He couldn't take his eyes off her. That was nothing new. James couldn't take his eyes off Nadine when she had messy hair, no make up, and a little bit of dried up drool on her chin. She was always beautiful to him, but right now, as she sat before him in a wedding dress, there were no words in any language to describe her. James didn't even want to try.
Nadine looked up at him from where she was playing with her paper flower bouquet. "Bakit ganyan ka kung makatingin?" She asked.
The church was full around them, full of cameras and lights and of people. They had just finished filming the scene where Leah walks down the aisle to Clark and were now on standby until they were ready for the next scene, the exchange of vows.
James stepped closer to her and took her hands, pulling her up from her seat. She instinctively looked around, aware that people were all around them but James just smiled at her until she remembered that they don't have to hide anymore and she smiled back at him in relief.
"You look...amazing," he said. "And that is an understatement."
Nadine rolled her eyes. "Nambobola ka nanaman."
His hands went to her waist and he pulled her closer. "It's true though. When I saw you walking down the aisle...Those tears I was crying? They were real. I wasn't acting," he admitted.
Nadine looked up at him, seeing how serious he was. "I was so nervous," she said. "I had a million butterflies in my stomach. But then I saw you standing there, waiting for me. It felt so..."
"So what?" James prompted.
"So real. Like we were really getting married."
He nodded, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He was about to say something but was interrupted by Ate Ross telling them to take their places, they were ready to start rolling.
Nadine was led to the altar, her dress being carefully carried and arranged around her. Father Tito was already in place and he smiled warmly at James as he approached. He couldn't believe that they had gotten a real priest to officiate Clark and Leah's ceremony. As if this didn't feel real enough...
He adjusted his collar and repeated the words of his vows to himself. He didn't even have to take the time to memorize them. He knew them by heart since he was the one that wrote them. When Direk Tonet had texted him and asked him if had any ideas for Clark's vows to Leah, James told her that he had absolutely no idea how to write wedding vows. But Direk was pretty persistent and James found himself really contemplating what Clark would say to the woman he loves on the most important day of his life. But everything that he tried to write down sounded so cheesy. He had sat down in his living room with a notebook and had torn out almost half of the pages when he decided to give up. He'd have to tell Direk that he tried but he really couldn't do it. Wedding vows just did not come as easy to him as song lyrics. He made his way to his bedroom, ready to just curl up next to Nadine and fall asleep immediately. He was about to do just that when Nadine turned around to face him, adjusting to his presence even in sleep. He pushed her hair out of her face, marveling at how pure and innocent and beautiful she looked in her sleep. James still couldn't believe that he got to go to sleep with this view almost every night, and wake up with it every morning. He just did not know how he got so lucky and what he did to deserve her. It was a long two years before he finally saw what had been in front of him all along. He was in denial and blinded for so long. All those dates and meaningless flings with girls that didn't even have half of Nadine's brains or were nearly as beautiful as her. He didn't know what he was thinking. But he couldn't bring himself to regret any of it because making those mistakes was the rude awakening that he needed. They made him ready to be the man that he is now for Nadine. Now he knows what a true treasure she is, a flawless diamond in this world and especially in this business. Since they came out as a couple all of the fans and even his co-workers have been telling him to take care of Nadine and not to hurt her. But they didn't need to tell James what he already knew. Any pain he causes her is a hundred times more painful to himself.
