28 Days

Day 1

"Maine, we're here."

I nodded at Coleen and fixed myself. After a few minutes, the flight attendant lead us outside the airplane. I felt the familiar warmth of the sun and the humid air. After 3 years, I'm now back at the Philippines. I'm now home, or am I really?

"MENG!!! OMG SA WAKAS UMUWI KA DIN! KUNG DI PA SIGURO AKO IKAKASAL DI KA PA UUWI." Valeen, who is excited to see her wrapped her in a hug.

"Oo na, I missed you too. But can we please go to the car na? Ang init e."

"Sus! Eto nagstay lang sa America ng 3 years di na sanay mainitan ang balat. Grabe Maine! You looked.. wonderful! Nakakaganda ba talaga sa America?"

"Adik neto. Tara na please sa sasakyan na tayo magchikahan." They made their way to the car. Coleen was fetched by her husband while she is with her friend. Valeen saw their car and waved at Jerald who stopped in front of them.

"Menggay! Namiss kita!" Jerald enveloped her in a hug too.

"Missed you too, Je. Gumagwapo ka ha."

"Matagal na kong gwapo no. Anyways, you look great! Kapag nagmu-move on ba talaga gumaga-" Valeen cut him off and gave him a look.

"Daldal mo babe tara na iniintay na tayo nila Patring!"

Jerald loaded Maine's things on the backseat while the two already went inside. "Patring knew I'm coming home?"

"Of course! Ano ka ba sinabi ko sayo kagabi diba. Lutang ka na naman. She planned some sort of welcome party for you. And we're excited! Babe let's go na!"

As much as Maine wanted to just go home and curl up to her bed, she doesn't want to be rude to her friends. She knew they were all excited to see her after 3 years. She missed them too but seeing them again makes her remember all the things she tried to forget for the past 3 years.

What happened in those 3 years? She busied herself with traveling. She went on different places for a year and decided to stay in New York. It was indeed a great start, sure. But it wasn't. In those 3 years, there wasn't a single day she never thought of him. How was he? Is he good? Has he moved on already? Is he happy now?

"Maine we're here!"

Valeen excitedly dragged her out of the car and she doesn't have the energy to budge.

"Guys! Guess who's with us?" Valeen pulled Maine on her side. "The great Menggay is back!"

Patricia hurriedly went towards Maine and squeezed her tight. "Omg Maine, I missed you! Sobra. Kakainis ka ngayon ka lang umuwi!"

"Kung di lang kasal ng gagang 'to, di naman talaga ko uuwi eh." Valeen threw her a glare. "Joke lang, syempre umuwi ako dahil miss ko na kayo. Kamusta?"

"O nandito ka na pala e. Hi Meng." Sam greeted when he came from the kitchen carrying the pot of which she thought Sinigang. The aroma of the food lingered all over the room and it made her stomach grumble.

"O kayo pa rin pala nitong si Sam? Akala ko break na kayo 2 years ago?" She remembered how Patricia cried to her over Skype and she managed not to pack her things to go home in the Philippines and comfort her.

"Wala namang relasyon ang hindi naaayos sa magandang usapan diba? Basta ba di mo susukuan at kaya pang ipaglaban." Sam gave her a meaningful look.

"Sana nga ganun kadali.. Sana." She held back her growing tears. "Tara na kain na tayo. Mukhang masarap yung Sinigang oh. Namiss ko 'to."

Everyone tried to shrug off and gathered on the dining table. They kept on telling stories to Maine on how everything went on while she was away, how the wedding preparation for Valeen's is going, and how Patricia and Sam got back. She endulged herself on their stories, hoping she was with them during those.