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Don't get so worked up, he told himself again.
He went out of their room and limped through the darkened hallway to their lit kitchen. He hears spoon hitting with a mug. She's making her usual early morning coffee. He sighed. It was just a dream.
He leaned by the doorway and watched his wife get ready for the day as she hummed a Cary Brothers song. He smiled.
"Mahal," he called out.
She turned to him, eyebrows raised. "RJ! Ang aga mo naman nagising?"
His smile faltered. His dream flashed before his eyes again, and he can't help but shut them tightly to erase the scene.
"Ulit?" she sighed. She maneuvered herself around the kitchen and gave him the tightest of all bear hugs. "Go back to sleep, mahal. It's just a dream."
He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her intoxicating scent. "It was a bad dream, Mahal."
It was impossible but her hug tightened. "It's just a bad dream. Dito lang ako, I'm not leaving. I love you. Para kang bata," she laughed. "Sige na at matulog ka na muna ulit. Ipagluluto pa kita ng baon mo sa office."
He smiled. His wife knew what to say and do every time. Always. He kissed her on the forehead, before limping back to their bedroom. He slept.
He woke up a few hours later, and started his daily routine. Shower, shave, get ready for a day in the office. He took his crutch and limped his way back to the kitchen.
"Good morning, mahal," his wife greeted with a smile. She adjusted his tie and combed his unkempt hair to the side. "Ayan, gwapo ng mister ko."
He grinned like the infatuated boy that he was. "Need to keep up with the beautiful wife, syempre."
"Cute mo kainis," she laughed pinching his cheeks. "Kumain ka na at malelate ka na sa trabaho!"
"Yes, ma'am!" And with that, he went to sit by the head of the table, piling his plate with whatever his wife had prepared for him. "Upo ka, mahal. Join me."
She was about to reply when they heard someone enter the house.
"RJ, anak," he stopped in his tracks when he saw his son smiling happily.
"Dad!"
"Ang saya mo ah."
"Si Maine kasi pinagluto ako ng favorite kong breakfast."
"Sino?"
"Si Menggay po, dad."
He looked around. Things were back to the way they were. It was clean. It didn't reak of alcohol and smoke fumes. Everything looked normal, except that there was an empty set on the dining table. "RJ..."
"Upo ka, po. Join us. Mahal— mahal? Meng, andito si Dad oh."
Silence.
"Asan na ba 'yun, bakit biglang nawala? Mahal?"
Silence.
RJ started to panic. He feels another flashback coming. "Maine?!"
"'Nak—"
"Dad, andito sya kanina— sandali lang. Mahal?" He was paralyzed as he watched flashes of that morning right before him. "No. She was here. I saw her. She said she won't ever leave me."
