Break Fresh Ground

38: SWEET AND LOVELY

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably as Artemis stood beside me, her hand gently touching mine, her thumb caressing it. I could feel her presence, her warmth, as she tried to console me.

"Aww," she cooed, her gaze fixed on my tear-stained face. "Love," she whispered, her touch wiping away my tears.

I sniffed, struggling to compose myself. "Bakit kasi ang ganda ng vows nila?" I murmured.

Nasa may viewing deck kami ng isang restaurant sa resort kaya kita namin at rinig ang kasalang nagaganap sa tabi ng pampang. The intimate ceremony was bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, captivating everyone in the resort. The melodic strains of a string quartet and a pianist filled the air, creating an atmosphere of romance and love.

Artemis chuckled softly. "You're such a softy, cutie," she remarked, leaning in to plant a tender kiss on the tip of my nose. I pouted, noticing the reddish tinge on my nose. "Look how red your noes is oh. Paano pa kapag nagkasakit ka? Magmumukha ka ng kamatis gano'n?"

I raised an eyebrow, trying to match her playful tone. "Grabe sa kamatis. Malay ko bang maputi akong ipinanganak ng nanay kong nag-iwan sa amin," I chuckled, trying to lighten the heaviness. Her concerned expression made me chuckle even more. "What? Joking about make it less painful and bearable."

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Our previous conversation had left us in a rough place. I had cried my eyes out, only stopping when exhaustion took over. It's just pure pain. Parang pinagdaanan ko ulit lahat ng naramdaman ko no'ng bata ako no'ng sinagot ko ang tanong ni Artemis. She had asked me to stop, but I wanted her to see every vulnerable part of me, to understand who I truly am.

"Yes, I'm fine." I reassured her, peppering her cheeks with kisses. "I am fine."

"Ma'am, ready na po 'yong order ninyo," the food attendant called us.

As we began our early dinner, we engaged in light conversation, observing the newlyweds who had entered the restaurant.

"Noong bata ka, what's your dream wedding?" I asked, captivated by their presence.

Bahagya itong tumingin sa taas, nag-iisip. "Uhm, church wedding. Kung puwede nga kahit civil wedding ay okay na. Ang mahalaga, maikasal sa taong gusto ko."

"Is that all? No specific design? No particular person in mind?" I prodded.

She smirked. "A simple wedding is really what I want when I was a kid."

"Define 'simple'," I pressed further.

"Okay," she sighed before continuing. "Church wedding na may mga puting bulaklak, white roses preferably, parang kagaya ng wedding nila Kuya Baron. Then, ang color para sa reception ay rose gold. Sa mga bisita, bahala na sila kung anong kulay ng damit. Ang mahalaga maikasal," she laughed. "Ikaw? Anong sa 'yo?"

"When I was a kid, I always dream of marrying in France or Italy. Maybe because madalas kami sa France at Italy bago kami lumipad dito sa Pilipinas." I reminisced, smacking my tongue against the roof of my mouth in contemplation. "Wedding... I think I remember wanting to marry someone in forest. Like a fantasy wedding," I grinned, recalling how I shared this with my dad and he jokingly told me I couldn't get married until I turned forty. "Then, I'll dress up like a fairy princess, you know."

"With prince charming?" she asked.

I stumbled over my words. "Uh, yeah? Because I was a kid at that time. I wasn't aware that a woman can marry a woman."

"Well, totoo--"

"Excuse me?" A woman dressed in a glamorous gold ruched midi dress interrupted us. We looked up, acknowledging her presence. "Punta kayo sa reception ng newly-wed."