At Last, Him

Chapter 36: A Moment In Our Lives

Ang sikat ng umaga ay dahan-dahang pumasok sa pamamagitan ng manipis na kurtina, naglalabas ng maiinit na sinag ng liwanag sa buong kwarto habang itinataas ko ang kumot at umupo sa kama. April 19, 2024 — a Friday. The room was quiet, but there was a comforting stillness in it, a peace I'd learned to embrace. I stretched, my hand instinctively cradling the gentle swell of my belly, a constant reminder of the new life growing within me. Three months along now, and though each day carried its own surprises, this morning felt calm.

Kinuha ko ang aking MacBook, ang malamig na ibabaw nito ay pamilyar sa aking mga daliri, at dinala ko ito habang pababa ako sa hagdan. The house was empty at this hour; Mags and my mom were already off to work, the rhythmic click of the front door locking behind them still a ghostly echo in my ears. The faint scent of coffee and bread lingered in the air, and I smiled as I stepped into the dining area.

Sa mesa ay maayos na nakalatag ang agahan — isang plato ng sinangag na may bawang, mga scrambled eggs na may piraso ng kamatis, at ilang hiwa ng pritong isda. My mom, ever thoughtful, always ensured I had something warm to start my day. Umupo ako, ang malambot na unan ng silya sa ilalim ko ay nakakaaliw, at kumuha ng sandali upang namnamin ang katahimikan. Ang bahay ay tila iba kapag ako lang mag-isa, na parang ito ay para lamang sa aking mga iniisip.

I opened my MacBook, its screen blinking to life as I forked a bite of eggs. The blank document from the previous night stared back at me, but instead of feeling daunted, I felt a flicker of anticipation. A week had passed since I'd started this new manuscript, a project that had sparked a flame I thought I'd lost. Words came more easily now, trickling into the page as I typed. It felt like finding my voice again, an echo of who I was before and who I was becoming.

Isang buwan na mula nang umalis ako sa Kinspire Architects at bumalik sa Mariveles, Bataan. That decision had once loomed over me, heavy with what-ifs and maybes. I'd planned my life with such precision, each goal a steppingstone toward a version of success I thought was unshakeable. But life, with its winding paths and quiet revelations, had other plans.

And that's okay.

I glanced around the room, letting my gaze rest on the familiar trinkets and frames filled with memories. I'd once thought this house, with its soft corners and faded paint, was too small for my dreams. Now, it felt like a cocoon where I could breathe, reassess, and build something new, even if that meant starting from scratch. The scent of the sea drifted through the open window, mingling with the fresh air and rustling leaves outside. It grounded me, reminded me that it was okay to pause.

My goals had once been grand and glittering, a towering structure that I'd climbed tirelessly. But now, here I was, three months pregnant, alone at the dining table with a plate of home-cooked food and a half-finished manuscript, realizing that the simpler things were enough. Maybe even better. I took another bite, the warmth of the rice and fish filling me in a way that extended beyond hunger.

Ang mga daliri ko ay gumagalaw sa ibabaw ng keyboard, ang malambing na tunog ay sumasama sa katahimikan ng umaga. Nagsusulat na naman ako, at iyon na ang sapat sa ngayon. I'd left behind a career that no longer spoke to me, exchanged ambition for authenticity, and let myself wander into this new chapter that was both familiar and utterly uncharted.

And if I didn't have it all figured out just yet, if my path was more a winding trail than a straight road, that's okay, too. I would take it one moment at a time, trusting that, just like the morning light filtering into the room, clarity would come in its own time.

***

The warm glow of the early morning sun filtered through the car window as we cruised along the skyway. Ang mga kamay ni CL ay matatag sa manibela, ang kanyang mukha ay kalmado at mahinahon, ang bahagyang kunot sa kanyang noo ay patunay ng kanyang karaniwang konsentrasyon. Sumandal ako sa upuan, hinayaan ang aking tingin na maglakbay sa labas patungo sa mga matatayog na gusali na nakahanay sa abot-tanaw. Manila was alive, bustling even from afar, a patchwork of ambition and dreams carved into concrete and steel.