Wedding, Interrupted (Published under Pop Fiction)

2: Sebastian

It's been quite some time since I talked to my cousin Jaron. Kaya naman bahagya akong nabigla nang makatanggap ako ng tawag mula sa kanya sa kalagitnaan ng pagtuturo ko ng Management Accounting.

"Excuse me for a moment," I told the class I was teaching. "I have to get this call."

Once outside the classroom, I pressed the glaringly green button on the screen and inched the phone closer to my ear.

"Hey, Seb."

My cousin's voice was as playful as I remembered. Si Jaron ang tipo ng tao na sa tono pa lang ng boses, alam mo nang maraming kalokohang itinatago. Wala akong pag-aalinlangan sa pagsasabing sa aming magpipinsan, si Jaron ang pinakagago. Kaya nga nagulat kaming lahat nang malaman namin na balak niyang maging abogado.

"Baka abogago," tukso ng isa pa naming pinsan na si Erisson sa kanya. Nagtawanan naman ang lahat.

But as if to exceed everyone's expectations from him, Jaron did make it as a lawyer. Sa katunayan, ngayon ay sa Maynila na siya nagtatrabaho, dahilan kung bakit minsan na lang kami magkita at magkausap.

"What's up, Jaron?" I said by way of acknowledging the call. "If this is another story about your hot intern, I'm hanging up. Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng klase, attorney."

Jaron chuckled. "Sorry, professor. Tumawag lang naman ako para itanong kung pwede kang maging best man sa kasal ko."

"You're getting married?" After a stunned silence, I laughed out loud. "Malayo pa ang April 1, bro."

"I'm not joking, you jerk." Jaron chuckled as well. "Ikakasal na nga ako, at hindi makakauwi si Jesse kaya ikaw ang kinukuha ko ngayong best man."

"I didn't even know you're in a serious relationship."

"I got engaged two months ago." I could picture out Jaron shrugging. "Ano, payag ka ba o si Erisson na lang ang tatanungin ko? The wedding's still a couple of months away."

"Fine. I'm going to be your best man," I answered, causing Jaron to let out a triumphant sound. "Diyan ba sa Manila ang kasal?"

"Yup," my cousin confirmed.

"Good. Makakalayo ako kay Dad."

Jaron laughed. "Kinukulit ka pa rin ba ni Tito na tumakbo sa susunod na eleksyon?"

"Yes." Bumuntonghininga ako. "Kung ayaw ko raw na governor kaagad, kahit vice muna. Hindi ko na nga alam kung paano ko pa ipaiintindi sa kanya na wala akong balak na maging susunod na ama ng Catalona."

"Why don't you try it?" Jaron suggested. "Sigurado namang mananalo ka. Sa dami ba naman ng mga kolehiyala na may crush sa'yo."

"Shut your fat mouth, Jaron."

My cousin chortled. "Easy! I'm only kidding. O paano, sasabihan ko na si Sig na pumayag ka nang maging best man ko, ha?"

"Sig... is that your fiancée?"

"Yup. Sigourney – Sig for short."

"That's an interesting name." And an unfamiliar one, too. I could still vaguely recall Jaron telling me about his girlfriend, who was definitely not named Sigourney.

Oh, well. Sigourney's probably just the latest among Jaron's long list of women. And there must be something about her that made my roguish cousin finally decide to settle down.

"Wait 'til you meet her. Sig's personality is as interesting as her name," pagbibida ni Jaron. The pride in his voice actually made me grin. At least, nagpapakatino na talaga ang loko.

"I'm really happy for you, bro," I told him. "Congratulations on your engagement. Alam na ba ng tropa?" By 'tropa', I meant the rest of the Silvera cousins na halos mga kasing-edad lang namin – Erisson, Kaden, and Gael. The five of us grew up really close to each other, but I must admit that it's Jaron whom I'm closest to.

"I'm going to give them a call right after ours," my cousin answered. "Paano, bro? Hindi na kita aabalahin pa. Thanks for agreeing to be my best man."

"Like I'm going to refuse." I chuckled. "See you soon, Jaron."

"See you soon, Seb." With that, my cousin ended the call.

****

Matapos ang klase ay kaagad akong nagtungo sa faculty room – an action I instantly regretted when I found out that no one else was there, apart from my co-professor Hope Esquivel.

Kung gaano katagal na akong nagtuturo sa Catalona University ay ganoon na rin katagal na ipinipilit ni Hope ang sarili niya sa akin. No matter how politely or brusquely I brush her off, hindi ko alam kung paano ko ipapaliwanag sa kanya na wala akong interes na makipagrelasyon sa kanya. Napakamalas ko nga yata talaga dahil bukod kay Dad na nasa bahay, may katrabaho rin ako na saksakan ang kakulitan.

"Hi, Seb." The moment Hope saw me, her face broke into a wide smile. With her long black hair, delicate face, and favored get-up of dainty day dress, she looked gorgeous as usual, and it was much to everyone's puzzlement that I was finding it really difficult to like her back. Bagay naman daw kami, kaya bakit hirap na hirap akong ibalik ang pagmamahal na ibinibigay ni Hope?

It's not that I didn't like Hope. She's attractive and nice enough, all right. It's just that I didn't like her that way.

"Hope," tipid kong sagot sa kanya sabay lapag ng accounting book na hawak ko.

"Nag-lunch ka na ba?" Her tone was full of anticipation.

"Yup," I lied, dahil alam kong kapag sinabi ko ang totoo, aayain niya ako na sabayan siya sa pagkain.

Hope's smile faded a bit. "I see. Sige, magla-lunch lang din ako. If anyone comes looking for me, pakisabi na nasa cafeteria ako."

"Sure," I replied without looking at her. She lingered a bit, and in my peripheral vision, I could see that she looked disappointed. It was with relief that I watched as she finally shut the door of the faculty room behind her.

****

"Son. You're home," Dad greeted the moment he got out of his study and saw me watching the news on the living room television. Matagal ko nang balak bumukod ng tirahan, but Mom was having none of it. My parents didn't really want me to leave the house and buy another for myself instead, dahil bakit pa raw ako mag-aabala kung sa akin din naman mapupunta ang bahay namin balang-araw?

"And besides, this house is already too big even for the three of us. Paano pa kapag dalawa na lang kami rito ng Dad mo?" I remembered Mom pointing out. I could also recall sighing exasperatedly as a response.

Being an only child sucks. Even if you're already a twenty-nine year-old man working as a college professor, your parents will still insist on treating you like a toddler.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted him back. Itatanong ko sana kung hindi ba siya pumunta sa kapitolyo ngayong araw, pero ayaw kong isipin niya na may kahit katiting na interes ako sa pulitika.

"Your cousin Jaron called," he said, sitting beside me. "He's inviting us to his wedding."

"Yeah. He also asked me to be his best man."

Dad looked surprised. "What about his younger brother?"

"Hindi raw makakauwi si Jesse sa araw ng kasal niya," I explained.

"Is that so," my father remarked. "Well, did you say yes?"

"Of course. Hindi ko naman mapapahindian si Jaron. He's the brother I never had."

"That's good to know." Dad patted me on the shoulder. "Masaya akong malaman na magkasundo kayong magpipinsan, kahit na hindi kami okay ng mga kapatid ko."

"Well, we're not like you, are we?" I smirked. "I, for one, am not remotely interested to share your career."

"You'll be singing a different tune soon, Sebastian."

"I don't think so, Dad," I scoffed.

My father didn't say anything. He just gave me a weary look – obviously fed up with me – before getting up from his seat and finally returning to his study.