The Bridge To Success

I told you, you'll say that

Early that day, Eddy woke up to the sounds of people busily arranging stuff on the house. It was a hot Sunday morning. The irregular changes on the weather made him blame climate change. He wished that it would be at least cloudy so he can bear wearing a shirt on, too bad it was not.

Eddy was just out of the shower when Chen-mama called. "Eddy, you awake yet?"

"Yeah..." He answered weakly. Not minding if she heard him or not. Eddy went downstairs to the kitchen.

On the way there he saw the hallways are sparkling clean, curtains all new. The living room was much better than that, the seat covers changed and even the sofa set was rearranged. There Chen-papa was sweeping the floor, not in his usual basketball shorts but in decent pants. In the kitchen, there were tablewares that he didn't even know they had, even had a fruits basket on the tabletop, and many other things he can't pinpoint.

All of these only mean one thing. The house was preparing for a visit.

Eddy felt a soft thud on his back. He picked up the item that was thrown to him.

"Put a shirt on." Chen-mama gestured that he'd wear it. His sister snickers beside their mom, holding a stack of plates.

Eddy observed the two. His sister, instead of the usual messy bun that she always wore, a clean ponytail. His mom in her usual "housewife" attire, but she wore earrings, mind you.

He did wear the shirt, as his mom would be mad if he didn't. Eddy knew there would be visitors but he had to ask, "What's the occasion?"

Both Chen-mama and his sister gasped.

"What?" Eddy, confused to their reaction, asked, "I won't ask if I knew."

Both Chen-mama and his sister looked at each other, then to Eddy, disbelief evident on their faces. Chen-mama shook her head and patted him on the shoulder. Both of them continued what they were doing in the kitchen.

"Later you'll say "it's going too fast," even the fact is it's not," Chen-mama said to Eddy over her shoulder.

Again Eddy has a confused look on his face. He shrugged, left the topic on 'seen'. He helped them on their chores.

-

It was around 10 AM when the esteemed guests arrived.

Chen-papa opened the door for them. Eddy went to the living room to check who the visitors were. On the halfway there, where he could see the main door, he stood, jaw dropped.

The first to enter the door was his boyfriend, clad in white. Brett smiled at Eddy's direction as he walked towards the living room. Behind him was Yang-mama, also clad in white, she gave Eddy some looks too before going straight to the living room, then the older Yang sibling, yes, also in white. The three of them all looked like they were glowing as they passed by the tall window where a lot of natural light coming in.

Eddy felt like running back to the kitchen but the moment he turned around his sister handed him a tray. "Go serve them tea!"

"Wha-- isn't  your job to?" He complained.

She literally shoved the tray to Eddy, he got no choice but to get it from her. "It's your job now." And she went back to the kitchen.

He got no other option but to do it. The guests and both of his parents are all seated on the living room, having a chat. There, Eddy put the tray's contents on the coffee table. When he was about to leave Chen-mama tugged on his shirt, hard, gestured that he should sit with them too.

Seeing this, Brett gave a small laugh.

Hearing this, Eddy turned to Brett.

Brett mouthed a 'sit down' to Eddy.

He blinked a few times but Eddy obliged.

And the talks commenced.

---

Chen-papa stretched his arms up to the air, "We all just talked but I sure am tired!"

"You didn't say anything though." Chen-mama smiled, as she was collecting the used tableware from the coffee table.

Eddy just sat at the sofa, on his location since the talks started, staring blankly at the coffee table.

The Yangs already left. The talks went smoothly. Both families settled on, decided on which of which should shoulder what.

Eddy was indeed in a state of shock. It took a moment before he can speak. "The wedding's in three months." He put a hand on his head, a headache maybe, "Isn't this going too fast?"

"See, I told you, you'll say that." Chen-mama to Eddy as she brought the tablewares back to the kitchen.