Say Yes

Finale

Jiselle Chiara Kim

Today is Jiselle Chiara Escape's ground breaking ceremony, the head start of building the soon to be biggest hotel and farm resort in Santa Isabel.

And today is my wedding day.

Nakatingin ako sa sarili ko sa harapan ng malaking salamin sa loob ng kwarto ko sa Villa Kim.

A happy, contented and a peaceful Chiara was smiling back at me.

It took me quite a while, it took me a very long time rather.

It's been four months of long preparations both for JCE and our wedding.

Finally, this day has arrived.

We were the happiest. When we finally had our official engagement, of course we are and we should be.

Not until the news broke out to everyone.

Because all the people around us seemed to be much happier than us.

Piling tao lang ang pinagsabihan namin ng araw na yon, Dad and Ate Yejin, Charles, Manang Letty and Manong Jerry, Suzy's Dad. We requested to them to keep it low.

Pero walang keep it low sa mga kaibigan namin ni Inigo. Hindi namin kailangang magsalita pareho, dahil pagbalik ng lahat galing Christmas break at nakita ng mga kasama namin ang diamong ring sa palasingsingan ko, doon nag umpisang kumalat ang engagement naming dalawa na parang virus. As usual, puro kantyaw ang inabot niya because of the diamond ring.

Spare our immediate family, mula sa tauhan ng farm hanggang sa simbahan at palengke, hanggang sa pinakasulok ata na bahagi ng Santa Isabel. They were all celebrating our engagement like they all knew our love story. Or maybe it is because my husband to be. Like he is a beloved son of the town.

The entire four months before we reach this day, napakadaming nagbago, in a very very positive way.

JCE contract signing, the Jung Farms being officially launched as the first mango orchard now open for educational tour trips, Charles having his own breakthrough on the advertising ad world....

As for Inigo...

Inigo is now more carefree, having in between breaks after all those dreadful weeks he had because of work. Unlike me whose work became lighter since I stepped down as JCA CEO to creative lead, natriple ang sa kanya, the factory plus the cattle station, the mango orchard, his tie up with Kim Hotels. Our friends would endlessly tease him. Halos hindi na daw siya nagpapahinga with his works all non-stop. Ganun daw pala pag magpapamilya na, ayaw ng magpahinga. No one would thought he just turned 23 with his hustle, he looked like a 35 year old family man with a dozen of kids.

But then again, he would always say. In the midst of his suffocating and tiring world, I will always be the fresh air he would breathe. We always find time. We never break our routines of running whether its around the farm or over the treadmill, our market and grocery escapades, our monthly general cleaning, our Sunday mass, even our small pep talks at night or inside the kitchen while I cook.

We made sure every single moment we could grab on his very busy schedule, it will be a quality time.

And as for me...

I made a final decision of moving in with Inigo.

And I did not force myself of anything when it comes to my relationship with Dad. I just let all things come out naturally.

We started at the right foot that Christmas night, at dahil wala ako sa bahay, our communication started with constant messages and random calls. May pagkakataon na iniimbitahan ni Inigo sila Ate at Daddy sa bahay, may pagkakataong kami ang pumupunta sa kanila. Until it became a constant habit after a month. One weekday dinner at our house, one weekend dinner at Dad's house. The conversations we had over the phone and text messages were upgraded to few casual conversations.