Love in the Time of Vanity Fair

Chapter 17: Billboard

John Locke once said that a man's freedom is determined by his mental faculty for rationality. Our decisions must then be driven by reason. However, emotion is pivotal in understanding human nature. We have met the metaphorical comparison between the mind and the heart, between passion and reason.

But what happens when reason is clouded by passion?

Is our freedom infringed when we choose to be incarcerated in the throes of passion?

...

"A Tiffany Three Stone Ring with a micro pave studded platinum setting. Not bad Marcus" Martina praised as she scrutinized the ring that grazed my left ring finger, "Buti hindi mo pinahiya pamilya natin" she continued jokingly.

Ian grunted in response, "She would have married me with a candy ring" he countered.

She scoffed at that, "Then I'd object during the wedding".

I could only laugh at their banter.

We just arrived back from the island when we saw Martina by the yacht club. We weren't supposed to tell her anything but her sharp eyes saw the glint of the stone against my hand and clung at me. She hadn't stopped pestering us about how the proposal happened since then and it had been three hours. We were determined to keep it between the two of us, Ian and I.

"So have you any chosen destination for the wedding?"

The question made me smile. After Ian's unexpected proposal, we found ourselves walking by the seaside, just breathing in the salty sea breeze when I asked him if he had a place in mind for the wedding. He was silent in contemplation for a moment.

"The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia."

I stopped walking to confirm what I heard

"The one in Barcelona?" I surmised and he nodded, "Why" I wondered loudly which drew a small smile in his lips.

He sighed and held my hand tighter, "Do you know that until now it is unfinished?"

I nodded.

"Just like us. The beauty of the Basilica is only fortified by a great effort, dedication, and time, like all great things are. I'd like to think that we are like that too and that we will have to continuously work on us because our story is unfinished." He quipped then stalled us where we were standing to make me face him. My arms traveled his and found themselves clasped around his neck. He moved his face closer to mine until our noses were touching. "I promise to work on loving you every day", he vowed before I melted in his embrace.

We drove back to Manila together and we found ourselves slumped at the den in their estate. Ian invited my Mom and Dad over for a dinner with his parents so we would only have to break the news about our engagement once. This reminds me that Kathleen is going to kill me kasi huli nanaman siya sa balita.

Ian went to the kitchen and I was going to go after him to get a glass of water when Martina dragged me to my feet and shouted, "Marcus I'm going to borrow Isabella for a while!" She led me to the second level and pushed me into what I could only assume was a guest room.

"Okay, you have to get ready for the engagement dinner now" she announced me.

"What? It's only four, the dinner isn't until seven" I protested and she looked outraged.

She held her hands on her waist, "You are the bride to be and you are going to be gorgeous tonight so get your arse up to the bath because I will not be taking any complaints" she declared as she pushed me to the bathroom.

I chuckled. What met me after the bath I took did not make me laugh.

"What is happening?" I asked in confusion as I saw Martina with people I didn't know inside the room and a LOT of dresses in racks were being rolled in.