"Mabuhay! Welcome to the Philippines! We hope to see you again soon!" A preppy-looking flight attendant said as soon I stepped off the plane. I gave her a tight-lipped smile and continued walking on the jet bridge.

I practically ran to the bathroom and emptied my guts into one of the toilet bowls. That was probably the most tense flight I have ever been on. I barely unclenched my hands throughout that twelve-hour flight. I couldn't even bring myself to use the in-flight entertainment system. I was too nervous to do anything.

I walked out of the stall and looked at the bathroom mirror.

"Sweet baby Julius," I said. My hair was sticking up all over the place. I turned on the faucet and wet my hair a little hoping to tidy it up a bit. As soon as I convinced myself I looked presentable enough I walked out of the bathroom, popping a few breath mints into my mouth as I went. Time to head to my mom's place.

---

"Two hundred sixty-nine pesos," the taxi driver said. I handed him three one hundred peso bills.

"Keep the change," I mumbled.

"Salamat!" he said before I closed the door and walked to the emerald green gate of my mom's house.

Salamat. Thank you in Filipino. I rubbed my temples. My Filipino was a little rusty. Then again, I'm rarely in the country.

I rang the doorbell and jumped up as dogs began barking.

I heard the front door open and close. Someone began shushing the dogs in Filipino. That someone opened the gate. It was a chubby girl a head shorter than me. One of mom's household helpers, Lorena.

"Ay, Lia!" I cringed at her usage of my second name. "Andito ka na pala!" (You're here already!)
I tried to smile but it probably came out as a grimace.

"Sa'n si Mama?"(Where's Mama?) I asked.

"Nasa loob! Tara, pasok ka na!" (Inside! Come in!) Lorena ushered me inside, closing the gate behind me. The dogs began nuzzling my legs. I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face.

"Hello Ash, Ammy, Cloud, Mucho, Bambi, Ket, and my personal favorite, Nieve." I knelt in front of the last dog and scratched the back of her ear. Nieve was a pure white Siberian Husky. People thought he wouldn't last long with us but our house was cold enough since my mom liked keeping the air-conditioning units on. The electric bill must be high.

I stood up and walked up the steps leading to the front door, Nieve right at my heels. My right hand was reaching for the handle when the door flung open revealing my mother. Her chestnut brown hair was up in a messy bun with a few strands framing her face. She had her black reading glasses on so she was probably reading the newspaper or something.

"Lia!" Once again, I cringed. My mother and the household helpers were the only ones who called me by my second name. When Reyna tried to do that, I tackled her into the Little Tiber. Jason didn't even bother to try after that.

"Hi mom," I said. Before I could say anything else, my mom wrapped me in her famous bone-crushing bear hug.

"You've grown since I last saw you! How's my baby?" she said, still hugging me.

"C-can't. B-b-breathe," I wheezed, flailing a little. My knapsack was pressed painfully against my back. I squirmed. Trying to get out of my mother's vice-like grip.

I heard my mom laugh. She squeezed me one more time before letting me go.

"Sorry, not sorry, Lia." My mother smiled at me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Let's talk inside. I baked your favorite red velvet cupcakes."

"Thanks," I mumbled, taking my boots off by the door and hanging my vest on the coat rack. I shut the door behind me and walked towards the living room. There was a dark brown coffee table in front of the television. It had one apple green armchair on either side and a sofa of the same color facing the TV. The sofa had six pillows, ranging from light blue to purple, strewn all over it.

I breathed in the scent of home: a hint of peppermint mixed with something that smelled like freshly baked pastries.

"Don't walk around in your socks, anak," my mom said sternly. She was sitting on one of the armchairs, a purple pillow on her lap. A tray of red velvet cupcakes was on the table next to a cup of English Breakfast Tea on a coaster.

"Sorry," I mumbled. Taking my socks off and tossing them to one side. My mother cleared her throat and looked at me as if she expected me to do something.

"Oh! Oops," I said as soon as I realized what it was. I picked up the socks, went back to the front door to stuff them in the boots I took off. Then I went inside a bathroom and washed my hands on the sink. I walked back into the living room.

"Much better," she said. I sat down on the sofa and picked up one of the cupcakes and began eating.

"So, what happened in Camp?" My mom asked. My chewing slowed down and I swallowed.

"Uh… I don't really want to talk about it," I said.

"Lia, I'm your mother, I deserve to know," she said. I couldn't look at her.

"Jason disappeared. Reyna tried to convince the other senators that I wasn't at fault. Octavian still managed to make it look like I was responsible for everything. I was kicked out. Now, I'm here." I picked up the cup of tea and slurped. I scalded my tongue and nearly slammed the cup back down on the table.

"Hmmmm." My mother leaned back into the armchair. "So, you were innocent but you were punished for it anyway?" I nodded. "That's hardly fair. I never really understood Roman politics."
"I don't understand politics in general," I muttered under my breath.

My mother laughed. "That's true. Right now, people are rallying against the new government."

"Again?"

"Yeah. I don't get it. Personally, I think the new president's doing a good job. These are probably the same people rallying against the previous," she said, shaking her head.

"Why? They voted for the new president. Most of the country's happy with him so why are they still rallying?" I asked. My mother thought for a moment before replying.

"Some people don't have anything better to do," she said. I thought about that for a moment. I set down the half-eaten cupcake.

"Ma, is it alright if I stay here for a while?" I said. My mom's face brightened up.

"Of course! Stay as long as you like." I stood up and took one of my mom's hands. I pressed the back of her hand to my forehead, a Filipino sign of respect.

"Thank you." I kissed her cheek then proceeded to pick up the tray of cupcakes.

"Tsk. Tsk. Where do you think you're going with that tray, young lady?" she said. I gave her a sheepish grin.

"To my room?" I said meekly.

"Nuh-uh. Nope." She stood up taking the tray from me.

"But Moooom!" I said. I gave her a hurt look.

"That doesn't work, Lia. I'm not letting you bring food up to your room because crumbs could land all over the place! You don't want ants in your room, do you?" I grumbled something along the lines of 'I hate ants' and 'I can clean up'. My mother set the tray down and patted my head.

"You can eat again later."

"Fine." I turned around and headed to the stairs, my mother laughing at my antics.

Notes