We got out of his Toyota Camry and inhaled the fresh air. The mountains were quiet and sleeping yet, you could hear the crickets singing in choirs. "I'll grab your things." Attorney offered. Right at that moment, I felt as if someone was watching us in the deep shadow of the forest. I moved closer to see who it might be and there it was, down in the big oak tree right in the middle was a shadow. A woman, I thought. I waved at her and said, "Hi! It's dangerous out there. Are you trapped?" No answer. "What is it?" Attorney asked me to put down the luggage on the stairs. "There's a woman there." I pointed into the woods. "I don't see anything." he said, "Maybe you're just tired. Come, let's get in. It'll rain soon." and just like that, it began to pour.

      The house was the same as how I remembered it. Furniture made of wood and a cement floor. There were clear signs of molding on some corners of the house. The stairs right outside creak in certain areas. I sneezed a couple of times, a certain indication that this house hasn't been aired out. A portrait of the family right in the center of the living room wall. The man in a barong Tagalog, standing on the right is my grandfather. Sr. Anton Quezon. When you look closely, you could see the shiny gold ring on his ring finger. It's not their wedding ring but it is quite important for him. I heard he treasured it so much that he never took it off, even on his deathbed. That's my grandma next to him, wearing that Japanese silk dress. She loved dresses even then, huh? That's one thing I got right in my memory then. Obviously, the three children in front of them sitting awkwardly on that couch are my mother and her siblings.

      I opened the windows to clean the air in the room. The loud drumming thunder interrupted my reminiscing. The attorney started running back in from the car, carrying all my other luggage. "You should stay here for the night." I offered. He seemed hesitant in the beginning but I assured him the road wouldn't be safe nor will there be cargo ships to bring him back to the city. "I guess I'll stay just tonight."