“Ladies and gentlemen, Len Rosa International Airport welcomes you to Manila, City. The local time is..." I glanced at the window, smiling at the familiar place.

"...Thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice stay!”

"Baby," I turned to look at my side when I felt a hand touching my arm. "Let's go? Your parents are waiting."

I smiled up at my girlfriend. "Yeah, let's go."

Time seemed to move fast as we went from boarding the plane, to standing in front of my parents who had smiles on their faces. I couldn't help my own smile from forming on my lips as I wrapped both of them in a hug, missing the warmth of their embrace.

"I missed you guys."

"We missed you too, sweetie." Dad kissed on top of my head. "So much."

"Are you excited?" I nodded against Mom's shoulder. The excitement and anticipation I've been feeling couldn't be put into words alone. I've been waiting for years and this day finally came.

"Where's our grandson?" Dad asked, making my girlfriend blushed. They've been calling Aaron that for quite some time now, but it never fails to make Amayah flustered. Even more when my parents call her their daughter-in-law.

Dad was the one who started it, ever since I officially introduced Amayah a month ago, it was all they called her. It's probably my fault, the ring does look like an engagement ring. Although, I'm not really opposed to my parents call Amayah my fiancée.

"Hi, grandpa! Hi, grandma!" Aaron did the honor of entertaining my parents as Amayah and I walked hand in hand towards the car.

I stayed quiet all throughout the ride, resting my head onto Amayah's shoulder and fiddling with the ring I gave her two months ago on her birthday. My heart beating erratically fast and it was almost all I could hear, even the sound of my own blood rushing through my veins. Nervous is an understatement to describe what I'm feeling right now.

A smile involuntarily formed on my face when Amayah raised my tensed hand onto her lips, kissing it gently as her dark-brown eyes stared at mine. A simple touch from her made me feel relax more than I would admit. She has that kind of affect to me.

"We're almost there," she whispered, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I know."

Fingers traced the outline of my jaw, caressing so softly that it made me want to close my eyes and just feel the warmth of her touch. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," I chuckled lightly. "Anxious, tense, impatient... excited, happy."

"I'm happy for you, baby."

"Me too."

Amayah pulled me closer to her body and I leaned in comfortably, my eyes trained outside the familiar city I once I grew up in. A lot has changed, it wasn't the same as how I remembered it to be years ago. But nevertheless, it didn't fail to give me that same feeling of homeliness, despite the bad experiences I had due to my father. I guess it's because my mama still made it feel like home even with just the two of us. That's how amazing she was–is, and will always be.

The nervousness I felt intensified when the car stopped at a place I used to visit whenever Mama's busy at work. She would always bring me to tita's when given the chance, just so I could avoid papa's beating. I swallowed down the lump forming in my throat upon seeing two figures standing in front of the place, one whom I'm very familiar with.

Tears streamed down my cheeks without my permission as I ran towards my mama, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in the crook of her neck.

I didn't mind looking like an emotional mess and cried into her arms, clutching her shirt in a tight grip as her own arms wrapped around me. The warmth and comfort I've been missing for years finally surrounding me once again.

"Hi, baby," Mama whispered, her own voice breaking.

"M-Mama," I cried. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." Gentle hands cupped my face as they wiped away my tears. "You've grown so much. I can't believe you're taller than me now."

I nodded through my own tears.

"Stop crying now," She chuckled heartily. "Aren't you embarrassed to be crying like a baby in front of your girlfriend?"

"No," I hiccuped, shaking my head.

"Well, be embarrassed," Mama teased, wiping my cheeks.

"I love you, mama." I whispered, fighting back another fresh set of tears wanting to escape from my eyes.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," She pulled me down and planted a soft kiss on my forehead, the same way she always would when I was young. "Mind introducing me to your little family?"

Not really caring about how I look, I walked over to Amayah and Aaron, taking their hands in each of mine and pulling them towards my mama who had a soft smile on her face.

"Mama, this is Aaron, my smart little friend I was telling you about."

I looked down at my girlfriend briefly, smiling and intertwining our hands.

"And this is, Amayah, my amazing girlfriend and the love of my life."

fin.