash. There was also the question of where Marco was going to be buried. After a lengthy discussion, it was agreed that Marco would be buried in the Santos family plot in Bohol. It was also suggested that Mr. Chiesa would be buried with his son when his time came. While Mr. Chiesa did not commit to this plan, he profusely thanked the family.

With plans for Marco’s final enternment firmly established, Sitti called the police department in Puerto Princesa City. She informed them that it would be a financial hardship for her and Marco’s father to fly to Palawan to identify and view the body. She asked if it would be possible either to subsidize their flights or transfer his body to the Bohol police department. The attending officer said he had no authority to make that decision and would have his supervisor call her back the following morning. She thanked the officer and hung up. The following morning, the police commissioner called Sitti and offered his condolences. He then followed by saying that they could not pay for her flight and Marco’s flight to view the body. He could, however, ship the body to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. She thanked him profusely. He ended the conversation by voicing his deepest sympathies and that she should hear from the ME’s office in a couple of days. When the Medical Examiner’s office called Sitti three days later, the only family left staying at her apartment was her father and mother. The ME said that Marco had been officially released by the investigators, and would be available not only for viewing and official identification (only a formality, his fingerprints had already identified him), but also to a funeral home of their choosing for a proper burial.

When Sitti got off the phone with the ME department, she called Mr. Chiesa to inform him that Marco was available for a viewing. He thanked her for the information. He, however, asked for one favor. He asked if they could stop by on the way to the ME’s Office and pick him up so that he could see his son. Of course, Sitti said it would be her privilege to do so. Sitti asked if it would be OK to pick him up in an hour. Mr. Chiesa replied that it would be just fine with him.

When Sitti, her parents, and Mr. Chiesa arrived at the ME’s Office, they informed the receptionist that they were there to view Marco Chiesa’s body. She quickly buzzed the tech in the back examining room to the front desk. A likely young man named Jorge, dressed in a white lab coat, shortly appeared from a side entrance in the waiting room. He introduced himself and instructed them to follow him. Jorge soon led them into a white, sterile-looking room with a single metal table in the center. Marco’s body was lying on the table with a white sheet covering all but his hands, neck, and head. Sitti asked Jorge if she could touch Marco, and he said it was ok, but to be careful not to dislodge the sheet. He also informed her that his body would be cold to the touch. Mr. Chiesa and Sitti walked up to the table, one on each side of his body. They each took one of his hands and held it tightly. They then each bent over him and said a silent prayer. When they were finished, Sitti and Mr. Chiesa kissed him on his forehead. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Santos kept a respectful distance. When Sitti and Mr. Chiesa had finished, her parents came over to Marco’s body and made the cross sign. Mrs. Santos then took a small cross and chain out of her pocket and wrapped it around his right hand before she left with the rest of her family.

While viewing Marco’s body, Sitti had been able to maintain her composure; however, once they had left the building, the flood gates opened up as she went into a fit of uncontrollable sobbing. She barely returned to their waiting cab before she collapsed in the back seat beside her parents. Mr. Chiesa sat in the front seat, lost in his own thoughts beside the driver.

After the cab driver dropped off Mr. Chiesa and they had arrived back at Sitti’s apartment, Sitti’s father, Antonio, called up the mortuary and told them that it was ok to pick up Marco’s body. Meanwhile, Sitti and her mother, Carmelita, napped on the queen-sized bed in Sitti’s studio apartment.