“Reese, huwag kang masyadong malikot dahil magugusot ang damit mo!” saway ng nakapusturang nanay sa anak nito habang panay ang kamot ng bata sa mainit na gown.
“Eh’ kasi naman, mommy ang kati-kati nitong damit ko.” Maluha-luhang reklamo ng limang taong gulang na mukhang anghel na paslit.
“Konting tiis na lang at lalakad na tayo papuntang altar.” sabat ko sa usapan ng mag-ina sabay ngiti sa ka-partner kong flower girl.
Pero sa halip na mabawasan ang pagkabalisa niya’y umirap siya at nagsungit,”tse!” kaya tumahimik na lang ako saka tumabi sa kanya dahil magsisimula na ang kasal nina Ninang Dazzle at Ninong Hermes.
Sa sobrang pagmamadali, halos ma-iwan na ako sa pila ng wedding march kaya naman bahagya kong tinapakan ang dress niya. Napahinto nga siya sa paglalakad dahil muntik na siyang madapa! Gaya ng inaasahan,tiningnan niya ako ulit ng masama.
“Bleh!” pang-aasar ko.
“Hintayin mo kasi ako.” pilyong bulong ko sa kanya, inis man sa akin ay wala siyang nagawa kundi sabayan ako sa pagmartsa.
The wedding ceremony went good and the reception as well. After that event, the next thing I remember was our scheduled trip going to New York at exactly 3:00pm. We hurried too much so I wasn’t given an opportunity to apologize to the little girl for the naughtiness that I’ve done, I failed to know her name and be her friend; in expand of 15 years, fortune leads us to different directions...
“Therese Asuncion?”
“Therese Asuncion!”
“Present po, Ma’am!” sigaw ng pinakamaganda kong classmate habang hinihingal siyang pumasok sa classroom.
“Miss Asuncion, you’re late again?!” pagtataray ng matandang dalaga kong maestra.
“Sorry po.” mahinang sagot ni Miss Pretty.
“Therese, alam mo naman na may punishment ang 3 consecutive late and absences diba? This is your third offense, so as for your penalty, you’ll be replacing Claudette as Thisbe in our theatre play. She’s going to Cebu to represent our school in the 14th National Journalism Conference, so I’ll expect you to do her part properly. Ask Mr. Gonzaga to accompany you at the English Department after class to get your script and instruct you about the other guidelines regarding the role playing. Is that clear, Miss Asuncion?” walang prenong litanya ni a.k.a Miss Minchin.
“Yes, Ma’am.” her helpless answer while rolling her eyeballs and did a make-face, a hidden gestures that didn’t escape my very eyes. Such a brat, hahaha!
Kapag sinusuwerte ka nga naman, si crush na ang magiging leading lady ko sa play. Tara’t ipa-trending ang #PyramusAndThisbeLoveteam, Yipee!
Pagkagaling ko sa university, umuwi agad ako ng bahay para mag-ayos at um-attend sa Wedding Anniversary nila Ninang Dazzle at Ninong Hermes; and to my surprised, my Thisbe was also there! I found out that she is Ninong’s niece, ang little girl na naka-partner ko noong wedding nila ni ninang several years ago.
That night, we became good friends. Yes, we’re classmates but we seldom talk to each other because I’m afraid to let her notice how much I adore her. Aaminin ko na kahit lumaki ako sa Amerika’t maraming magagandang babae na akong nakasalamuha ay iba pa rin talaga ang karisma ng Pinay.
I never liked anyone the way I admire her. Kung hindi nabubulol, natutulala’y natatameme ako sa tuwing nandiyan ang presensiya niya kaya nakuntento na lang ako sa mga nakaw-tingin at pag-kuha ng snap shots.
Sa pagdaan ng mga araw, naging mas malapit at komportable na kami sa isa’t isa, bagay na nakatulong para makapag-ensayo kami ng maayos. Unti-unti na ring sumisibol ang isang espesyal na pagtingin sa damdamin ko. Ang magulo niyang itim at kulot na buhok ang bumubuo sa aking maghapon, ang mapupungay niyang mga mata’y tila bituin sa umaga, at ang kanyang ngiti ang sa puso ko’y kumikiliti.
Dumating ang gabi ng pagtatanghal, iyon ang unang beses na nakakita ako ng napakagandang diwata sa ilalim ng buwan. Habang buong tamis kaming nagsasayaw sa saliw ng isang tugtugin, doon ko napagtanto ang pagtanging kaytagal kong itinago...
Every move mesmerizes me. Every sway trembles me. Every touch electrifies me. “I love you, Reese.” I uttered when our face got closer, and before the curtains were shut, I heard her whisper... “I love you too, Ephraim!”
Time flies so fast! Destiny takes almost three decades to sketch our love story, and now it’s starting to fill in the colours of our forever. Who would have thought that the flower girl that was set to be my partner 25 years ago was also the same woman that is fated to walk down at this same aisle with me to be my other half?
Kasabay ng pagtugtog ng kantang Heaven by Your Side ng A1, I stated my lifetime promises to her...
“Suddenly our destiny has started to unfold, when you’re next to me, I can see the greatest story love has ever told.”
“Reese, since the day that I saw you, I know deep inside my heart that you’re going to be special. I’m addicted to your frog voice. I like your monkey dance. I’m captivated by your being snob. I got crazy on your clumsiness. There is nothing I want to change in you, Sweetie! You’re my puppy love. You’re my teen-age crush. You’re my one true love. Now, in front of all the people who are dear to us, I vow to protect you, to cherish you, and to love you for the rest of my life.”
“Now my life is blessed with the love of an angel, how can it be true? Somebody to keep my dream alive, the dream I found in you. I always thought that love would be the strangest thing to me, but when we touch, I realize that I found my place in heaven by your side.”
It only took few minutes when the priest pronounced us as husband and wife, “I can now kiss my flower girl that turned out to be my lovely bride!”
