Stonehearts 8: Peridot

Thirty Nine: Kier Ignacio

"So, kailan ang kasal?" I asked my brother.

Talk about years of delayed gratification. But God sure did make it work for them. Sino ba naman mag-aakala na sa tinagal-tagal ng panahon, kasalan din ang ending ng dalawang 'to?

"Wala pa Kuya, we're thinking sometime next year, March or April. I want to be wed at Boracay." Era dreamily replied.

"October na." Mom chimed in. "You need to find a wedding planner to help you with your preparation." She's starting to sound like a distress mother of the groom. I chuckled which earned me a scowl from her. I gave him a 'what' expression before exiting the small circle towards where the alcohol are.

"Kuya Kiel, sino nanaman ang tinatakasan mo?" Fire asked me, handing me a bottle of beer. She peered behind me as if trying to look for someone, I mean she tried peering, kasi sa liit ng babaeng ito 'di pa siya aabot sa balikat ko.

"Sinong hinahanap mo?" Tanong ko.

She smiled at me sheepishly, "Wala. I was hoping there's another deranged woman who's crazy enough to crash another intimate party of our family and claimed she's marrying you or something."

I shook my head, that did happen a lot of times. First few times almost gave mom a heart attack, however, the more it happened, the more it became a normal thing for us. You can call me anything you want, I've heard worse from all the women I've crossed paths with. But the thing is, being born this handsome, phew, sure is trouble. 

I'm just kidding.

At my age, I've accepted the fact that I might die a bachelor. Pihikan kung pihikan, pero wala, eh. Of all the girls, I just didn't feel like I've found the one I am willingly spend my life with. Don't get me wrong, I did try, however, all those trials are a failure.

Mom did try to help me also, introducing me to daughters of her friends, even friends of friends. But still, I didn't find the special connection I was looking for. I didn't feel grounded. I didn't feel that she or any of them was it for me.

"Ikaw kuya, kailan ka mag-aasawa?" Bigla tanong ni Fire na may nakakalokong ngiti sa mga labi niya.

"Ikaw kailan ka tatangkad?"

She rolled her eyes at me before dunking a drink of her beer, "Tanong lang, napaka mo naman! Hindi ba kapag naunang kinasal ang mas batang kapatid, kapag money dance sa nakakatandang kapatid mapupunta ang pera? Kuya balatuhan mo ako ah!"

I don't even know what the fuck is she saying. "Bakit wala ka na bang pera? Eh ang dami-dami mong pasyente, dapat milyonarya ka na."

An emotion flickered on her face before she answered, "Bakit? Masama bang mas dumami ang pera ko, hindi naman ah."

"Ay nako, Fire! Kailan ba mananalo ang tao sayo?"

She smiled confidently, "Never."

It's a good thing she and her loser of a boyfriend broke up already, because this woman needs someone who can handle her robust and high energy. Hindi basta-basta dapat ang taong dine-date nitong babaeng 'to.

"Kuya, tawag ka ata." Tugon ni Fire sabay turo kila Mama na mukha ngang tinatawag ako. Tumungga ako sa alak na hawak ko bago nagpaalam kay Fire.

"Ma, bakit po?" Maikling tanong ko ng nakalapit ako ulit sa grupong iniwan ko kanina. I hope no one will ask me when will I get married again. It's becoming an old thing, nakakairita na.

"Anak, this is Kayla. Anak ng Tito Perry mo." Pagpapakilala ni Mama. 

I gave my best smile while making a swift look at the woman. Pwede na, nice legs, big boobs. Not so much of a pretty face though, pero pwede na.