Say Yes Part One: Doing it all over again

Janine

So, this is how it happened...

I didn't know how to react when I received this email about how we would surprise Annina with Carl's proposal. Parang nag-rewind all of a sudden to one year ago when Artie proposed to me. I have to admit, it was actually beautiful. I was at awe, and I'm close to saying yes.

Really close...

I really can't say I'm proud of myself with what I did that day. I smashed Artie's heart into pieces and I really don't have the face to look at him. He's clearly devastated; I know, everyone else told me. But what I did, I did for myself. I don't want to be put on the spot for once and back then, I really don't see myself in that situation. Most people would say I wasted almost six or seven years of what we've put together with what I did, but the funny thing is I don't feel any regrets. Then.

I don't know how to feel now, though. This is HIS production team. This is HIS idea. This is a recreation of that very same proposal that took my breathe away for a few minutes, and almost quite literally took HIS life for quite some time. He would show up one way or another, and I really don't know how to face him.

Well, enough about me. This is my sister's day, and I would not let my personal issues ruin such a perfect day. So, I received this invite through email and we were told to be here a few hours earlier as part of the big surprise. A girl named, Jess welcomed us and gave us a few instructions on what to do:

" Thank you po for responding to our call. Today is a special day for Ms. Annina. As we have said in our invite, Carl will be proposing to Ms. Annina in this very special production .Bale, madali lang naman po ang gagawin natin. First, blend in lang tayo with the crowd while they settle inside the resto. As much as possible po, sana di niya kayo makita para mas intense ang surprise. If, for example, nakita po kayo ni Ms. Annina, just say "Hi" and make an excuse to be out of her sight for a while. To be guided, I'll be handing off the script of what will happen. May tanong po...?"

Jess hands out small strips of paper with the events enumerated. She's quite a nice girl by the way. Polite but quite stern. Direct to the point, clear and objective driven- maybe I'll hire her for my production staff.

I was reading the strip and I would admit, it was quite exciting. First siyempre, Carl would make an excuse to be out of the resto to change. Then one by one may choir na kakanta sa loob ng resto. I suppose, planted na yung mga taong nanduon. They would seem curious about the flash mob singing and someone will take her out, kunyari makikiusyoso lang sila. Then as she gets out, The whole place lights up and there would be lots of bubbles. Oh, my God, Annina is such a sucker for bubbles! Then may sasayaw ng konti and then the family and friends show up one by one to give her a lily, her favorite flower. That would be our cue. Pag nabuo na ang bouquet, biglang lalabas si Carl and then he proposes.

Reading through this script, medyo nainggit ako ng konti. I mean, this is so Annina! It's like the whole project is really about her. When Artie did this for me, it was really over the top: there were fireworks, high-tech light and sound shows, singers, costumed performers, it was a huge carnival. It's like Moulin Rouge on the streets. And yet, in all honesty, I never really felt it's about me that time; it was really a show. Kung yung proposal siguro dati katulad nito...I don't even want to think about it.