Pearlyn, gently pulled Chuck's arm and tightened her embrace.
---
Just the day before, Rubilyn threw a major tantrum and started throwing things around. Maia moved the baby monitor they used for Ian to the girls' room and observed Rubilyn from the other room. Later on, Rubilyn simmered down, lay down on the floor and fell asleep. The following early morning, Rubilyn grabbed her backpack and filled it with some of her things, then quietly slipped out of the house.
One of the helpers from the house across street saw Rubilyn come out of the gate. Moments later, she informed the homeowners. Lolo Tatay regularly went on morning walks to buy bread from the neighborhood bread shop, so he was already on the lookout for Bingbing (Rubilyn's nickname). He saw walking a few meters away from the subdivision's community center. "Luckily" they lived near the back of the big subdivision so walking to the subdivision gate was challenging as it was far (shuttles transported people around the village and they had designated stops on the major roads; plus young students and small children were not allowed to ride alone).
Maia talked to Bingbing and reassured her that she could tell them how she felt.
"Nalulungkot ako. Kasi hindi ko na makikita si Mama. Mami-miss ko si Mama ko." BIngbing said softly.
Maia put her arm around Bingbing's shoulder. She then dug into her pocket and gave the girl something.
"Ano po ito? Susi?" Bingbing curiously inspected the small keys in her hand.
"Halika." Maia said, standing up and holding out her hand, inviting Bingbing. Together, they walked back into the girls' bedroom. On the floor were 2 wooden boxes. Pearlyn or LynLyn was quietly painting one of the boxes. They told BingBing to try the key she was holding on to on the lock of the unpainted box. After several attempts, she was able to open the box.
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"Lagyan mo din ng design yung box mo." Maia said as she nodded toward the undecorated box next to LynLyn's box. "Bukas, lalagyan natin yan ng ma special memories ninyo at ni Mama..."
"Memories?" BingBing asked.
"Mga litrato, drawing na tinago ni Mama. Ilagay mo yung panyo niya sa yo." LynLyn said. "Yung mga bagay na magpapaalala sa atin kay Mama."
"And you can open your special box any time so that you can go remember your happy moments." Chuck said.
"Hindi lang alaala ng Mama mo ang pwede mong ilagay sa box mo. Yung mga bago at special na bagay sa yo, pwede mo ring ilagay dyan." Maia added.
---
"Letting the girls have their own memory box is a great idea!" Chuck said while giving Maia a kiss as they cuddled in bed.
"Ang babata pa nila, ang dami na nilang napagdaanan. Meron silang mababalikan para maalala yung mga special memories nila." Maia glanced back at Chuck then tapped his arm so that he released her from his embrace. He watched her as she stood up from bed. "Where are you going?"
Moments later, Maia returned with an odd sized, 'over-flowing' book and presented this to Chuck.
"What's this?" Chuck took the book in his hands while sitting up in bed. Maia sat down beside him. "Journal...scrapbook." Maia said. "Dito ko tinatago yung mga memories ko." Maia explained as Chuck turned the pages. Each page was filled with mementos and short stories related to them. One of the first things he saw was his first letter to Maia when she received his box.
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"Yan ang pinaka-special na sulat na natanggap ko."
Overwhelmed, Chuck turned to Maia and gave her a tight hug and kiss. "I love you."
