Indulgent Geoff (TTMT #3)

Chapter Thirty

CHAPTER THIRTY

MAYBE for a guy, Geoff's over romantic. Mula pagkabata, isa siya sa mga libu-libong taong naniniwala na balang araw ay ikakasal siya sa babaeng mahal na mahal niya at mahal na mahal din siya.

He's the cheesiest man alive, yes. But so what? He believes in true love and marriage. He's so rare.

So now, he's standing beside the aisle, waiting for his cute bride.

"Kinakabahan ka?" his cousin Greg curiously asked. He was his bestman.

Ngumisi siya at nilingon ito. "I'm excited."

Ngumisi rin ito at inayos ang lapel ng silver coat nito. "Mukha nga. Kanina ka pa hagod nang hagod ng buhok mo." Tumawa pa ito. "O baka gusto mo munang mag-selfie at mag-post sa Instagram story? Caption: 'ATM'."

Pabirong sinuntok niya ito sa braso. "Pa'no mo nalaman ang iniisip ko?"

Natawa na naman ito at napailing-iling. "Man, you're still in love with yourself."

Nagkibit-balikat lang siya. He loves everything. He loves loving. So, he loved himself.

Come on! He's celebrating his good genes. There's nothing really wrong with that. Hindi niya naman pinagmamayabang.

Minsan lang.

Tinapik na naman siya sa balikat ni Greg. "Basta, proud ako sa'yo."

Nangunot ang noo niya. "Saan ka proud?"

"Sa pagmamahal na kayang-kaya mong ibigay. Si Zoey, iba siya sa lahat ng minahal mo noon. Iba siya sa mga naging girlfriend mo noong college ka. Ibang-iba siya lalo kay Eunice." Greg's lips turned into a proud smile. "We all know that she's 'special'. But look at you. Excited to be with her for the rest of your life. So, I'm proud. Because our family can love like that."

"Ang dami mong sinabi. Balikan mo na lang si Jona." Geoff laughed when Greg's smile faded. "Thank you, anyway."

Nilingon niya ang altar at napatutok sa krus na nasa gitna niyon. "I don't know how. But it was true, Greg."

"What's true?"

Binalingan niya ulit ito. "When you love God first, you'll be able to love like Him. Selfless. Unconditional. Very true."

Because that's all he can feel for his Zoey. True love. Unconditional love. Selfless love.

Napatangu-tango ito at napalingon rin sa altar. "You mean, God supplies the love that you give?"

Tumango siya. "I feel so. I believe so. Because how can a heart give love if it wasn't full of it? But how can it be filled? Simple. You let Christ inside. He's all the love we can share."

Mas lalong lumawak ngiti ni Greg. "Iba ka!"

Kunwaring mayabang na nagkibit-balikat siya.

But, hey, he realized all these things when he came to know about the One who saved his soul for dying on that cross. He's serious about his faith. Because for love to be true, sincere, and everlasting, one must know what and who love is.

Hmm. He's going to share this with Zoey. He can imagine her cute face in awe.

Manlalaki ang mga mata nito, tatango, ngingiti nang matamis, itataas ang mga kamay at sasabihing, "Ang galing talaga ni Papa God, Daddy Geoff!".

Napayuko siya at lihim na napangiti. He's only imagining Zoey. But she can already make him smile.

Good Lord, thank You for Zoey.