Why Do You Ask?

“For the weather news: Typhoon Kathryn is now entering the Philippine area of responsibility. Residents of prone areas are advised to ---“

The rain poured heavily outside. Matt and Denise were still inside their car, parked outside their house. They just had their 5th wedding anniversary. They left their 3-year old son to a teenaged neighbor who volunteered to babysit. When they were still teens, they did babysitting for her too. 

“Let’s go inside. I miss Drei already,” Denise said.
“Did you have fun?” Matt asked curiously. 
“Of course. Why do you ask?” Denise said before opening the door of the car. 
“Nothing. Just curious,” He smiled shyly.
“I’ll always have fun with you.”

The rain was pouring heavily since yesterday. Denise was already running toward their house when Matt opened the umbrella that was supposedly for her. He couldn’t help but smile at his wife’s stubborn impulsiveness. 

“You’re soaked.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Denise shrugged.
“You’re really stubborn.”
“Thanks.” She smiled mockingly.
“But despite your stubbornness, I still want Drei to grow up like you.”
“Why?”
“Coz you have a unique proportion of stubbornness and obedience.”
“Really? Is that part of your anniversary gif ---“
“MOMMY!”
Drei came running toward them.
“I thought you were already sleeping?” She gave him a hug.

A sudden flash of lightning and thunder startled them. There was a next flash of lightning and was succeeded by complete darkness. 
“What happened Mommy, Daddy?”
“It’s okay. It’s just power interruption.”
“Hon.” Matt said worriedly. 
“What?!”

The flood was starting to rise outside their house. Matt saw it in the moonlight.
“Daddy…” Drei started to feel the water touch his feet. Denise lifted him up. Matt hurriedly searched for their flashlight but the water was rising very rapidly.
“Hon. Bring him upstairs. It’s too dangerous here. Can you manage in the dark?”
“Yes.” She panted.

“Mommy? Are we gonna be alright?”
“Yes baby. Just close your eyes. Don’t go down unless I tell you to, okay?”
“Okay.” He whispered.
“Love you baby.”
“Love you too Mommy.”

But Drei didn’t hear his Mom’s voice till morning. The water didn’t stop rising. 

The rescue team and the police arrived shortly after Drei woke up. He slept after an hour Denise left him. 

The social development center debriefed the now-orphaned Drei for almost six months. Since his parents died, he never cried. The volunteers never had a hard time on him. He was as enthusiastic as usual. Maybe it was because they still didn’t inform him of the tragedy. They just came up with all sorts of alibis – business trips and the like. 

During one session, they decided to tell him what happened to his prents. They showed him a picture of Matt first. 

“Do you know him?”

“Of course. It’s daddy,” Drei said as a matter-of-factly.

“How about this?” they showed him a picture of Denise.

“It’s mommy,” he said in the same tone. 

“Do you know what happened to them?”

“Of course. They’re with Him.” He pointed to a picture of Jesus hanging on the wall of his room. 

“You know Him?” the volunteer asked.

“Of course. Mommy and Daddy said He’s nice. And He was. He was with me that night. He said I’ll see Mom and Dad when I grow up. Is that a long time?”

“Yes...” The volunteer couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What else did he tell you?”

“That He’ll be with me until I see them again.”

“Do you really see Him?”

“Of course. He never left me since then.”

The volunteer was tongue-tied.

Drei smiled. “Why do you ask?”

-MVJLO 03132010