Construction began immediately.
The Anino Memorial Garden would sit beside the community center—a peaceful space with native plants, comfortable seating, and a small pond where creatures could sit and reflect.
"Native plants only," Kim specified, consulting with duwende experts. "Things that attract local wildlife. Butterflies, birds—creatures he would have watched."
"A pond for reflection," Luningning added. "Kelpies helped design it. Very serene."
"And a statue," Glad insisted. "Not of him as a human. As a cat. The form he chose for fifty years. The form that protected me."
The statue took shape—a sleek black cat, sitting alert, eyes watching the distance. At its base, a simple plaque:
ANINO
Guardian • Father • Friend
"Always watching, always protecting"
The garden opened on a Sunday, under a perfect blue sky.
Creatures filled the space—talking, remembering, finding peace. Humans came too, drawn by the story of the cat who'd saved their favorite Manananggal.
Glad stood by the statue, Ariel beside her.
"It's beautiful," she said.
"He'd hate it."
She laughed—the first real laugh since his death. "He absolutely would. Too much attention. Too many people."
"But he'd love that you made it."
"Yeah. He would."
They sat by the pond, watching the koi swim.
"Glad," Ariel said carefully, "how are you doing? Really?"
She considered the question honestly.
"Hurt. Missing him. But also... grateful. For fifty years with him, even if I didn't know. For the sacrifice he made. For the community he helped build." She squeezed his hand. "And for you. For all of you."
"We're not going anywhere."
"I know." She looked around at the garden—the creatures, the humans, the life they'd built together. "I finally have a family, Ariel. A real one. And I'm not letting go."
He kissed her forehead.
They sat together until sunset.
And somewhere, somehow, a warm breeze purred.