UNWANTED VOWS [LaurierSeries#1]

CHAPTER 18. THE SERMON

Pagkaalis ng mga magulang namin ay humarap ako sa kanya.

Kusang  nahanap ng mata ko ang mata nya. Ngayon ay nasisilayan ko sya ng malapitan at hindi ko maiwasang humanga sa  gwapo nyang anyo.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nahulog ako sa taong kaharap ko ngayon, we didn't have  any interactions back then, tapos wala syang paki alam sa akin. Ngayon lang kami nagkaroon ng interactions.

So why?

I asked the same question many times but, I ended up with the answer I liked him because it's him...

Sya na yon eh.

Kahit nasasaktan na ako ay mas lalo pa akong nahuhulog........

Seconds later, I noticed a depth of seriousness and...........adoration?  and something I can't name we're reflected in his captivating blue eyes.

Nalunod ako sa titigan naming iyon pero nagising ako nang naramdman  ko ang  marahang pagpisil sa kamay ko kasabay ng kusang pagwawala ng sistema ko. 

Pero hindi ko pinahalata...

Nagbaba ako ng tingin at nakita ko ang  kamay naming magkahawak.
Itinaas ko muli ang mukha ko at iniwas sa kanya kaya napunta ito sa  lalaking nasa likod nya. May pagkakahawig sila, siguro ay pinsan nya din ito.

Nakangiti ito sa akin kaya sinuklian ko ang ngiti nya

Ah-huh. Kahit matipuno at gwapo sya ay  Hindi ko sya napansin kanina, siguro dahil kay Ezekhiel lang nakatuon ang atensyon ko.

Ilang segundo pang ganon bago ako inalalayan at kami ay humarap sa pari na nangayon ay matamis na nakangiti kaya napangiti na ako ng tuluyan.

I smiled genuinely.

"Love is patient, love is kind." These timeless words from Corinthians remind us of the essence of love. Good morning to all, we are gathered to witness and celebrate the union of Luna Yshia Garcia and Ezekhiel Laurier." The priest announced as he looked at the crowd.

"Before anything else let us pray" I close my eyes, feeling calm, because of his hand holding mine.

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly Father, we gather in Your presence today to witness the union of Luna and Ezekhiel. Bless this sacred occasion with Your love and grace. Guide us in our celebration and grant this couple the strength to uphold the vows they will soon exchange. We ask for Your blessings upon this union. Amen."

"Amen" The crowd uttered in unison as I opened my eyes slowly.

I feel like someone is staring at me, then my head has its own and  turned to him. I was not mistaken, my eyes meet his deep and serious blue eyes.

Ni hindi manlang sya kumurap o nag iwas ng tingin!

Tumikhim ako bago ibinalik ang tingin sa harapan.

Nakakahiya!

Pero kinilig ako slight, to think na tinitigan nya ako!

Pinigilan ko ang ngiting namumuo sa labi ko dahil pakiramdam  ko ay nakatingin parin sya. 

"The bible says, in 1 Corinthians 13:4 through 7. Love is kind, love is patient. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres"

"If I ask you to miss Luna, would you, or, do you trust, love, cherish, respect and protect the man beside you?" My heart beat fast, I don't know what to say, do I trust him? I'm not sure, but yeah I do love him I cherish him,  protect him and I will take care of him.

Naramdaman ko ang pagpisil ni Ezekhiel sa kamay kong hawak nya.

Sa hindi siguradong sagot ay sinalubong ko ng mata ng pari at tumango. "Yes father even before this day"

Ngumiti ito at huminga ng malalim na para bang nakahinga sya ng maluwag.

"kinabahan ako, dahil matagal ka sumagot hija" Tumawa ito ng bahagya at sinundad naman nito ng tawa ng mga tao sa paligid.

"How about you mister?" Sumunod nitong tinanong ang lalaki sa tabi ko

"I do father, with all my heart" Ezekhiel answered

Liar!

The priest smiled and faced the crowd. 

"We heard it with our two ears, they trust, love, cherish, protect and respect each other. We don't need to worry about them  being together in one roof."

"Yessss" The crowd agreed

"Opo malalaki na po sila, kaya na nila" Someone shouted, kaya tumawa ang paligid, napalingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses at nakita ko ang mga kaibigan ko na tumatawa. Si jazz may pa heart shape pa ng kamay.

Napangiti ako.

Nang humupa na ang tawanan ay pinagpatuloy ng pari ang  ang kanyang sermon.

"See? being in love is not just love, its a lot. It requires a lot, you need to be patient, you need to be kind, you need to respect him or her, sometimes, you will do anything in order to protect him or her, to protect what you have, even if it leads you to selflessness............... Also, you should trust each other."

he priest paused.

"Sometimes, misunderstandings are inevitable, because of the actions one did and  didn't inform his/her our partner. So, as a beginner in this chapter, you need to consider one's thoughts, whether it's about decisions or things that need to be done."  I smiled and nooded.

"Entering into a marriage isn't easy. Why? Because when you step on that new chapter, it involves a lot of responsibilities, a beautiful blend of selflessness, trust, love, and respect because it requires you to consistently prioritize the well-being and happiness of your partner while maintaining a deep sense of trust, love, and respect for each other. This balance demands continuous effort, compromise, and understanding from both of you, making it a challenging yet fulfilling journey." The priest continued, alternately landing his eyes to us both.

Tumango ako.

"The passages we’ve heard remind us of the enduring power of love and the importance of selflessness and compassion in marriage. Love is patient, love is kind... These timeless words guide us in understanding the depth and beauty of the commitment Luna and Ezekhiel are about to make." Tumingin ito sa aming dalawa bago ito tumingin sa mga tao sa  likod namin. May binuklat sya sa papel na nakapatong sa pulpit.

Gusto kung igalaw ang kamay kung hawak nya dahil pakiramdam ko ay tumigas na ito kaya dahan dahan ko itong hinila at nagtagumpay naman ako.

Naramdaman ko ang tingin nya pero hindi ko na iyon pinansin pa at itinuon nalang sa pari ang aking atensyon.