Two days after the Circolo Popolare encounter that had left Sophia internally screaming into the void, Saturday finally arrived. Blessed, holy Saturday. Her day off. Her chance to cleanse her soul, realign her chakras, and avoid all men with green eyes, European passports, and faces that haunted people in the shower.
Mae had invited her and Dominic to Surong Valley in Alsem, where Mae’s friend Donato insisted on being called Donita. He had promised an entire weekend of pure Ilocano immersion. Picnic by the river, overnight stay, and karaoke until someone lost their voice. It was exactly the kind of escape Sophia believed she deserved, if not absolutely needed for survival.
Dominic practically vibrated with excitement. “We are going to commune with nature. Actual nature. Like plants and d
