Chapter 3 - Ang Pamamanhikan

"What time did you say they will arrive?" Aurora, who was pacing back and forth in the living room, asked Danley.

"They'll be here at exactly six, Mama." Ang sagot naman ni Danley sa ina habang nakatanaw sa labas ng kanilang bahay.

Aurora Palmer looked down at her wristwatch. "There's still fifteen minutes until they arrive," she said to Danica. "Do I look presentable enough? Is my dress and make-up appropriate? Was it not overdone?"

Danica exhaled a sigh.  "Mama, you've been asking me the same question for a while now, and as I always say, you look perfectly fine, so could you please take a seat and relax?"

"Do you really hate the Leventis'? Because from the way you are acting right now, you don't look like someone who despises that family; rather, you look like someone who is so eager to meet them and be a part of their circle," Danny said.

Kaagad naman na nanlaki ang mga mata ni Aurora Palmer matapos marinig ang sinabi ng bunsong anak. "That's not it! Who in their right mind would want to be a part of their circle?" 

"Then I guess, marami sa mga ka-bayan natin ang wala sa tamang pag-iisip." Sabi naman ni Danica, which made Danny snort. 

Aurora rolled her eyes while Danley just shook her head habang patuloy siya sa pagtanaw sa labas ng kanilang bahay. 

Ang totoo ay kinakabahan siya sa mangyayaring pamamanhikan. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mangyayari. Maaaring magkasagutan at magkagulo, at baka maipit pa ang ina niya at mga kapatid niya, and she doesn't want that to happen. Also, this will be the very first time that she'll meet Isidore Leventis. She hasn't met him yet, but she has seen his face on television, social media, and in the newspaper, and she has heard many stories about him.

Isidore Leventis is a good looking man. And, as far as she remembers, Isidore used to be in a rock band and is also known to be a ladies' man. He has been linked to numerous women, the majority of whom come from prominent families, but he has never admitted to dating any of them. Only after Isidore left his band and began working at their family bank did the rumors about him being a ladies' man die away. And Danley knew that those kinds of men don't want to settle, especially when they're still young and still living their best lives. Furthermore, she is pretty sure that Isidore Leventis doesn't know her. He might not even be aware of the existence of someone like her. Thus, who in their right mind would want to wed a stranger?

As she told her family, she already knew that being married to Isidore and a member of the Leventis' would be hell. She has already predicted that if Isidore goes ahead with the wedding despite his dislike for her, he will surely make life difficult for her as his wife. But even if that does happen, she is prepared. She's prepared to fight. She will not be oppressed by him or any of the Leventis.

"Will everything be alright?" Biglaan at nag-aalala na tanong ni Aurora na hindi man lamang namalayan ni Danley na nasa tabi na pala niya.

Nakangiting nilingon ni Danley ang ina, "Are you worried you'll lose your cool when you see them and curse them?"

"Honestly, yes. You know I'm not the type to hold back my opinion, especially when I know I'm right; you got that attitude of mine, remember?"

Danley chuckled. "Yep, I definitely got that attitude of yours, but if you end up cursing them, you won't have to worry about anything because you've got us. You know we've always got your back, Mama."

"That would be reassuring if we weren't dealing with the Leventis."

"What? Are you starting to get scared, Mama?" Pangangantyaw ni Danley sa ina.

"Scared? Yes, but not for my life. I'm afraid of getting you and your sisters in trouble with the Leventis' if I snap."

Mama is also concerned about this. Danley thought.

"It'll be fine, Mama," Danley replied, trying but failing to sound confident.

Ipinaikot naman ni Aurora ang isang kamay sa beywang ng anak at pinagdikit ang kanilang mga ulo. "You don't have to act all confident and okay in front of me; you don't have to put up an act when you're with me," Aurora said, removing her hand from her daughter's waist, prompting Danley to do the same. Aurora took Danley's hands in hers and turned to face her. "You know, anak, I am truly grateful to have you as my daughter, and I am grateful for everything you've done and sacrificed for us, but please know that you do not have to bear all of our burdens; I am here, and your sisters are here; we are with you, and we can help you; that's what family is, right? I know you're going through a lot just to help me and your sister, and it pains me to think that I can't do anything to help you and make you feel better. And I can't help but feel like a failure as a mother." 

"No, no. That's not true, Mama." Mabilis naman na tugon ni Danley sa sinabi ng ina. "You did not fail as a mother. You never did and will never fail. Everything I did, I did on my own accord. You never forced me to shoulder all our burdens; it was my choice, so please stop thinking that you are a failure as a mother because you are not. You are the best mother for me, Mama, and that will never change no matter what."

Aurora couldn't hold back her tears after hearing Danley's words. The truth is that the question of whether she has been a good mother to her children, particularly Danley, has not gone away. She wonders if her children think she has failed them as a mother at times. She had been unable to do anything since her husband's death. She couldn't do anything but leave Danley and her younger children to take on the burden of her husband's death. Hinayaan niyang saluhin at pasanin ng mga ito ang utang ng asawa niya. She let her children protect her when it should have been the other way around. It should be her who protects them. So, she can't shake the feeling that she is a failure as a mother. But hearing what Danley had to say made her feel better. It put her at ease in some way. It made her happy that, even though she feels like a failure as a mother, Danley, who has been their rock since her husband died, does not feel the same way.

"Thank you, anak. Really, thank you...for everything."

Danley chuckled as she wiped her tears away. "Mama naman. Kung kailan naman nakaayos na, saka naman magdadrama." 

"Eh anong magagawa ko? Ayaw ng umurong ng mga luha ko eh." Reklamo ni Aurora na sinagot naman ni Danley ng tawa.

Aurora was still sniffing and Danley was still wiping her mother's tears away when they heard the sound of cars approaching their home. Sabay silang mag-ina na napalingon sa pinanggagalingan ng tunog ng mga sasakyan. "They're finally here." Danley whispered before looking at her mother again. "Are you ready, Mama---huh? Wait...Mama?" Hindi makapaniwala si Danley. Her mother just left without even letting her finish her sentence. Halos takbuhin pa nito ang kwarto nito. 

Napa-iling na lamang si Danley. Siguradong nagmamadali itong umalis upang ayusin ang kolorete sa mukha nito na natanggal nang umiyak ito. Sigurado si Danley na titingnan din nito ulit ang sarili nito sa salamin kung mukha na ba itong presentable. It may appear that her mother was trying to impress the Leventis', but this is not the case. Her mother despises the Leventis family to the core. She despises how they look down on their family simply because they are not on the same level and caliber as them, so Aurora Palmer wanted to look like someone who could not be looked down on so easily tonight. She wanted to come across as respectable and presentable.

"Ms.Danley Palmer." Ang malamig na boses na iyon na sumambit sa kanyang pangalan ang siyang naka-agaw sa atensyon ni Danley.

Nilingon niya ang pinanggalingan ng boses at ganoon na lamang ang gulat niyang makita si Irnes Leventis at ang pamilya nito na nakalabas na pala ng kanilang mga sasakyan at nasa mismong harapan na niya. At habang nakatingin sa mga Leventis ay nanumbalik na naman ang kaba niya na pansamantalang nawala kanina habang kausap niya ang ina. 

Isa-isa niyang tiningnan ang mga Leventis na nasa kanyang harapan. There five Leventis in front of her, and she is familiar with all of them.

Beside Irnes Leventis is his wife, Dianna Leventis, a former actress, and beauty queen. Sa tabi naman ni Dianna Leventis ay si Idris Leventis, ang panganay ni Irnes at Dianna Leventis. Katabi naman ni Idris Leventis ay asawa nito na si Albina Leventis, a former model. 

Idris and Albina Leventis, Isidore's parents and her future in-laws.

Irnes, Dianna, Idris, and Albina Leventis They all looked dignified and sophisticated. You can tell just by looking at them that they are not your typical family. They are in their own league, which is very different from the Palmers, and Danley can't believe she will be a part of their family soon.

"Good evening," Dianna Leventis said, drawing Danley's attention to her. Dianna Leventis has a beautiful and friendly smile on her lips as she stares at Danley, unlike her husband, who always has a malicious and insulting grin on his face if he isn't frowning. Dianna Leventis moved her hand away from Irnes Leventis and approached Danley. Dianna Leventis then hugged her before Danley could greet her back, which surprised her greatly. "Oh, you are so beautiful, hija," Dianna exclaimed after hugging her. Her gentle hands remained on her shoulders, and her friendly smile remained on her face. "I know it's not official yet, but welcome to the family, Danley."

Danley was rendered speechless. That surprised her. She expected Dianna Leventis to be a snob, arrogant, and disdainful like her husband, and that she would dislike her. However, it is the other way around. She can tell Dianna Leventis is sincere by the way she looks at her, smiles at her, and hugs her.

"You call that beautiful, Lola? I had no idea your standard of beauty had fallen so low." Danley's ears perked up immediately when she heard that.

She knows she's not attractive, but does it have to be said right in front of her face?

Danley sought out the source of the insulting voice, which led her to the man behind Irnes Leventis.

It's him. The man she'll have to marry. It's Isidore Leventis.

Ha, this asshole. Danley thought.

Sasagutin sana ni Danley ang sinabi ni Isidore nang mismong si Dianna Leventis na ang sumaway sa apo nito.

Pinandilatan nito si Isidore. "Isidore!" Anito sa galit na tinig. "How could you---" ngunit bago pa matapos ni Dianna Leventis ay nagsalita na ang ina ni Danley na si Aurora Palmer, na hindi namalayan ni Danley ay nasa likod na pala niya. "And it seems that my daughter will be married to a brute."

Danley and the Leventis' gathered their entire attention on Aurora, whose face, aura, and even the way she stood exuded dignity and confidence. It's as if she was never frantic earlier.

"Mama," Danley said softly.

Her mother looked at her and gently pulled her to her side, saying, "If you only came here to insult my daughter, it's best if we just end this; I don't want to give my daughter's hand in marriage to someone who doesn't know how to be a gentleman."

Isidore's lips curled into a sardonic grin. "Oh, please, Mrs. Palmer, stop acting as if you don't want anything to do with us. We all know the reason for this marriage. It's because you want to have a—" but before Isidore could finish, Dianna Leventis spoke as if she already knew what her grandson would say and didn't want the Palmers to hear it. "I apologize," Dianna Leventis said, looking apologetic at Aurora Palmer and Danley. "I apologize for my grandson's rude behavior; please know that this will be the first and last time," she said as she looked at Isidore with her eyes haunting and her voice cold, "right, Isidore?"

Imbes na sagutin si Dianna Leventis ay nag-iwas lamang ng tingin si Isidore, at tila naman hindi iyon nagustuhan ni Irnes Leventis. Sa matigas na boses ay sinabi ni Irnes Leventis, "Your grandmother has asked you a question, Isidore, how long do you intend to keep her waiting for your answer?"

Danley was surprised yet again. Irnes Leventis reprimanding his grandson for not answering his wife's question, which is disrespectful, is something she never expected to see.

So they're still teaching their youngsters to respect the elders in their family, huh? Sana lang sa lahat ng mga taong nakakasalamuha nila ginagawa at ibinibigay ang respeto, ano? Hindi sa mga matatanda lamang sa pamilya nila. Danley thought again.

Hindi pa rin nagsalita si Isidore, and that made Irnes Leventis to get angry even more. "Isidore!" Sambit niya sa pangalan ng apo sa mas matigas na ngayon na boses, but Isidore still did not say anything.

"How childish," Danley overheard her mother say.

"It's alright, Irnes." Ang sabi naman ni Dianna Leventis. "Let us not embarrass ourselves any further in front of the Palmers." Ibinalik ni Dianna Leventis ang tingin sa mag-inang Palmer. "I apologize again. As you can see, the men in our family are a little rude. I hope for your understanding; after all, we will be a family, won't we?"

A little rude? She call that a little rude? 

Danley turned to face her mother. She knows that an apology will not persuade her mother, so she grabbed her mother's hand, held it, and squeezed it, capturing her mother's attention. She then gave her mother a look that said, "Let it go."

She was enraged and felt insulted by Isidore's words, and she wanted to smack him and beat him, but she chose to refrain. As she said a while ago, she doesn't want any trouble, especially since her sisters are just inside the house.

Her mother frowned and seemed hesitant, but Danley squeezed her mother's hand once more, practically begging her to let it go.

Aurora Palmer sighed, then looked at Dianna Leventis with a straight face and said, "Apology accepted, and I really hope this doesn't happen again."

"Of course, Mrs. Palmer, you can count on it." Nakangiting sabi ni Dianna Leventis.

I highly doubt that. Ang gusto sanang isatinig ni Danley ngunit pinigil niya ang sarili.

Aurora sighed again before she looked at the remaining Leventis, still with a straight face. "Then, shall we go inside?" 

"Mas mabuti pa nga siguro." Ang sagot naman ni Dianna Leventis saka niya binalingan ang kanyang asawa at mga anak, at si Isidore. "Let's go?" At nang tumango si Irnes Leventis bilang sagot sa tanong ng asawa ay ibinalik na ulit ni Dianna Leventis ang tingin sa mag-inang Palmer habang nakangiti pa rin as if waiting for them to take the lead. 

Katulad ni Irnes Leventis ay tumango lamang si Aurora Palmer saka ito tumalikod na at nagsimulang lumakad patungo sa sala habang hawak ang kamay ni Danley. At habang hawak-hawak ng kanyang ina ang kanyang kamay ay muling tahimik na nagdasal si Danley. Please let this pamamanhikan be peaceful.