It Will End In A Kiss

Back At Home

(ZANE AKAGE)

My ears are still ringing from the loud shriek Gilbert's sister made when Gilbert told her that we will be "staying" in Manila instead of flying back to the US where we live like I made Gilbert's family believe.

Lydia delos Santos also hugged her brother tight upon hearing the news from Gilbert. I even suspect tears on her eyes. I am standing at the sideline while the delos Santos siblings are saying farewell because Lydia will go back now to Samar with her coworkers.

"Wait until Mama hear this!" Gilbert's sister said excitedly after she let Gilbert go. "If you are staying in Manila, expect us to visit you next week. I know Mama will demand that we made that trip."

"Take the airplane," Gilbert said with a smile on his face that hasn't faded yet from the time he heard that I am giving him permission to tell his family that we are staying in Manila. "I will shoulder the fare cost. And your accomodations..."

"Thank you, Kuya." Lydia smiled at me. "Thank you, Mr.Akage. For deciding to stay as you establish a bank here."

"It's nothing," I said.

"Sorry if I cannot do the travelling to visit Samar," Gilber apologized to his sister while holding both of her hands in his. "My schedule will be hectic..."

"Don't." Lydia shook her head. "You don't need to explain. No need to apologize too. You are here now and we will get to visit you again..."

"Yes." Gilbert nodded and smiled. "But Lydia, can you ask for more leave from your bank? You just had this trip, what if they won't let you take more vacation days off?"

"This is not a vacation. This is part of work. And I have vacation days stacked up. I don't always use the allocated days off for us. I can use them now. And if they won't let me...well then I will resign..."

"It won't come to that," I chimed in to their conversation. "You don't need to resign..."

The delos Santos siblings stared at me. I inclined my head to Gilbert. "Oh right!" Gilbert focused on his sister again. "You don't need to worry about that. I am sure you will come up with something. Just..." he sighed. "Tell Mama that I won't leave the Philippines yet to go back to the US. We will stay here for awhile and I will really be happy if we can get together. Take the plane...not the bus. Okay?"

"Okay, I will tell Mama. Can we call you later?" Lydia asked.

"Yes," Gilbert hugged his sister again. "You can call me anytime. I'm sorry that it took me awhile to come back, but I am here now. For you and Mama..."

"Stop apologizing, Kuya. I miss you. I love you..." Lydia sniffed before letting her brother go. "I have to go now. Chat with you later?"

"Yes," Gilbert waved to his sister as Lydia joined her coworkers so she can leave the hotel resort together with them.

"We also need to go," I told Gilbert. "The children are waiting for us."

Gilbert turned his eyes on me and he nodded. "Right." He said in agreement.

We cleaned up the room we occupied of our things. Gilbert packing them all neatly back to our travel cases. We said our goodbyes to the resort's owners with a promise of contacting each other and meeting again in Manila.

Then Gilbert and I made our journey back to the capital. It's already mid afternoon when we got to the building housing our penthouse.

Gilbert and I are carrying our own cases to the elevator when he stopped me.

"Wait!" Gilbert put a hand on my elbow. I stopped and regarded him. "Why?"