The End of Winter, The Beginning of Spring
Previously:
The first thing Luna noticed was that there were no coconut trees where Miel brought her.
Still, it looked like spring arrived earlier here. Luna asked herself : was it only two weeks ago when I came? The trees were lifeless then, she thought.
Around her, the butterflies flitted happily, and a white one landed on top of her head and lingered a second before it flew away. Even Luna was surprised when she heard herself whisper: You know me! Even more surprised when the butterfly flew back to her, and she instinctively stretched one arm and opened her palm. It stayed there, until she finally broke the silence hanging between them and said: Inay, kumusta na?*
The sky, when she looked up, was not a dense gray but a wide blue canvas with puffs of white clouds moving constantly.
Miel left Luna for the rest of the morning.
I’ll pick up the coconuts for you.
Can I come?
I haven’t said anything to them about you coming.
And with that, he was gone.
…..
When he came back, Miel was carrying six coconuts tied together. You can bring some with you, he said.
Have we changed roles, Luna asked. I used to be the quiet one, but now it’s you.
I planned on asking you again if you would consider living here. But Inay came last night and told me it’s not time yet. It’s just that I worry about you, you hardly sleep and when you do, you become a different person.
It’s funny because I also worry about you. It’s terrible that I stay up all night hoping to see you, but I’m not strong enough that I have Alma talk to you instead. Then waking up and pushing Alma away so I can think about you on my own during the day. When my body hurts, there isn’t a single part of it that doesn’t hurt. I hate the fact that my eyes open in the morning and when I open them, the first thing that happens is they fill with tears. I don’t know if it’s guilt, that I’m still around and you’re not.
Everything has changed, Miel said quietly. Seeing where I am now, I know you can see that I’m happy here. We don’t need to worry about each other, you know.
I need to be happy on my own, Luna heard herself say. If I don’t lead a happy life, you’ll continue feeling sorry for me and come back. I won’t be able to stand that. So watch how happy I can be even without you.
…..
When Miel and Luna looked up again, the sky had already caught fire.
They walked slowly until the moon was a bright milky glow in the sky. A family was pushing a baby carriage under the moonlight.
Luna heard the flowers closing their petals for the night.
Miel picked up a messy tangled plant standing on the grass. It swayed with the breeze, trying its utmost to hold itself together. It looked sweet, and brave.
And alive.
*Inay, kumusta ka? ( Mom, how are you?)
