Ayie
"Anak, are you ready?"
I smiled.
"Ang ganda ganda talaga ng panganay ko."
"Ma si Papa po?"
"Andun sa kwarto, nagmamarkulyo pa rin."
"Ma."
"Anak, kasal mo ngayon, wag mo na intindihin si Papa mo."
"I love you, Mama."
"I love you so much anak."
I smiled and hugged Mama. Paano kaya ako kung wala sya?
"Ma, thank you."
"For?"
"For making me Aiesa, your daughter."
"Always remember this, my dear Kayla Aiesa, you will always be that little girl who made me want to live. You are that little girl who made my salvation possible. I love you so much anak, mahal na mahal na mahal kita."
I was about to answer my mother when someone came in.
"Ako din."
"Nana"
"Iwan ko po muna kayo Mommy, anak. Mommy, papakalmahin ko lamang po si Lukas."
Mama left me with Nana.
"Nastress ako sa Papa mo. Lahat masaya na ikakasal ka, sya lamang ang hindi. Kakaibang talaga Papa mo."
"Nana. I am so sorry."
"For what?"
I bow my head.
"No, don't bow your head apo, pretty girls like us should always hold our head up high."
"Si Papa po."
"Baliw naman yung Papa mo. Apo ko, lahat kami masaya kasi masaya ka hindi ba?"
"Opo Nana."
"I love you apo."
"Love na love din po kita Nana."
May isinuot sa akin ni Nana na kwintas.
"This is your Lolo's first-ever birthday gift to me."
"Oh, Nana."
"I marry your Lolo a day before my 28th birthday. I marry him even I don't know him. From Singapore, I went with him to Vegas. I am really not sure of anything back then, I am not certain of anything. What mattered to me that day is I am happy. I am really, truly happy."
"Nana, you marry someone you don't know?"
Nana laughed.
"Yes, and I know I made the right choice. Look at the mirror, and you'll see what a good choice I made years ago."
I smiled at Nana in the mirror.
"That's what I want you to be apo. I want you to be happy. Always smiling and always okay. Remember that Nana would always always love you. Okay?"
"Thank you, Nana."
"Apo, don't forget this one. In my heart you are mine. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. You don't need to win anything because here, you'll always have a place. Okay?"
I hugged Nana tightly.
I smiled upon hearing knocks on the door kaya binuksan ni Nana ang pinto.
"Ayie!!!!"
My girl cousins came in. Sila Ysa, ang buntis na namang si Kaia, si Myelle na matron of honor ko, si Sab at si Ada, si Eurie at ang kambal ni Ninang Annika na super cute flower girls.
