Alden woke up from his spot on the couch, his eyes fluttering open and squinting as it adjusted to the light. He let his eyes wander, his arms stretching above his head as he shook himself awake.

“2:47 AM?!” he said as he caught the time on the wall clock in front of him. “Hala.”

Looking around to see if there was anyone else in the mansion, he let out a sigh of relief before casting his eyes down at Divina who was laying comfortably on his lap, her chest rising and falling as she snored lightly. She was too tired from everything that happened earlier, and he couldn’t blame her — with the wedding almost happening, lola Babah telling him one thing after the other and Divina coming in out of nowhere to let him know that the wedding is off — he was tired too.

For a brief moment, he thought back on the times they shared together, all the ups and downs playing like a film in the back of his mind — sometimes in black and white, sometimes colored — pausing and slowing down on parts that were important to him, parts that would make him think and wonder how lucky he was that through everything, she didn’t give up.

Brushing the hairs off her face, he bit back the smile that was edging out of his lips. “Divina,” he said quietly as he tilted his head to the side and waited for her to shift but nothing happened. “Divina,” he sang.

She mumbled incoherently, her eyebrows furrowing as she shifted on her side and snuggled closer to him.

Alden hung and shook his head, a small chuckle escaping his lips when he realized that he didn’t have it in him to wake her up when she acted so adorably.

Scooting off the couch, he set her head carefully on top of one of the throw pillows before jogging towards the TV to pull the DVD out of the player and shutting it off.

“Alden,” a voice behind him suddenly said, making him drop the DVD he had in his hand.

He looked over his shoulder and let out a breath when he realized that it was only lola Nidora. “Nananakot naman po kayo, lola,” he said as he rubbed his chest.

“Sumosobra ka na.”

“Sorry po, nakatulog po kasi kami eh.” Scratching the back of his head, he looked at her apologetically. “Hindi na po mauulit.”

“Mhm.”

Throwing caution to the wind, Alden asked if he could carry Divina to her room. He held his breath for what seemed like forever but lola Nidora eventually said ‘Yes’.

It might have been because they only had the moon to light up the entire living room but he swore he saw lola Nidora smile.

He walked over to the couch and wrapped an arm around Divina’s shoulders, the other going under her knees before lifting her off the couch. He smiled widely as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest, his heart beating wildly as butterflies flapped their wings in his stomach.

He never thought that it would happen, never thought that he’d get the chance to be with the woman he once thought he lost. He took in every inch of her, took in every detail his eyes would catch until it lingered on the finger he’d someday put a ring on. It was never a question if whether or not he’d marry her; it was when.

Because when it came to Divina Ursula Bukbokova Smash, even when the odds were against them, it always felt right.

He made his way up the stairs, careful not to move so suddenly since he was still basking at how good it felt to have her snuggled up to him like this. He hummed their song whenever she shifted in his arms. And when she’d start saying something he couldn’t understand, he’d pull her in closer and squeeze her arm gently until she stopped.

Her room was dark, save for the lit lamp on her bedside table. The curtains were drawn and he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander around for a bit — this was the first time he found himself in here after all. A small grin crossed his lips when he saw a framed picture of the first time he came over, his cheeks suddenly turning a bright shade of red when he remembered that he has the same exact one right by his bedside.

Divina shifted in his arms once again. “Ito na, ito na,” he mumbled as he laid her on the bed, pulling off her shoes and setting them aside neatly before tucking her in.

He pursed his lips into a line as he knelt by her side for a moment, if only to give himself the chance to see her the way she was now. He reached out to tuck in a stray strand behind her ear, his eyes brimming with nothing but awe for the woman sleeping in from of him. He watched as her chest rose and fell with every breath she took, laughed silently when she mumbled and shifted on the bed. Her long and dark eyelashes curved gently on her closed eyelids that it took everything in Alden not wake her up.

Cupping her cheek softly, he leaned forward and placed his chin on the edge of her bed. “Thank you,” he said quietly as he rubbed his thumb on her cheek. “For not letting go. Thank you.”