DOOR TO DOOR

FAMILY PORTRAIT

"Breakfast is ready!" Noel entered the room with a bunch of meal on a tray.

"Oh! Thanks a lot! " Leah exclaimed. "Come on let's eat together!"

Leah was still perplexed by the picture she saw on the wall.

"Uhm may I ask who are those people?" she asked pointing on the portrait.

Noel stood up to take and show it to Leah. In this photo they were look so happy smiling like an angel and bonded with great love. A family of four, a couple sitting next to each other on the center then a teenage girl on the right and a five year old boy on the left.

"This is Edith my adoptive sister, these are my parents, my mom was strict but kindhearted person while my dad was strong, hardworking, cheerful person and this is me when I was five years old." Noel answered in quavering voice. "This picture was taken before my parents gone."

"Gone?! They left?"

"No. They died........"

"Oh.. I'm sorry for your lost." Leah said in sad tone.

He almost forgot how it was happened but sometimes it's hard to let go of the memories that made the heart in a miserable state.

"By the way, I have to go to work and you have to go home. I will tell Lito that I am glad to see and finally meet you." Noel said smiling while closing the door.

"Who's Lito?" she mumbled in furled brows.

As he left, Leah started to analyze the strange situation she is going through.

"First, the couple with the baby on the hallway. Then, this Noel.. but how come??" she was mystified.

On the other side of the bed, there was a radio. Turned it on for the fascination she was having.

"Tomorrow, December 30th of the year 1953 will be the oath taking of newly elected president Mr. Ramon Magsaysay." announced by the radio broadcaster.

"What!!!??"

In extreme shocked suddenly she felt breathless, cold sweats covered her face, heard a loud blank sound beyond her ears, unable to move and like a dead bird she fell amidst of nowhere.

Noel decided to offer a minute of peek on Leah but unfortunately, what he saw was her sprawled body on the floor.

"Leah!!, oh my! what happened?? are you sick?! " Perturbed Noel immediately carried Leah in his arms and laid her down in the bed.

"Edith! Edith! Hurry please!" He shouted worriedly.

Edith was in the garden that time, instantly she ran fast as she could when she heard the loud crying voice coming from the room of her half-brother.

"Noel? What is it?"

"Please call a doctor quickly!" Noel panicked as Leah becoming paler.

Instead of asking Noel who the lady was, she called a doctor right away. Edith was a kindhearted woman she was very dearly to her half-brother that she chose not to be in a marriage. Since their parents passed away she stood as Noel's ever supportive guardian.

Then afterwards..

"She just needs plenty of rest maybe she just got exhausted that's why fainted. Nonetheless, she's fine." Doctor said.

"Thanks, Doc."

Noel sat beside Leah gazing her irresistible pulchritude even in the state of sleep. Like a baby in her innocent mode of beauty.