Mark and his father go home after buying groceries for tomorrow's feast. They put the groceries on the kitchen table and sit tiredly in the chairs.

  “Haaa~” says Mark “After a long day, I finally can sit in peace.”

  “Sure do, kiddo,” says George. “After cheering you on in today’s Finals game, I finally can rest.”

  “It’s good to be home.”

  Silence seeps in for a moment until Mark intervenes.

  “Dad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re not gonna drink tonight?”

  George lets out a sigh, “Not now. Not until we finish celebrating your victory.”

  “But… can you stop forever?”

  George jolts his head, “That’s a big thing to ask, kid. I don’t think so yet, that’s all I got to say.”

  ‘Ma, I hope you can show him that you’re okay now, that you’re whole and well in the Presence of Jesus.’ Mark thinks.

  George gives a slap on his thighs and stands up, “Well, better get on cooking.”

  “Sure, dad. I’ll wait in my room,” says Mark.

  “Go on your way, kiddo. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

  Then, Mark goes through the flight of stairs and into his room. Upon arriving in his room, he throws himself on the bed.

  “Rest at last.”

  Mark turns right-side up and looks at the ceiling.

  ‘I… confessed to Sam,’ Mark thinks. ‘But why did she want me to confess. I can’t believe she’s that cruel. Making me confess and just says she still love Cesar.’

  Mark turns to his side as his eyelids get heavier.

  ‘After all I’ve confessed to her, she just says she loves Cesar— very much.’

  Before he can fall off into oblivion, he utters a prayer.

  “Lord, take her away if she’s not for me. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

  And off he goes into forgetfulness.

  Time passes and Mark finds himself on a beach. He looks at his feet touching a smooth yellow sand.

  “Where am I?”

  He looks at the sky and sees a looming dark cloud all over the scenery.

  Mark looks ahead to the sea and notices a man walking into the water. With each step, the man sinks deeper and deeper into the water.

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  “Hey!!” says Mark.

  The man stops and turns to him. His face is gloomy, devoid of hope.

  “Dad?” It’s George.

  George turns straight ahead and continues walking deeper into the water.

  Mark tries to run towards him, but he can’t.

  “Why can’t I move?”

  But all he can do is—

  “DAD! DAD!”

  George walks deeper and deeper into the water until he can’t be seen anymore.

  “DAAAAAD!!!”

  Mark wakes up, with his heart racing. Sweat covers his whole body as he pants. Preoccupied with what he dreamt, a knock echos through the door.

  “Dinner’s ready, kiddo.”

  Mark wipes his face with a towel and says, “Coming!”

  George goes away and Mark is left with his thoughts.

  ‘What was that?’ Mark thinks.

  Mark stands up and paces to and fro in his room while wiping his body with a towel.

  ‘What was that, Lord?’

  After wiping his body full of sweat, he gets out of his room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.

  Upon arriving in the kitchen George greets him.

  “Let’s eat kiddo. I’ve cooked you some pork chops, enough for the both of us.”

  Mark gently smiles, “Thank you, dad.”

  Mark sits opposite his dad.

  “Scoop some rice first, kiddo,” George chuckles. “You won’t eat only the meals without rice, do you?”

  “Oh, right. Of course not. Haha.”

  Mark stands and gets some rice for himself. After doing so, he then goes back to his chair and sits.

  George observes Mark’s face and furrows his brows.

  “What’s wrong, kiddo? Looks like somebody died. What’s up?”

  “Huh?” Mark looks up to his dad. “Oh, it’s nothing, dad.”

  George shakes his head, “No. Until you tell me what’s going on, I’ll not stop pestering you.”

  Mark lets out a big sigh, “I…”

  The air is tense as Mark struggles to blurt it out.

  “I… had a dream, dad.”

  George raises his brows, “A dream? What was the dream, kiddo?”

  Mark shakes his head, “I don’t understand it, dad.” He looks up to George and says, “It’s… I… You won’t understand it, dad.”

  “Try me. Maybe I can.”

  Mark looks into the eyes of his father and sees an understanding soul, willing to hear what he has to say.

  ‘Should I tell him, Lord?’ Mark thinks. ‘Give me a sign, Lord, if I should tell him.’

  Then peace flows through his heart like fresh cold water. No voice. No gentle whisper of the Spirit, but a fresh peace from above.

  ‘Okay, Lord. I’ll tell him.’

  Mark nods and says, “Okay, dad. I had a dream.”

  “Okay… What was it, kiddo?”

  Mark tells him his dream, how the looming dark clouds hovered over the beach. How in the middle of the sea, a man waded into the water. When the man turned, it was—

  “You, dad,” says Mark. “It was you who was in the middle of the sea.”

  George nods, “Mhmm. Then what happened?”

  “You… went into the water until… you are gone, dad.” Mark looks up at his dad, “I don’t know what this means, dad.”

  George sits back on his chair and looks straight ahead, “Me neither, kiddo.”

  Silence is in the air, nobody says a word. Until George motions to grab his spoon and eat.

  “Let’s just eat it out, kiddo. That don’t mean a thing.”

  George digs into the meals in front of him while Mark just stares at him and then looks away.

  ‘He doesn’t even care…’

  Mark glares at his rice and not moving it for a while. Eventually, he picks up his spoon and then prays.

  “Lord Jesus, thank you for the food you’ve given us today. Give us strength and nourishment for the night. In Jesus’ name. Amen."

  Mark digs into the food– the rice and the pork chops. He consumes them patiently and with ease.

  When they finish eating George proceeds to prepare the ingredients for tomorrow’s feast. While Mark tries to help him out.

  “No, you’ll go ahead to your room and get some sleep,” says George. “You played hard against the best team today.”

  Mark yawns and stretches his hands up.

  “You’re right. I’m a tad tired after the game, we game them a good beating though haha.”

  George chuckles, “Wow. A little bit confident now, huh.”

  Mark shakes his head, “Just kidding. They put up a good fight but we shut them down. Especially when Kevin guarded the paint, he’s a monster.”

  George points at him, “But don’t forget that you shut down Velazquez from shooting threes.”

  “Yeah, only when I didn’t even let him touch the ball. Other than that, he can sink a shot even though he’s been strongly contested.”

  “You did well, kiddo,” George gives him a smile.

  “Thank you, dad. I can’t do what I’ve done without the Lord.”

  “Good for you, kiddo.”