The Periwinkle Affair

TPA 26: Sisters

"Everyone, this is Nicomaine Mendoza, my fiancée." Alden announces. Everyone looked at each other. In a few moments. Everyone busted out laughing.

Maine and Alden exchanged looks but did not crack a smile. Everybody is still laughing. They just stood there waiting for their friends to get done with their laughter.

Molly has a shock on her face. It dawned on her. The way Maine was pacing early this morning holding a ring was because of this. She saw that ring from Alden two weeks ago when he dropped Aleck at their house to hang out with Egay and Utoy. She overheard her mom and Alden talking about a proposal and that ring caught her attention. So, he gave it to Ate Maine. She smiled inwardly.

"Kuya Mike! Aren't you going to do something with these dummies here?" Molly stood up and spoke. Her brows are glued together in anger.

"Yeah I'd like to know when they are going to stop laughing at serious matters such as this." Everyone stop laughing ang look at Luisa. Maine was surprised herself too.

"I thought you were at the clinic." Maine asked.

"And missed this? No way." Luisa went straight next to Big Mike and kissed him on the cheek.

Big Mike was shocked at Alden's declaration but wasn't able to laugh or say a word. He was staring at Maine then at Alden, then back to Maine. He was trying to make sense of what he had heard. But was more serious at his fiancée who just showed up right now.

"Be serious, Alden." Said Big Mike as he wrapped his arm over Luisa's shoulders. Alden just chuckled.

"I am serious." He said squarely. Glancing at Maine with so much love.

"Ay Putang..." Conrad wasn't able to continue with his words because a binder flew across the room and almost hit him.

"CONRAD!" Luisa yelled.

"I already said to watch your mouth, Tuico! There's a kid here!" Alden was furious. "If you can't get a hold of yourself, just shut up, okay." He added. He didn't like to hear cursing around Periwinkle. Alden may curse inwardly or in his thoughts but cursing out loud is not in his style.

"Sorry. But no, seriously, fiancée?" Conrad can not contain himself, he got closer to them.

"Alden, I know you. You don't see her that way." Allan approached them and put his arm over Conrad's shoulders and squinted his eyes.

"I agree, too." Cisco echoed from the left side and leaned on Conrad, sizing up Alden.

"You need to cut the bull." Bernie sat on the edge of the table in front of Alden, next to the three hovering idiots. Alden smiled and glanced again at Maine, she smiled.

"Ahweh!" The four chorused.

"Do you guys think I was joking? With Maine standing here? And like you said, I don't see her that way." Alden was appalled but at the same he's understanding them. The funny part is, Maine was just standing next to him holding in her laughter. He's so amused.

"You're in on it, too, huh Maine?" Luisa can't help but ask. "Maybe this is just a joke, like that show practical jokers." Luisa raised her brows and looked around hoping that she was right. Everyone nodded.

"Okay. where's the camera?" Ruben, who wasn't even part of the conversation, butted in. "I've seen this on TV before. It's a prank show... Huli Ka! That's the one." He added on. Everyone nodded in almost unison in agreement that maybe it was just a big prank joke.

Maine and Alden remained silent. His arms behind her and the other carrying Periwinkle and Maine playing with Wink. Then everyone fell in complete silence watching them.