Wedding Ditcher

TWENTY NINE

Inuwi ako ni Kieffer sa amin bago mag ala siete ng gabi.

I invited him over for dinner but he refused. For the reason that papa still doesn't approve of our relationship. He said he doesn't want to ruin whatever papa has prepared for me tonight, simply by his presence.

"Ate." salubong ni Griffin nang makarating ako.

I cringed at the word. "I know you missed me but please don't call me that, it's disgusting."

He murmured. "Naglalambing lang e."

Binuksan ko ang pinto at pumasok, habang nakasunod sa aking likod si Grif. Nakita ko si papa na naghihintay sa'kin sa sala.

"Mabuti naman at tumupad si Kieffer sa usapan nila ni Norman."

Nagpanggap ako na 'di ko yun narinig at nilapitan siya. "So anong meron ngayong gabi?"

He hugged me before speaking. "I gathered everyone for dinner tonight."

"You know about this?" I turned to my brother.

"Yes, papa told me already."

For some reason, I'm nervous. Anong meron ngayong gabi? Anong magaganap at mukhang may alam si Griffin. What does Griffin know that I don't? What have they told him?

"Let's go?" yaya ni papa. "Naghihintay na ang lahat sa dining table."

Kinakabahan akong sumunod kay papa. It felt like every step was getting heavier.

Bahagya akong lumapit kay Grif at mahinang nagtanong. "Si Dea nandoon ba?"

He nodded.

The heck. I'm not even sure if I can face him.

We're having a dinner on our private dinning room, not on the kitchen where I usually sit on the small counter. Nang makarating kami doon, marami na silang naghihintay sa'kin. There waiting was Deacon, manong norman, si manang at iba naming tauhan.

What I did notice is, wala yung mga tauhan naming hindi pa masyadong matagal na nagtatrabaho sa mansyon.

Mga ibang kasambahay na matagal na dito, gardener namin, mga anak nina manong at manang na sa'min din nagsisilbi at iba pa.

"Wow." lahat nga sila naghihintay sa'kin.

Papa gestured me to take a seat. "Let's settle first on our seats."

Sumunod kami ni Griffin sa utos niya at umupo, habang nanatiling nakatayo si papa. I'm dying to know what will this be all about.

"Before we start, as promised I will give a speech dahil sa pagbabalik ng nag-iisa kong prinsesa." papa turned to me and smiled.

Griffin was about to clap his hands after that, when I spoke. "No clapping."

Bahagyang natawa ang mga tao sa mesa dahil sa'min ni Griffin.

"Hindi talaga makokompleto ang kainan kung hindi kayo magbabangayan." komento ni manang.

"Pero kahit ganun maganda naman tingnan." sabi ni manong. "Mas masaya kapag ganun 'di ba? Nakakatuwa silang panoorin."

Pinatunog ni papa ang glass wine gamit ang tinidor niya para mabalik sa kanya ang atensyon. "Everyone that's gathered here. Alam kong masyadong pormal ang gabing ito. Kahit na tayo lang ang nandito, pamilya naman tayong lahat dito sa mansyon hindi ba?"

They all agreed.

"Gusto ko lang pormal na e-anunsyo na hindi na natin lahat kailangang ilihim ang nakaraan kay Liangel at Griffin."