Turn the Page 2: My Destiny

Chapter 3

An hour earlier

Outside by the backyard pool, Keeper placed his hand on top of his girlfriend's thigh. "You need to eat, love," he tried not to aggravate Page who was worried sick for her mother. "Di ko alam pano nyo pa naiisip yung pagkain sa nangyayari ngayon," she told him. "It's not the food I'm thinking about, it's you that I'm thinking about. We all know your physical health is vulnerable right now. Na-titrigger pa yan ng mental health mo. I know I can't do anything about yung pag-worry mo kay tita June, the least I can do is try to take care of you physically which is why at a time like this, naiisip ko pa yung pagkain," he explained. "All I want is for everybody to be okay. Is that too much to ask?" Tears finally left her eyes. "I guess maybe sometimes it is," he replied. His response made her look at him. "It is? Mahirap i-ask for all of us to be okay? Why?" She asked while tears continued to flow from her eyes. "It's hard to ask for everything to be okay maybe because it's not the season to be okay—not yet at least," he answered. She frowned. "Maybe nasa catergory four pa rin tayo ng isang malaking bagyo. Lessons still need to be learned. Our endurance still needs to be stretched, pulled in all four corners. Maybe akala natin nasa end na tayo ng bagyo pero simula pa lang pala. We're not quite there to see the rainbow yet," he explained. "Wala pa ba? Sa dinami-dami ng nangyari samin ni mama, wala pa tayo sa rainbow na yun? Why? Hindi pa ba natin deserve magpahinga? Pagod na pagod nako ah," she cried again. "I know, love. I know. And what I'm telling you is probably what you don't want to hear pero I guess our life is a series of storms. It doesn't really end until—you know—when we go," he said. "Para mo na rin lang sinabi na we should just all commit suicide—then we can finally end the storms and we can finally see the rainbow," she replied. He shook his head. He held his girlfriend's face. "But that's the thing, love—you don't get to choose when to end your life. It's up to Him still. And if you do end up choosing for yourself, who knows what hell of a storm you're going to end up putting yourself into?" He said. Page rubbed her face repeatedly. "Ang hirap naman eh," she whined and cried at the same time. "You're right. It's hard, but a wise woman once told me, 'pray when it's hardest to pray','" he reminded her. He took her chin and made her look at him. "YOU were the one who told me that, remember? You told me maybe kelangan natin pagdaanan lahat ng mahihirap na bagay para mas maappreciate natin the calm na He let's us experience before another storm. You told me that each storm? They're not the same. Sometimes they're stronger than the last, sometimes they're not. Sabi mo pa nga even WE are not the same during each storm—sometimes we come out stronger, sometimes weaker. And dun natin mapa-practice yung give and take which is what life is all about—If we come out stronger, we give dun sa mga tao who came out of the storm weaker. If we come out weaker, we take from those who came out of the storm stronger. We allow ourselves to get the help that we need from those willing to help us. Yun ang natutunan ko sa inyo ni tita June. When one of you is weak, the stronger one gives, and vice versa. That's why kahit anong pagdaanan nyong mag-ina, you both come up on top," he added. Page looked him in the eyes, her eyes failed from stopping the tears. "Pano kung ngayon—weak kami pareho?" She asked. Keeper gave her a gentle smile, "Well, good thing God placed me, tita JJAMS, tito Louie, and all your family and friends sa buhay nyong mag-ina—so that when both of you are weak, you have us."

Page pulled Keeper into a tight embrace. She appreciated his comforting words, but she felt like she needed some time alone. "Okay lang ba na iwan mo muna ako? I just need some time to gather myself," she requested. Keeper hesitated. "Promise you won't overthink and end up falling into the pool?" He had to ask. Page forced a smile, "If it makes you feel any better, I'll sit dun sa mga chairs and put one of the pillows in front of me. That should cushion my fall just in case," she told him. "Naman eh, then that means you ARE going to overthink," he complained. She took a deep breath, "Keeps, I am a social worker, that's what I do."

After Keeper left Page, he paced back and forth by the kitchen where he could still watch his girlfriend. Even he was starting to get stressed out.

"Still no answer," Louie said after he brought the phone down by his side. "Tito, I think you really need to go out and look for her. The longer we wait, the more risks we take of Page having another seizure," Keeper told him worriedly. "Okay," Louie said. "Thank you," Keeper said after giving Louie a quick hug. Louie nodded. Then he immediately headed to get Julia, "You're coming with me," he told her.