Chapter XLIX: Deja Vu?
The house in Caluipat continues to grow, little by little. Months have passed since the difficult transfer into the unfinished structure. The memories of leaking roofs, rain-soaked floors, improvised window covers, and sleepless nights during storms remain fresh in everyone's mind. Even now, whenever thunder begins rumbling in the distance, Raffy and Reina still instinctively look around for the safest place to hide.
Yet despite everything, progress is finally visible. The debt is lessening and there is saved peso for each sacrifice and sideline they do in order to lessen the effects of weather into the unfinished house. They are all slowly turning into something tangible.
One morning, Meric stands outside the house with her hands on her hips as workers begin another phase of construction. This time, it is the windows. No more putting sacks, plastic covers, plywood, and others, but real windows now, and it's modernity. Although, the Capiz windows will say farewell for now.
As the workers arrive, they hammer nails and nylon strings into the windows frames so that they could level and work on the concreted windows frames. The workers carefully cement the frames into place along the northern side of the house. The sound of scraping trowels and clinking tools echoes through the property. Mark watches from nearby while carrying his school bag. The house looks different now.
It's beginning to transform into a more complete infrastructure, as into a real home. For the first time since moving in, he can imagine how beautiful it will look someday. The workers install large sliding windows one by one. Each newly installed panel immediately improves the appearance of the structure. Natural and synthetic light reflects from the glass. The unfinished house suddenly feels brighter, more welcoming and alive than ever. The work continues throughout the day.
However, one particular worker makes a decision that nobody notices immediately. Instead of installing another sliding window on the northwestern wall, he installs an entire fixed glass panel. It's a large one. At first glance, it looks impressive, modern, and elegant. But it is not what Ben designed. And unfortunately, Ben is not present to inspect it since it is a weekday. He is busy elsewhere. The house smells strongly of sealant and construction materials.
Mark occasionally passes through the area, although he feels something unusual. He cannot explain why. He looks at the windows, gazing at the giant glass panel, then back at the sliding windows. Something definitely feels off. Yet he does not know enough about construction to identify the problem. The workers eventually leave since their task completed. The new windows shine beneath the afternoon sunlight.
That evening, Ben finally arrives home. He steps through the gate and greets everyone. Yet amidst entering, he pauses. His eyes slowly narrow as he looks toward the northwestern wall. He then freezes. The giant glass panel stares back at him. A long silence follows.
Meric already knows that expression. It is the same expression Ben makes whenever he discovers mistakes in measurements, plans, or construction details. The expression of an engineer silently calculating how something went wrong. He points,
"What is that?"
Mark immediately answers.
"I knew something was strange."
Ben walks closer and examines the installation. He deeply sighs looking at it.
"That should have been a sliding window."
Meric approaches.
"What happened?"
"They installed the wrong one."
The realization settles in. The workers are already gone and the installation is finished. Removing it means additional expenses like new materials, more labor and money in which budget that the family does not currently have.
Ben looks frustrated, not angry but disappointed. The house already has enough problems. This is another unexpected complication. For a moment, he considers contacting the workers. But Meric gently places a hand on his shoulder.
"Ok lang deta, Lakay. (It's okay, Honey.)"
"It isn't."
"We have windows now."
Ben remains silent.
"Hmm, alright, we'll just keep it."
Another sigh escapes him. Eventually he nods. Sometimes practicality must win over perfection. And so the giant glass panel remains which is an accidental part of the house, and a permanent reminder that construction projects rarely go exactly according to plan.
Life continues so as school, and the projects it gives.
One Sunday morning, Mark prepares for a group activity. Their school project requires collaboration with research, presentation, and practice. It's a school dance presenting Folk Music of the Philippines. The group has decided to work at the Caluipat house. Several classmates will be coming, including someone who once occupied far too many of Mark's thoughts, Mica.
Mica is the same girl who friend-zoned him, and apparently the same girl who unintentionally broke his heart months ago. Things have changed since then. The awkwardness has faded and the pain has softened. They have become friends again, well comfortable friends where nothing more and nothing less. And Mark is finally okay with that.
The group agrees to meet first at Plaza Jose. The only problem though is transportation. There are too many students, yet no tricycles. While discussing solutions, Mark suddenly whispers to Zen,
"Hey, Zen. Can you possibly ask Mica's uncle if he could get us at the house?."
Zen does so, and the uncle agrees. He tells Mark, and everyone turns.
"Can he bring us?"
"Yes, Zen talked to him", Mark tells them, and Mica nods.
Soon, the group climbs into a four-wheel vehicle.
"Alright, where to?", the uncle asks.
Zen tells him about where the Caluipat house is. The ride toward Caluipat becomes noisy almost immediately. Students whisper over one another since they think it's awkward yet, her uncle is chill.
When they arrive at the house, Mark immediately seeks permission from Rico. Experience has taught him this is necessary. Fortunately, Rico has a weakness, and that weakness is Mark. The old man simply cannot say no to his grandson most of the time.
"Pang, can my groupmates stay here for our project?"
Rico looks at the students and then to Mark. He answers,
"Of course, why not?"
Mark smiles since it's permission granted. The group begins working. Illustration boards, scissors, cutters, markers, and papers appear for the props. Soon every table is occupied. Everything progresses smoothly, until—
"Oops."
Everyone freezes. Zen slowly lifts a cutter. Beneath it lies a small cut. Unfortunately, not on the illustration board, but on the tapestry cover protecting the long table. The room becomes silent. Zen stares at the damage and Mark almost panics. The damage stares back.
"Oh no."
Zen's face turns pale.
"I'm sorry."
Mark rubs his forehead. There is nothing he can do. The cut is already there. He simply sighs.
"It's ok, I'll tell Mom."
Zen apologizes several more times.
Fortunately, nobody gets angry. Though Meric later makes a mental note to repair the cover.
The project continues. Eventually someone notices the piano, and Mark sits before it. His fingers lightly touch the keys. A simple melody emerges. The room quiets. Music has a way of doing that.
Then, another note rings. Mark stops. He looks beside him and Mica is standing there. She presses another key, then another. A grin appears on her face.
"You know how to play?"
"A little."
"I know a little too."
Soon both are playing together. The music fills the living room. Their classmates stop working. Some simply watch. Others lean against walls. The atmosphere becomes surprisingly peaceful. For a few moments, nobody worries about projects, grades, nor deadline.
After that, Mark eventually begins playing Manang Biday in which is the song they will be using for the folk dance. The melody flows through the room, and Mica joins him, even though he only listens to anime songs in her home. Together they create something unexpectedly beautiful. Zen suddenly points.
"That's it!"
Everyone jumps.
"The music."
"For what?"
"The dance."
Zen grabs a notebook. Excitement appears instantly. The choreography starts taking shape. And before long, Zen declares,
"Mark and Mica are the main characters."
Both immediately protest. The group immediately ignores them.
Hours pass, and the project finally nears completion. One by one, the students leave. Soon only one visitor remains, Mica. Dark clouds have gathered outside. Rain threatens to fall. She has already texted her grandmother. Now she waits.
The living room grows quiet. Mark begins cleaning, gathering papers, organizing materials, and returning chairs. The peaceful atmosphere feels completely different from the earlier chaos. Meanwhile, Meric becomes curious. She sits beside Mica. The conversation begins naturally aout school, subjects, teachers, and projects. Then suddenly Mica says something unexpected.
"This house feels familiar."
Mark pauses. His hands stop moving. Meric blinks.
"Familiar?"
Mica nods.
"I don't know why."
The statement hangs in the air. Mark immediately feels uneasy. There is something strangely haunting about the remark. As if she is remembering something she cannot fully remember. As if a distant memory is trying to surface. Meric asks more questions. The conversation slowly shifts. Eventually Mica opens up. She speaks about her family. The smile on her face weakens.
"My family is very complicated, Tita."
Meric listens carefully. Mica continues on and on about broken relationships, distance from her biological father, arguments, and misunderstandings. The kind of family dynamics that leave invisible scars. Meric remembers how it's almost similar to Banggai, but it's more dynamic than ever because of greediness. Meric understands, perhaps more than Mica realizes. Families are rarely simple. Every household carries hidden struggles. Some are merely better at hiding them. Their conversation continues quietly.
Then the front gate opens. Jonn has arrived from duty at the Provincial Hospital, still wearing part of his work attire, he enters the living room. He glances toward Mica, then pauses. Recognition appears immediately.
"Wait."
Mica looks up. Jonn points gently.
"Maysa ka kadagiti patientek idi. (You were one of my patients recently.)"
Mica blinks. Then laughs.
"Oh."
The coincidence surprises everyone. The world suddenly feels much smaller. Soon afterward, headlights appear outside. A black vehicle enters the property. Mica's grandmother has arrived. The goodbyes are brief, the project is finished, and the visit is over. Mica thanks everyone. Meric smiles, and Jonn waves. Mark walks her toward the gate. Then she leaves. The vehicle disappears into the evening road. And just like that, the house becomes quiet again.
Later that night, Mark sits beside his mother. A thought still bothers him.
"Mommy."
"Hm?"
"Do you remember if a Talon ever came here before?"
Meric thinks. The question catches her off guard.
"A Talon?"
Mark nods.
"Maybe."
She tries recalling old visitors, gatherings, and memories. The problem is that decades of visitors have passed through the property such as relatives, friends, neighbors, pilgrims, customers, and other countless faces, and names. Finally she shrugs.
"Maybe."
Then she smiles softly.
"But only Mamang would probably know."
The answer is both comforting and frustrating, because Mercy always seemed to know everything. From visitors, relatives, stories, and connections. She remembered details nobody else remembered.
Outside, beyond the illuminated windows of the new house, another listener quietly observes. Mercy stands among the garden plants. The night breeze gently moves her red blouse. She hears the question. She thinks carefully about it. Then she shakes her head.
"In actuality, haanko met talaga malagip nu adda im-immay nga Talon idin. (In actuality, I really can't remember if a Talon had ever come here.)"
Perhaps they did visited once or perhaps not. After all, so many people passed through the old house throughout the years. The memories blend together, even for her.
She smiles, then looks toward the brightly lit home. The home that once leaked, had sacks for windows, and now slowly becomes complete.
Inside are the people she loves, talking, laughing, growing, and living
And for Mercy, that is enough. The garden becomes silent. The stars shine above Caluipat. And the night continues, carrying with it familiar echoes of the past and quiet hopes for the future.