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It was a Tuesday afternoon, like any other, when Nicanor found himself standing in the grocery store aisle, staring at the rows of siling labuyo. He sighed deeply, feeling a pang in his heart. This was the first time he was grocery shopping without Theresa, his wife of 32 years. Cancer had taken her suddenly, leaving him with a pantry full of half-used condiments and a heart full of memories.

Nicanor picked up a bunch of siling labuyo and placed it in his cart, half expecting Theresa to appear around the corner with a joke about their running joke – her obsession with finding the perfect Bicol Express recipe. As he pushed the cart along, he couldn’t help but chuckle, remembering how Theresa always made the mundane feel magical. Even a simple grocery run was an adventure with her, filled with banter and laughter.

He continued down the aisle, picking items absentmindedly, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he was greeted by Leah, Theresa’s best friend and partner in crime. They had been inseparable, like a pair of old comedians alwayready with a punchline.

“Hey Nicanor,” Leah greeted him with a warm smile. “How are you doing? Need any help with the groceries?”

“Hi Leah. Just trying to figure out what to buy. It’s strange doing this alone,” he admitted.

Leah nodded sympathetically. “I get it. Theresa had a way of making everything entertaining. Remember that time she convinced the butcher to let her try to juggle longganiza?”

Nicanor laughed out loud, the memory vivid and hilarious. “Yes, and she dropped them all! The butcher was so mad, but Theresa’s charm got her out of trouble.”

Leah’s eyes twinkled. “How about we make this trip a bit more fun? Let’s pretend we’re on a mission to find the world’s best ingredients for the ultimate Bicol Express. Just like Theresa would’ve done.”

Nicanor’s heart felt lighter. “That sounds perfect.”

As they roamed the aisles, laughing and reminiscing, Nicanor realized that while Theresa was gone, her spirit lived on in the joy and laughter she brought to those around her. Even in the mundane act of grocery shopping, she had left a legacy of love and humor that could turn sorrow into smiles.

And as they left the store with their carts full of groceries and hearts full of memories, Nicanor knew that he could face the future with a smile, knowing that Theresa’s laughter would always be with him, echoing in the aisles of his life.