One afternoon, before starting his long route through the province, Ramon, a bus driver traveling from Quezon City to Bicol, turned to his wife. His rough, calloused hand gently caressed her rounded belly. He smiled and said in his deep, warm voice:
– “After this journey, I will come home to take care of you, and our child. That is my promise.”
Luz, his young wife, was moved to tears. She was used to waiting alone in their small house in Cavite while her husband was on the road. But now that she was nine months pregnant, her heart was heavier than ever. She held his hand tightly, her eyes flashing:
– “Please be careful. Your child and I will just wait.”
Ramon nodded and then got on the bus. The door closed, the engine roared, and the bus slowly disappeared around the corner. Luz felt an inexplicable pang of fear, but she ignored it. This is another journey, she told herself – and then she would return.
The Call of Tragedy
That night, Luz could not sleep. Rubbing her belly, she whispered:
– “Baby, when Daddy finishes this journey, we will all be together. He will take us, you will buy toys. We just have to be strong.”
In response, the baby gave a soft kick. Luz smiled through her tears, clinging to her husband’s promise.
The next morning, the phone rang. On the other end was the trembling voice of the bus conductor:
– “Mrs. Luz… Be strong please… Ramon… The bus had an accident…”
The cellphone disappeared from her hand. She fell to the floor, her body shaking, her world spinning in darkness.
According to reports, while descending a mountain road in Camarines Norte, the bus’s brakes failed. Ramon did everything he could to avoid colliding with other vehicles, and steered the bus away to protect the passengers. Finally, the bus fell into a ravine. Ramon died instantly.
The Farewell
Upon waking up, sadness hung heavy in the air. Luz sat motionless next to the coffin. The man who had promised to return only the night before was now just a black-and-white photo in a frame.
She held her stomach, whispering:
– “Ramon, you promised… Why didn’t you just come back to my son and me?”
The family and relatives cried when they saw — a young woman, newly married, now a widow before she could even enjoy the happiness of family.
The Birth
A few days after the funeral, Luz went to work. Her relatives rushed her to the hospital. In her anger, she clenched her fists and thought only of her husband’s face.
“Ramon, please help me. For our child…”
Finally, the room was filled with the cries of a newborn. A healthy baby boy, small arms and legs reaching out to the world. Luz, exhausted, hugged him tightly and sobbed:
– “My son… You are the part of your father that is still here by my side. He can’t come home, but I will love you and raise you in his place.”
A New Beginning
The following months were difficult. Luz became both mother and father. At night when the baby cried, she whispered:
– “Ramon, I don’t know what to do sometimes. If only you were here…”
But she wiped her tears and smiled, remembering his words: “I will take care of you and our child.” That promise, although unfulfilled, became her strength.
As the boy grew, his eyes reflected his father’s eyes. Every time she looked at him, the warmth in her heart returned.
Remembering a Hero
A few years later, when Luz dropped her son off at school, she would tell him:
– “Your father was a hero. He sacrificed himself so that many could live. That’s why he never came back.”
The boy looked up, his eyes shining:
– “Mom, I’ll study hard. Papa will be proud of me in heaven.”
Luz smiled through her tears and hugged him tightly.
The Eternal PromiseRamon’s story – as a husband and a father – lives on in every whisper and every memory. His last words, “After this journey, I will go home,” were never fulfilled. But in Luz’s heart, she believes he is still fulfilling his promise — to care for her and their child from a faraway place, where love never fades.