Faith.Hope.Love

26. Road to Your Heart

"Good morning!" I excitedly greeted when I open the door of the Communications Room.

"Welcome back Faith!" Pam stood up and hugged me.

"Are you sure you're okay now?"

"Yes, I am so okay..."

I headed to my table. My things were exactly where I left them aside from the small white box with purple ribbon.
"It's from Sir Lane..." Pam told me.

"Oh, really. Where's Sir Lane? I didn't see him at the HR Room?"

"He's in a seminar. He left that for you as come back gift."

"He's so nice. " I uttered. I was about to text him when Ma'am Shelly came in

"Good morning Ma'am Shelly!" Pam and I greeted her.

I noticed that Gabriel's table was a little bit different. There was a blue smiley pillow in the chair, the pens were placed in a gray cup turned into pen holder and a medium-sized red Starbucks mug on the side.

"Hi ladies. I'm so glad you're here Faith!" She said

"Yes, Ma'am"

"I need a favor to ask from both of you? Someone must go to our Laguna Center to back up new staff in the tutorial sessions of the elementary students."

Pam and I looked at each other. From the look of Pam, I already knew what she meant.

"That's fine with me Ma'am. I can come" I volunteered.

"Are you sure Faith?" Ma'am Shelly was making sure of what I said.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"If that's the case, you need to be ready in 30 minutes...Kuya Dello will drive you to the center. Thank you, Faith." Ma'am Shelly walked to her place.

"All right Ma'am. I'll prepare my things."

"Thank you so much Faith." Pam winked at me.

In an hour we arrived at the Laguna Center. The session was about to start.

"Hi, Kuya Dello. Hi, Faith. I'm so glad you're here. You're just in time." Ate Liza welcomed us.

The grade 3 students were already seated in their respective places. The teacher volunteers were with them also.

I watched them comfortably at one corner of the hall. I started to look for our new staff.

"Ate Liza, may I ask where's the new staff?"

Ate Liza chuckled as she answered me.

"Our new staff?"

"Yes, Ate Liza..."

"He's over there with the kids. I asked him if he could do a storytelling with the smaller kids." She pointed to the direction of the new staff.

He waved his hand when our eyes meet. Even the kids say greeted when they saw me. He immediately proceeded to his activity with the kids. It was Gabriel. He didn't tell last night about this.

I took some pictures of the teachers and kids while doing the sessions. Most of the time I couldn't help but look at Gabriel. I still couldn't believe that he returned. This session was for reading while for the smaller kids, storytelling session was being done. I observed and listened to the teachers. One of the kids from the group of Gabriel led me to sit beside him while listening to Gabriel. I wasn't able to protest.

"Okay kids, I have a new story for you all today. This story is written by a very special person whose heart for children is so BIG... Are you ready to, listen to Kuya?" The kids were laughing as they saw Gabriel making faces and changing his voice. He even tried to open his eyes so wide but he just couldn't. All I could see was his twinkling and smiling eyes.

"Yes, Kuya Gabriel!" The children shouted in unison.

"Okay...here it goes... "

Gabriel took out the book he was hiding from his back.

"Long time ago, in a faraway kingdom of in Perpetuum, there were three princes living in the palace. Princes Fidem, Esperer, and Amare. Everyday after their lessons, they would come to the garden to play. They were so happy though at times they would also have little fights. They promised to be together forever. Until one day, there was a royal announcement that a strong storm would be coming and everyone was advised to be at the safest place. The king ordered for the people to take refuge inside the place.

The rain started to fall that night. Little by little it became stronger. The three princes were so scared that they would not leave the queen. At the top of the castle, they could hear the roaring thunder and the heavy rainfall. Little they did know that the whole kingdom was already taken by the big water. Flood was all over the kingdom until it reached the palace. The three princes were separated, the king and queen's bodies were recovered. Prince Amare the youngest was found beside the King. They thought he would die but he survived. Almost half of the people in the kingdom was taken away by the great flood. The King's' men searched for the two other princes, Prince Fidem and Prince Esperer but with no success. Prince Amare at his young age was left alone and mourned for the King and Queen. He looked for his brothers with the help of a King's knight named Fidele. Fidele and the king's men helped Prince Amare to rebuild the palace.

Thirty years had passed but Prince Amare didn't give up to search for his brothers. He was still waiting for them to come back as promised. He remembered during the storm, the King told him to just hold on the piece of wood. He said he would come to save his brothers. Prince Amare was with the Queen but she was taken away by a strong current until she could no longer be seen by Prince Amare.

"I wished I was the one who didn't survive if I have to bear all this." He wept and the knight Fidele embraced Prince Amare. Fidele treated Prince Amare as his own son.

"God wanted you to survive my Prince. So you can rule this great kingdom and search for your brothers. Are you giving up now?" He uttered.

"You know that I have waited and searched for them but my heart seems not to know which road to take anymore. Where could I find them? Are they dead already? It would have been easier if their bodies were found "

"Don't give up Prince Amare. Your heart will soon find the road to where they are..."

"We will sail to the next kingdom in our list and look for them." Prince Amare regained his determination.

They sail on to get despite the storm coming.

"If I have to die here Fidele, please continue to find my brothers..." Prince Amare said.

He felt a hand grasped his to save him from the sinking ship.
Prince Amare finally woke up after three days. He opened his eyes and two familiar faces smiled at him.

"He's awake..." Prince Fidem said.

"Oh, my brothers." He stood up to embrace them.

The whole kingdom celebrated the coming of the two princes. The two princes were found by a couple in the country near them. They didn't remember what happened until the couple told them the truth. They chose to stay in the couple's custody and make them their family.

"We were sorry that we didn't come earlier. But when you decided to go to the place where we are, we know that this is the right time...We are sorry we were so afraid to return to the palace..." Prince Fidem explained.

"We couldn't bear to think that our King and Queen were forever lost. I'm sorry my little brother. But there's no other road that we want to take but to be with you."

"I feel the same here... my beloved brothers." Prince Amore broke down into tears.

"From now, we'll stay together. Though it seems like a forever of searching and waiting, today is the day that I found the road that led me to you." Prince Amore told them.

The whole kingdom celebrated the coming back of the princes.

And they lived happily ever after."

***
The children cheered loudly.

"Okay, kids. Do you like the story?" Gabriel asked them

"Yes, Kuya!" They shouted.

"So, what's the moral lesson of the story?"

"It's about the storm..." One kid said.

"About Prince Amore!" Another kid answered.

"It's about happy endings..." The kid beside me said.
I tried to avoid the look of Gabriel. But it was too late.

"Oh, maybe we can ask the author herself?"

The children looked at me. I was really astounded but regained my composure knowing the children were waiting for my answer. I cleared out my throat.

"I think it's about finding the road to the heart of a beloved!" I pretended to be thinking so hard for the kids.

The kids kept silent. I knew that I have to translate what I just said. 

"That's perfect," said Gabriel, showing much affirmation.

This day was another day to smile.