The girls are having lunch at a restaurant at The Fort. This is one of their usual get-togethers where they discuss up coming events and do some catching up.
“Hindi ko pala nasabi sa inyo that Marie sent me a message just the other day. Natuwa daw yung relatives n’ya kaya ‘yung isang cousin n’ya ay kukunin din tayo. November wedding ito,” Shin excitedly said.
“Yes! May pangshopping na naman ako,” Iya exclaimed.
“Talagang pangshopping?” Yeng said.
“Kaya lang naman ‘yan sumasali sa atin para may pangshopping s’ya eh. Ha… ha… ha!” Sarah teased Iya.
“O s’ya. Tapos na ba kayo kumain? Let’s move to business at pangshopping ni Iya,” Shin said. “April 16 wedding. The couple is Albert and Jen. Albert is a doctor, friends s’ya with Chris and Marie. Jen is a marketing person. They are childhood sweethearts, magkapitbahay, grew up together. Naging officially together sila after college, when Albert was in med proper na. Jolly people sila pero si Jen medyo OC (Obsessive-Compulsive). At marami s’yang DIY (do-it-yourself) na ayaw n’yang i-delegate sa ibang tao. Baka ito ang maging problem n’ya. She might get stressed out. Pero let’s just wait and see. Sabi ko naman she can always ask us to do the other stuff eh.”
Iya and Yeng just kept nodding and took all the information in while Sarah looked spaced out. Shin noticed this.
“Huy Sarah! Ano at natulala ka na d’yan,” Shin said to get Sarah’s attention.
“A-ano? Sorry,” Sarah apologetically said.
“Ano o sino ang iniisip mo? ‘Wag mong sabihing may lovelife ka na ha,” Yeng teased.
“Wala ‘no! Bigla ko lang naisip ‘yung doktor ni Daddy,” Sarah said.
“Anong doktor? Yummy ba?” Iya asked.
“This happened 2 years ago. Naalala ko lang kasi panay doktor ang clients natin.”
“So anong nangyari?” Shin prodded on.
“Dinala namin si Daddy sa ER kasi namimilipit sa sakit. That particular doctor attended to him while he was there. Kinausap n’ya kami sa kung anong pwede mangyari kay Daddy. He mentioned na baka maoperahan siya. After that talk eh lumabas muna ako at pagbalik ko may hawak na paper si Mommy, recommendation later daw sa isang hospital para makakuha kami ng discount in case Daddy will have that operation. Binigay daw nung doctor na ‘yun kay Mommy. Tapos nung magbabayad na ako may bumangga sa akin at biglang sinabi na waived na yung PF n’ya. Nagthank you ako pero hindi maayos kasi ang gulo pa ng utak ko that time. ‘Yung tipong humarap ako sa kanya pero hindi ko naman s’ya masyadong tinignan,” Sarah lengthily explained.
“So gwapo ba ‘yung doctor?” Iya curiously asked.
“As I remember parang mestizo s’ya, parang hindi pure Pinoy. Sabi ni Mommy gwapo daw. Niloloko nga nila ako ni Daddy na baka daw s’ya na ang kapalaran ko eh.”
“Sis, bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi ito sa amin? Anong pangalan n’ya?” Yeng asked.
“Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko naman tinanong eh.”
“What?! Baliw ka ba? ‘Yang mga gan’yang tao eh inaalam dapat ang pangalan,” Yeng reacted.
“Ano ka ba? Maiisip ko pa ba naman ‘yun eh ang tatay ko ay nakahiga sa hospital bed.”
“Sis, kailangan natin s’yang hanapin. Tama si Tita Divine, baka s’ya na ang kapalaran mo at hindi ‘yang Koreano mong ex-boyfriend na hanggang ngayon eh binibigyang-pansin mo pa rin,” Iya said.
“At paano mo naman hahanapin ‘yung tao? That was two years ago,” Shin asked.
“At OA mo naman. Kapalaran talaga? Hindi pa pwedeng gusto ko lang makapagthank you ng maayos?” Sarah said.
“Whatever you say Sars. Kami ni Yeng, part na of our life’s mission na hanapin ang mysterious doctor na ito,” Iya dreamily said.
“Tama na nga ‘yan. Let’s get back to business,” Sarah said.
Their meeting continued on but half of Sarah’s mind was still thinking about the kind doctor.
Albert and Jen’s Wedding Day
While in the car, on their way to the hotel where Albert and Jen were preparing, the girls were discussing the details and things that’s about to happen that day.
“Have you ladies contacted the suppliers assigned to you?” Shin asked.
All three said ‘yes’ in unison.
“Sarah, your assignment this time will be the bride. And right after the priest starts the opening prayers, you and Yeng should immediately proceed to the reception area. Alam n’yo na kung anong gagawin n’yo. Iya and I will be left at the church.”
“Yes ma’am!” Yeng said with a salute.
Shin, Iya and Yeng were busy arranging everything inside the church while Sarah was with Jen inside the bridal car at one part of the parking lot.
“The ceremony is about to start. Your entourage are lining up already. Are you ready Jen?”
Jen just nodded.
Inside the church Shin was already doing a roll call of the Secondary Sponsors. “Candle, Candice Guevarra and Nick Reyes. Veil, Jacklyn Santos and Mark Santos. And cord, Kimberly Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Are you guys ready?”
All of them nodded.
Five minutes later the entourage march began. When the flower girls started walking, the church doors were closed. And behind it Jen was being helped out of the car. The bride took her place and readied herself.
“Okay Jen, this is it. Walk slowly. Don’t forget to smile and try to relax,” Sarah reminded.
The doors were slowly opened. Sarah moved to the side so she wouldn’t be seen from inside the church. Jen proceeded to take her walk. When everybody was settled and the mass started, Yeng and Sarah ran to their service vehicle and headed to the reception venue.
Two hours later, guests started fall into line at the registration table of the reception, which Sarah and Yeng were manning at that moment.
“Kim, where’s Ge?” someone asked.
“He had to run back to the hospital but he said he’ll try to make it back,” Kim replied as she went up to the table.
“Hi! You may look for your place cards here. They are arranged alphabetically according to your last names,” Sarah instructed.
“Oh here’s mine. I’m at table 12. I wonder where Ge would be seated?” Kim slowly scanned through the place cards and looked for his name. “There! Gerald Anderson, table 12 too.”
“Let’s go inside Kim. Just text Ge and tell him you’re on the same table, in case he’s coming back,” one guy said.
“He can’t make it anymore. He just texted me,” another guy said.
