"Alvianna, puntahan mo na ang tita mo... hinahanap ka niya..." Dad said, his eyes red from all the crying he did.

"Dad... mamatay na ba talaga si Auntie?" I asked even though I knew the answer. Instead of answering he just smiled at me. I know it hurts for him, Aunt Veronica is his only sibling, they fight a lot, but they always depend on each other.

"Puntahan mo nalang siya..." he just said and then left me.

Pumasok na ako sa kwarto ni Auntie. She smiled the moment she saw me. It hurts to see her there lying on her bed, waiting for her death. She was like a second mother to me...

Lumapit ako sa kaniya. "Auntie... how do you feel? Ok ka lang po ba?" tanong ko.

Instead of answering, she cupped my face and caressed my cheek with her thumb. "Alvianna... my only niece... I'm sorry that I'm leaving early... I can't keep my promise to your mom to guide you in her stead..." She said, tears rolling down her eyes. She tried to sit down, but she was to weak to do anything on her own.

Tinulungan ko siyang umupo.
Ngumiti siya sa akin kahit nanghihina na siya. I could feel my heart sting as watch how she smiles even if she's dying.

Tinanggal niya ang kuwintas na lagi niyang sinusuot at inabot ito sa akin. It was a beautiful heart shaped necklace with a fairy in it.

(Source: google)

I looked at her, confused. "Auntie... What----Why? Why are you giving me that?"

"This is the necklace that has been passed from generation to generation... And now, its your turn to own it." She explained. Tears flowed from my eyes. This means... Auntie's really dying.

"Halika rito, hayaan mong isuot ko to sayo" sabi niya. Tumalikod ako at umupo sa space sa kama niya. I could feel her hands putting on the necklace on my neck. "There" she said when she finished.

I faced her. "How does it look, Auntie?"

"Perfect" she said, gently patting my head. Nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong yakapin. "If only your mother was still h-here she would've been so happy to see how much you've g-grown. I-i'm sorry I have to leave you too, Alvi. I h-hope that even if I'm gone, you'll keep on moving forward... t-there will still be p-people who'll be there for you" Sabi niya. I could feel her voice shaking... she must be crying right now...

I hugged her back and cried in her arms.

My dad and my brother, Ace, came back after a few minutes. We all stayed with Auntie the entire time because we knew that.... she was about to go.

The whole day she kept on smiling as if there were no problems in her life. When night came, she told all of us to sleep. She said that we needed to rest because we had a long day.... If only I knew what was about to happen I wouldn't have slept. She waited for all of us to sleep... and when we did, that's when she left. It was as if she planned it, like she didn't want us to see her go....

I just woke up in the middle of the night and heard my dad crying, my aunt dead and doctors looking at us with pity....

I burst into tears when I realized what happened and held the necklace she gave me. She was saying goodbye to us all this time, but we didn't notice. We... we thought that she would be here longer.... but that was just what we thought and not reality.

----------
2 WEEKS LATER

Its been 2 weeks since Auntie died. Just like she wanted, we just held a small funeral for her. Only our family and close friends were there.

"Alvianna"

Lumingon ako nang marinig ang pangalan ko. It was dad

"Are you busy?" he asked. Umiling ako. "Then, can I talk to you?" sabi niya tapos nagsimulang maglakad.

We went to his study.

"Upo ka" he said. Umupo na ako sa isa sa mga sofa at umupo naman si dad sa kabila.

He got something from his pocket and placed it on the coffe table in front of us. It was a key.

"What is that?" I asked while staring at the key.

"A key"

"For what?"

"The mansion"

"What? You mean...?"

"Yes, Esleheid Mansion"

Nagulat ako nang malaman ko kung para saan ang susi. "Why are you giving it to me?"

"That's what you aunt wants" He said. "Before she died she already transfered the ownership to you."

Napatigil ako. So, she really prepared for this...

"Does that mean I will go live there?"

"If you want to." sabi niya. I stayed quiet and thought about going there. "But if you don't want we can just let Mina take care of it" He said, refering to my Aunt's maid.

Umiling ako. "No, Auntie trusted it to me so, I should be the one to do it"

He nodded. Tumayo na siya. "Are you sure?" tanong niya. Tumango ako. He nodded and then sadly smiled. "Ok. You can go back to your room if you want"

I got the key and stood up. Lalabas na sana ako pero bigla kong naisip na yakapin siya. I don't know why, but I just felt like he needed it.

Bumitaw na ako sa pagkayakap at ngumiti. "Hindi naman ako aalis agad, Dad. Tsaka, pwede niyo naman akong bisitahin or ako ang bibisita sa inyo. Anyway, I'll go back to my room now. Bye"

Lumabas na ako at umakyat sa kwarto ko. Nang nasa loob na ako ng kwarto ko ay tinignan ko ang susing hawak ko.

I sadly smiled. Hinawakan ko sa isa kong kamay ang kwintas na binigay ni Auntie sa akin na para bang makakausap ko siya gamit ito.

Thank you for trusting me with this, Auntie... I promise to look after it