"So hindi ka talaga makakauwi?" tanong ni Hessari sa kabilang linya. Her younger sister, Hezenna, is on the other line. Busy kasi 'yon kakasali ng mga art exhibits. Mas marami pa 'yong sinasalihan kaysa sa akin.
"Okay," Hessari whispered and then she ended the call. Bumaling siya sa amin ni Vonri na malungkot ang mukha. "Hindi tayo kompleto."
"It's okay. Hezenna is chasing her dream right now and I think Kuya Kiyu will understand naman," I said calmly.
Hessari nodded.
"Yendra is right tsaka hindi na mapapansin ni Kuya kung sino ang wala at kung sino ang nandito. Just look at him," Vonri added.
Tiningnan naming tatlo si Kuya Kiyu who is wearing a white suit, white pants and black leather shoes. And the way we see it hindi nga siya mapakali.
Vonri is right. Ilang ulit na siyang tumitingin sa malaking bahay ni Lola Victoria at naghihintay sa lalabas. In front of the gate ay may nakaparada na white van, iyon ang sasakyan ni Ate Suzy, ang mapapangasawa niya, papunta dito sa harap ng banquet hall.
Today is their wedding.
We have been looking forward to this very day. Matagal na namin 'tong inaabangan since noong sinabi ni Kuya Kiyu na magkakaanak na siya. We were so shocked back then because of all Lola Victoria's grandsons, siya ang huling maiisip ko na magkakaanak kasi he was a notorious playboy and he always make sure na wala siyang babaeng mabubuntis. He is so vocal about his kalokohan kaya naman laking gulat namin nang sinabi niya sa amin ang tungkol doon. And what's interesting about is the girl, Ate Suzy, na ayaw sa kanya at ayaw nitong panagutan niya. She just wanted the baby at hindi kasali do'n si Kuya.
But unexpected things happen. Kuya Kiyu have fallen in love with her like hulog na hulog talaga.
Palagi nga namin siyang pinagtatawanan kasi para siyang asong ulol na habol ng habol kahit tinataboy na.
That's his karma. Ate Suzy is his karma.
We all know kung ano ang nangyari sa kanila since Kuya updated us palagi sa groupchat namin.
We saw him breakdown. We saw him cried a lot of times. And now we will see him happy at last.
That's when I realised that Kuya Kiyu really love Ate Suzy, madly in love with her like patay na patay and he will do whatever it takes mapasakanya lang ito.
At lahat kami ay masayang-masaya when he told us that he succeded finally. That Ate Suzy wants to marry him at hindi na siya itataboy ulit.
It feels like we are watching a romance movie and now we will witness their happily ever after kind of end.
Nakatayo na kaming lahat dahil malapit nang magsisimula ang ceremony.
Napawang ang labi ko nang mabangga ni Aquinnah si Ate Veni at malapit na itong matumba kung hindi lang siya nahawakan sa braso ng kapartner niya.
Ate Veni is one of the bridesmaids, like Karina, Hessari, me, and Ate Sahara.
"Sorry, Ate," paumanhin ni Aquinnah. Since siya ang maid of honor halos hindi siya mapirmi. From the word itself 'maid' siya talaga ang abala dahil maraming siyang responsibilities sa kasal na ito. Mabuti na lang at alam ng pinsan ko ang mga gagawin kaya it really suit her.
Nagmamadali itong bumalik sa malaking bahay ni Lola because she will be the one who will accompany Ate Suzy patungo dito.
Then I saw Ate Veni talked to her partner. Their faces are so close to each other.
Ako, ang kapatid kong si Kuya Skev at lahat ng pinsan namin ay alam na ang tungkol sa kanya at sa kanyang partner.
Yes, they are a couple. Matagal na. Tinago-tago lang kasi it's very complicated between our family and to his boyfriend's family.
Bago nga lang nalaman ni Lola Victoria because we all know that it will affect her badly. There is a bad history kasi kaya matagal naming inilihim sa kanya.
She got mad at us but knowing Lola hindi siya nagkikimkim at kalaunan ay naging okay na rin siya tungkol do'n.
Sometimes it's so sad to think about. Kaya lang Ate Veni is so in love with her boyfriend at lalong lalo na ang boyfriend niya sa kanya.
Sino kami para tumutol at buwagin sila?
We can't do that.
And we just want her to be happy. That was what Lola also said. Na hindi na raw importante ang epekto no'n sa kanya kasi ang mas mahalaga ay ang kaligayahan ng apo niya.
Our Lola Victoria only wanted us to be happy especially to our lovelives.
Napatingin ako sa left hand ko. On my ring finger there is a silver ring with an emerald diamond on top.
Napangiti ako.
I missed my fiance so much kahit na nagkausap naman kami kagabi at kaninang umaga. It's just that I missed his embrace...and especially his kisses.
I bit my lower lip.
Nabaling ang atensyon ko nang tuluyan nang magsimula ang ceremony. Humawak ako sa braso ni Kuya Skev dahil maglalakad na kami matapos ang ilang sandali.
Unintentionally, I looked at my brother. I found him looking in front of us. Sinundan ko ang tingin niya.
His gaze is not on the people but to the banquet hall.
Tumingin ulit ako sa kapatid ko at sinundan ng maigi kung saan talaga siya nakatingin.
Sa gilid ng banquet hall ay may isang babae na may dalang maramig trays. Medyo nahihirapan ito at halatang nagmamadali. Papasok ito sa entrance ng hall at bago pa siya tuluyang pumasok ay napatingin siya sa aming banda.
She looked at my brother for a few seconds at napansin niya na nakatingin din ako sa kanya kaya bumaling siya sa akin.
Our eyes met.
Mabilis siyang umiwas ng tingin at tuluyan nang pumasok.
Then I looked at Kuya Skev.
He smiled a bit. Kahit na ganoon katipid ang ngiti niya but I know what it means. Kalaunan ay yumuko na siya at kinagat ang ibabang labi para pigilan ang pagngiti ng husto.
Hmmm.
I caught him again.
Tumingin na ako sa harapan namin. It's our turn na to walk down the aisle kaya ako na ang humila sa kapatid ko para makalakad na kami dahil alam kong lutang pa siya at wala pa sa sarili.
