Just Live

Epilogue

"Ma?"

Gelli turned to the sound of her husband's voice and saw him approach her with his arms open.

"Bakit ka nandito? Labas tayo kasama nila," Ariel said, giving his wife a hug from the back while they looked out onto their backyard from the kitchen window.

"Mhm, may iniisip lang," she replied to him. "Nandyan na ba sila Marge?"

"Wala pa, pero nakausap ko si Martin kanina. Paalis na raw sila ng bahay, hinihintay lang nila si Bella."

Gelli nodded and smiled while taking a deep breath, her hand placed on top of her husband's hand across her abdomen.

"Bakit parang konting konti na lang, tutulo na yung mga luha mo?" Ariel asked with a tease, which she responded to with a nudge.

"Masaya ako para sa kanila, Daddy. Nakita naman nating lahat kung ano yung hirap nila nung mga panahon na yun, yung mga sakit na pinagdaanan nila."

The Geronimo patriarch took a deep breath and nodded in agreement.

"Masaya akong sa dami ng pinagdaanan nila, magkasama pa rin silang dalawa at masaya sila sa piling ng isa't isa. Wala ng hirap, Dad, wala ng sakit."

The couple stood by the window in silence, both their memories taking them back to those months of pain and suffering that their daughter endured.

It wasn't long after that when Marge, Martin and Bella arrived at the ranch. Both couples went on to prepare the grill while Bella met with the Geronimo kids and grandkids out in the backyard.

"Kids, tita Bella's here!" Robi said to the little ones running around.

Because of the importance of that day to them, Rick was also there with his wife and the kids, as well as Anna and her husband with their daughter. Robi and his wife were also at the ranch, along with their son. A couple of them ran towards Bella, including a three-year-old boy carrying a mini hockey stick that's nearly as long as him.

"Chase," she said while bending down and opening her arms. "What's that in your hand?"

"Ishtick!"

"Oh wow, that's a long stick!" Bella said with a laugh. "Come, where's daddy?" She walked hand in hand with him while he waddled his way across the patio, dragging the stick behind them. "Gosh, you're so much like your dad. Are you going to be a hockey player like him?"

"Uhuh," Chase replied in his little voice. "I play like daddy."

"Kuya! Ate!"

Sitting at the patio set and minding their own business were Chase's parents, Matteo and Sarah, who were cradling their second child in her arms.

"Look who's here!" Matteo teased. "If it ain't the always busy tita Bella. I'm surprised you made it, sis. Mom said you've been busy with your boyfriend. We better meet the guy soon."

"Busy with school, you mean?" Bella laughed while she made her way to them, giving her brother a hug before leaning down towards Sarah to give her a hug too.

"Ateeeee, why is she growing so fast? Ainsleeeyy, tita's here!"

"Hi tita Bella, we missed you," Sarah voiced out for their daughter.

"Awww, I miss you too, baby girl," Bella said as she kissed her niece on the cheek before taking a seat beside Sarah while Chase ran off to his tito Robi. "Gosh, Chase's energy is through the roof today."

"Oh trust me, it's not just today," Matteo laughed. "We've entered that stage of running around all day."

"Geez, time is flying by."