The Vows

For as long as I can remember, I've thanked God every morning when I wake up. When I was five, I thanked him for the pretty yellow shoes my Mama Ellie bought me the day before. When I was seven, I thanked him for the new school uniform that my Papa Pren pressed for me the night before. When I was nine, I thanked him for my two new baby brothers. At thirteen, I thanked God for giving me the courage not to be afraid of bees. At sixteen, I thanked him for the knowledge, wisdom and the will to graduate high school with flying colors, to make my parents proud. And despite how dark and sad my world was when I was eighteen, I thanked God for giving me the time to show my parents how much I love them and experience how much they loved me. This morning, I thanked God again, I thanked him because you were born.

Today marks another year for you, my love. And this also marks a new lifetime of mornings I will be thanking God because He made you for me. The first words you ever told me was to let you, you will complete the missing pieces. I was only doing a random portrait puzzle. But you didn't just complete the missing pieces, my love, you are every piece of the puzzle that makes up who I am now and who I want to be - your wife. Everyone else wants to be a doctor, an engineer, an astraunaut. They want to be famous, successful, to be on top. Now I finally know what I want for my life, I want to be best wife for you.

Ricardo Juancho Herher, I vow to not only to be the best wife, but to be the best woman you deserve. Because you're good, you are an exceptionally good man, my love. I promise to laugh at your jokes, even if it's silly or naughty. I will let you annoy me all day, because I know you'll love me everyday. I will cook for you spaghetti anytime you want or as you would say, for the rest of your life. I am just as happy whether all of our family are here, or now that it's just the two of us. Nothing else matters, Ricky, because you love me. I was only a simple girl, standing in front of a man, in the middle of the night. And then you fell in love with me, and I, you. Our love story started as simple as S-I-M-P-L-E, but I have a feeling we're going to be L-E-G-E-N-D-S. I love you like your favorite dog, Hachiko, loves his dad. I will always wait for you forever, because even if one lifetime is over, we are forever. Mahal kita, pang habang buhay.

***

Love will come. I thought that was a dumb promotional tagline I read in Speed Magazine for a new car model. But then you came, and here we are. A boy and a girl, standing under a willow tree, getting married.

I want to watch you brush your teeth. I like looking at you fold our laundry. I love it when you sneeze. I enjoy seeing how slow you walk, or listen to your soft and airy voice, or hearing you curse. You are beautiful when you are mad at me, you are so hot and sexy when you're naked with me, even with little Miss Mecky in your belly. You are the only person I know who cries watching football, and laughs during a dog's funeral, and now I'm crazy in love with you for that. You make the best spaghetti on the planet and yes, honey, I will eat your spaghetti, everyday, for the rest of my life -- I do really mean I'll eat your sweet spaghetti.

Thirty-five years ago from today, I was born. Now I can start living. You are the kind of life I've been looking for, the kind I'd want to have for more than one lifetime. I vow that I will do everything to be worthy as your husband, to be the man worthy of your forever.

Mercy Jocson, the simple girl of Tagaytay, Philippines, I promise to listen to you when you are ranting mad at me, and I promise, to make love to you before I apologise. And I will always apologise, even if we're not fighting. I promise that it is only your smile I'd want to wake up to every morning. Now, I promise that I will pray with you as well, for the lifetime of mornings we will have together. I will give you flowers once in a while, because I will kiss you every five seconds anyway, flowers are itchy, my kisses are more romantic. I promise that if I made you cry because I wasn't the man I'm supposed to be, I will be the little boy to make you happy. I will never want to hurt you, honey. Never. But if I ever do so in the future, I will apologise in advance mutliple times tonight. I promise you that, little Miss Mecky will just have to make some room later.

Mrs. Mercy Herher, you're mine-mine now. I love you too like Hachiko loves his dad. But I will always come home, because you are my home. You are my heaven, and you are God's love for me, you are where I always will be. Even if we don't become legends, even if we're just a simple story of a boy and a girl, we will be forever. Mahal kita, honey ko, higit pa sa habang buhay.

*.*.*

Today is the final leg to this very long weekend, we have one more event before normal invisible Mecky resumes to school tomorrow. It's the first day of September, today is my dad's birthday and my parents' wedding anniversary. Today is a very special day.

There is something about the province that's makes me feel gone, whenever I return back to the city, it feels like I was gone for a month or a year, but truthfully, it was only three days. But this time, it was more than three days, I had three very long nights as well.

I therefore declare that the Herher Brahman's Ranch is the love-making capital of the world; it's where uncle Juando first met uncle Brian, and they just got married there as well; it's where dad brought mom to fall madly deeply crazy in love with, and it's where they made me into existence; and I, I met a man who transformed me into a woman, and I willed to lose myself in that man's addictive effect.

I bid a long goodbye to the ranch earlier this morning. I know this is the vacation that I will never forget for the rest of my life. It used to be just a familiar ranch for me, a place I'm always excited to go to because it reminds of the former life I had. Now it will remind me of something else, the moon and the stars, Juliet's balcony and the unsinkable RMS Titanic.

The newlyweds decided to stay for another day before they head off to their official honeymoon in the mountains of Machu Pichu. I hope they don't find the stable tho, my stable, because that is now my personal spot. But I don't think they'll honeymoon themselves in the stable anyway, uncle Brian is too neat and tidy for a love-making in a former horse's breeding ground. I know -- I was dirty enough to do so.

Albert and I now sits opposite each other in the same airport coffee shop we were at before we left for the love-making capital. We are sipping our coffee, staring at each other, smiling and laughing silently, like idiots. Our feet under the table are playing tug-of-war, but up above it, we're both non-chalant, almost strangers to each other, well, except for the dance of stares and smiles.

From the guy at the pub, now he's the man at the coffee shop, this male specie is too common in existence and yet, I only have my eyes for him like he's the rarest diamond to have ever been unearthed. And maybe he thinks the same way of me as well, because now, I feel like the lost treasure of Atlantis by the way he gazes at me.

"Anak, I think we'll have to drop by at the big Duty Free on our way home, we can't find the chocolate RJ wants," Mom says as she sits unhurriedly beside Albert. RJ sits as well with a face so sad like he lost millions in the casino.

"Duty Free here sucks! And it's supposed to be an international airport!" RJ spouts.

"Hey, watch your language. You're future teacher is here with us," Mom snaps softly.

RJ looks at Albert. "Oh, sorry sir. I don't really say bad words, normally." The three of us adults laugh.

I take a sip of my coffee. "I don't think we can, Ma. To enter, don't they require like, at most, 60 days from the last passport stamp of international arrival? It's been more than 60 days since Singapore," I realise.

"We should've stayed there! Forever! Singapore was awesome!" RJ interjects.

I shake my head with doubt, he hated that it was so hot in Singapore, and that it's all buildings. If not for the Transformers attraction at the Universal Studio, it wouldn't be awesome for him at all.

Mom realises my earlier remark too. "Oh, yes -- but, we have Angie! She just came from Switzerland. Hey, bubu, maybe she'll have the chocolate you want. She'll definitely have chocolates for you."

"Tita Angie is cheap. She came from Italy once and she brought Ferrero with Arabic words in it. Aren't those the cheap Ferreros that are buy 4+2 in Hong Kong? They tasted fake."

"RJ" Mom and I snaps at RJ.

This ungrateful little monster! I shake my head. But no, RJ is a grateful kid, just sometimes, his mouth activates its own brain and he says things that he hasn't really thought out.

Mom turns to her side to face Albert. "Hmm, Albert. I know it's been a very long weekend for all of us. But if you still have the extra energy, maybe you can join us today," Mom starts. Albert's face turn quizzical. Mom glances at me, then looks at Albert again and she continues, "It's uh, it's a small thing that we do, a family tradition. Today is my late husband's birthday, and, uh, it's our wedding anniversary as well. To keep his memories alive, we celebrate it every year. It's just us and a few, there's my bestfriend Angie - she's a fun personality, you'll like her - and, my brother Bob will also be there, and the twins!" Mom looks at me, "they just texted that they're coming too."

I look at Albert, and I can say he's inclined to say yes. How could anyone rejects Mother Mercy's invitation?

"I'm cooking! I rarely do it these days. But these two hungry monsters love my recipe of Filipino style spaghetti," Mom adds.

Albert's face smiles wide. "If there's spaghetti, count me as the third hungry monster," he quips, we all laugh.

"No, really. Thank you, for inviting me. I'm delighted. Both sides of this family makes the best meals I ever had. And.. I heard, your husband was a really cool guy," Albert presses a smile which mom responds the same.

Again, Albert is invited to another of my family event. This is rather strange to be all purely coincidental. Something is in the works, like something is being written in the story I call 'My Life', an unexpected twist, and I'm not sure how I feel about it and how it will unravel. If this isn't going to be perfect, I hope it will be epic. I gaze at Albert, all the noise around turns quiet, there is something special about him, and I'm lost in it, whatever it is.

We arrive home past noon. We know Tita Angie is already here since this morning and has started some cooking. Angelika Aquino is a voluptuous woman whose personality is more gay that she is a woman. She would always joke that she used to be a man, because she says, she has bigger balls than most of them. She is the complete opposite of mom in every way, language, gestures, and even their perception of men, and yet she's been mom's bestfriend since high school.

"I don't understand why don't we just go in the front door, Mecky," Mom complains.

I've been instructed by Tita Angie to walk through the front yard going to the backyard when we all arrive. I have a feeling there is a surprise.

"A little spontaneous, Ma? We always comes in through the front door," I say. We pass through the front yard and then the side garden.

"Anak, that is what the front door for. It's the prop -- "

"SURPRISE!"

I expected a surprise but this is a SURPRISE. The backyard is decorated with rustic ranch theme party decorations - wagon wheels, straw bales, cactus stands, metal buckets, barrels, a rustic wooden ladder propped with jars full of dandelions, and a weathered wood siding scene setter with a Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary signs in it.

This is a full party, especially that there are surprising people here as well; Tita Angie, of course, she's wearing a lewd printed apron and her hair is in a messy bun; the twins, uncle Max and uncle Sam, are wearing cowboy vests, they started joining us since last year; uncle Bob is setting up, I reckon, a barrel of draft beer, but I saw him scream 'surprise' too and he was the loudest; in the craziest of surprises, the newlyweds are here, I can't imagine how, I saw them leave in the car after we bid our hugs and goodbyes earlier before our flight; then the surprise of all surprises, uncle Rod, uncle Jay and uncle Pat are here, for the first time.

"Coooool!" RJ exclaims, and apparently the only one with enough nerve to react. I don't know why, but I feel like I am going to cry. Mom is frozen in her stance, covering her mouth.

"Bitch! Girl!" Tita Angie calls out in her typically loud manner. But then she halts, "Ooops! Sorry -- RJ, that is not a word you should say to a girl."

RJ shrugs. "Unless they are, of course," he mumbles non-chalant.

"Angelika!" Mom snaps. Most of the bad words that RJ knows, he learned from Tita Angie.

Tita Angie walks closer and hugs me, RJ, then mom. "Mercy, it's fine. RJ is a big boy. He may have your genetics in height, but he's a big boy now."

"No, tita. I'm nine that's why I'm short. But since I'm an exact replica of dad, I'm gonna grow up as tall as him," RJ says confidently.

But we don't think so, he's always been small and short even if he's already growing. And if it's my decision, I'd want him to stay as cute as he is forever.

"Of course, RJ! Sometimes, I forget your still nine."

"Angelika, what is this? --- Kuya," Mom starts hugging and kissing everybody, so do I and RJ.

Tita Angie follows Mom making small greeting chats with everyone. "Mercy, I'm thinking of doing an event planning business this time, so I thought, why not start on the biggest event of the year for the Herhers."

I roll my eyes and I see mom did as well. "Haven't you done that already, and failed? And this is hardly a big event, it's an intimate family day," Mom responds to tita Angie.

"Bitch! That was event catering, and it was -- well, catering is a difficult business. Most catering startups fail."

We hear the doorbel rings. "Who else is coming? How many invites is this?" Mom asks tita Angie.

"Girl, you have a billion people in your family, you're like the population of India!" Tita Angie quips.

But I think I know who it is, Albert was on convoy behind us from the airport. He got lost in the traffic but I texted him the address and we've informed the gate security of his arrival. It must be him.

"I think it's Albert, Ma. I'll get the door."

From the backyard, I walk into the house, I see more decorations inside. I think Tita Angie overdid it this time. She's had eleven business ventures already and all of them failed, I think she has the inspired spirit of millenials but the attention span of a goldfish, and she's way pass before the millenials age group and they're majority of the people she surrounds herself with.

I open the door and I was right, my guest of honor is here and I want to kiss and bite his lips right away. But then I think not, I've been doing all the moves since that first night.

"Well, that was quite a scary security. Are you holding the Yamashita treasure in this neighborhood?" Albert quips as I let him enter the door.

"Even more precious, celebrities," I jests sarcastically. We both laugh.

I decide to lead Albert into the backyard to have his little surprise as well, he's familiar with everyone anyway, except of course with someone who has a very obvious desire for eye candies. She's always had an eye for uncle Bob, but uncle Bob treats her like a pesky flying bug. The handsome twins are currently both in long term relationships so Tita Angie doesn't fly around them.

"Ooooo. Hello, stranger," Tita Angie catches us from the living room, mom is with her shaking her head.

"Ah, tita. This is Al -- sir Albert. My teacher. This is tita Angie, mom's bestfriend and our adopted family member."

I think it's better I'd be appropriate now because I know something inappropriate is about to happen. They shake their hands, but of course, tita Angie is being a bit lascivious.

"Nice meeting you, Teacher."

Albert let out a knowing grin. "Professor. I teach at the university too."

"Even better -- have we -- you look kindda familiar, haven't I seen you somewhere -- have we met?" Tita Angie speaks way too suggestive as she narrows her eyes as well. Mom and I roll our eyes at such cliche question.

"I'm not quite sure. I don't think so, no."

Tita Angie is obviously not letting go of her target's hand. "You're eyes - I've seen it before. And I'm very particular with eyes, I always know where they are looking at."

I turn my head to Albert who noticeably lifts his gaze higher. Tita Angie and her licentious breast are definitely hard to ignore. I laugh under my nose, Albert is suddenly awkward.

"Angie, let go of his hand. And let's go to the kitchen." Mom, despite herself, commands tita Angie like she's five years old.

"I cooked my homemade sausage, professor, you'll like it."

"Angelika!"

The lunch wasn't only sumptuous, but it was also fun. Tita Angie certainly does know how to turn anything normal into a rave.

The newlyweds shared how stressful it was to sneak into the small Masbate airport and catch their earlier flight without us noticing. But since tita Angie, the one who convinced them seven years ago that they are going to fall in love with each other, gave them grave threats if they don't arrive for the surprise, they had no other choice but to sneak into an earlier flight.

Uncle Bob was being more tolerant of tita Angie today, as the rest of the Jocsons. Auntie Charity also arrived bringing food. But uncle Rod and uncle Jay are still the most surprising presence, as both the head of the Jocsons, they weren't very supportive of mom's affair with my dad, especially that they stowed away and got married overseas. But I guess, time does heal some wounds.

Albert, however, was tita Angie's apple of the eye today. She's all over him - not in a cheap, vulgar way - but she does have a way with words that is either funny-ridiculous or disturbingly preposterous. Sometimes, I think, RJ got some of tita Angie's genes as well.

I decide to give Albert a little break from the pesky flying bug so I bring him inside the house; everyone else are chatting in the backyard, laughing in between of tita Angie's hilarity and RJ's amusing adorableness.

"Hoo! That woman is a character out of a truly unrealistic fiction novel. I feel abused."

Albert and I walk inside our kitchen. I grab two regular beers from our fridge and I give him one. Uncle Bob brought in a barrel of his new flavor for our flavored draft beers at the pub, he wanted to test it with us, and I don't like it, neither does Albert.

I laugh wryly. "Uncle Bob calls her a pesky flying bug. She's been in the family since.. forever. They're never used to her tho, but I think they are more tolerant of her now. No one could fathom how she became bestfriends with Mercy Jocson."

"I can't even fathom how she can exist in the real world. She's straight out of an erotic novel, a crazy and horny fictional character. Did you see how she ate the sausage? And she was looking at me," Albert says, scandalised, then he indulges on his beer.

"She's not that bad. She's always been there for my mom, and us. In fact, it is because of her that mom got her job. Mom isn't a college graduate, she's smart and all, but she was just a ranch wife when we arrived back here. Tita Angie is having an extra-marital affair with my mom's boss and she got him to hire mom without any proper interview, or process of sort. And besides, you were also watching me while I ate my sausage," I say non-chalant.

Albert's expression turns scandalised about my revelation of tita Angie, but even more scandalised, or maybe impressed, about my last remark.

I lead him into the living area, I feel like relaxing in our super comfy and soft sofa couch. Even after over an hour, I still feel so stuffed with steaks, sausages and spaghetti, not to mention, a disgusting flavored beer.

"I thought, I like.. watching you eat the sausage," Albert says. I was expecting he'd follow up on my remark, but I am not going to give him a reaction.

"I'm sure you do. I was good at it," I respond non-chalant. But damn! I can't believe I just said that.

Albert let out a meaningful grin and turns away to check the photos in our living room. I sit in the couch. "You were good at it. I know that firsthand," he adds, and I know we are thinking of the same thing. But I am not going to draw the whole picture in my head right now, it's too.. obscene.

"Do I really? What your tita Angie said? I have your father's eyes?" Albert asks, he is now looking at my picture, in it, I was sitting on my dad's lap when I was eight.

Suddenly, I feel uncomfortable now. Mom shyly agreed tho at the overly loud realisation of tita Angie earlier, she used to have a huge crush on my dad and she wasn't shy to show it, despite my mom around.

"You're looking at him, what do you think?" I respond.

He shrugs his shoulders as he lifts the picture frame and looks closely. "I don't know. How do I see my eyes? Hmmm, your dad's look different from mine, I think. But I can see the resemblance in yours. You have your father's eyes."

I press a smile. "RJ is more identical. But somehow, if you look at him closely, RJ's eyes are a lot like mom - kind and.. innocent." I start playing with the ends of my hair, I'm feeling a little uncomfortable now that Albert is examining my life in photos.

"I've been meaning to ask -- you've mentioned it before. Why did you have to escape US? I mean, your house? If you're a.. legitimate family?" Albert looks at me, cautious.

I begin to feel chary. I lower my head and nibble on my lips. I shrug my shoulder. "Emily -- my grandmother, she was being controlling. I don't know, I think she blames my mom for dad's death somehow, or that's how I understood her presence when she comes at our house. She never came to our house before, until dad died. And she was taking authority over dad's Will, or something like that. Mom hardly fought, she just.. nods. Until Emily starts making decisions for RJ, she wanted to take him under her care. One time she just took RJ and brought him to Nashville, without permission, mom was out in the ranch that time, I was with RJ and we had an aupair that time as well. I mean, what kind of a mother does that to another mother? Mom of course was furious, she threatened Emily to never touch her children ever again. That was kind of the reason why we left. I didn't realise the family was chaotic when dad was alive, and mom wanted no part in that family's complications. We had to sneak out because dad's family has quite an influence, and well, it was a lot more complicated back then. Mom didn't want the wealth, she took enough to secure our future, me and RJ. But I think, it is unfair. Dad wanted the auto shop for me, and the ranch for their future second child. Now Emily got it all, of sort."

Albert puts back the last of the picture frame in the table top beside the window. "Why would they blame your mom for your dad's accident?"

I look at Albert who looks at me with obvious curiosity and deep concern. I'm hesitant to dig deeper into those dark moments of my life, but somehow, I start to feel comfortable with him. "It's not really -- "

RJ barges in. "Ate, they're calling you out, you and sir Albert. It's time."

"It's time? For what?" Albert asks.

I feel uncomfortable again, but mostly because it's time. "It's part of the thing today. Normally, it's just four or five of us, but today there's more of us. I don't know how it'll go."

"What is it?" Albert asks again.

We both start to head out to the backyard where RJ sprints into and he trips and falls on the ground. Everyone is startled, but I'm not so much, as well as mom. RJ just shrugs it off like nothing happened. He has a bad foot-eye coordination, but it can be worked out and I do activities with him to improve it; the doctor said, it's a child thing and RJ has some delayed developments.

I turn my head to Albert, he is grinning humorly amazed at RJ. Then he turns his attention back at me. "I'm trying to imagine how you were as a kid if you are RJ's role model."

I press a smile. "I was even crazier as a kid. RJ is the tamed version. Anyway, what's about to happen now, err, we'll do the remembrance. We'll be sharing one thing that we remember about dad that we haven't shared before. Not everyone has to say something, you can listen."

This is a little tradition that I started when RJ was four, I thought it could be another way for RJ to get know dad. Now, it's my favorite part of the day, because I'm learning something about dad too from someone elses perspective and their experiences of him.

We are now all sitting in a comfy outdoor chairs, getting ourselves cozy under our backyard willow tree, RJ is sitting on uncle Bob's lap, mom is sitting and cuddling with auntie Charity, and I sit beside Albert.

Because uncle Juando wasn't able to attend last year, tita Angie insists that he starts, or more like she threatens him with a marriage breakup curse.

Uncle Juando forces a cough. "Well, uh, one thing, one thing, hmmm. I have so many, maybe, this one. We all know, or some of us, that Ricky has an over-protective streak. He was the one I first revealed myself to, that I'm gay. He was very understanding, very accepting. I thought his treatment would change, our relationship would change, you know, we shower together and all, I was always his kuya and he was my best bud. But nothing really has changed except one additional thing, he probed every guy I date. You know the girly feeling where you're afraid to introduce your boyfriend to your dad because he'll pull out a shotgun? I had that with Ricky. At one point, he did pull out a shotgun. I'll always remember that about him, he didn't really need to be protective of me, he knows I can handle myself, but I know he's always watching. He has uh, he had a list, a list of questions what to ask a gay boyfriend, you know, when he interrogates them, funnily, he researched about it. I asked him why the list? You can just ask them anything, then he said, I don't want you to feel like a girl, if it's my sister or daughter, I'd know what questions to ask those dumbshit guys - ooops, sorry for the language - but you're not a girl. With him, I didn't feel that being gay is different, he just had an incredible compassion for people. He'd say, it should always be the human in us, not the kind of human we are," Uncle Juando shares.

We all press a smile, even the elder Jocsons, I see in their eyes a glint of admiration. Tita Angie presents herself to be next, she always have the funny ones.

"You know, Ricky and I had an affair -- of course, you don't know that Mercy, you're the wife, you're always the last to know. But it was a one sided affair, my side only. That man is insufferably obsessed with his wife! I think he was the only one in existence - and I mean that with intended offense on you boys -- I would always catch Ricky staring at Mercy like he's watching the seven angels playing their trumpets while coming out of the sky. I thought, he was looking at my breasts, but.. I only have 2, Mercy got all the 7 angels. If there is one man who would only fall in love with woman forever, and over and over again, that was Ricky. I mean, I did everything, and nothing, Mercy was perfect to him. He was.. crazy in love. That big, muscly, super masculine, bearded, super hot cowboy, had eyes like it's releasing heart-shaped confettis when he looked at Mercy. He was my dream guy, if I'd settle with one, it has to be a man like him, but then he was only one in existence, so.. I am never going to settle with just one man. Duh!"

We all laugh, some of us shakes our head. Uncle Bob is next and shares about dad's first visit at the bee farm, about how scared dad was of bees; and then, auntie Charity shared the hilarious trivias that dad shared with her about sausages and american steaks during that visit. Then in a world-altering surprise, uncle Rod raises his hand, he wanted to share something too. Mom told me before, uncle Rod was the first one to strongly opposed her love for dad.

"I think I have something to share too, one that probably none of you knows except me, Jay, Divine and Bless. When Ricky asked for our blessings to marry you, we were appalled, you just met, and he's not from here. Marriage is not some disney fairytale, that you instantly know you're ready to spend your lives together for life. He was an american man and I thought too mature for you, Mercy. But when he was pouring his heart out to us, he cried. Like a boy who wanted something so badly. He wasn't taking no for an answer, he really wanted you Mercy. Angelika is right, I've never seen eyes like that inlove as Ricky's. Of course, I don't know if he was going to treat you right, hell, none of us know anything about him. But I think I knew, when he cried he loves you, he was telling the truth. Like when RJ cried because it wasn't him who broke 'nay Ellie's china vase," Uncle Rod shares with a lot of pauses, reminiscent.

We all laugh at his last remark. My heart broke into a thousand pieces when RJ came running to me crying, bawling. It was last year. No one blamed him but he felt responsible, somehow. It was the cat who broke the china vase, there were witnesses.

Then mom is next, I opt to skip this time; Albert is here and I want to stay in control of myself. In mom's signature mannerism, she strokes her collarbone with her fingers while she thinks of how to say what she wants to say.

"Ricky is not hard to define, with him what you see is what you get. He's friendly, funny, open -- he's not good at hiding his true feelings. The first time he was at the B&B, it wasn't me that he likes. We were just being friendly, he liked someone else, another guest. I don't remember her name but she was impossibly beautiful, she has that well-off sophistication in her but still friendly and humble. Ricky told me she was going to marry that lady, and he asked me to help him. I did. But the lady was married and already had a daughter, she was having some trouble with her marriage and she was scared to face it. The three of us kind of became friends during her stay, Ricky was very kind to her, despite having interest in her, he was honest and genuine. I wasn't anything like her. So I didn't really believe when, later, he told me he's having a crush on me. All the tips I told him how to get that lady, he did it to me. Then I was head over heels. I wasn't planning to fall in love with a complete stranger, but again, with him, I knew what you see is what you get. He has no agenda, no secrets. He always mean what he says."

I think this is the first time that this day turned mellow, even tita Angie toned herself down. The rounds of sharing continues. I notice, there is a peaceful sense between the Jocson siblings, especially mom with uncle Rod and uncle Jay. There was a point in history that they were all angry at mom for leaving the family, but today it feels like that didn't even happen.

I think dad finally have it, the approval of the Jocsons. I don't know how, but I think I started noticing it last Wednesday during uncle Bob's birthday. Dad was right, time heals, like how I feel now. In the past years, I would have moments on this day that I would lock myself in the bathroom and I just cry because I miss dad so much. But today, I love the memories, they make my heart smiles.

Albert is another piece of today's puzzle. He looks very comfortable with everyone in my family, he's friendly, funny, confident and relaxed, like he's exactly where he belongs.

Then mom and I has a mind-boggling moment after the remembrance. RJ started opening his gifts; we have this another tradition that we buy gifts for dad that will either be used by any of us or for display at the house. I bought RJ a GoPro Hero7 Black, we have a Canon DSLR, but I've noticed for sometime that RJ has a knack and a good eye for taking photos and videos.

I was preparing snacks earlier when I noticed Albert was with RJ under the willow tree, RJ was sitting on Albert's lap and they were setting up the GoPro. When mom came out of the kitchen, she halted into a stop beside me like she saw something impossible.

I know what she saw, we had the same reaction, we both stopped breathing and we're completely mind-boggled. We thought, we saw RJ on dad's lap. Albert had this peaceful and yet excited look in his face, like dad used to have with me, and RJ, he was very comfortable being all cuddly with Albert. He's comfortable with our uncles, but not in the way he was with Albert earlier.

Mom and I had a silent but long meaningful stare at each other because of that, like we officiated Albert as a new member of the family. How that works, I don't know. I think Albert has been too long around my family, the past three days was too much.. but I like every second of it.

"Your dad is a tough act to follow," Albert says.

I walk him out to his car, everyone are still inside laughing and chatting. It's 8pm now. RJ is up in his room enjoying his half-bath at the tub.

Albert's car is parked a bit farther away from our house, but still in front of our wide open frontyard. There is a serene brightness outside from the yellow light lamp post, and the big yellow full moon.

I press a smile, Albert and I are facing each other. "I know. He was only one in existence. And he was only made for mom," I respond, unable to look straight into his eyes.

He strokes the side of my jaw with the back of his point finger, then he lifts my face up. "Their love story sounds legendary, but we can write our own story."

I lift my brow and my heart jumps a little. I think that was a very romantic thing to say, my stomach cramps again, but like a good indigestion. Then I smile wide, involuntarily.

"We can. I have a feeling we'll be legends too." I'm not really sure what I said, but I mean it.

His face lights up, a little coy too. "Hold that feeling," he says, then he trots towards our front yard garden and picks a daffodil flower. He returns to me and he puts the flower behind my ear. "There. Now, the legend starts," he says, grinning.

I bow, trying to hide my cheesy grin, but I know he can clearly see it. I look up at him and his eyes turn serious. "Even if were only a simple story of a boy and a girl, I know it's still worth it," he says.

Suddenly, something inside me urges me to make another move, and without thought, I wrap my arms around his neck, I fondle the back of his hair, then I kiss him, a long and fluid kiss. With his equal desire, his hands also respond with such intense yearning as he kneads my waist and the tenderness of my ass.

At the back of my head, I know this is dangerous, but I want him, I want to feel him. We catch on our breathing after we pull from the kiss. Then we smile, I think we are smiling for the same reason, we are enjoying what is happening and we can't get enough of it.

We really can't. The past three nights, we were hungry for each other, we literally had to force ourselves to stop so we get the littlest of sleep possible. Albert has an inhuman stamina, he can keep going, on and on, for multiple rounds.

Without words we bid our goodbyes, strangely, we both run out words, or maybe we are both trying to force ourselves to let each other go tonight, or we'll have few more rounds behind the bushes in our front yard garden.

I watch him turn and dissapear at the end corner of the road, then I head back to the house. I walk slow, trying to figure out what I'm feeling. It's kind of overwhelming, like I am possibly inlove, but maybe not? I'm still not so sure.

I walk through the front yard heading to the side porch and - holy angel of hell! - I am caught in the act.

"Uncle," I mumble. My eyes are as horrified as the eyes I'm looking at. My breathing is stuck, I think I'm going to faint.