Suddenly, you're my wife

Part 12

The following morning, everybody was energetic and all smiles as they went to the barn where the wedding will be held.

I, on my beautiful small, knee length white dress is greeting everybody that arrives.

The front part of the barn is elevated for us and the person that will conduct the wedding.

I went down to platform to kiss my lola's cheeks who is all smiled at me. I did the same with my mom. My dad gave me a look and saw Mr. Gilbertson beside him.

I sighed as the wedding march started to play. Then emerged a beautiful woman that is wearing my grandmother's wedding dress, and a familiar necklace. She was holding a bouquet of white roses. Her hair was laid flat on her back and her face has the lightest make up.

It made my heart skip a beat.

My lola stepped beside her and she grabbed her arms. She was going to give Jhoana away for this ceremony.

The crowd stood up and looked at her with awe. She walked towards me with a look of determination and worry in her face.

When she arrived on the front, she gave lola a small peck on the cheek and stood beside me.

She was surprised when she saw the person who will conduct the ceremony.

Ramone.

I told you guys, he really is one too many person.

"Every one please be seated." He said.

This is a different Ramone, he was serious.

"We are gathered here today, to give thanks and to celebrate, one of the life's greatest moments. To give recognition to the beauty, honesty and own selfish ways of Bea and Jhoana's true love, in front of family and friends. For it is their family and friends who taught Bea and Jhoana to love. So it is only right..."

Jhoana raised her hand that made Ramone stop. I looked at her and she was closing her eyes shut. "Uhm, do you have a question?" He asked.

"Uh, no. Uh.. It's not a question but uh.. I have something I need to say." 

"Jhoana." I called her in panic. She's gonna spill.

"Can it wait 'til after?" Ramone asked.

"Uh.. No." She shook her head and looked at me. I sighed as she turned around to the crowd.

She cleared her throat before speaking. "Hello there." She said and we heard a murmur of greetings.

"Uhm.. Thank you all so much for coming out. I uh.. I have a little bit of an announcement to make, about the wedding. Well, it's more of a confession, really."

"What are you doing?" I looked and asked her, but she ignored me.

"I'm a Filipino. With an expired visa, who is about to be deported. And because I didn't want to leave this wonderful continent of yours, I forced Bea to marry me."

There were gasps from the crowd.

"Jhoana stop it." I said and again, she ignored me.

"See, Bea here, I don't actually worked with her for a long time, but Jema, my vice, she always talked about her and she has this extraordinary work ethic, something I think she learned from you." She looked at my dad.

"And in just days that I have known her, I know that she is a hard worker and a vulnerable person when it comes to work, that she would do just about anything. So I took advantage." She cracked her voice.

"I black mailed her to come up here, and to lie to you. And I thought it would be easy to watch her do it." She cleared her throat to hold back the tears. "But it didn't. Turns our it was not easy to ruin someone's life once you find out how wonderful they are." She looked at my mom and my lola who is now in tears.

"You have a beautiful family, don't let this come between you two."

"Jhoana." I called her softly.

She turned to me and looked me in the eyes. There I saw vulnerability and hurt. "Bea, this is a business deal, and you held up your end. But now the deal's off." She walked away from me and left me with mouth slightly open, surprised.

She stepped down and stopped in from of my lola. "I'm sorry." She whispered and walked again.

"Meet me in the port, you're giving me a ride to the airport." She said as Mr. Gilbertson stood up and the latter nodded.

We all looked at my fiance walked out on me. I was left in the altar, crying.

Jia looked at me and I looked at her but I immediately avoided gaze.

My mom and lola stood up to me and scolded me. "What were you thinking?!" She asked me.

"Bea..." My lola said.

"I-I don't.. I don't know. Let me just get my head straight okay? I'll explain everything to you. I'm sorry okay?" I jogged towards the exit and tried to find Jhoana.

I looked everywhere, on the barn, on the yard, behind and beside the house, the pond, the house, but nothing. I went up to the bedroom and I saw the dress that she wore, laid flat on the bed. Beside it was the necklace and a whole bunch of familiar paper, a copy of my book, has a note clipped on it.

I get the note and read. 

You were right, your book has potential. I lied because I knew other publishing will get you and we will loose you as a writer. You have an extraordinary hand and brain for writing and I will made sure that I give good word for your future employers before I leave. Have an amazing life, you deserve it. -Jhoana.

"Well, that was... uh, crazy." Jia said and entered the room.

"Heh." I forced a chuckle.

"You know people are going to talk about this forever."

"Yeah yeah." I said and looked at the letter again.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes. Yes." I sighed. "No, uhm. You know the problem is?" I walked towards her. "The problem is.. This woman.." I pointed at her letter. "Is a gigantic pain in my ass!!"

Jia smiled at me and raised her brows.

"First this whole leaving me in the altar thing, I totally understand that, kinda stressful. Then she leaves this note because she doesn't have the decency, the humanity to do it to my face." I crumpled the paper and threw it angrily.

"Bea. Bea." She called me to calm down.

"But none of that matters, because we had a deal."

"Bea." She called softly.

"Sorry. Sorry. I'm just uh.. She makes me crazy."

"Yeah, I can see that. So you're just gonna let her go or?"

I looked at her. God this woman makes the best of me. She made me realize what I truly feel about Jhoana.

**

"So, what now?" Jhoana asked Mr. Gilbertson on the way to the airport.

"Well, now that you are leaving voluntarily, it all becomes very.. simple. Once we land in New York, you have 24 hours to head back to Philippines."