"Let's try walking outdoors." Kento suggested. The weather had been pleasant for the last few days and Leah needed to relearn how to manage in various situations and terrain again.

It had been a few weeks since Leah voluntarily moved her foot. From that time, Leah's therapies had concentrated more on her mobility. In fact, just a few days ago, she began lifting her walker independently while practicing walking instead of pushing or dragging it on the floor. Today, she walked with a little more confidence although still aided by a walker.

"Okay." Leah smiled. Her old self was also resurfacing. She complained less and was more determined to complete her therapies no matter how challenging they seemed to be.

"Congratulations! You're doing so well!" Kento gushed when Leah was able to walk independently and more steadily toward the park bench of the hospital.

"Thanks." She acknowledged. "This is for you." They sat on the park bench under a big tree. Leah gave Kento a large paper bag.

"Huh? Ako yung nag-congratulate sa yo pero ako ang may regalo? Di ko naman birthday. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Ang dami naman nito." Kento said, peeping into the bag and seeing several packages within. Seeing Leah's excited expression, Kento chose a package to open first.

"Wow!" Kento exclaimed upon opening the biggest box. It was a puzzle.

"It's a physical therapist puzzle. They say it's challenging to put together. You might even need a PT for attempting it." Leah giggled.

"Hmm. Salamat."

The other two presents were a mug and a keychain.

"Thank you for these but why?"

Leah sighed. "I only have a week and a half left here."

"Huh? What do you mean? May sakit ka?"

"Gagi!" Leah slapped Kento's arm.

"Aray!" Kento laughed while massaging his arm. "Naniniwala naman akong di ka pa mamamatay. Ang lakas mo humampas!"

"Eh naman kasi. Wala akong sakit. Tatapusin ko nalang yung sessions ko dito tapos pupunta na ako sa States."

"Ah. Di mo naman kasi sinabi agad. Kinabahan naman ako sa yo! Dun ka na for good?" Kento said, rubbing his chest.

Leah shook her head. "Masters lang. Natanggap ko kasi yung acceptance letter ko last week lang. Sabi nina Mommy, dun ko na pagpapatuloy yung therapies ko."

"That's good." Kento said. Deep inside, he felt sad. "Sigurado akong mas high-tech ang mga gamit nila dun. Teka, wala akong regalo sa yo."

"Matagal mo na ako na-regaluhan."

Kento cocked his head to the side and looked at Leah quizzically.

"You didn't give up on me. Kahit gaano ako kasungit at lagi kitang tinatarayan nung una, you were very patient with me. If it weren't for your patience, I wouldn't be able to do the things I can do now. Thank you very, very, very much! I am beyond grateful."

"It's my job. I remember asking you what you wanted to achieve after your therapies, and you said..."

"...I wanted to walk again..."

"Yup! Exactly! My goal as your PT is to fulfill your dream. Seeing you succeed no matter how challenging your therapies and tasks seemed to be, is more than enough for me."

"I can't thank you enough for all that you've done for me."

---

The week went by quickly and soon, Leah's sessions at the therapy center were over.

"Bisitahin mo kami ha?" Tricia said.

"Oo naman." Leah replied. "Uuwi naman ako for Christmas e."

Kento quietly approached Leah and gave her something.

"Thank you. What's this?" Leah asked while holding up the paper bag.

"Buksan mo nalang mamaya." Kento said.

After a small despedida party at the center, Kento invited Leah to sit outside before she left. She opened the paper bag he gave her and saw a cute tin mailbox with mini envelopes inside.

"Wow! Ang cute! Thank you!"

"These are notes of encouragement and affirmation for each day of your course...including weekends and holidays."

Kento's statement made Leah giggle.

"Don't lose that smile, okay?"

"I'll see you soon."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too." Leah said and hugged Kento tightly, fighting back her tears.

---

Checking her messages at the end of the day, Leah noticed that she received a file from an unknown number. Normally, she would ignore, block, and erase the message and number altogether but the accompanying note intrigued her.

"Play this when you feel homesick." It read.

Leah clicked on the link and a familiar tune started to play. Leah smiled. She suddenly remembered where she first heard this song. Music was normally played at the therapy center. Not only did it give a happy vibe to the place, but the upbeat tunes played helped encourage the patients to move and follow the beat. It made a lot of the exercises less boring, too. Kento would usually dance to whatever was playing and sometimes, he would get a grandpa or grandma doing therapy to dance with. The other therapists and staff would sometimes join along but Kento was the liveliest and "star performer". In the beginning, Leah found this behavior weird. She would huff and roll her eyes at Kento. When Kento once tried to get her to dance with him, she squirmed and protested. "Ano ba?!" Weeks later, when Kento tried again when this song played, Leah gamely moved with him. She let go of her inhibitions and fears and just allowed the music to move her that she didn't immediately notice that she was actually standing by herself and (slightly) moving to the beat.

"Thank you." Leah replied.

"You're welcome...Ana."

"How'd you know?"

"Your files. Ana Eulalia."

They spent a few hours texting each other until Leah said she was going to sleep.

"Okay. Goodnight. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight. Thanks again for the song." Leah replied. She let out one final shriek into her pillow before putting her phone away and going to sleep.

"You're welcome. Goodnight." On the other side of town, Kento smiled widely while staring at his phone. He stood up from the sofa and passed by the piano, running his fingers over the fallboard (cover), before entering his bedroom. "Oh, Anna, can't you tell and see, what you're doing to me?"

-----

*photo from Pinterest

*video from Youtube