ETHER’S CONDO. EARLY MORNING.
There was no ceremony to grief. Just the the hum of the alarm at five a.m., the cold floor under her feet, the mechanical movements of survival.
Kahit na malungkot, kailangang magpatuloy ni Esther sa buhay.
The collapse that took her parents life was still under investigation.
Napatingin si Esther sa kaniyang tabi at nakita niyang wala na si Ciaran. Siguro nasa kusina na ito.
Esther got up from bed and went to the bathroom. She rinsed her faced and brushed her teeth. This was her daily routine. Not dramatic. Just… heavy, like walking-soaked clothes under the sun. She would dress in silence, grab her bag and walk to the studio.
She worked.
She still draw.
And still led the small team who respected her enough not to mention the news of her parents
