"Donny Fernandes! Where have you been all day?!" These are the words from my beloved mother everyday after I got back from my trekking trip at the secondary forest near our home when I was 15. Mom wasnt very supportive with me stalking animals and collecting leaves from the secondary forest, The Summomo.

At the age of 35, I came back to my home where mom and dad used to tell me of what to do and what not to do. The rocking chair where dad reads his daily feeds and mom will be screaming at him asking him to clear the table for dinner. I will be there looking at both of them with a smile on my face wondering whether me and my wife will be like this as well. Those days were sweet but not anymore when the rocking chair is always vacant and I missed them dearly.

I sat on the dust covered sofa and thought of what dad used to tell me, "Donny, papa wasnt very sure what mama did to make papa marry her but for sure that papa did not regret marrying mama. So, when you are big and strong like your papa, marry someone you love and will not regret." And whenever he says that, he will look at mom and smile even when she's not noticing.
I cried, my tears fell off my cheeks because dad didn't live long enough to see me wed, I still remember the smile on his face when he was on the bed with tubes all over him. I held his hand tight as he hums my favorite song when I was still a kid. I can see from his eyes that he wants his Donny to be strong just like him but at that time, I just couldnt hold my tears back as I know this could be his very last moments. God was being mean, he took dad away after dad finishes the song.

Dad taught me how a man should live and how a man should treat the ones he love. I looked out at the window and smiled at my seven year old daughter, Michelle and my wife, Noireen and ofcourse with mom in the middle.

Papa, your Donny found the one he will never regret loving. I miss you papa.