For the past three months, every night I have been smelling a strange smell. It’s not a typical body odor. It was like the smell of mold mixed with a strong, pungent smell clinging to the blankets, to the bedsheet, and especially to the part of the bed where Miguel was sleeping.

“Hindi.”

Her eyes lit up.

“Surely ka?”

Tumango ako.

“But there’s one thing that makes me angry.”

Suddenly, he was nervous.

“Year?”

I grabbed his hand.

“Why didn’t you include me in your dream from the beginning?”

Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears.

He couldn’t speak.

I hugged him tightly.

And for the first time in many months, I felt peace return to my heart.

A few weeks later, we traveled to Cebu together.

As the car approached a small village, I noticed a lot of children playing on the road.

We stopped in front of a new building.

It is a small school.

At the top of the gate, it read:

“San Pedro Free Community School.”

I got a hold of my mouth.

“Miguel…”

Ngumiti siya.

“Surprise.”

The children slowly approached.

Teachers also came out from the inside.