THIS MORNING

The ring of the alarm brought me from a dreamless sleep to wakefulness in a few seconds. I hurriedly got up to turn it off lest Ruther and the boys awaken. Six-fifty a.m., it said. After making sure the alarm won't go off again, I noticed how cold I was in my shirt and shorts, out of bed and no longer under the warmth of my blanket. Looking out the window, a rainy morning greeted me. The sky was grey, the rain gently falling onto the cold pavement below and the rooftops and the leaves of the mango tree outside our window all wet and drippy. I kissed Ruther gently on the cheek so as not to awaken him then I went downstairs to the kitchen to heat Ruther's bathwater and then made coffee for myself. Craving for some pandesal, I put on my purple sweater and walked to the nearby bakery. Under the umbrella, the rainy day was even more noticeable. The road was wet and empty, the birds all quiet, the gentle rain tap-tapping on my umbrella, the air so fresh and clean, and the plants and flowers so colorfully vibrant under the droplets of water on them. At the bakery, I got some hot and soft pandesal and a newspaper and then headed back home. The yummy smell of the pandesal merged with the aroma of my coffee and it was wonderful. I got Ruther's bathwater ready then woke him up. After 20 minutes of persistent waking (and cuddling in between), he got up to get ready for the office. By this time, the boys had awaken but were still unmoving because of the chilly air. A few minutes later, showered and dressed, Ruther was all set and we said goodbye to him and saw him off. I just know I'll miss him these next few hours but so far, I could tell that it's going to be a beautiful day.