Charmolypi | Ricci Rivero

epilogue

"kuya win, go get dada please" utos ko kay win, hinalikan muna ni win yung kamay ni baby javi before running outside to get ricci.

"yes boss?" tanong ni ricci, ngumiti ako.

"tara na, paki kuha naman yung gamit ni javi" sabi ko, he nodded. Binuhat ko si javi at hinawakan ang kamay ni win, ricci following behind us and bringing our stuff na napakarami.

"remind me again why we have to bring a luggage to a three day trip?" tanong ni ricci, inayos ko si win sa carseat niya, habang si ricci inilalagay sa trunk yung stroller, at yung body ng carseat ni javi na pwedeng maging bassinet.

"kasi we have a five year old and a 10 month old ricci. Ang konti na nga lang ng dala ko magrereklamo ka pa" I said, win smiled, inayos ko rin ang pagkakastrap kay javi.

"ready?" he asked, I closed the door of the car and sumakay na sa front seat.
Very careful magdrive si ricci, especially right now, baby pa si javi at syempre si win. Hindi na sila pwede sa harap basta basta dapat naka car seat na.

"bat biglang nagyaya sila juan ng hangout, ba't kailangan sa tagaytay pa?" I asked ricci at nagkibit balikat naman ito, the drive was bit slow but kinaya naman, mabuti nalang tahimik na baby si javi and si win, kuyang kuya na.

Nang makarating kami sa resthouse ng mga Gomez de Liano ay nandoon na sila einica at javi, einica looking blooming and her hand placed on top of her belly.

"hi eins!" sabi ko, bineso niya ako at hinalikan ang noo ni baby javi.

"where's my gift?" tanong ni javi, I name my baby girl after javi, yung nickname ni Janella is javi. I believe kasi na hindi lang sa akin regalo si janella, kung hindi pati na rin kay javier na ang tanging gusto lang ay sumaya ako. Inabot ko si baby javi kay javi, at tinulungan ko muna si ricci sa pagbaba ng gamit. 

"okay ka lang?" tanong ko sakanya, he nodded and smiled at me, ipinasok na niya ang mga gamit ng bata sa designated na kwarto para sa amin.

"gutom na" sabi ni javi at inabot sa akin yung baby, but he kissed her forehead before giving her back to me.

"go out after you feed her, plus change na pala into your gown, juan will propose na to dani ha?" javi said, tumango ako, they gave me this gown for me to wear, pati na rin kay baby javi. I smiled she looked so cute, ang liit nung gown nakakainis sarap kurutin.

It took me thirty almost thirty minutes to fix myself and the baby, natuwa ako, she looks so cute in her little gown, I lightly pressed her chubby cheeks. Simpleng puting gown naman ang akin, apparently, juan chose gowns for us making everyone's gown a surprise.

Lumabas na kami at naghihintay sa labas si javi, ngumiti siya at tinulungan ako.

"si win?" I asked,

"nandoon na, binisihan na ni ricci" sabi niya, making silly faces to keep baby javi occupied.

Tumigil kami sa harap ng isang tent. Javi insisted that I put my hand in his,

"dami na tao?" I asked, he nodded and smiled.

Tumigil kami sa harap ng napakalaking tent, where I saw the gomez de liano's, ada, kobe, juan, and danielle. Kumunot ang noo ko when I didn't see ricci anywhere.

Pagpatapak namin papasok, the light turned off, tanging mga ilaw na binibigay lamang ng fake candles ang nakikita ko, when the light opened, ricci was in front.

"kal" sabi niya sa mic, tumingin lamang ako sakanya, unsure of what he was doing, kawawa naman si juan, we were stealing his spotlight. Javi tightened his grip on my hand,

"ang haba na ng narating natin kal, I was sixteen when I first fell inlove with you, and I worked six years just to get your heart, when suddenly, hahalikan mo lang pala ako in the middle of the practice, you stole my heart and a kiss that day kalon, a day I would never forget. I love you with all my heart, we may have had some difficulties that made everything complicated but we got the first gift in our life, win" win waved at me, he was wearing a blush pink suit. "win, whom you treated as you own even if he wasn't yours, and for that I thank you kalon, no one will ever compare to you. Ngayon, you gave me javi, and you still continue to selflessly take care of win and I, kahit sleepless ka because of javi, you still make sure to make baon for win every morning, even I can't be that selfless kalon, maraming salamat. Kalon, we will never be complete, with our maria in heaven, but I promise to try and fill up the spaces she left and do my best to fix what I broke, I'll do my best everyday to fix you, to be a better father, and hopefully, by the end of tonight, a better husband. Kalon, will you marry me?"

Tumango ako, with years in my eyes, binuhat ni javi si baby, and he walked us down the aisle. Ricci started to tear up.

(play the song above, but pls imagine a more softer version :>)

Ricci at the end of the aisle, was crying already. He kissed baby javi in the forehead, javi hugged me before getting baby javi and win from us.

"thank you for giving me the chance to fix everything. I'll choose you everyday for the rest of my life kal."

Charmolypi, a mixed feeling of happiness, while being sad. One such case would be the regret and the repentance we sometimes feel because of past mistakes. However, they simultaneously fill us with the light of forgiveness and make us feel hopeful for the future.

Ricci is my charmolypi, my happiness, my sadness, my regret but also my hope. In the end, we sacrifice a lot of things for the person we truly love, but no sacrifice is wasted if the person is worth it.

Javi and einica started their own family, the perfect couple who helped me grow and move on from maria.

Juan and Danielle, not rushing into things, travels the world and makes sure to bring us pasalubongs.

Kobe and Ada, who once broke up because they can't find a common ground, now enjoys life as a married couple.

Ricci and I, the most complicated of the bunch, still found a way to be together in the end, despite all the challenges, all the loss, we must focus on what we gain.

Win gained a mother who left him early, while I gained a child I lost and a bonus one that glues us all together.

And this is where our story ends.

"layo na ng narating natin." ricci said, hugging me from behind.

"sobra." I said watching our kids, win being a responsible kuya and always taking care of his little sister.

"ma!" win shouted waving at us, I waved back. Little javi struggling to run behind her kuya.

"Kalon Rivero" ricci called me.

"bakit?"

"I love you."

"thank you"

"wow ah, parang di ka deads sakin nung college" ricci teased, kumunot noo ko,

"wow, sinong may crush sakin? sinong "I waited six years for you"?" he laughed lang and kissed my cheek.

"always and forever my kalon, always."