Signs Left Behind
Epilogue
It's January once again in Moalboal, a small corner of paradise where time seems to slow down and life flows in harmony with the gentle rhythm of the waves. The rainy season has just ended, giving way to a bright sun that bathes everything in a warm, golden light. The air carries the scent of salt and damp earth while the village awakens, embracing the calm of a new day.
Almost a year has passed since their first encounter, and it’s astonishing to think how much their lives have changed since then. What once seemed uncertain and distant now fits perfectly into place, like the final pieces of a puzzle revealing an image of a destiny that had always been written in the stars.
“Today, I am grateful to be alive.”
This is a recurring phrase that Matthew has been constantly writing in his notebook every single morning since the day they came back to their village.
“I am grateful for my lovely parents and what they gave me until they could. I feel their love even if they are not present. I am grateful for all the lessons that I have learned, the tears, and the pains that drove me to this moment of awakening. Today, I am grateful to be alive.”
That gratitude had become his lifeline, a daily vow that grounded him through the months of rediscovery. The village had welcomed him back with open arms, its rhythms of sea and sun weaving into his healing as if every lesson from his past had guided him here. Now, he was ready to plant roots, to build something enduring from the fragments of who he’d become.
And here he is, standing at the edge of the construction site, watching as the workers lay brick after brick, bringing their future home to life.
A contented smile plays on his lips as he envisions it completed, the warmth of the wooden beams, the gentle breeze whispering through the open windows, the sweet fragrance of tropical flowers drifting in from the garden. Every inch of this place is being built not just with bricks and mortar but with love, hope, and the promise of forever.
Laughter echoes in the distance, a melody more precious to him than anything else. He turns and sees them—Isabel and Sofia walking hand in hand. His heart swells as their eyes meet.
With a smile, he kneels down, stretching out his arms. Sofia hesitates only for a second before rushing into his embrace, her giggles ringing in his ears. He lifts her effortlessly, holding her close, as Isabel watches them with a gaze filled with love. Her hands rest gently on her belly, cradling the tiny life growing inside her.
In five months, their lives have taken yet another unexpected turn, leading them back here, to the Philippines—to the place where it all began, where the ocean meets the sky in an endless embrace. They made the decision to build their home in this place that had brought them together, to raise Sofia and soon another little soul, another miracle. All surrounded by the sea and the warmth of the sun.
As Matthew holds Sofia close, Isabel approaches them, her heart brimming with love. They walk along the beach as they do every evening, their feet sinking into the warm sand, the waves kissing their toes. Sofia skips ahead, clutching her favorite doll, her laughter blending with the soothing sound of the ocean.
“Do you ever think about it?” Isabel asks softly, turning her face to Matthew.
He looks at her, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “Think about what?”
“How incredible all of this is. How we found each other. How our paths crossed at exactly the right moment.”
Matthew exhales a quiet laugh, his eyes shining as he studies her face. “I think about it every single day, Isabel. And the more I do, the more grateful I am.”
Isabel leans into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She often thinks about her mother—about the stories Matthew has shared, the way he speaks of her as if she were still here. And in a way, she is. Through his memories, through the invisible thread that somehow brought them together.
Once, she had resented Eleanor for all that had been taken from her, for the pain she had carried for so long. But now, she sees it differently. The love of her mother had not left—it had only taken a different shape, leading her to Matthew, to Sofia, to this new life.
With a deep breath, she gently places Matthew’s hand over her growing belly. He looks down, his heart swelling with love, as he feels the small but undeniable movement beneath his palm.
"I've been thinking," Isabel whispers. "About what to name her."
Matthew’s eyes meet hers, searching. She smiles softly, her gaze filled with emotion.
"I want to name her Eleanor," she says. "Because she is our miracle, our gift. And I want her to grow up knowing that she was born out of love, not just ours, but hers too. The love that brought us together in a way neither of us can explain."
With tears shimmering in his eyes, Matthew cups her face in his hands and kisses her tenderly, as if sealing a silent promise between them.
"Eleanor," he murmurs against her lips, savoring the name. "It’s perfect."
Hand in hand, they continue their walk, their fingers intertwined, their love as vast and endless as the ocean stretching before them. Sofia’s laughter fills the air, mingling with the rhythmic song of the waves.
The sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of pink and gold, a final, breathtaking gift before the night. Isabel tilts her head back, closing her eyes, feeling the warmth of that last, lingering light on her skin.
For the first time in a long time, she feels whole. She knows, in the depths of her soul, that her mother’s love has never left her. It has simply transformed, guiding her toward the life she was always meant to have.
With Sofia by their side and a new life on the way, they know that no matter where life takes them, they will never be alone. True love transcends all boundaries, and some souls are simply meant to find each other. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day, when the time is right, they surely will.