Wedding, Interrupted (Published under Pop Fiction)

6: Sebastian

Color me unsurprised when Sigourney refused to believe that marrying Jaron would be a huge mistake.

Hindi ko naman talaga inasahan na paniniwalaan niya ako, lalo na at unang beses pa lamang naming magkita at ganoon na agad ang sinabi ko sa kanya. But I did hope that my words would be enough to at least make her suspicious of Jaron.

Alas, it seemed that she was head over heels for my cousin. I had half a mind to tell her the reason why I warned her against marrying Jaron, but something stopped me – probably the fact that no matter how huge of an asshat Jaron was, he is still as good as my brother.

Now what, Seb?

Mukhang tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang kasal nina Jaron at Sigourney. Hahayaan ko na lang bang lokohin ng pinsan ko ang magiging asawa niya? Should I just tell him off privately? Kapag ginawa ko 'yon, malamang ay tawanan lang ako ni Jaron at sabihang 'wag ko nang pakialaman ang buhay niya. I could just imagine him saying, "St. Sebastian, stop being a party pooper."

Fuck. Bakit ba kasi idinawit ko pa ang sarili ko sa problema nilang dalawa?

Ilang araw na lang, magkakatipon-tipon na ang mga Silvera. Those who are still in Catalona would be arriving, except for my parents. Dad wasn't in speaking terms with Jaron's father, kaya naman suntok sa buwan ang pagdalo nila ni Mom sa kasal ni Jaron. Precisely why I agreed to be my cousin's best man – I could use some time away from my nagging governor of a father.

Do I dare reveal to our relatives how big of a jerk Jaron actually is?

As I mulled over the situation, Sigourney's delicate face kept on haunting my thoughts. More than anything, I was angry at my cousin for having the guts to two-time that lady. Mukhang mahal na mahal naman siya ng fiancée niya, kaya hindi ko lubos maisip kung paano nagagawa ni Jaron na lokohin ito. Kung ako ang nasa lugar niya, hindi ko magagawang saktan ang babaeng halata namang itinuturing ako bilang sentro ng mundo niya.

****

That evening, I resolved myself to the fact that there was nothing else I could do. I tried warning Sigourney, but since she obviously refused to believe me, I would just forget about that phone call I overheard at the yacht. At tutal, lagi naman akong binibiro ng mga pinsan ko na magdasal, ipagdarasal ko na lang na magbago na si Jaron. O kaya naman, kung hindi man magbago ang gago, na mahuli ni Sigourney ang mga kabalbalan niya. Only then, I thought, would she realize that my warning was worth listening to – and that I wasn't just stirring shit up for the sake of it, as she probably suspected.

My conscience was screaming how foolish my decision was, but I was done meddling.

****

Three days before the wedding, Jaron took me to the same haberdashery where he got his suit for the wedding. He got me one with a similar style, saying that the other guests were free to dress as they please, but I, as his best man, should at least coordinate with him – as per Sigourney, of course. I doubt it that Jaron cared enough about the wedding to come up with the idea by himself.

My decision to quit meddling was put to a test when I noticed that he barely lifted his eyes from his phone screen while we were at the shop. Sino kaya ang ka-text ng loko – si Sigourney, o ang babae niya?

"Seb, are you alright? Bakit ang sama mo makatingin?"

"What?" I was shaken out of my reverie by Jaron's voice.

"You're frowning and looking like you want to kill me." My cousin chuckled. "What did I do to you, bro?"

"Sorry." I forced myself to wipe the anger off my face. "May naalala lang akong nakakabwisit."