Footprints In The Sand

EPILOGUE

"Wow! What an amazing shot!" Said sir Leonardo.

"We really did a great job recruiting you Jez!" Si ma'am Lesley. "And now, look! You have your own magazine column! Damn girl, you're so famous!"

I chuckled. "Thank you ma'am, but of course, I thank sir Scottie here, if he didn't gave me his calling card, I won't be here!"

"Dear, I told you stop calling me sir!"

Natawa ako.

"Okay, Ma'am." Sabi ko.

"Very good!" She clapped. "Oh by the way, I heard a talk show invited you for a face to face interview, and a news television program also scheduled you for an interview!"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm going back to Philippines this coming July."

"Man! She famous!" Si sir Leonardo.

"It's gonna be your first time coming home right? After three years?" Si ma'am Lesley.

"Yes, it's also my mom's birth month, so, I'll be staying there until her birthday."

"Greet her happy birthday. Say it's from us!" Si Sir Leonardo.

I chuckled, and nodded. We are in ma'am Lesley's pad, celebrating her birthday.

After that, umuwi na ako at nag impake.

It's really nice choosing yourself din talaga, and doing the things you really love doing, hindi yung ginagawa mo yung mga bagay na ginagawa ng taong gusto mo na wala namang kasiguraduhang magugustuhan ka din.

I'm happy I did this choice, and took this path.

I promised myself that I will never do the same mistake again. One stupidity is enough.

Ilang taon din yon ah!

"Hello, beautiful!" Bati ni ate Jammy, kapatid ni Jayden. "Ready?"

"Yes ate." Sabi ko.

"Tara?"

I nodded.

"Hoy, Jayden, tumulong ka!"

"Tumutulong ako!" Ani Jayden at pinakita ang maleta kong hatak hatak niya palabas.

They helped me with my luggage.

"Nakakalungkot, mamimiss kita Jez!"

Binatukan naman siya ni Jayden.

"Tanga, babalik naman eh."

"Aray! Sakalin kita diyan eh!"

"Try mo." Banta ni Jayden sa kapatid.

She really did! Namula ang mukha ni Jayden dahil doon.

Tinitigan niya ng masama ang ate niya, samantalang tinaasan lang siya nito ng kilay.

I laughed while watching them. I'll miss watching them bicker.

Ngumuso ako. "Mamimiss ko kayo!"

We then rode a cab papunta sa airport.

When I first got here, I wasn't expecting that I'll bump into them. Nag migrate kasi pa US sina Jayden noon, pero hindi nasabi kung saan eksaktong parte ng US ba sila pupunta, kaya hindi ko in-expect na magkikita kami dito.

It was my third day here in new york noong nagkasalubong kami sa Time Square. Dito pala sila nag wo-work na magkapatid.

They invited me for dinner at doon ko unang nasaksihan ang bickering nilang magkapatid.

From that day, sila na ang naging kasa-kasama ko dito sa New York, kaya I will really miss the two, pati na rin ang makitang nagbabangayan silang magkapatid.

I even heard about their family story. Akala ko noon only child siya, hindi pala. May ate pala siya.

"Our parents had a huge fight so they went on their separate ways, dad took me here, while mom stayed with Jayden in Philippines until our parents reconciled so, after high school, Jayden and mommy went here." Kwento ni ate Jammy nang nag dinner kami.

It was a long flight, natulog lang ako the span ng flight pabalik sa Pilipinas.

When the plane laned, I looked at the window, showing the clouds and skies surrounding teh country, and the buildings and houses.

Hello, Philippines, I'm back.

Nang palabas na ako, nakita ko na sila mama, tito, at si Sab. I rushed to them and hugged them tight.

"Namiss ko kayo!" Sigaw ko at nagtatatalon.

"Na miss ka rin namin anak!" Mangiyak ngiyak na sabi ni mama.

"Jez! Na miss kita!" Sab is jumping while hugging me.

"Na miss ka rin namin Jezreel!" Sabi ni tito habang hawak ang maleta ko.

I missed this!

My family, the traffic, the pollution, kidding!

I took a snap of the road then posted it on my ig story, with a caption, Hello, Philippines, I'm back.

The next, was a snap ng traffic, hindi umuusad na traffic with a caption, Missed this. Haha I'm really back 🤪

Madaming pumuso sa IG story ko.

Nang makarating sa bahay, I saw their house, outside their house, I saw them. I saw him.

Nakatayo doon, hinihintay kami, kasama ang iilang kapamilya at kakilala.

"WELCOME HOME!" Sigaw nila pagkababa ko.

Hindi ko maiwasang matuwa.

"Hello po!" Masayang bati ko sa kanila.

"Jezreel hija!" It was tita Aireen. She hugged me tightly.

May iba pang nagsilapitan sa akin.

Amidst the crowd, I saw him, standing there, smiling.

It was as if, he was so happy to see me.

If I were the same person I was years ago, I would have been ecstatic all over, but since I vowed to focus more on myself, I did not let that affect me. I did not let him.

Ako muna. Sarili ko muna.

I vowed that I will make my own footprints in the sand, and I was happy that I did what I did.

I chose myself first and created my own path, leaving my own footprints.

Even if waves washes it away, at least I know that I had my own tracks and didn't merely follow someone else's.

In addition, if the waves wash my footprints away, I know not to repeat the mistake of following someone else's tracks and will continue making my own instead.

SCRIBBLURRY