Once In A Lifetime

Chapter 3: A Living Legacy

"Death leaves a heartache
no one can heal, love leaves
a memory no one can steal."
-------

~Flashback~
Year: December 11, 1967

Linda moved swiftly around the house, carefully placing the last of the Christmas decorations. For the past few days, she had been engrossed in bringing the holiday spirit to life, assisted by Manang Pacing and her son, Crispin. The lanterns had been hung a week earlier, casting a rainbow of twinkling lights against the night sky, illuminating the grand ancestral home of the Santoses.

The entrance hall boasted a wreath-laden arch, a welcoming sight for anyone who stepped inside. From there, a grand wooden staircase ascended, its banisters adorned with ribbons, glittering baubles, and carefully arranged bows. The house was alive with color and light, each ornament complementing the warmth of the home Linda so dearly cherished.

Now, she stood before the Christmas tree. She had asked Dennis to buy a new one since the old tree had finally given in to time. The six-foot-tall evergreen had arrived last night, but she had been too busy to dress it right away. This morning, after Dennis left for work, she enlisted Manang Pacing’s help again. Crispin, however, was tied up at the farm, dealing with some unexpected trouble.

Linda carefully unwrapped delicate ornaments, each carrying a memory. Some were her own childhood crafts; others were gifts from her mother, Luisa. She smiled at the thought of her mother’s meticulous decorating. Luisa had always rearranged the entire house whenever she introduced a new piece of art. Linda had inherited her mother’s artistic spirit—a legacy she hoped to pass down to her own children.

She instinctively placed a hand over her stomach. A daughter. Luisa Denise. That was the name she had chosen the moment the doctor announced she was carrying a girl.

A wave of longing swept through her. She missed her parents deeply. This house, this grand ancestral home, held every memory of them.

The Santoses’ ancestral home had been passed down through generations. Linda’s father, Carlo, had inherited it after tragedy struck his family. His two younger sisters, Ellise and Eloisa, perished in a car accident when they were still young. Not long after, Carlo’s mother succumbed to illness, joining her husband in eternal rest.

For a time, the house stood silent, mourning the loss of those who had once filled it with laughter. Unable to bear the emptiness, Carlo left for a while, entrusting the home to a young Manang Pacing, who was only seventeen at the time.

Two years later, the house came alive again when Carlo married Luisa and brought her home. Together, they built a family, raising their two children—Luis and Linda—within its walls.

Linda recalled how, during her childhood, the house had never known a quiet moment. Her mother had a gift for bringing people together. Whether it was fiestas, baptisms, birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, or Christmases, there was always a reason to celebrate. The dining hall would be filled with relatives and friends, their laughter echoing through the corridors.

But that tradition had faded with time.

Now, as Linda prepared for her own family’s first Christmas in this house, she was determined to revive the warmth and joy it once held.

Her brother Luis had chosen a different path, joining the seminary. And so, it was she and Dennis who would carry on the Santoses’ legacy. They had promised each other—they would have as many children as possible, until the house was once again filled with love and laughter.

By next month, they would celebrate their second wedding anniversary. By mid-February, their daughter would be born. The house would welcome a new life.