I woke up a few hours later. I checked the time on my phone and saw that it's already lunchtime.

Wait, I thought I turned my phone off?

Ipinagsawalang bahala ko na lang 'yon at dumeretso sa ibaba para magluto sana since medyo maaga pa naman. I have time to cook Grayson and I's lunch. Kaso, pagkarating ko sa dining area, may pagkain nang nakahanda ro'n at may sticky note na nakadikit sa gilid nito.

I already ordered your lunch, no need to cook. I went to my parent's house for something. I'll be back later. Rest well, my Summer. I love you. -G

Napangiti na lang ako bago hinila ang isang upuan saka naupo roon. Binuksan ko ang mga tupperware na pinaglalagyan ng mga pagkain na in-order niya sa isang restaurant saka ito kinain. Sayang, wala akong kasabay. Ang sarap pa naman. I sighed.

Hindi na yata ako sanay nang hindi kasabay kumain si Grayson.

Nang matapos akong kumain, niligpit ko na ang mga pinagkainan ko at tinapon ang mga pinaglagyan sa basurahan. Pagkatapos, nanood na muna ako ng kung anong p'wedeng mapanood sa Netflix ni Grayson habang naghihintay sa kan'ya.

Nakatapos na ako ng isang movie pero wala pa rin siya kaya naman nilinis ko na lang ang bahay niya. Hindi naman makalat dahil wala naman halos gamit sa loob. Sobrang minimalist lang. Hindi sobrang laki ng bahay pero spacious ito at maaliwalas kaya naman kahit na mainit ang panahon, hindi mo masiyadong madarama dahil maaliwalas sa loob.

Nawalis ko na yata lahat ng p'wedeng walisan, naayos ang mga dapat ayusin pero wala pa rin si Grayson. Gusto ko siyang i-text or tawagan pero natatakot naman akong hawakan ulit ang cellphone ko. Baka kapag in-on ko ang WiFi o ang sim card ko, may ma-receive na naman akong mga message mula sa Manila na siguradong hindi ko magugustuhan.

Napabuntonghininga ako nang maalala kung gaano kasakit ang mga salitang nakuha ko mula kay Enzo kaninang umaga. Pilit kong iniaalis sa isip ko ang lahat ng 'yon simula nang magising ulit ako kanina dahil gusto kong maging masaya ako habang nandito pa ako . . . kasi ayaw kong isipin ang mga problemang mayroon ako sa Manila dahil nandito naman ako ngayon sa Bohol.

Alam kong hindi na namin napag-uusapan pa ni Grayson ulit ang tungkol sa buhay ko sa Manila o sa pagbabalik ko ro'n pero kahit ito man lang . . . 'yung hindi pag-iisip ng mga bagay tungkol sa Manila . . . kahit ito lang, magawa ko para kay Grayson.

He has done so much for me while I was here. Ito lang yata ang kaya kong gawin para sa kan'ya sa ngayon.

5:30 p.m. na pero wala pa rin si Grayson kaya naman umakyat na lang ulit ako para maligo sa bathroom ng k'warto niya. Habang papunta ako ro'n, nadaanan ko ang guest room na kahit kailan, hindi ko pa nakita ang loob.

Dito raw ang k'warto ni Jenna noong dito pa siya nakatira. Ano kayang itsura ng loob?

I tried to open the door but it was locked. For some reason, I felt nervous. I wanted so badly to see what's inside. I want to see how he kept Jenna's room while she wasn't around. I want to know how she treated this room when she's staying here.

I took a deep breath before I walked and entered Grayson's room. I nervously-and carefully-opened every drawer to find the keys. Until I opened his closet full of his neatly organized clothes. Sa ibaba nito ay may box. Mas lalong kumabog ang dibdib ko habang nakatitig doon kahit na hindi pa naman ako sigurado kung nandoon na ba ang hinahanap ko.

Napalunok ako bago kinuha ang box saka binuksan. There were a few baby things like white infant clothes, white shoes, mittens, booties and bonnets. Under those is a small box that made me a lot more nervous. I was about to open it when I saw a picture frame from the bottom of the box. Nakabaliktad ito kaya 'yung stand sa likod ang una kong nakita at hindi ang picture.

Picture lang naman ito ng anak niyang si Love, hindi ba?

Ilang beses kong hinugot ang malalim na paghinga ko kasabay ng panlalamig ng mga kamay ko. Napalunok ako bago ko 'yon kinuha at tiningnan ang litratong nakalagay doon. Parang natuyo ang lalamunan ko nang makita kung sino ang nandoon.

It was Grayson . . . with Love . . . and Jenna, of course.

A photograph of a happy family, having a picnic at the beachside. The three of them were laughing happily. They looked so good. They looked so . . . whole.

"Ohh . . ." the only thing I said as I stared at Grayson's beautiful smile while carrying Love.

I bit my fingernail as I felt a pain in my chest.

I've never seen Grayson that way with me. I know that he's happy with me but Grayson's happiness with his family years ago was incomparable. He is happy with them even though he kept on saying that there was no love connection between him and Jenna.

Pero importante pa ba ang pagmamahal kung masaya naman sila nang magkasama?

I sighed before biting my lower lip as I opened that small box I found inside this box. Tulad ng inaasahan ko, susi nga ito. Hindi pa ako sigurado kung ito 'yung para sa k'warto ni Jenna.

Sana hindi ito.

Ibinalik ko sa dating ayos ang laman ng kahon saka ibinalik sa pinaglalagyan. Pagkatapos, lumabas na ako ng k'warto dala ang susi na nakuha ko. Mabagal akong naglakad papunta sa katabing guest room ng k'warto ni Grayson saka huminto sa harap ng pinto nito. Ilang beses akong lumunok habang nakatitig nang matagal sa door knob.

If this is really the key to this room . . . am I ready to find out what's inside?

What if I found out that they were more than just co-parents? What if they were a family with love too, tulad ng ibang pamilya sa mundo? What if . . . Grayson didn't know that there is love all along?

I took a deep breath before I inserted the key. Kumabog ang dibdib ko nang malaman na ito nga ang susi para sa k'wartong ito. Gusto ko sanang mag-back out at 'wag na lang tumuloy sa pagpasok dito but . . . what's the point of backing out? Nandito na ako.

I unlocked the door and opened it gently. It was dark inside so I turned the lights on and a very pink room welcomed my eyes. There were toys, teddy bears, a shelf, crib, and things you'll find inside a baby's room. The bed was, I think, a queen size, so it is actually big for a two people, let alone a woman and a one year old baby.

I won't be shocked if Grayson sleeps here too . . .

I walked inside the room and saw how neat it was. May mga alikabok sa iba't ibang lugar pero normal lang 'yon para sa isang k'wartong hindi na nabubuksan nang matagal na panahon. May malaking closet sa bandang dulo ng k'warto na siya ring pinuntahan ko. Hindi ko na sana bubuksan dahil this is too much to invade for someone I never really knew. Pero nandito naman na ako.

As I opened the closet, there were few things inside pero wala na halos ang mga damit. May mga portfolio ang nandoon na mukhang inilagay na lang basta dahil walang mapaglagyan o baka itinatago. Sinulit ko na talaga ang pakikialam ko sa gamit kaya naman kinuha ko ang mga 'yon at dinala sa kama saka naupo ro'n.

Binuksan ko ang isang portfolio. Nakita ko na puro picture ito ni Love simula noong kapapanganak lang hanggang sa patanda nang patanda ang buwan. Magkakabukod ang portfolio ng pictures ni Love mula sa new born, first month, second month, third, forth, hanggang sa mag-first birthday siya. It was organized well.

The whole time I was browsing these beautifully taken photos that were also very nice and clear, I couldn't help but smile.

Love has her father's smile.

Love has her father's nose.

Love has her father's eyes.

Love has everything I love about her father.

Hindi maipagkakaila na anak niya nga si Love dahil magkamukhang-magkamukha sila, lalo na sa pictures ni Love noong first birthday niya. Kaya naiintindihan ko kung bakit nasaktan nang ganoon si Jenna nang dahil sa tanong ni Grayson sa kan'ya tungkol sa pagiging ama nito kay Love.

There is one remaining portfolio on the bed that I haven't seen yet. Hindi ko alam kung ano ito dahil wala namang nakalagay na label. Feeling ko, puro pa rin ito si Love.

When I opened the last portfolio, I was dumbfounded when I saw a lot of Jenna's stolen photos. Everything inside was candid. Jenna looked so pretty and serene in this one photo that she's staring at the sea. She has no idea that Grayson was taking a photo of her to immortalize her beauty at that moment.

Some photos were filtered with black and white, retro filters and others that made the photos look better.

Nakaabot na ako sa pinakahuling picture. Walang kahit isang picture doon na aware si Jenna. Lahat, stolen. Lahat, maganda. Lalo na kapag nakangiti siya.

At the bottom part of the last photo, I read the handwritten letter of Grayson.

Jennaica Torrealba.

A beautiful and a very good mom to Love.

She has a precious and fragile soul that I failed to protect.

I am hoping for your good life everyday.

Ahh . . . he loved her. He really did.

I smiled a little at the epiphany moment that I had.

Grayson took photos of things or people he found precious. He took photos of the moments that he wanted to immortalize . . . and Jenna's moment with him was one of those moments that he cherished back then.

I shouldn't feel jealous or hurt. It's normal to love someone before you meet the person you are in love with right now. I should never feel any negative feelings since I, too, had an ex-boyfriend that I used to love with all of me. It's normal for Grayson to have one, too.

Maybe he hasn't realized before that he was in love with her too.

Maybe he was jealous of her ex-boyfriend when he went to his daughter's birthday party that made him furious that night.

Maybe this portfolio-full of Jenna's stolen photos-is one proof that my hunches were true.

He loved her too.