Giving In

Epilogue

                         A year of living together without interference from either of their parents went well for Mari and Liam. They finally got to know each other. Even though their relationship happened in reverse order, they didn't have much problems. Even though everyone around them pushed them to get married after sorting everything out, minabuti nilang hindi muna. Well, it was Mari who was holding back. In Mari's subconscious, nandun pa rin ang takot na baka di talaga pang forever sila ni Liam. Liam had no choice but to keep proving to her that when he said he loved her, he meant it.

Exactly after a year of them being together, di na nagpaawat si Liam. He proposed to her in their house with little fuss. But everyone that mattered was there. Liam thought to include them para mapressure si Mari. He could survive a long engagement as long as suot na ni Mari ang singsing niya. His sisters, her brother and sister in law, her tita who helped her through the pregnancy, Lina and of course Kara.

Wala naman palang dapat ikatakot si Liam coz Mari already decided to marry him after all. She wasn't expecting a proposal. She just didn't know how to tell him that she was ready to marry him. Masyado naman din kasi silang nasanay sa pagtira sa isang bahay but deep inside her, she still wanted to get married.

It was a weeks after the proposal that his sisters were in their house again. They wanted to plan the wedding already. But Mari had other ideas. "Mari, are you sure about just a civil wedding?" it was Liam who asked. Di siya makapaniwala na ayaw ni Mari ng engrandeng kasal.

Mari nodded firmly. She didn't want the fuss and the hassle. Besides, it's not as if mapapanindigan talaga niya ang symbolism ng puting weddidng gown. She was no virgin. "Look, busy ako sa shop. And I want it done as soon as possible, kung pwede, a month from now."

Mari couldn't handle being jobless so when Victoria offered her to go into business with her, Mari grabbed it without second thoughts. Victoria ran her own coffee and tea shop and since she wanted to expand but lacked the capital, she went to her brother for it and they all agreed that Mari would be the partner, he would just provide the funds. It all worked out well para na rin flexible ang oras niya.

"Mari naman!" Liam said with annoyance. "I want you to have the church wedding and all the stuff that comes with it. Kahit yun man lang maibigay ko sayo. We'll have it done as soon as possible but I want you to have a day to remember. Ayaw ko ng civil wedding. Para naman tayong nagtatago niyan."

"Liam, do you want time to back out?" sinamaan naman ng tingin ni Liam si Mari. After everything that they went through, ngayon pa sya aatras. This was everything he wanted and more. "Look, If this is about sa tingin mo na pagkukulang mo sa akin, kalimutan mo na yun. Nakabawi ka na, okay? Bawing bawi ka na. Nakabawi ka na the moment you stood up for me against your mom. I just want an intimate wedding."

"Liam's right Mari," it was Victoria who opposed her now. "We can do the intimate wedding but still have it in the church. Give me two months. Kailangan niyo rin asikasuhin ni Liam mga papeles. I already have the perfect place in mind for your wedding," she added, grinning.

"Victoria, wag mo nga kaming pangunahan," inis na sabi ni Liam. Ba't ba kasi ang pakialamera ng kapatid niya. All he wanted was to give Mari a wedding she deserved and a day to remember thr rest of their lives. He owes his sister big for helping him with his issues with his mom pero sumusobra naman to.

"Kuya, hear ate Victoria first," this time it was Katrina, their innocently naïve baby sister. "Remember the resort in the mountain district? They funded or donated, I'm not sure, a church, or baka chapel lang yun sa community dun. It's very picturesque. It's small enough to accommodate the intimate wedding Ate Mari wants. Pero simbahan pa rin."