Our Beautiful Constellation

Special Chapter: Hyacinth - 3

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

FAMILY - 1

Hyacinth Montgomery Ybañez POV

They say that when one life fades, another begins. God has a mysterious, almost inscrutable way of testing His people.

Many believe that when a life is taken, the soul doesn’t simply ascend to heaven; instead, it finds a new home in another body. Reincarnation—the eternal cycle of return.

And right now...

Right now I don't know if I should hold onto that belief.

"I don't want that, Mommy Hya. I want my ceasar salad—and Mommy Rave, no phone in front of the food please." A faint smirk tugged at the corner of my wife's mouth as she listened to our child's meltdown. I couldn't help but roll my eyes, feeling a sting of underappreciation.

I mean, who has the nerve to demand a Caesar salad when I've spent the evening laboring over a homemade lasagna?

"Inuutusan mo ba ako Cy?"

Our daughter shook her head, smiling widely showcasing her deep dimples. "No, Mommy Rave, nag-ask lang po."

She faced me, clutching my hand with an even wider grin.

"Thanks for the food! Although, I'd love a Caesar salad for breakfast tomorrow, Mommy." There was such a silly, sweet politeness in her voice that my annoyance vanished.

A smile tugged at my lips as I remembered my mother's lifelong obsession with Caesar salads.

My mother had always wanted to live a long life just to be there for me...

Unfortunately, life has its own way of defying our hopes.

"Time to say grace? Mommies?"

+++

"Bakit parang ang lalim naman yata ng iniisip mo?" As I stood in our spacious bathroom, Raven's arm wound around my waist, her lips grazing my shoulder in a soft kiss.

The fragrance of her vanilla soap tickled my senses, an olfactory echo of Mama Jezreel. It was the same brand her mother used, a habit Raven adopted the day she lost her.

I hadn't anticipated Raven finding comfort in these echoes. She cherishes every fragment that brings her mother back to her.

But for me, it's different.

I feel like my mother is slipping away from me, even as I am haunted by her image.

My daughter has become a living mirror, her face, her voice, her every gesture, a constant, painful reminder of the woman I’m losing in my mind.

"Mi amor, tell me what's on your mind, please," Raven asked—almost begging.

Exhaling slowly, I turned to face her and draped my arms around her neck.

My eyes lingered on hers, admiring the depth of her irises while catching my own reflection within them.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but for some reason, all I could see was myself. It made me feel as though her entire world...

Was me.

"I love you, Mi amor," I murmured, my voice coming out even softer than I had intended.

I leaned in to capture her lips, and when she responded, we shared a slow, passionate kiss—an act of love that made us feel more connected than ever.

There was no rush; just the deliberate slowness of skin pressed against skin, the heat of our breath, and our hearts beating in perfect sync. This was true intimacy—exactly what I needed in this moment.
"And I love you more," Raven whispered against my lips.