4TH CHAPTER

Nakahiga ako sa kama, and my cousins were on their phones. Si Ate Betsy, nasa balcony, may kausap ata na doctor, and Andreas was playing on his Nintendo switch. I laid back on the bed and I looked at the ceiling.

“Ang tagal ni Tia.” I remarked.

“Did you hear her mom’s voice, katakot!” Ate Judy remarked. “Grabe, nakatiis ka sa bahay na ‘to ng ganon kasama mo? All until 4^th year high school?”

I chuckled, not sitting back up. “Hindi ko naman nakaka-interact madalas ‘yong mommy ni Tia eh.” I sat up and met Ate Judy’s eyes. “Hindi naman ako taga-rito, diba?”

“True,” Milano remarked. “hindi nga taga-rito si Rise.”

I glanced at Milano and we smiled at each other. I don’t have allies in this house, but outside, I have a village who loves me, and cares for me. My ‘estranged’ cousins are among them. Kris, and his family, too. My friends din sa hospital. And most importantly, my Lolo Leo. I miss my Lolo, pero he’s on his ‘enlightenment’ trip sa Siargao. He didn’t mean to miss my brother’s wedding. Wala rin namang wedding to miss, so I think exempted na siya from this, well, mess.

“Oh, oh, Rise!” Ate Judy glanced at me with an excited look on her face, and she beamed. “Your suture technique! I saw the baby bago ako umalis pa-Cebu, grabe, that was immaculate! Di ko alam na magagaling pala neuro peeps sa ganon?! Ang linis ng pagkakatahi! Samantalang sa inyo nauubos ang skin glue sa ospital.”

“No, Ate, si Rise lang talaga magaling mag-suture.” I shook my head at their praises and I just smiled. Pumasok na si Ate Betsy, at nag-usap pa kami tungkol sa mga cases namin sa ospital. Andreas, a curious one, stopped playing Animal Crossing, at nakidaldal na rin siya sa amin.

“Wait, broken heart syndrome? May ganon?!” Andreas asked, with an accented Tagalog.

Ate Betsy nodded. “Nagka-case ako ng ganon, it was wild, binreak ‘yong babae ng jowa niya after niya pumasa ng board exams.”

I glanced at Ate Betsy. “Wait, ikaw ‘yong may hawak nung case na ‘yon?”

She nodded. “Grabe, nabaliw puso niya non. Biruin mo, kapapasa lang ng boards, tas iniwan na ng shota? Kung ako 'yon, nako. Nagwala siguro ako.” Ate Betsy shook her head and she crossed her arms. “Kaya kayo, mga kids, nako, sinasabi ko sa inyo, wag kayo magjojowa ng maaga!”

“Why do you sound like my mother, Betsy?”

Sinamaan ng tingin ni Ate Betsy si Andreas, and they laughed it out. We also talked about some of the stories sa ospital, siyempre, since na-assign ni Milano sa ER this past few days, and there were some crazy occurrences, so napag-usapan din namin ‘yon.

It didn’t take long before we heard another knock on the door. This time, Milano came to open it, and surprisingly, it’s one of the maids. “Mga Ma’am, Sir Milano, Sir Andreas, ready na po dinner.” Everyone looked confused.

That’s because we don’t do dinners in this family.

Weirded out, lahat kami lumabas sa room nila Ate Betsy, and we went to the dining room, even Andreas, who was here just to support Tia. They’re best friends eh, or something along the lines, basta they trust each other enough that they follow each other around.

When we got to the dining room, which is hardly used, by the way, everyone in the family was there. The head of the Bellanovas, my grandfather, Maximo Bellanova, was sitting at the middle. Then, his only daughter, Tita Margaret, Tia’s mom, was sitting on his left, with my mother and Tita Lucille on his right side. Kuya Dos, Tia’s older brother, was also in attendance, and he was sitting next to his mother. Which is weird, kasi he wasn’t at the wedding.

Kuya Dos is the Bellanova’s first son. So siya ang magmamana ng karamihan ng yaman ng mga Bellanova. This family barely has dinners, but when there is, ang pwede lang umupo sa left side ng Lolo ko are those who have Bellanova blood.

However, I stopped wanting to be associated with the Bellanovas, so I took a seat next to Andreas. I noticed my mother shooting me daggers from her seat, but I didn’t care.

“Arissa Erishelle,” Lolo Maximo called out for me and I looked up to meet his eyes. The hazel eyes that every Bellanova seems to have. “move your seat.”

Natigil ako sandali bago ako tumango, at lumipat sa tabi ni Tia sa kabilang side. My heart was thumping as I changed seats, and now, kaharap ko na si Andreas.

I don’t understand kung paano ko nasikmura ‘yong buong dinner na ‘yon. It was quiet, and everyone was just clashing their knives with the plates. We were having steak. Steak kasi dapat ‘yong pa-dinner sa wedding kanina, kaso things happened, and now, we’re eating wedding waste.

“The Tengs and the Bellanovas have agreed to a truce.” Lolo Maximo began to speak. “The result of this truce is simple. They agreed to continue the contract if we replace Leonel with another Bellanova.”

I narrowed my eyes. That can’t be Kuya Dos. Si Kuya Dos, he’s engaged to this girl na anak ng General. My grandfather won’t give up the chance to waste that pedigree. I glanced at Milano, who’s also confused.

Milano pointed at himself. “Skylar’s a great girl, but you removed me and my siblings from this family. What makes you think that I’ll accept this?”

Ate Betsy and Ate Judy glared at Lolo. “One word, lalabas kami ng bahay na ‘to. Alam niyo yan.” Ate Judy began and Tita Lucille glanced at them.

“Calm down, Judy, Lano. Trust me, kung ininvolve nila kayo, wala na tayo ngayon sa Cebu.” When the sisters heard that, napaupo silang dalawa kaagad, at kinaskas ni Ate Judy ‘yong knife sa plate, causing a loud noise coming from her plate.

“Marunong ako magpatigil ng blood circulation sa katawan, ayusin niyo sasabihin niyo, baka di ko magustuhan.”

“Is that a threat, Judithe Bellanova?” Napatigil si Ate Judy nang bumanat din si Lolo. “Of course, you three have been living as Lopez-Bellanova. I don’t want to get on Steve Lopez’s bad side, so you three are automatically excluded.” He then glanced at me. “In the same manner, I also do not want to get on Leonel Casimiro’s hit list, so you, Arissa, are also off the choices.”

I looked around, at nagsimula na akong kabahan. I dreadfully glanced at the one person who wasn’t mentioned.

Oh, good Lord.

I dropped my knife and fork in realization of what just happened, at napahawak ako sa bibig ko.

No, no, anything but that.

I glanced at Tia, and then at Andreas.

“No.” I whispered. “God, no.”

“There wasn’t a choice, Rise. I had to do it.” Tia tried to assure me, and I looked at everyone in the room. Angry. Tia’s a child! She’s only 23! Bakit siya?! Tia, no, no, not Tia!

“Who’s your partner?” I asked.

“Armando Teng.”

My eyes went wide. Oh my God. Oh, dear Lord. Pati si Ate Judy, napatayo. “Armando? Teng?! That guy’s five whole years older than her! And that guy’s a walking health hazard! Do you guys have any idea how many times he’s been sent to the ER because of his sexual escapades?! Doon niyo ipapares si Tia? There’s a Teng her age, bakit hindi doon?!”

“Kasi wala tayong choice!” My mother began.

“Shut up, your son’s the reason why we’re here, in the first place.”

“Judithe Bellanova, ikaw—”

“What were you trying to call my daughter, Eleonora?”

So many voices were ringing inside my head. I can see Andreas’ pained expression, the anger in Ate Judy’s voice, my Tita Margaret trying to compose herself by gripping her knife. I can tell na she’s forced to do this. I can hear my mother, and Tita Lucille fighting, and Tia close to crying.

Then it stopped.

The noises stopped.

Hinampas ko ‘yong knife sa plato ko to make a clashing noise. “Everybody, shut up!” And with that, everyone stopped talking. The anger ended, the energy inside the room faded, and they sat back down to their seats.

“Arissa Bellanova—”

“With all due respect,” I glared at my mother. “I cut brains for a living. Alam ko kung saan ko itutusok ‘tong kutsilyo na ‘to to permanently paralyze you,” then I glared at everyone, “all of you, so please, listen to me as I speak.” I never blurted out threats in this house. I never dared to. I never wanted to.

But the only person who’s ever protected me in this estate is about to be sold off. How am I supposed to stay silent about that?

“I’ll do it,” I firmly said. “the marriage. Ako na.”

“Rise –”

“Tia, no.” I glanced at Ate Judy. “The Ates are right. Masyado ka pang bata. Ni hindi mo pa nga naranasang mag-clubbing at abutin ng past-two sa bar. Bakit ka magpapakasal?” Then I glanced at Lolo Maximo. “If it’s Lolo Leo that’s your problem, Sir, ako na po bahala sa Lolo Leo ko. He believes in me.” I stood firmly and I looked at the elders in the eye. “This was my older brother’s fault. Let me atone for it.”

Natahimik ang room with my sudden announcement. I held Tia’s hand from under the table. She spent all of her life protecting me. I have to protect her.

Even if this is the only way.

“You were a choice, Arissa, to be honest.” Kuya Dos began. “It was between you and Tia, but there were conditions that we took in consideration. While the biggest one was indeed, Sir Leonel Casimiro, there was also whether you can stand Armando Teng. Tia said that you couldn’t.”

I stared at Tia. “I lied. I can handle him.” I handled years of abuse in this family. What makes him think na I can’t handle a playboy? “You wouldn’t want to give this family’s prized jewel away to your enemy, wouldn’t you?” Tanong ko, and this seems to have triggered something in Lolo Maximo.

That’s because, Tia is, the Bellanova’s prized jewel. The smartest, most creative Bellanova in the history of all the Bellenovas. I’m sure this ticked something in my Lolo. His favorite, also, has always been Tia.

Kasi Tia’s the spitting image of my Lola.

But I needed more to pursue him.

“Also, my shares in this company. After the Lopez-Bellezos, ako ang may pinaka-konting shares sa kumpanya.” Kasi binenta ko na kay Tia karamihan. “Even if he gets tired of me, konti lang ang magiging losses natin. Compared sa kung si Tia ang pakakasalan niya.”

I held Tia’s hand tighter, and I felt water dripping on the top of my hand.

“Pick me. Let me marry the Teng. The losses will be smaller if I marry the Teng so let me, the almost-outsider sa pamilyang ‘to, to take one for the team.”