"Winter, you need to call home." Ningning mumbled. Tumigil sa kanyang ginagawa si Winter. Call home?

"Why? May nangyari ba?" Tanong niya at lumapit sa computer na gagamitin niya. 

Winter is an astronaut. And right now, she is on a mission. Something about observing a new found planet. 

Ningning kept shut as she looked at her friend with pity. 

"Yizhou, what happened?" Tanong ni Winter at tumingin sa kaibigan niya. Nobody is answering the phone. 

Is this about her wife? Her wife, Karina, is an astrophysicist. Sa katunayan ay siya ang nakadiskubre ng bagong planeta na inoobserbahan nila Winter.

But before leaving Earth, they got into a heated argument. And Winter didn't call home since.

"Call your wife, Win." Bulong lang ni Ningning at umalis na para bigyan ng privacy si Winter. 

The woman bit on her lower lip. Bakit walang sumasagot sa tawag niya? Her legs are shaking as she redial the number. 

"Hello?" A woman answered the phone. It is not her wife. 

"Uhm, who's this?" Tanong ni Winter habang nakakunot ang noo. Karina loves her, right? Kahit naman siguro umalis siya nang hindi sila maayos, hindi naman siya ipagpapalit ni Karina, hindi ba?

"Oh, sorry. Si Aeri 'to." Winter nodded her head and sighed in relief. Si Aeri lang pala. 

"Aeri, this is Winter. Sabi sakin ni Yizhou na kailangan ko raw tumawag. May nangyari ba kay Karina?" She asked. 

She heard faint coughs in the background. 

"O-oh, Wi-winter, ikaw pala." Sabi lamang ni Aeri. 

"Si Karina? Okay lang ba siya?" To say that Winter is nervous is an understatement. She is anxious! May nangyari ba sa asawa niya na hindi niya alam? 

"I'll let you talk to her. I'm sorry, Winter."

Hinintay ni Winter na magsalita ang asawa niya. A minute passed, but no one talked. 

"Karina?" She asked weakly. Nanginginig na rin ang mga kamay niya. Heck, even is getting dry. 

"H-hey, Winter." This is the weakest voice she heard. And she does not want to think that it is her wife's voice. 

Cheerful si Karina, at hindi ganitong katamlay. 

"Are you okay?" Tanong ni Winter. Karina coughed, and then coughed once more.

"O-of course, I am. How's the new planet?" Winter hummed as she chewed on her lips. Hindi maganda ang kutob niya sa usapang ito. But this is the first time in a yesr that she got to hear her wife's voice, so she let it be.

"It's doing good. Kamusta ka? I am sorry for not calling, baby." Bulong ni Winter. Karina chuckled.

"Hey, it's fine. I had a crazy thought, and you don't like it." 

Vow renewals. Karina wanted to renew theur vows before Winter leave Earth, but the younger thought it is stupid.

Winter hummed as she waited for Karina to speak again. One year, and yet she does not know what to say. 

"Palagi pa rin ba kayong magkaaway ni Yizhou?" Small talk, nice.

"Hindi naman! Tsaka it's not my fault na she always like to say something so stupid." Karina chuckled weakly. 

"That's why she's your best friend, baby. When are you going home?" Natigilan si Winter. They need to stay for another month, or two. 

"Soon. And you know what? Let's get married again, baby." Karina didn't utter a single word for a few seconds. Winter raised a brow, her lips quivering in nervousness. She can't break away with the feeling. She knows her wife, and she definitely knows that something is up.

"I have cancer, Win. A-and I-I am dying," tears automatically fell out of Winter's eyes. It suddenly made sense. Everything. She sobbed.

"Since when did you know?" Tanong ni Winter at pumikit. Her chest hurts so bad that she wanted to stop breathing. 

"A month before your mission. I am so sorry, Winter. It was a selfish decision." 

"Wh-why didn't you tell me, Karina? I could have fought with you. I could have stayed. Sa-sana nakapagrenew tayo ng vows," tanong ni Winter habang umiiyak. She heard Karina sniffled at the other side.

"And I could have ruined you, Win. Your dream is to leave Earth, explore the galaxy, and I couldn't bear to—I couldn't make you stay because I am sick and dying." Karina sighed. Humihina na rin ang paghinga niya. 

"Karina, listen to me, I will go home as soon as I can, so please baby, please. Hold on for me, yes? I love you. I love you, baby. Please," pagmamakaawa ni Winter. 

Nobody answered from the other line. 

"Karina? Baby? Are you still there? Please, wait for me. Let's renew our vows! Let's travel the world. Please, answer me, Karina." 

Winter called for her wife's name countless times. She called and called and called, but nobody answered. 

"Winter? I'm sorry, but Karina's gone." 

It's funny how one quick phone call can ruin one's soul.