This is the last chapter for Until the End of Time. Thank you so much for reading Margaux and Jaxon's story. Thank you for letting me write my thoughts. Until next time! Hope you'll also try and read the Donovan Series #3!

Again, thank you so much for reading! :-)

Song: There You'll Be- Faith Hill

Astonished

"Mommy! Mommy!" sigaw ni George nang makita niya ako sa labas ng pintuan ng daycare.

I just finished my shift today at nandito ako para sunduin siya. After my shift, dumiretso agad ako dito. I'm still tired from the operation I had a while ago but I just want to see my son.

George crashed me into a hug. Ngumiti naman ako. Kung sana ay nandito lang ang daddy mo...

"I got a star!" pinakita niya naman sa akin ang nakatak na bituin sa kanyang kamay.

"Wow! That's great! Nagbehave ka siguro dito, noh?"

He smirked boyishly at me. Tumawa naman ako. Nakuha niya siguro 'to sa tatay niya. Inangat ko ang tingin sa tagabantay ng mga bata dito sa daycare. She smiled at tumango para ipahiwatig na nagbehave nga ang anak ko ngayon.

Karamihan rin ng mga nandito ay anak ng mga doctor na walang magbabantay sa kanilang anak kaya dito nila iniiwan. Kinuha ko naman ang bag niya at iginiya na siya sa sasakyan.

George sat on the back seat. Mas nauna pa siya sa akin. He immediately grabbed the toys he left inside the car. Tiningnan ko naman ang driver's seat. If he's only with us, ako sana ang nasa passenger's seat at siya naman ang nagmamaneho. Malungkot akong ngumiti at binuksan nalang ang pinto ng driver's seat.

I miss Jaxon so much. Some told me he's dead. Though, I already accepted it somehow... hindi parin ako nawawalan ng pag-asa na babalik parin siya. And it's been three years since my dad told me that he went missing.

Alam kong mahabang panahon ang tatlong taon. I am always holding on to this hope that there's a chance that he could be alive. Tsaka lang ako tuluyang maniniwala na wala na nga siya kung nakita ko ang bangkay niya.

He's not. He can't be dead. He promised me that he will make it out alive.

"Some believe he's dead-" I cut my dad off.

"No! He's not dead! He promised me! He promised us that he will make it out alive! He made a promise!" I said while I was breaking down in tears.

"Margaux... Crying is not good for the baby..." Jaxon's mother tried to help me up. Patuloy ako sa pag-iyak. Hinagod niya naman ang likod ko upang pakalmahin ako.

This is not true. Hindi pwedeng mangyari iyon. Jaxon is alive! He should! My husband should be alive!

"Mama, buhay si Jaxon diba?" I asked her in between my hiccups. Hindi ko alam kung paano niya nakakayanan ang ganitong sitwasyon. Silang dalawa ni Papa.

"We don't know, hija..." nakita ko ang lungkot sa kanyang mga mata.

I wonder how she feels about this. There's a chance that he just lost one of her child and then she's acting this way. She's showing me that she's okay even though she's not. How is she able to do this?

"Dad! Please tell me he's alive... You will find him, right?" lumapit ako kay Daddy at hinawakan ang magkabila niyang kamay. Para bang nagmamakaawa. "He said he would be here to join me deliver our baby! He promised me that, Dad!"

"Huminahon ka, Margaux..." aniya.

Pumikit ako ng madiin. I pressed my forehead on my dad's shoulder and I cried harder. Naninikip ng husto ang dibdib ko dahil sa pag-iyak. Bakit ngayon pa?!

"Margaux, you're bleeding." Narinig kong sinabi ng mommy ni Jaxon.

Agad akong napatingin sa aking binti. May tumutulong dugo dito. Hindi ko na napansin pa na sobrang sakit na pala ng tiyan ko dahil sa sobrang pag-iyak.

"Get the ambulance and rush her to our hospital!" my father shouted at his soldiers.

Mabilis na dumating ang mga sundalo na may dala-dalang stretcher. Jaxon's mother used to be a military doctor before kaya alam niya ang ginagawa niya. Isa siya sa mga tumulong sa akin. Pinahiga ako sa isang stretcher at ipapasok na sana sa loob ng ambulansya nang tinawag ko si Daddy.

"Paano si J-Jaxon?" I asked. Nagpakawala naman siya ng malalim na hininga at tipid na ngumiti.

"We don't know yet, Margaux, pero ibabalita ko agad sa'yo kapag may nakuha akong impormasyon." Aniya bago tuluyang isinarado ng mga sundalo ang pinto ng ambulansya.

Magkausap si Daddy at si Papa. My father said something to him that made Jaxon's father tear up. I saw him wiping his tears away. My father patted him on his shoulder at nilingon naman ang ambulansya. Jaxon's mother is inside the ambulance with me. Mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang aking kamay.

"Sigurado akong mas matutuwa si Jaxon na malaman na maayos ang panganganak mo," she smiled at me. I closed my eyes.

Jaxon, please... don't be dead...

"Please be strong for your son, Margaux... I know this is hard to take but please... be strong for our grandson." Her voice broke. Tumango ako. Nanginginig ang labi ko.

Oh, how cruel the world is!

Naramdaman ko naman ang pagtulo ng panibagong mga luha. Jaxon... please come back to us... please come back to me... Please be alive.

I was immediately rushed to the delivery room nang dumating kami sa ospital. They immediately paged my cousin, Brittany, who works as an OB-Gyn in our hospital. She also came to Afghanistan last year. At ngayon, nagtatrabaho na ulit siya dito. I'm glad that she's okay now.

Nakita ko naman si mommy na kasama ang mga kapatid ko. Mamaya maya pa ay lumapit ang mommy ni Jaxon sakanila.

They rushed to her as she also broke down in tears.

Si mommy ang kasama ko sa loob ng delivery room. I was looking up the ceiling praying for a successful delivery and praying for my husband's life.

God, please... don't take my husband away from me yet. I still need him to be with me. I still need him to be with our son. Kailangan niya pang makita ang anak namin.

Lumapit sa akin si Brittany at mahigpit na hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"I heard what happened," she said. I pressed my lips into a thin line to stop the tears. I shouldn't be crying right now. I'm about to deliver our baby! Damn it!

"You need to be strong, Margaux... For your baby."

Tumango ako at agad rin naman siyang nag-umpisa.

All throughout my whole delivery, I was crying so much! Jaxon should be the one with me in here. He should be the one holding my hand right now.

When I heard my son cried for the first time, mas lalo akong naiyak.

"You did it," Brittany whispered.

How am I supposed to raise our son alone? How am I supposed to raise my son without a father?

"What's his name, anak?" tanong sa akin ni Mommy.

I remember Jaxon telling me that he always wanted to name our son George. And now... I've also decided to name our son after his father.

"G-George. George Alexander."

Napili parin ni Mommy na ngumiti sa akin kahit na alam kong masakit rin para sakanya ang nangyayari ngayon. Tumango siya at hinigpitan pa lalo ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko.

Sa tuwing itatanong ko kay Daddy ang tungkol kay Jaxon ay pare-parehas lang ang sagot niya. He still doesn't know where he is. He told me that he tried to track him but he couldn't. The tracker just couldn't locate where he is.

Nasaan ka ba, Jaxon?!

"Margaux... there's a chance that he's dead-" pinutol ko ang sasabihin niya bago niya pa tuluyang maituloy iyon. Paulit-ulit nalang niyang sinasabi 'to.

"He's not dead." I said.

Umabot ng dalawang taon na ganyan ang lagi kong sinasabi sakanya sa tuwing ganito ang isasagot niya sa akin. I managed to raise our kid alone. I organized his first birthday party alone. Everything! I did everything on my own because Jaxon is not here with me. We're supposed to be doing this together.

Minsan lang rin ako umuwi sa bahay namin ni Jaxon. I'm always at my parent's house. Kasi kung ganoon, mararamdaman ko lang kung gaano magiging kamiserable ang buhay ko kapag wala siya. Kasabay pa ng sobrang busy kong trabaho ay ang pagpapalaki ko sa bata.

Minsan wala na akong oras para sakanya. Lagi ko siyang iniiwan sa mga magulang ko. Sila ang nag-aalaga sakanya tuwing wala ako, nagtatrabaho. Minsan naman sa magulang ni Jaxon. Kung magkakaoras man ako kasama siya ay maswerte na ako kapag ganoon.

Ang una at pangalawang taon na wala si Jaxon ay sobrang hirap. I still haven't accept that he's gone. Dahil alam kong babalik parin siya. Hindi ako nawawalan ng pag-asa ng mga oras na iyon kahit na sinasabi sa akin ng mga magulang niya na kailangan ko nang tanggapin iyon.

Hindi ko alam kung paano nila nagawang tanggapin nalang basta ang nangyari sa kanilang anak. Maybe because they've been through this? E, ako? This is my first time experiencing this kind of relationship. And I don't know what to freaking do!

During those years, I had a hard time holding my son without breaking down in tears. Sobrang sakit lang isipin. How am I supposed to raise this child without his father?

Before... every time Jaxon goes to war, he always says that he cannot guarantee me anything. He cannot guarantee that he can make it out alive. Pero sa tuwing sinasabi niya iyon sa akin, nakakabalik siya.

Pero bakit ngayon? Kung kailan niya nagawang ipanangako sa akin na babalik siya ng buhay, tsaka siya nawawala?

Pilit kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na buhay pa siya. Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi na babalik pa siya. Na magkakasama pa kami. Ngunit nang dumating na ang pangatlong taon na wala siya, doon na nagbago ang lahat.

I started accepting that he's truly gone. I tried to accept that he will never come back, little by little. Ngunit sobrang hirap.

"Kiel, you should tell me that your brother is coming back."

Kiel just came back from Syria. Nang malaman niya ang tungkol sa nangyari ay agad siyang nagtungo doon para tumulong sa paghahanap sa kanyang nawawalang kapatid.

Bigo naman siyang ngumiti sa akin. Though, I'm starting to accept that Jaxon's truly gone... hindi parin nawawala ang katiting na pag-asa na babalik parin siya.

"I'm not sure, Margaux... three years is too long to be missing." Umiling siya. "We tried our best. We really did. But we think he's gone."

Pumikit ako ng mariin. I let the tears fall. I let my emotions get the best of me again. Hindi ka man lang nagpaalam ng maayos sa akin, Jaxon...

"I'm sorry..." bulong ni Kiel.

"I can't believe that will be our last conversation," sabi ko, inaalala ang huling pag-uusap namin ni Jaxon bago siya tuluyang sumabak sa gyera. "I didn't even get the chance to be with him again... Kung alam ko lang sana na 'yun na pala ang huli, I should've make the most out of it."

I paused for a while then I continued.

"I miss your brother so damn much, Kiel."

Bumaba ang tingin ni Kiel sa kanyang mga daliri. "You're not the only one who misses him."

I broke down in tears after he said that. Kiel pulled me in for a hug and let me cry inside his arms. Before Kiel left for Afghanistan again, he handed me a letter.

"I saw this inside his cabinet. He wrote you a letter before he left," aniya. Nagulat ako doon kaya agad akong napatingin sa sobreng iniabot niya sa akin. I can clearly tell that it's Jaxon's handwriting.

"Read it when you're ready." Dagdag niya bago siya tuluyang sumakay sa eroplano.

Magdamag ko lang tinitigan ang sulat na galing kay Jaxon sa aking lamesa. I'm inside my office with Ethan. I asked him to be with me when I'm going to read Jaxon's letter. I couldn't do this alone.

Nakatitig lang rin siya sa sulat na iyon. Nag-angat ako ng tingin sakanya.

"What if he's saying goodbye in this letter?" medyo takot kong tinanong.

"No! Think positive! It's a trust fund for George." he said. I waited for him to tell me he was joking but he didn't. Sa halip, tumitig lang rin siya sa sulat na iyon. Parang inaabangan na malaman ang nakasulat doon. Umirap naman ako sakanya.

"Shut up." Tinitigan ko naman muli ang sulat niya. Am I ready to read it?

"Aren't you going to read it?" tanong niya.

Nag-angat muli ako ng tingin sakanya. I bit my lip.

"I'm scared." I admitted.

Hinawakan niya naman ang kamay ko para siguruhin na magiging maayos lang ang lahat. Tipid akong ngumiti sakanya at pinisil naman ang kanyang kamay bago ko tuluyang buksan ang sobre.

Dear Margaux,

If you're reading this, it means that I couldn't make it.

I love you and George so much. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it on your delivery. I tried, I promise. But things just don't go as we expect it. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be with you inside the delivery room.

I'm sorry that you have to receive this kind of letter. I'm sorry I was not able to remind how much I love you personally.

I promised you that I will make it out alive, right? I'm sorry, baby, I couldn't keep that promise. I'm sorry that you have to raise George alone. Although I may not be with you while you're doing it, know that I am watching the both of you from above.

I will watch you raise our son in your own ways. I know you will be a great mother to our son. I know this must be hard for you to take but I know how strong you are. I fell in love with you because of your perseverance and strong personality.

You can handle this, baby. I know you can. Remember that I'm not gone and I will always be with you even if you don't see me from eye to eye. You may not understand what happened, but one day you will.

You are my greatest achievement, Margaux. I married the girl of my dreams. You are the perfect mother of my child. And I couldn't ask more for that.

I will be asking one thing from you— be strong for our son, George. He may not remember or recognize me as his father, but I want you to tell him that his daddy will always watch him from heaven. Have faith, Margaux. Better times are coming.

I'm so glad to have met and married a woman like you. You are the best doctor and wife for me. I also want you to remember that on every surgery, I'll be with you. I will never leave your side though you cannot see me.

I want you to learn from what we had, Margaux.

Live from what we had.

I love you.

Your captain,

Jaxon.

Ethan never left my side after I read that letter. It took me a lot of hours before I can finally recover from crying.

"It's not a trustfund for George," I said in between my tears. "He was saying goodbye."

"Shh... It's okay..." Ethan tried to calm me down.

I had to turn down two operations because I'm not feeling better. I had to pass the operations to other great doctors.

Padarag ko namang binagsak ang tray na puno ng pagkain sa aming lamesa. Erin looked at me weirdly. Nakita ko namang umiling sakanya si Ethan. Asking her not to ask me any question even though I can tell by her face that she wants to.

I stood up straight at sunod sunod na kinain ang mga pagkain na kinuha ko. They're a lot. And I don't care kung mabilaukan man ako ngayon. I can sense that everyone in the cafeteria is looking at me weirdly.

Wala akong pakialam! I don't want to be miserable. My husband died three years ago. And we didn't even give him a proper funeral!

I don't want to grieve. I don't want to. Kahit na sobrang hirap tanggapin na hindi na nga siya babalik.

"What are you doing?" Ethan asked me when I stuffed my mouth with a hamburger. Pagkatapos noon ay ang french fries naman ang kinain ko.

"I'm eating." I said, parang normal lang ginagawa. Ininom ko naman ang coke. I coughed dahil napasobra ako ng inom pero nang makarecover naman ay kinain ko muli ang isa ko pang hamburger.

Ramdam ko naman ang titig ng dalawa sa akin. Inangat ko ang tingin ko sakanila. It's like they wanted to ask why. Siguro para sakanila, I should be grieving. But I shouldn't.

Jaxon told me to be strong. And that's what I'm doing right now. I'm trying to be strong by eating so much until my stomach is full! Until I can feel my stomach aching because I ate so much food. That's how I'm trying to be strong.

"I'm eating," sabi ko habang binubuksan ang iba pang mga pagkain. "Because I don't want to grieve over my husband who's been gone for three years... and now, I discovered that he's dead. And my husband will never come back."

Erin look sadly at me. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at uminom nalang sa kanyang coke.

"Do I look strong?" I asked the both of them.

Nagkatinginan sila at nagalinlangan pa silang sumagot.

"Y-yeah..." Ethan answered, parang hindi sigurado. Tumango naman ako.

"Great! That's what my husband asked me to do... to be strong." I bite the inside of my cheeks to stop the tears from coming out. Nag-iwas naman ako ng tingin sakanila at pinagpatuloy nalang ang pagkain.

And ever since that night, I couldn't live a damn day without thinking of him.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako dumiretso sa isang beach sa Batangas ilang araw makalipas pagkatapos kong mabasa ang sulat niya para sa akin.

Nakita ko naman na papalubong na ang araw habang nag-lalakad ako sa baybayin. Malakas ang ihip ng hangin kaya napayakap ako sa aking sarili. Tinanaw ko naman ang papalubog na araw.

While looking at it, I couldn't help but cry. I hope that when the sun sets, Jaxon will be back tomorrow. But that didn't happen. Maybe because he will never come back. And that's the hardest part about this thing... it's not the goodbye that hurts. It's learning to live a life without him.

Ilang araw akong nanatili doon. Laging pinapanood ang papalubog na araw. I feel so sorry for our son. I should be taking care of him right now.

I'm sorry, George. Mommy is too broken right now. She needed time to fix herself again.

Tumingala ako sa langit. Malakas ang ihip ng hangin tuwing papalubog na ang araw. Binalot ng tunog ng mga alon ang buong paligid. I closed my eyes and listened to it for a while.

"Jaxon... are you really up there?" I asked while looking up in the sky.

"You said that you are watching us all the time, right?" my voice broke. "If that's the case... then... I just want to say that I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to show you how much I love you. Feeling ko, hindi parin sapat 'yung pagmamahal na pinapakita ko sa'yo. If I only knew that it will be our last conversation... I should've told you everything I wanted to say.

"I love you so much, Jaxon... I always will. Sa tingin ko hindi ako makakahanap ng kapalit mo." I tried to laugh though my heart aches so much for him. "Heck, I don't even want you replaced. I will never forget you, Jaxon... I promise to live and learn from what we had. Just like what you told me. I will forever treasure our moments together even though it didn't last a lifetime.

"But I promise you that my love for you will. Our love will last. I promise not to stop loving you... until the end of time. Goodbye, Jaxon." Binaba ko ang tingin ko sa aking mga paa at hinayaan nang tumulo ang aking mga luha.

"Until we meet again," I whispered.

Dumiretso kami ni George sa headquarters pagkatapos ko siyang sunduin sa daycare. We're going to visit my dad. He asked me to bring George with me after I fetch him on his first day of school. Kaya ngayon, doon ang tungo namin.

I always make sure that George knows what his dad looks like. Kahit hindi namin siya kasama, gusto ko alam niya kung anong itsura ng daddy niya. George looks a lot like his father. Ang mga mata ang labi nito ay sakanya niya nakuha.

Agad namang tumakbo si George palabas ng kotse nang makita ang kanyang lolo na naghihintay na sa pagdating namin. He ran and crashed his grandfather into a hug. Natawa naman si daddy sa ginawa niya.

Tipid akong napangiti sa aking nakita. I wonder if he's going to welcome his father like this when he comes back. Or will he ever come back?

"Dad," sabi ko sabay nakipagbeso sakanya.

"Kumusta ang apo ko?" tanong ni Daddy kay George.

George proudly showed him the star he got from the daycare. Sumilay naman ang ngiti sa labi ni Daddy dahil sa pinakita ng kanyang apo.

"Very good ang aming George ha! Dapat laging ganyan! Dapat behave lagi!" he ruffled his grandson's hair at tsaka niya naman kami iginiya sa kanyang opisina. Hinawakan niya ako sa aking balikat at nginitian.

Today is Jaxon and I's wedding anniversary. We celebrate it here in the headquarters. Nagpapahanda naman si Daddy minsan at tuwing matatapos ang handaan ay dumidiretso ako sa opisina ni Jaxon. It's still unoccupied. Para bang hinayaan na ni Daddy na ganon.

Siguro parang respeto na rin. Hindi pa rin napapalitan sa pwesto niya si Jaxon. Hindi ata makahanap ng kapalit. Gustuhin mang ibigay ni Daddy kay Kiel ang trabaho ay ayaw niya namang tanggapin.

"Are you okay?" my father asks when we finished eating. Tiningnan ko naman si George na busy sa paglalaro ng kanyang mga dinalang laruan.

Nilingon ko muli si daddy at sinubukang ngumiti.

"I'm trying... I'm trying..." I answered truthfully. "But it still hurts... so much."

My father sighed. I can't believe that the person who made me so broken before is the one comforting me right now. It's like he's trying to mend my broken parts all together. Like he's trying to fix what he has broken.

"We're all going to lose someone, Margaux. That's a part of life. You're gonna lose people. You will realize that no matter how much time you spent with them, it will never be enough. It's okay to grieve, Margaux. It's okay... people who lost someone they love do that... you don't have to grieve alone."

"I don't want to grieve, Dad... I promised that I will never grieve over him. He told me to be strong for our son and that's what I'm doing. I'm trying so hard... so, so hard. But the pain of losing him breaks my effort of getting better. Nandito lagi 'yung sakit, Dad... hindi siya nawawala.

"All I feel is pain... so much pain. Akala ko makakaya ko, pero nagkamali ako. It's so hard to pretend that you're okay in front of your son. His smile reminds me so much of him." My lips quivered. I breathed hard. "I just miss him so much, Dad."

"Grief never ends... but it changes, anak. It's only a passage, not a place to stay. It will never be a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. Grieve, so that you can be free to feel something else. I'll always be here for you, Margaux. I'll be with you when you're done grieving."

Pagkatapos namin mag-usap ni Daddy ay hiningi ko naman ang susi ng opisina ni Jaxon sakanya. They keep it locked ever since he died. Nabubuksan lamang ito kapag bibisita kami.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" George asks. Hawak hawak ko ang kamay niya. Ang kabila niya namang kamay ay nakahawak sa laruan niyang sundalo. I bought him that toy last year to remind him of his deceased father.

"We're going to daddy's office." Sabi ko.

"Is daddy inside?"

Sandali akong natigil dahil doon. I know he's hoping to see his father. But it will never happen, anak... Your daddy is dead.

"No," I replied. "We're just going to visit his office. We will look at his achievements... his toys! Daddy has a lot of toys inside his office."

"Toys?!" sumilay ang ngiti sa kanyang labi kaya naman ay minadali niya akong buksan ang opisina ni Jaxon.

"Toys!" George shouted once he saw his father's collection.

"But you're not allowed to get any, okay? Daddy likes to keep it organize. You just have to look at them."

"Okay." Tumingala naman siya para tingnan ang collection ni Jaxon. Nang hindi niya makita ang mga nasa ibabaw ay binuhat ko siya.

"That looks like my toy!" he pointed at the similar toy I gave him. Lumipat naman kami sa kabilang banda. This is the part where he puts all of his achievements.

"Daddy is such a great soldier that's why he has a lot of these," turo ko sa mga ito. Nakita ko naman ang lirato ni Jaxon sa gilid. Ngumiti ako.

"That's daddy." I pointed at his picture. Nakita ko namang nilingon ni George ito. "Say hi!"

He turned to me and laughed cheekily. He scratches his nose.

"Hi Daddy!" he waved and then he giggled.

Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mapangiti. It would be so nice to see the both of them together. Really. It will really be a good sight to see.

But, that will never happen anymore.

Naupo naman kami sa sofa. George asked some things about his father kaya naman ay kinuwento ko sakanya iyon. Nakita ko naman ang litrato namin nung kasal sa ibabaw ng kanyang lamesa kaya kinuha ko ito.

"Mommy!" he pointed at me on the picture. He giggled again. Tumango ako.

Kinuwento ko sakanya ang ginagawa ni Jaxon sa trabaho. I told him stories about his father. I think he's enjoying it because he keeps on laughing. Ganito kasi ang madalas niyang mga laro. Iniimagine niya na may nagaganap na gyera habang pinagbubunggo ang mga laruan niyang kotse.

I'm starting to feel that he's going to be just like his father.

"Will daddy ever come back?"

Doon ako natigilan. I only told him that his father is gone. Because he doesn't know what death means. He's young. Hindi niya pa kayang idigest ang mga ganoong bagay.

The room feels silent for a moment. I didn't know how to answer his question. Hindi ko naman kasi akalain na itatanong niya sa akin iyon.

Lumapit ako sakanya. Hinawakan ko naman ang magkabila niyang kamay. Kitang kita ko sakanyang mga mata na naghihintay siya ng sagot.

"We're not sure, George. We're not sure if daddy will ever come back." Nagkibit ako ng balikat. "Wherever he is, I'm sure he's still saving lives. Daddy likes to do that, right?"

"Daddy saves lives?"

"Yes."

"Is he saving lives now?"

"Maybe."

"How come he didn't save his?"

Napawi ang ngiti ko nang dahil doon. I sighed.

"Daddy's work is complicated. He has to put his people's lives first before his own. That's why daddy is gone," my voice broke. "And maybe... daddy will never come back."

Sa dami kong sinabi ay hindi ko na namalayan ang pagbukas ng pinto, nagulat nalang ako nang napatingin si George doon. Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. Tumayo siya at nagtungo doon. He looks really happy.

Siguro ay si Daddy iyon. May dalang bagong laruan na naman para kay George. He likes to surprise his grandson with toys.

I wiped my tears away, ayokong makita ako ni Daddy na umiiyak na naman.

"Daddy!" George shouted.

At sa mga oras na iyon... I feel like my world stopped.

"Hey buddy..." I heard a deep voice said behind my back. A very familiar deep voice. A voice that I haven't heard for such a long time. The voice that I miss the most.

Unti-unti akong napalingon. Napatayo nalang ako ng dahil sa gulat. Am I hallucinating? Is this real?

I can't believe that the one that I've been grieving for the past three years is now standing in front of me. Alive and very healthy. Though he gained some facial hair, his features never changed.

Tears immediately pooled my eyes. Oh my gosh! God, you are so great! Though I may not understand how You work with my life sometimes, You never fail to leave me astonished.

I saw him carry George inside his arms. George welcomed him with a hug. I can feel that he's very happy to see his father for the first time.

Jaxon finally raised his gaze at me. Nakita ko namang umangat ang gilid ng kanyang labi. Habang ako, naiiyak na sa sobrang lungkot at tuwa. Hindi ko ba alam. Hindi ko mailarawan ang nararamdaman ko ngayon.

"Hi," he whispered.

Inalis naman ni George ang pagkakayakap sakanya at lumingon sa akin.

"Mommy, you told me Daddy is not coming back!" he pouted.

I heard Jaxon chuckled. Gosh! How I miss those chuckles. I can't believe I'm hearing them again.

"I did. Daddy came back, George."

END OF DONOVAN SERIES #2