the wooden frame

three gentle knocks she placed on the door. then carefully she turned the knob so as not to disturb those who are already in deep slumber. she peeked into the dimly-lit room in hope to see someone who is still awake. it is already two in the morning.



to her delight she saw a familiar face. for a moment she stood glued at the door and looked at him. on his bed he was busy staring at a light coming from a rectangular box placed in from of him. his eyes moved fast as if they were chasing bullets passing by. his hand was holding something - it's hemispherical in shape. his hand shifted it, left, right, up and down. she thought that he was fully unaware of her presence until his eyes stopped moving. he looked up to her and spoke.

bakit gising ka pa? she was asked.

nagbanyo lang ako.

he smiled and nodded at her.

tulog ka na ulit. tatapusin ko lang ito tapos tulog na rin ako. he told her.

she was about to close the door when she remembered,

nakita mo ba si lolo mo? nagising ako na wala siya sa tabi ko. hinanap ko siya pero wala naman. she asked him.

she then saw him putting up a forced grin. leaving the rectangular box he stood up and led her out of the room. he whispered that he knows where lolo is. with cat's grace they made their way into the sala where they sat on the long sofa which is the usual scene of her siestas. a few meters northwest from where they were seated is a sturdy circular table. on the table, a long white candle flickered to shed some light around it. behind the candle a wooden frame stood.

he pointed at the wooden frame and told her to look at it.

ayun si lolo. nakangiti sa atin at lagi tayong binabantayan. dito mo siya laging makikita.

while he hugged her, tears fell from her eyes. she called out her husband's name a couple of times.

kaya pala hindi na siya sumasagot kapag tinatawag ko siya. dito na lang siya sumasagot, she said while laying her hand on her chest.