Just Live

Epilogue

"Nay?"

Mary Ann 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," Teddy said, giving his wife a hug from the back while they look out onto their backyard from the kitchen window.

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

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

Mary Ann 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?" Teddy asked with a tease, which she responded to with a nudge.

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

The Mendoza patriarch nodded in agreement, urging his wife to continue.

"Masaya akong magkasama silang dalawa, na masaya sila sa piling ng isa't isa. Wala ng hirap, Teddy, 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 Rio, Richard and Riza arrived at the ranch. Both couples went on to prepare the grill while Riza met with the Mendoza kids out in the backyard.

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

Because of the importance of that day to them, Nikki was also there with her husband and the kids, as well as Coleen and her husband with their two children. Nico and his wife were also at the ranch, along with their son.

A couple of them ran towards Riza, including a three-year-old boy carrying a football that's bigger than the size of his head.

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

"Fubol!"

"Dean, kung ano ano pinapalaro mo sa bata," Riza said with a laugh. "Come, where's daddy?"

She walked hand in hand with him while he waddled his way across the patio. "Manang mana ka talaga sa daddy RJ mo. Are you going to be a football player like daddy?"

"Uhuh," he replied in his little voice.

"Kuya! Ate!"

Sitting at the patio set, minding their own business, were Chase's parents, RJ and Maine, who was cradling their second child in her arm.

"Bunso! Kala ko di ka na pupunta eh, sabi ni mommy busy ka sa boyfriend mo. Pakilala mo naman kay kuya."

"Busy sa school, you mean?" Riza laughed while she made her way to them, giving her brother a hug before leaning down on Maine to give her a hug too.

"Ateeeee, bakit ang bilis lumaki ng pamangkin ko? Ainsleeeyy, tita's here!"

"Hala, matakot tayo pag lumiit?" Maine replied with a laugh.

"Magsama nga kayong mag-asawa," Riza said with a laugh, taking a seat beside Maine to play with her niece while Chase ran off to his tito Dean.

"I wouldn't miss this day for anything," she said with a smile.

Six years ago, on that very same day, was when they all thought they were going to lose both RJ and Maine. Both families scrambled to pray and support each other, hoping that prayers and love will get both of them through their separate ordeals.