When Day 32 Starts...

Chapter 29 - Conditions and Compromise

It's less than two months before the wedding and his birthday. The plans for the former were not really going smoothly but we are managing. Mabuti na lamang at nandyan ang nanay ko, mommy nya at si Gale. Kung ako lang siguro ang mag-aasikaso ng lahat, baka sumabog na 'ko sa sobrang stress.

Totoong nagiging bridezilla ang mga babaeng malapit nang ikasal. Kahit ano sigurong tino mo, kapag na-expose ka sa ganitong klase ng pressure, all your resolve will be thrown out the window. Ilang beses ko na ngang napagbuntunan ng galit si Kent. He had experience on this though, so medyo iniintindi na lang nya ako. Kahit pala si Kiele naging bridezilla dati. At mas malala ito because she threw a fit right at the wedding, where she ran off and left him crying. So, compared to that, I'm good. Really good.

Tuwing weekend, pinipilit nyang ilayo yung utak ko sa wedding preparations. Most of the times, it's not working. Lalo na at ilang linggo na lang ang binibilang before the big day. Feeling ko palagi may bricks ako sa tiyan. The mere mention of the word 'wedding' could drain the blood on my face.

"Na-train mo na ba si Snow na sa labas mag-CR?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Since it's weekend, I was obliged to be at his house. Tuwing weekdays, sa bahay sya nagdi-dinner. Sya ang tagaluto, ako ang tagahugas ng pinggan. Nai-spoil na sa 'min ang pamilya ko.

"Snow? Akala ko ba nagkasundo na tayo sa Whitey?" kunot-noo nyang tanong.

"Ayoko ng whitey. Asong-aso naman ang pangalan."

"E aso kaya 'yan," giit nya.

"Mas cute ang Snow."

"Okay, to settle this argument, let's call him by the names we want at kung saan sya mag-respond, yun ang gagamitin nating pangalan."

"Okay."

Si Snow yung tuta na binili nya para raw ma-practice namin 'yong 'parenting' skills namin. When I went to New York and he followed, inihabilin nya ito kina Gale. Gale named him Jacques. He never responded to that name.

Kent, being so creative with names, named him Whitey. I called him Snow. Pero NR lang ang tuta kapag tinatawag namin ito sa pangalang gusto namin.

"Ano ba yan. Bakit ayaw nyang lumapit?"

"Snow!"

"Whitey!"

Nang sabay  kaming nagsalita ay saka tumingin ang tuta sa direksyon namin.

"So kailangang in sync?" natatawang tanong ni Kent.

"Snow!"

"Whitey!"

This time, nauna akong tumawag. The dog jerked his head on our direction.

"Snow Whitey?"

Nakatitig lang sa 'min ang aso.

"Snow White?"

Kent rolled his eyes. "Jazz, he's a bo—"

Napanganga kaming pareho nang lumapit sa amin yung tuta.

"Snow White?!" Kumahol ito. Kent raised the puppy. "Akala ko ba lalaki ka?"

"Kaya pala mas malambing sya sa 'yo," natatawa kong kumento. Kent tried calling the puppy's attention by other names pero hindi ito namamansin kapag hindi Snow White ang tawag dito. Ayaw rin nito sa Snow lang. Gusto kumpleto.

We fed Snow and played with him until he's tired enough to sleep. Habang natutulog ang aso at wala kaming magawa, Kent thought of an activity that he said might turn out to be helpful for our marriage.

"Marriage Agreement?"

Tumango sya. He gave me a notebook and a pen. Mayroon din syang kanya.

"It's like playing twenty questions. Same rules. Halinhinan tayo. Only this time, the things we will say are not questions but more of terms and conditions. If we agreed on them, we will follow these agreements kapag kasal na tayo."