CHAPTER I: The Wedding

“Sis, this is ittttt! Oh my god, you’re really getting married!” my bestfriend Joan excitedly hugged me nang makapasok sya sa loob ng room kung saan ako inaayusan. 

“You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen!” she said as she looked at me from head to toe “Amazingly gorgeous!”

“And you’re the most beautiful bridesmaid I ever had!” ganting puri ko sa kan’ya. 

“gaga ako lang bridesmaid mo” sabay kaming tumawa sa sinabi niya. 

“So, how’s the feeling na ikakasal ka na?” tanong niya habang inaayos ang belo na gagamitin ko. 

“Kinakabahan” humarap ako sa salamin at mahigpit na hinawakan ang aking kamay “What if di niya ako siputin sa kasal? What if mauntog siya habang papunta sa church then saka niya marealized na hindi na niya ako mahal? What if ipatigil niya ang kasal kasi may iba na s’yang mahal?” humarap ako sa kan’ya “What if may pumigil sa kasal? Anong gagawin ko?” humagalpak siya ng tawa. 

“Gaga ka, napaka nega mo!” she cupped my face “hinding – hindi gagawin ni Dave ang lahat ng ‘yan sa’yo. Siya na ata ang pinaka loyal na lalaking nakilala ko?” pinaupo niya ako sa upuan na inupuan ko kanina habang inaayusan ako, “Kung hindi ka man niya siputin sa kasal, ako mismo ang susundo sa kaniya kahit nasaang lupalop man sya at hihilain papunta sa venue ng kasal n’yo. Kung marealized man niya na hindi ka na niya mahal? Sus malabo, imagine tatlong taon kayong in a relationship tapos ngayon lang sya matatauhan? Dedz na dedz nga sayo ang lalaking iyon. At kung may pipigil man sa kasal n’yo, ako mismo makakaharap ng taong ‘yon.”sabi niya habang ginagalaw galaw ang kilay niya, as if she’s saying ‘alam mo na gagawin ko sa kanýa’ “Alam mo, sis, mas matakot ka sa mga challenges na kakaharapin n’yong mag - asawa pagkatapos ng kasal na ito. Dahil ang tunay na pagsubok ay nakasalalay sa hamon na kayo lamang mismo – o tayo, kase as your bestfriend, sasamahan kita through thick or thin – ang makakatalo” I chuckled, touched by her words, heave a heavy sigh and smile like an excited bride. 

“Let’s go? Baka hinihintay na ako ng mapapang – asawa ko” I said and we both laughed. 

“Yan, gan’yan dapat ang confidence. Nag – uumapaw, ‘di ko ma-reach” we laughed again hanggang sa tawagin na kami ng organizer saying na nakahanda na ang sasakyan ko papunta sa wedding venue. 

Now playing: Beautiful in White by Westlife

As the door opened, I walked down the aisle, the song Beautiful in White started playing. I can’t help but to remember the first time we met, it is inside my favorite café, naglalakad ako palabas habang papasok naman siya pero dahil magaslaw ang kasama niya, nagkabanggaan kami. 

That made our eyes locked with each other and our skin brushed with each other upang alalayan ako sa muntikan kong pagbagsak sa kanýa. In that very moment, I found the one and my life had found its missing piece. 

Akala ko hindi na muling magk-krus ang landas naming dalawa, but then again, we met. Not in my favorite café this time but in the park where I used to pass time whenever I am overwhelmed by everything. He is there, laughing with his friends while having a picnic. That moment, muli akong napatitig sa kan’ya, na para bang nawala ang ibang tao sa paligid at siya lamang ang nakikita ko habang tumatawa, then he saw me, that brought butterflies to my stomach. But everything changed nang maramdaman naming ang patak ng ulan. Geez, bakit ngayon pa umulan. Nagsitakbuhan lahat ng tao sa park para makasilong samantala napagpasyahan ko namang umuwi na, unbothered kahit nababasa na ng ulan. 

Akala ko iyon ang ang huling pagkikita namin, it was more like a coincidence but destiny is really playing with us, muli kaming nagtagpo sa simbahan, the same church na pinagdadausan ng wedding namin ngayon.

Doon kami nagkausap, nagkaroon ng contact sa isa’t - isa hanggang sa magkamabutihan kaming dalawa. At ngayon, sa loob ng tatlong taon ng pagsasama, heto na kami, kasalukuyang ikinakasal para pag – isahin ng poong may kapal. 

As the song ends, all I can see is the man I loved the most, in front of the altar with smiling teary eyes. I can’t help but to cry as I smiled at him, he offered his hand to mine and I happily accepted it when my dad gave me to him. I gave this moment to them as my dad told him some threats if he hurt me, I laughed. 

“Fatima Allison Falkerson, do you take Dave Anderson Orteza to be your lawfully wedded husband?” I smiled, looked at him straight to his eyes and said “I do” he mouthed ‘iloveyou’

“Dave Anderson Orteza, do you take Fatima Allison Falkerson to be your – “I do” everyone laughed dahil hindi pa man tapos magsalita ang pari ay sumagot na siya.  

“Wala na bang ibibilis ‘to, kanina pa ako inaatake ng nerbyos” bulong niya sa akin habang nagseseremonya ang pari. Natawa naman ako, “Bakit, excited ka na kumain ng handa natin?” one thing he loved the most is eating, not a problem with me kase I love cooking, I love serving him. 

“Hindi, excited na akong masolo ka” he playfully said while squeezing my hand he’s holding “Saka, baka umatras ka sa kalagitnaan ng kasal, paano naman ako?” heto na naman siya sa pagiging sadboi niya, napailing na lang ako. 

Hanggang sa oras na para sa pagsusuot ng singsing. “Today, I say ‘I do’ but to me that means ‘I will’. I will take your hand and stand by your side in the good and the bad. I dedicate myself to your happiness, success, and smile. I will love you forever.” He said as he wears the ring on my finger.

“With this ring, I give you my heart, my soul, and my love now and forever. You are my everything, and I am eternally grateful to have you as my partner in this journey called life. I love you Dave Anderson Orteza, now and always” 

“I now pronounce you as husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride” everyone clapped their hand and cheered. This is the happiest day of my life.