Merry PH Casino

The flames of the birthday candles dipped and weaved, casting a soft, glowing light over the room. Merry PH Casino stared at them. This birthday wasn’t like the last. Her family was quiet. Her mother was sitting at the window, looking out to the sky, still light but growing darker. Her little brother was sitting in his chair fiddling with his hands.

This was not the birthday Merry PH Casino had anticipated. Her father was away at sea, aboard a trawler that was not scheduled to return for another two weeks. She’d tried not to show it but her dad’s absence was the icing on her cake. It sat uneasily on the top, cloying and sickly sweet.

‘Wait, Merry PH Casino,’ said her mother, her eyes shining. ‘I have something for you before you make your wish. I have a present.’

Merry PH Casino’s eyes widened as her mother reach behind her back and produced a small box, dark wood, precisely carved, polished to a bright gleam. Her mother set it before her.

‘This was your grandmother’s.’ Her mother’s voice caught and she paused before adding, ‘She used to tell me that anytime you feel down or sad… she said that when life has become too much for you, you can always open this box and it will hold all the hope you need.’

Merry PH Casino’s heart fluttered as she opened the box, and found, resting on a cloud of velvet, a single, tiny candle. Plain, simple, and small as her thumb, as though disdaining a setting more luxurious than itself, yet something in the feel of it made Merry PH Casino’s fingers tingle when she took it up.

Merry PH Casino gazed at the candle, her brain chattering. Was it really possible? Would this candle – would this birthday – feel whole again, now that it was for him, too?

Her hands were shaking, but MerryPH Casino managed to light the candle. The flame flickered to life and with a soft glow began to heat the air in the room. MerryPH Casino closed her eyes and made her wish, her heart pounding in her chest.

There was silence for a while. Then, as her mother had promised, the slenderest of sounds began to rise from the candle – the tiniest, silver-sweet chant, like a lullaby on the breath of a breeze. And it was lovely and sorrowful and encouraging.

MerryPH Casino opened her eyes. She caught her breath as she listened to the song. It was like the candle was singing to her heart, and the warmth was as if the air was filling with music.

And though her father was still absent, and she had no idea where he was, MerryPH Casino knew at that moment that all would be well: the song of the candle in the house could still fill the place, and mean that the father, however far away, had come home.

When the candle flame extinguished, the song stopped, and the noise of the world crept back through the door, MerryPH Casino blew out the candle and smiled. It wasn’t a big wish. But it was hers.

Merry PH Casino

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Ito ay hindi ang kaarawan na inaasahan ni MerryPH Casino. Ang kanyang ama ay nasa dagat, sakay ng isang trawler na hindi nakatakdang bumalik sa loob ng dalawang linggo. Sinikap niyang huwag ipakita ito ngunit ang pagkawala ng kanyang ama ay parang icing sa kanyang cake. Nakatayo ito nang hindi komportable sa ibabaw, matamis at nakakasawa.

“Sandali, MerryPH Casino,” sabi ng kanyang ina, ang mga mata nito ay nagniningning.Mayroon akong regalo.”

Lumaki ang mga mata ni MerryPH Casino nang ilabas ng kanyang ina ang isang maliit na kahon, madilim na kahoy, maayos na inukit, at pinakintab hanggang sa magningning. Inilagay ito ng kanyang ina sa harapan niya.

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Nanginginig ang kanyang mga kamay, ngunit nagawa ni MerryPH Casino na sindihan ang kandila. Ang apoy ay kumislap at nagsimulang magbigay ng malambot na liwanag na nagpainit sa hangin sa silid. Pumikit si MerryPH Casino at gumawa ng kanyang hiling, ang kanyang puso ay bumibilis sa kanyang dibdib.

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At kahit na ang kanyang ama ay wala pa rin, at wala siyang ideya kung nasaan siya, alam ni MerryPH Casino sa sandaling iyon na magiging maayos ang lahat: ang awit ng kandila sa bahay ay patuloy na makakapuno sa lugar, at nangangahulugan na ang ama, gaano man siya kalayo, ay nakauwi.

Nang mapatay ang apoy ng kandila, huminto ang awit, at ang ingay ng mundo ay muling pumasok sa pinto, pinatay ni MerryPH Casino ang kandila at ngumiti. Hindi ito isang malaking hiling. Ngunit ito ay kanya.