The Wedding

Chapter 1

It was only nine thirty and it was already a craptastic day.
Cora stared at the airplane on the tarmac. What the hell was she doing? The Pal Airlines flight was taking off in ten minutes and she was actually going to be on it.

Her phone rang and she dug it out of her purse cringing when she saw her boy best friend "Cedric" name on the caller ID. She answered anyway.

"How did Tita Francy take it? "Cedric asked.

" well....." Cora glanced up the digital sign by the gate. Five minutes to boarding.

"Wait" Cedric voice was short "Tell me that you told her".

" I told her"

Her friend paused. "Your lying. That's your lying voice."

Cora shook her head. "I have lying voice?"

"It goes up half an octave and gets tight at the end"

"Dapat ba ako kabahan Dahil kilalang kilala mo ako?"

"We've been friends since kindergarten. I'd hope I know you well." Cedric groaned
" You might be trying to change the subject but your mother's going to notice when you don't show up to your own wedding."

The overhead PA system blurted a static message about a changed gate and Cora covered the microphone on her phone.

"Cora you have to tell her!" Cedric said in frustration.

"I will" the digital sign now said four minutes to boarding.

"When?"

"Later this afternoon"

"Why not call her now?" The overhead PA sounded again and Cedric gasped. "Nasa Airport ka girl, yung totoo?"

"Cedric..."

" You never canceled your flight ,did you? "

Cora brushed her hair out of her face and leaned forward lowering her voice. " Honestly Ced, I forgot"

"Lie"

Tears stung Cora eyes. "I need a friend right now, Ced. Not a damned a lie detector"

"I'm sorry" Cedric sighed. " You're right. Trust me I understand why you've stalled. Tita Francy scares me. And you know I don't scare easily. But you have to tell to your Family especially to Tita, Cora. The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be."

"I know. But I want to tell them in person. At this point I could hardly do anything else."

"So you're really coming home?"

Cora cast a glance at the gate. "I'm boarding the plane in two minutes"

"Okay" Cedric was quiet for several seconds and Cora knew he was making some kind of plan. Cedric was the one person you could count on in a crisis.
"You're going to  need to escape tonight. Maybe you, me and JJ can go out. "

Cora swallowed the lump in her throat. "Thank you"

"What are best friends for? Call me when the deed is done,although I suspect I'll hear sermon all the way downtown. If you need to stay at my place. I have a spare bed for you"

An airplane employee at the gate counter picked up the microphone "we are about to board flight 356 to Puerto Princesa City. First class passenger will board first"

"Cedric I've got to go. They're boarding first class. Considering how much the ticket cost, I might as well board first and get something out of it."