Then my consciousness drifted apart...
The longer I stared at the Saman, the more I remembered my wife.
.
.
.
It was back in that day
When the floors became ice and the walls started to cover my world...
A home is wherever you feel safe.
To me who had been living all alone, I wondered if that is what it truly meant.
The me who only knew a tent and a barracks as its resting place, the outside, and the garrison was my home. In the presence of my fellow brothers, In the annoying bites of insects at night. In the not so sturdy wooden planks.
Every day, the scent of blood and iron would greet me.
Not Until I met my wife...
Since then, the home had a different meaning to me.
Our house sits atop on a little hill like a candle on a sugared birthday cake, so catchy on the green patch of earth.
It blended so well, with its strong cemented walls planted firmly at the land and a door of aged Acacia wood. The windows look out onto the rolling suburbs, casting its warm gaze over the mountain range at its left and rugged roads which led to the city at its right.
It looked lonely sitting atop the small hills yet inside, was a house made into a lovely home.
All thanks to my beloved wife.
And like any house in the neighborhood, it had a mixture of both our bickering and care for our children.
A typical setting in any of the houses.
Well, my wife was a traditional and conservative one.
And that's what I loved about her.
They regarded children as their priority over themselves and shouldered the responsibility of taking good care of the house, hence whenever I go home, her warm welcome would always greet me.
But not on that particular day,
Where the floors started to become ice and the walls started to cover my world...
"DARLING! I'm home!"
"Oh, Darling..." my wife insipidly said.
"What's wrong with you Darling? Are you alright?" Worried that she might be sick, I went close to my wife.
"Nothing... I just feel ill." She weakly said as she continued to wipe the kitchen table.
And without uttering a word, I grabbed her soft and delicate hands to stop her from continuing as I slowly guided her towards our bedroom. There I made her lay in the soft cushions and pillows of the bed.
"Take some rest, I'll handle the cooking." I softly whispered at her ears while patting her head gently in which she slowly nodded.
And when I was about to get up and move to the kitchen, her arms suddenly grabbed mine.
She said,
"Hug me for a while..." She stared at me gloomily.
And a series of pain, tugged me in my heartstrings, like small needles that continuously stabbed me. The guilt of me, leaving her every time I went to war was something I am most sorry about.
"Did you miss me?" I teased while ruffling her strawberry scented dark hair and my hands wandered through her hair and to her beautiful face.
Probably, she had just finished taking a bath and used a strawberry-scented shampoo to wash it.
If I remember correctly, she hated the chemical-based product and only used naturally or organic-based products.
Well, shampoo is a shampoo, any would do. Why do I have to bother?
I claimed her in my arms as I embraced her tight with love and understanding.
If it wasn't for her, I probably would have neglected our children.
Thinking of it, I suddenly had the urge to kiss her.
So without suspense, my lips gradually came towards her lips.
But then before it escalated into something hot and passionate...
And If by that time I knew it was my last, I could've done her a couple of times...
"The kids..."
I remembered that the kids will soon arrive home.
And so, I immediately went to the kitchen to prepare a meal.
And that meal was the meal I specially prepared for my children, like the one I made for the Saman.
Little did I knew, it was the last time I'll get the chance to prepare a meal for my children.
Past seven in the evening when my children had returned home from school.
"You two are home! How is school?" I loudly greeted them as the Acacia door received a thud and opened.
Two children appeared, each having their trolly bags. One had a basketball ball and the other had a volleyball ball.
"DAD! YOU ARE HERE?!" noticing my presence, the two yelped and suddenly rushed towards me.
"Yes, Dad is here." embracing them into my arms, I carried them up in the air as I playfully tickled each of them.
Laughing and weakling patting their own bellies they shouted in unison... "Dad!"
My lips curled into a happy smile.
Truly, they are my home.
Wherever they are, it is where my home lies.
Then, I carried my wife in a princess-carry manner and when the two kids saw us they instantly jeered on us, wondering where did the blow of the wind took its course on why am I suddenly acting sweet.
In their eyes, we looked lovely.
Well, they are so used to us bickering that it probably made them shocked to see us that way.
Then my wife started to chant a prayer as we all gathered in front of the table, after a while when I noticed that my wife finished her chant I instantly screamed
"ATTACK!!!" And at my signal, the kids together with me started to take and gobble their food.
Munching and licking his lips my son suddenly said
"I love eating your Omelette, Dad..."
Which made my lips curl up into a wide smile.
Its a feeling of joy being recognized by your kid, although I probably won't be able to compare to my wife when it comes to cooking, at least in an egg dish...
I'm the best!
But at that moment, this fleeting feeling of happiness is suddenly disturbed.
A loud thud came banging on our front door.
"Go eat and enjoy yourselves, I'll go have a look," I said to my kids and to my wife.
"Eh, I'll go accompany you." My wife interjected.
"Hmm Okay," I replied as I allowed her to come with me.
Then as I opened the door,
it was the start of when the floors became ice and the walls started to cover my world...
"Golden General Miguel, greetings from the Fort Marshall."
"Oh! Chief Dominguez! It is you!" I wondered why this burly man came to my house.
Then it did not take long before my curiosity was answered.
He brought a folded parchment of paper from his pocket and began reciting something that is pretty common in the movies.
"We have come today to arrest you from charges of treason."
As his voice fell flat on our ears, my wife grabbed my arms as two burly men came close and immediately cuffed me as if I was an evil terrorist.
"You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say will be used against you in the court law.
You have the right to an attorney during interrogation;
If you can not afford an attorney, one will be provided for you."
But to me who had received this sudden piece of news, his words came to my ears like a muffled beat.
"All of your properties will be seized, including this house for inspection!" Chief Dominguez yelped while shaking his head.
And I watched as the numerous figures of burly men went inside my house, seizing all the properties I had. Mostly the paper documents I had.
That was the day it started.
When the floors became ice and the walls started to cover my world...
The cold stone slabs and the high unforgiving walls would then greet my wake,
At the Prison Cell.
The house which my wife turned into Home and filled it with warmth ceased to exist.
For me, wherever my wife and my children are, it's where I can find my Home.
.
.
.
...
"I longed for that home..."
Mumbling while standing still beside the bamboo table, the Saman finished her meal.
She patted her belly and cast a smile at my gloomy face.
That moment, I did not notice that at my right eye...
some visible tear escaped.
It slowly dripped until it landed to the ground, while I replied with a smile towards the Saman.