Author Note: Hello! Guys i added a small part in the end of the 1st chapter cause i think its too short, please check it first before reading this chapter. Thank you :)

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NO POV

MARIA'S HOUSE

Maria accompanied by Luz just got home from the church, they attended the 6PM Mass

As she enters the house "Mama" she greeted and kisses a lady in her 40's then she smiles "Good evening po" she greeted the visitor of her mother.

"Yolanda, tell the driver that he will be sending my amiga's in 10 minutes" the lady told to one of their helper

"Yes Madam" she answered and went out to do her task

"Maria my daughter" her mom call her "please give your father a call, it's getting late already tell him to go be home not later than 10 before he forgets" her mother said with a smile

"Yes Mama" the she went upstairs

ANCESTRAL HOUSE

"Anne, is there a landline here I need to call a hospital?" Ge-an asked

"Yes, there's a landline upstairs in the –" Ge-an cuts her "Ah yes, I forgot I see it already thanks I'll go ahead" she smiled and went upstairs

An old clock strikes 8:00PM and a thunder can be heard and seen in the window Ge-an look around in the room approaches an old phone placed in small table.

MARIA'S HOUSE

Same scenario with Maria 8:00PM with a thunder can be heard outside their clock strikes 8 o'clock in the evening she went to their telephone and as she picks it up and though she hears something

"Hello" she said as she heard a clicking sound in the other line "Hello" she asked again

"Hello are you a cross line?" she heard a voice in the other line

(it means the available open lines are very limited that leads to sharing of lines)

"Huh? I don't know what that is" Maria answers in confusing tone

"Or are you a party line? But I think it's not in trend this time anymore"

(Party line is a local loop telephone circuit that is shared by multiple telephone service subscribers)

"I do not know, I just also hear your voice even you're not talking to anyone" Maria said

"Well This place is still old school; someone answers even if I was not able to connect, anyway I was trying to call a hospital"

"Hospita? What Hospital?" she asked but the line went blank

"Hello" she got no response "Hello" then she put down the phone

ANCESTRAL HOUSE

As Ge-an picks up the phone the lights started to glitch on and off, the phone has no dial tone so she try to press the down button and she taught she heard someone say something like "Hello" but it's unclear she press the down button again and heard "Hello" this time clearer

"Hello are you a cross line?" she asked the voice in the other line

(it means the available open lines are very limited that leads to sharing of lines)

"Huh? I don't know what that is" the girl on the other line answers in confusing tone

"Or are you a party line? But I think it's not in trend this time anymore" she asked again

(Party line is a local loop telephone circuit that is shared by multiple telephone service subscribers)

"I do not know, I just also hear your voice even you're not talking to anyone" she answered

"Well This place is still old school; someone answers even if I was not able to connect, anyway I was trying to call a hospital" Ge-an explain

"Hospital? What Hospital?" the last word she hears from the girl on the other before the line was cut

"Hello" as she tried to click the down button "Hello" still got nothing so she put down the phone and leave

* * * * *

THE NEXT DAY

NO POV

Lei still on his jammies is watching is an old movie of him on the sala when Gennrei kulbit his right shoulder

“Kuya why are you still not dressed, aren’t you going back with me to manila!?” Gennrei asked in irritated manner

“Me go back? NO not yet” he said with a huge smile in his face

“Why? What happened?” he asked with confusion “I thought you are bored here?”

“I just got an offer to play a big role in a movie again, I met someone who was once a very big fan of mine and asked be to join the cast” he said proudly as he stands up

“argggh so it’s only me then” he shake his head and saw Manang “Manang!” he called “Manang please tell the driver I will be leaving today”

“Ooh the driver is not here today, he went home because his son is sick” Manang said apologetically

“What!?” he shouted “No driver? How am I supposed to go home who else can drive?” he said in calmer but hopeless voice

Anne joined in “Well I can drive!” Gennrei smiled but then it fades when he raised his head “You’re not even 15, how can you drive?”

“Ah yes I only say I can drive but I did not tell you I will drive” Anne answered while she laugh

Gennrei just look at her angrily

“Well I guess you are stuck here with us” Lei add and laugh along with Anne

Gennrei just give them an angry look

Anne smiled teasingly “so grumpy”

While Manang is holding her laughter “Anne help sir Gennrei with her things” she told Anne

Anne grab One of Gennrei’s bag but he stops her “I’ll carry my things” he said in a loud voice

But then Anne tried to grab another bag while Gennrei on the other hand grab the same bag and ooops they held hands for like 3 seconds and full away at the same time.

Gennrei feels a little awkward for a little moment but get to his senses fast “Fine! Then bring everything to my room” he walks out immediately going to the garden with a heavy foot

Anne just look at him walk away before bringing the bags back to Gennrei’s room

* * * * *

AT THE HOSPITAL

GE-AN POV

I was walking the hallway and before I reach the waiting room for ICU patient relatives I saw Marics get out of the ICU with a lady in her 40’s

“Good afternoon po” I greeted them nicely with my warmest smile

Marics looks at her “mother I guess” I said to my mind “Ma this is Ge-an the one I told you that brought grandma here in the hospital, Ge-an this is my mother” she introduced

“Hello po” and offer my hands to her but she ignores me

Marics said to kill the awkwardness “You’re a little late the visiting hour is already over”

“I’m sorry I needed to fix something before going here” I said shyly

How is she?” then I asked them worriedly

“As of now she has stable vital sign and the doctor said she can be transferred to a private room but with the machines she still needs for monitoring her because they still need to observe her closely” marics answered me

I nodded and remember “Ah this is for grandma” I hand the bouquet to Maric’s mom

“I hope she wakes up soon so that she can still see this flower while its fresh” she said to me with a sulky expression

“Ma!” Marics call her mother’s attention “Ge-an I’m sorry she is just tired, she just came from our house in manila” she said in a nice way

I smile “oh you’re from manila? “

“Yeah, me and grandma are just here for a 2 months’ vacation” marics explain

“I though you’re from here” then an idea pop up “Maybe it will be better if we bring her to manila for a better facility so the doctors can look at her more effectively” I told them sincerely

“Yes, we would also like that” but then she raises her eyebrow “BUT, it’s not good for Mama to be in a long travel, may be soon” the she looks away

I walked to her closely “If there’s anything that I can do, anything just tell me”

But the she looks away again going to Marics direction “what’s her problem with me” I asked my self

“You and your grandma should not go here in the first place so there’s no accident, it just cause problems” she said irritably then walk away

I just look at her “Marics I thing I will be going now” then I storm off and went home to relax in the garden while sitting on a bench below a tree

_ _ _ _ _ _

Maria’s House

MARIA’s POV

I was in the garden painting our beautiful home when suddenly I hear Mama and Papa arguing

“I can’t believe you can do this Anton” mama shouted to papa

“It is the only thing I can think of” Papa said in a low voice

I can see the anguish look of mama even I am a little far from them “Is there really no other option? I can’t believe you’re going to use our only daughter for payment” she sadly and looks at papa

Papa just released a big sighed and went inside while Mama follow him

“What are they talking about” I curiously asked myself, I put down my brush and slowly walk inside

I did not find them in the living room “so maybe their upstairs in Papa’s small office” I thought to myself

When I was nearly outside the room I hear Papa talk again “She already knows him, they were childhood friends”

“It’s not enough reason for our daughter to choose him to marry” I was shock from what my mama said

“Marta this is the only way for us to save the farm if Maria won’t marry him we will lose everything”

I slowly walked back to my room and slowly loss to my thoughts when someone hold me in my shoulders and gave me an “ITS GONNA BE OKAY LOOK” its Luz one of our helper but also a good friend

* * * * *

After taking a bath in the shower and changing into my jammies I sit in a sofa near my bed, I look at the clock 8:00PM then I look beside and I don’t know but I feel the phone is calling me

“Hello” I said as I lift the earpiece

When I heard “Hello” I panicked and drop the phone but I picked it immediately

“Hello? I Heard somebody says hello their a while ago, are you still there” I hear his / her voice again, I don’t know. I can’t distinguish the voice but I knew it’s kind of cute

I asked while smiling “Hello, what is your name?”

I heard her sigh “Are you the one I talk to l ast night?” Oh, that voice how can I forget

Instead of admitting directly “I think so, your voice still sound a little familiar”

“I am Ge-an, you’re a party line right?” I hear her/him laugh a little “sorry I just can’t believe it still exist with our advance communication technologies right” “huh?” I asked myself it made my eyebrow met because I was confused with what he/she is talking about so I change the topic

“Hello Ge-an, your name is Ge-an right? I am Maria Socorro Domingo”

“Aaah, Hi Maria, are we neighbors? May I know your address?” she asked then theirs a thunder that cut the line for a little while

“Hello Maria?” I heard her very low voice

“Hello Ge-an? Are you still there?” I asked to be sure

“Yes, I am still here, so are you a tourist or a local here in Buena vista?” she/ he said

“I am a local how about you?” I asked her

“Well I am just here for a vacation, I came from manila”

“Manila?” while my eyes grow wider “I would like to go there when I was still young...” I paused a little “anyway with your voice I can say you’re not in 30’s right?” then I change the topic

“No, no I’m not, just 20 - 23 like that”

“Okay, so you’re a tourist are you with your family? Or your...”  I asked hesitantly but my curiosity won “wife?” I continue

“Nah I don’t have, I am single...” I don’t know but I smiled upon hearing that from him “Yes, Him he didn’t correct me asking about wife” I tell my self

But what he said next made me lose my smile “How about you, I supposed you’re not married yet?”

It made me very sad when I remember what my Mother and father is arguing about just this afternoon. I want to tell him I am single too but I need to be married as my father told Mama.

“Hello Maria are you married?” Ge-an repeated her question but I didn’t know what to say so I end the call and tried to sleep.

* * * * *

ANCESTRAL House

Ge-an POV

After having deep thought in the garden for a short time on why Marics mom acted like that “I Just a good night sleep” I told myself and do my evening rituals and finished at 8:00PM and as I lay down on my bed I remember the voice I head yesterday

I roll over to the left side of the bed and pick up the phone “Hello” I smiled as I hear her

“Hello” I answered

Bang

I hear a loud noise that made me pull away the phone from my ear then bring it close again

“Hello? I Heard somebody says hello their a while ago, are you still there” I said hoping for a response

“Hello, what is your name” I Released a deep sigh as a relief upon hearing her

“Are you the one I talk to last night?” I ask curiously

I wait for 2 seconds before I hear her say “I think so, your voice still sounds a little familiar”

“I am Ge-an, you’re a party line, right?” I said I told her my question “sorry I just can’t believe it still exist with our advance communication technologies right” I said as I shook my head slowly would have thought it still exist nowadays

“Hello Ge-an, your name is Ge-an right? I am Maria Socorro Domingo” “Maria” I repeated in my mind it’s kind of old but why it sounds so good to me

I shook my thinking “Aaah, Hi Maria, are we neighbors? May I know your address?” I asked then I hear the thunder outside

“Hello” I said

“Hello Maria?” I said lowly as I thought the line is cut

“Hello Ge-an? Are you still there?” I hear the angel voice again and it made me glad

“Yes, I am still here, so are you a tourist or a local here in Buena vista?” I asked her

“I am a local how about you?” she said

“Well I am just here for a vacation, I came from manila” I told her

“Manila?” I think she’s happy upon hearing manila “I would like to go there when I was still young...” but the she changed the topic before I could answer “anyway with your voice I can say you’re not in 30’s right?”

That question made me smile “No, no I’m not, just 20 - 23 like that”

“Okay, so you’re a tourist are you with your family? Or your...”  “Your?” I murmur as I waited for her to finish her line “wife?”

“Nah I don’t have, I am single. how about you, I supposed you’re not married yet?”

I waited . . . but none

“Hello Maria are you married?” I repeated weakly but instead of hearing an answer I hear the phone being drop off

I was lost in my thoughts about Maria that I didn’t notice I fell asleep.

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Author’s Note

Hi everyone! How’s the update? I hope it’s not that boring. Please send me your feedback or suggestions if you have any. Thank you! ^_^