Wedding Ditcher

THIRTY FIVE

Lorianne just opened another branch of her clothing line at tuwing opening, kailangan nand'yan ang presence naming tatlo.

I saw it as an opportunity to introduce mama to them. They never got the chance to meet her, kahit picture niya wala akong pinakita noon pa. I was really bitter back then.

Nasabihan ko na si mama na isasama ko siya ngayon sa opening ng bagong branch ni Lori, para na rin mapakilala ko sa kanya ang aking circle of friends na pinagkakatiwalaan ko.

And of course Kieffer will be there. "I don't want you to be late, understood?"

"Nakabihis na ako. Si Louisa na lang ang hinihintay ko." sagot sa kabilang linya.

"Please tell her to hurry. You can come on time basta h'wag lang kayo ma late, okay?"

"Okay baby, see you later."

Nasa kwarto pa ako ngayon katatapos lang magbihis. I was unsure on what to wear, at itong suot ko ang pang-apat ko ng bihis. For the event, I'm wearing a caramel belted crepe pants and blank tank bodysuit paired with black heels. Dinala ko rin ang black cardigan ko.

Mukhang hassle siya pero ewan, I just feel like I'll be needing it later.

Sa pagkakaalam ko, hindi masyadong malayo ang bagong branch ni Lori galing dito, siguro mga thirty five minutes ride without traffic, pero kung galing sa bahay nila Kieffer it's a twenty four kilometer ride at sana lang hindi traffic.

I called Lorianne while driving, pressing the speaker button.

"Evergreen I'm so busy alam mo 'yon? Can't you just text me? Hindi ba pwedeng mamaya na lang 'yang sasabihin mo kapag nagkita na tayo?"

"You want me to message you while I'm driving? Gusto mo ma aksidente ako?"

"Ano ba kasi 'yon?" she sound irritated.

"Magtatanong lang ako kung nand'yan na ang dalawa."

She mumbled something. "Wala pa. Goodbye na kita na lang tayo mamaya." she ended the call.

Busy nga siya, napaka-impatient.

I haven't received a message or call from Kieffer or kahit kay mama. Excited akong ipakilala siya sa kanila.

Hindi ako makahintay na makita ang ekspresyon sa mukha nila kapag nakita na nila si mama. They don't know anything about my mother, they never bothered asking because they know it was a sensitive topic for me.

Ang alam lang nila, iniwan kami ni mama noong fourteen pa lang ako.

I kind of planted a bad image of my mother in their brains because of how I despised her before. Sabi ko kasi iniwan niya kami para sa ibang pamilya. Mas pinili niya sila kaysa sa'min.

Surely, I will give them a brief summary of the truth. Ang importante nagkaayos na kami ni mama.

They will be shocked kapag malaman nila na step mom ni Kieffer ang mama ko. It's really complicated and I know they'll have a hard time processing the information after I've said everything.

When I arrived, I immediately saw Maddy. I had to find first where to leave my car, wala kasing parking lot. I had no choice but to park my car on the side of the street.

Buti na lang walang nakalagay na bawal magpark doon. Nang makalabas ako sa aking kotse, naaninag ko ang isang pamilyar na sasakyan. It was Miguel's car and as it was approaching near me, I pretended I didn't see it and continued walking.

Ayokong tawagin ako ni Nicaredge at maghihintay pa ako sa kanila. It's hot outside and I did not bring an umbrella, doon na lang kami magkita sa loob.