Preludes by Daryll Delgado Aman died singing. He had sung a total df three songs before he heaved his last. breath and collapsed on a chair, It happened at the Municipal Hall. The time was three in the afternoon. The sun was high. Heat seeped into people's bones. Tuba warmed their blood even more. Someone's ninth death anniversary was being celebrated. Another man’s life in that party ended, It ended on a high note. Atthat very moment, Nenita, the wife, was at home, picking leaves for a medicinal brew. Earlier that day, Nenita had been lying on the sofa, slipping in and out of an afternoon sleep she should not have heeded, embracing Willy Revillame in her dreams. She had had no plans of taking a nap. She had just wanted to catch a glimpse of Willy after she sent off her grandson for the city, just before she resumed her cooking. At the sala, she opened the window to let some breeze in. But the air was so dry, Outside it was very quiet. Everyone was at the Hall, to attend the ninth death anniversary of the juez, Most of them bore the judge a grudge, but they were all there anyway, eager to see what kind of feast his children had prepared. The children had all come home from America and Europe for this very important occasion in the dead man’s journey. Nenita herself did not mind the judge really, even if she had always found him rather severe. It was the wife whom Nenita did not feel very comfortable with. There had been some very persistent rumors involving the judge’s wife that Nenita did not care so much for. As soon as Nenita was certain that her grandson had left, she positioned the electric fan in front of her, sat on the sofa, and turned on the TV to catch the last segment of her favorite show. The next thing she knew, Willy Revillame was pulling her into his arms, soothing her with words of condolences, before handing her some cash and offering his left cheek for a kiss. There was a huge applause from the studio audience, even if they were all weeping with Willie, shaking their heads in amazement. Nenita forced herself out of the dream and the motion brought her entire body up and out of the sofa, She found herself standing in the middle of the sala, face-to- face with a teary-eyed Willy. Her heart was beating wildly. Her armpits were soaked in sweat. Her hair bun had come undone. She looked around guiltily, she thought she heard her husband swear at her. She felt her husband’s presence in the living room. with her, even if she knew he was at the death anniversary party. She quickly turned. f the TV and made her way tothe kitchen. haye taken that nap, Nenita berated herself. There was an urgent nan she had to deliver the next day, for the judge's daughters anniversary. There was already a pile of pandan leaves,amthe Kitchen table, waiting tobewashed and warmed, for wrapping the sweet sticky ‘Hee rolls with. ‘She had spent al swith anise, caramel 2% 11 night uni early morning boing the sick) 1% and mixing it igh nut milk until her hands trembled and the veins swelled. By the time she was almost done, she had to prepare breakfast and brew a special tea By tn for her grandson who had spent all night ‘drinking, Her grandson had very Garaly made it home—drunk asa fish, crying out 2 woman's name like a fool—early that morning. Nrenita then remembered that she also had to prepare the ‘medicinal tea her push pmeded to take with his dinner. She had yet to complete the five different hhashant Jeaves, Ampalaye, Banabe, Bayabas, Dumero, Hierbe Bes the last one she purchases from a man who only comes fo town on, “Thursdays. She was getting ready Pipick Ampalaya and Bayrbas leaves from her garden when she heard her husband’s Woes again, his singing voice. She realized that the sound was ‘coming all the way sae Bal, The sound was very faint; but more than perceptible, ‘and certainly unmistakable to her. Teas the only sound she could hear when she stepped out of the house and started picking the leaves. Everything else around her was quiet and still Itseemed! as though the entire town-—the dogs, the fogs ancl the birds included—had gone silent for this very rare event: her husband singing again. She had not heard her husband sing this way in a very long time, ever since he ‘became ill—when the sugar and alcohol in his blood need the sides of his heart, ease (eaten Since then, he would get out of breath when he sang. so easily forgot the lyrics, especially to the Italian cla: Fe remain iey eleva aie Nenit ue eats Reet et understood all the fuss about her husband’s singing, and his rahe a sister ae when he stopped singing. She could not even unders ofthesongshe sang. They were mostly in ta eral sang Bae sng the oe she ld aaa oat herself not carry a tune to: it i ss Hae isd pee eves yesie wie ieee © tetno of hem GAGA Gog) cnletiea Ser es poen Le Ne Sunaana She used to feel slighted whenever her sibli 1 siblings-in ciety exaggerated rege, the way ther brillant Bo uHSaINe eet eek oie bree eta eee his money and his setsttspe ts Say duvecdy' le Besiea along the way. Including, though they teed ale net Moe alan sail pire ie topemin eis be, what he could have been, whom he could Pre ee a eee rier hse: Pe eee cae once ‘married to. Nenita ceased to every time his affairs 4 sour. She took care of him when he started getting sick, ‘that: ‘was supposed to beat started merely murmuring and wh ailr Me jus no su be ne of ve o