Heaven On Fire

Thirteen

We had been working on the wedding preparations for almost two days now, and I could see that this what I've just dreaming all along. The wedding planner spent the entire day in assisting the people arranging the chairs, cocktail tables, candles, and flower wire stands telling them to be careful in handling and not to break anything.

"Where's Benj?" Tita Mindy asked. Although we just had met, she treated me like a daughter already. We received a fair budget from Benjamin's parents for the wedding. It isn't just fair, we actually had been able to put money aside for future purposes.

"Hindi ko din po alam, Tita. Pagkagising ko po wala na po siya sa tabi ko."

That morning, I woke up having a breakfast right on my bed. I think, if he continued to do it everyday, I didn't have a choice but to be loyal to him.

"I'd like a lily for those flower stands, Miss." I said to the wedding organizer. "Fuck, where the hell is he?!"

"Calm down, okay? He's gonna be here soon. Maybe he prepare a surprise or something. Right?" Tita Mandy answered. A car arrived.
"Oh, there he is! Go get him." I walked to the car. Benjamin get out of the car in his cool shades na parang tirik na tirik ang araw eh makulimlim naman.

"Take it off, Benjamin."

"Huh? Wait, what? Jesus, Loren. We're in a public place." Benjamin replied.

"Your shades, asshole. What are you thinking?"

Tita Mindy turned to the flower guy and told to change the flower. I'd never been serious like this before. As if it was my licensure examination again.

"I have a surprise for you." He opened an envelope that he was holding to. Inside, there was a rectangular shape thin white paper. When he handed it to me, it was a cheque.

"Woah. This is a huge amount of money. Where did you get this?" I was stunned.

"Dad just gave that to me this morning. He said if I wanted to make sure that it's not fake, I could verify it on JP Morgan Chase. When I did, they say that it is real." He explained.
"What are you thinking, huh?"

"I think that we could split it in half. And start a business with it. Here and in the Philippines." I said to him, after we go in an isolated room inside the reception area. "I'm feeling so much better now. But I still hate you."

He pressed his lips into my forehead. "Sorry for making you worried." That made me fucking smile wide all day.

"Tara na. Dun tayo sa labas. Kailangan tayo dun." Benjamin said.

I hate him earlier but now I forgot almost all about it.

The place was nearly perfect. His father arrived after two hours to checked if we still need anything. And his grandfather too, Don Panyong, with a Rolls-Royce black hydrogen-powered car. Mommy had texted me that they're coming for the ceremony. Unfortunately, with my evil stepfather and Jessie, my older brother.

"Let's rehearse, pips!" The wedding organizer signaled.

We started at the procession. Because mommy haven't arrived yet, Benjamin's immediate family proceeded. His father walked me on the aisle meanwhile. As we stood at the same place, I felt that I was the luckiest woman in the world to have him.

"Vows na kaagad! I wanna hear it na!" His mother shouted from the back. I looked to his eyes. I could feel his desire in me. I couldn't even believed that he was the one.

But as I was going to listen to him, someone shouted.

"Miss Loren, your phone is ringing!"

"The heck,"
"Can you please shut up?" I replied shouting. Everyone laughed and the silence continued.