This Is What I'm Praying For

Marriage

"Dinner is serve!" sigawa ni mommy mula sa kusina.

Ipinagdasal ni Uncle Sam ang pagkain. Uncle Sam and Auntie Kc are Jadin's parent, Si uncle Sam ang kapatid ni Papa. Uncle Fren and Auntie Rika are Ethan and Unor parent, si Uncle Fren naman ang kapatid ni Papa. Mommy Loisa and Daddy Rico are manang Rain and Teo parent.

Masaya kaming kumain ng dinner.

"How's school ija?" Uncle Fren ask me.

"Ayus lang namn po uncle." sagot ko

"Graduating ka na ah. Anong gusto mong regalo?" Tanong naman ni Uncle Sam

Sasagot na sana ako ngunit biglang nagsalita si Auntie Kc "Oh regalo ah bagay hindi lalake." pagbibiro ni Auntie Kc.

"Ay may hindi ako nalalaman?" singit naman ni Mommy.

"Oo manang, marami." tatawa tawang sagot naman ni Auntie Rika. Napanguso tuloy ako, pinagtutulungan nila ako.

"Umalis lang ako saglit bakit andami ko ng hindi alam?" pagmamaktol naman ni Lolo.

"Oo lolo marami ka ng hindi alam!katulad na lang ng pakikipagdate ni Marie kay Rendel." Jadin said.

"huh? ako diko nga siya dinate eh." pagsasabi ko.

"ah basta ako nakita ko beb tawagan nila lolo." pagsusumbong naman ni Unor kay lolo.

"It's that true Marie? He want to be a lawyer right?" manang Rain asked.

"Ija boyfriend mo ba si Rendel?" lola asked me.

"No lola! hindi ko po boyfriend si Rendel he is only a good friend to me lola." Saad ko at umiling pa nung una.

"Good." lola said while nodding and smile at me.

Ahhh! I can't believe it! She's said 'good' to me but this time with emotion and she is happy, happy because I don't have boyfriend?

"Marian!" lolo said.

"Why Primo? I'm just asking our granddaughter." lola said.

"She is still young." lolo said.

"Kaya nga ma... bata pa po si Marie para sa mga ganiyan." Papa said.

"I know." lola said at litonglito na ako.

"Marie go to library later we will talk." I was shock by my grandma said to me.

Me going to library? we will talk? my grandma want to talk to me? About what? God I'm nervous now. I stop thinking because of Uncle Sam and Uncle Fren shout.

"Mama!" sabay na sigaw nila uncle Sam at uncle Fren. Napatalon tuloy ako ng mahina sa inuupuan ko.

"Marie is still young ma..." mommy said it in a low voice.

"Marie?" lola asked me. I blink twice.

Because It's confused me, I answered my grandma yes. After I finished my food hinayaan ko nalng sila mommy ang magligpit ng pinagkainan namin dahil sabi rin nilang puntahan ko na daw si lola at hinihintay niya na ako.

I was in front of our library door and I'm nervous. Grandma won't talk to me if she doesn't say important thing. But because Im afraid with her. I let out a deep breath before knocking the door.

"Come in Ija!" I heard lola said inside.

Binuksan ko ang pinto ng dahan dahan at pumasok rin ako ng dahan dahan. I smile to my grandma when our eyes meet and she smiled back.

"U-hmm...lola bakit po?" tanong kung kabado.

"Take a sit Marie." Lola said.

"Ija may gusto ka bang inumin o kainin, magpapataas ako?" lola asked me.

"Wala po la...busog pa naman po ako." sagot ko.

Lola nod and smile at me.

"Ija malapit na graduation mo ah." lola said.

"Uhm... opo lola, next month na po." sabi ko.

"Ija pagnagraduate ka ba magtratrabaho ka na agad?" lola asked me.

"Opo la,gusto ko na rin pong makatulong dito sa bahay at kay Papa." sagot ko kay lola.

"So... where do you prefer to work, in our company or the others company?" Lola asked me and that's question shock me.

She asked where do I prefer to have a work in our company or in others company? Wow I can't believe it she gave me a choice and the first is our company. Ibig bang sabihin nun may tiwala na siya sa kakayahan ko tanggap niya na kung anong gusto ko?

"...or if you want to work in others company I have suggestion for you." natigil ako sa pag-iisip nang biglang magsalita uli si lola and it's hurt me I thought... "My friend's company!" nakangiting sabi ni lola.

While my lola smiling, she didn't know that I'm hurting what she said, ang buong akala ko ipagkakatiwala niya sa akin ang companiya pero akala ko lang yun dahil mas-gugustohin niya paring magtrabaho ako sa ibang companiya kaysa sa amin.

"Don't worry ija, her son is the one who's managing thier company. He is handsome, smart, kind!" nakangiting sabi ni lola sa akin.

"Uhm...lola nag-aaral palang naman po ako." matamlay na sabi ko.

"Ija mas mabuting sa companya ka nila magtrabaho para alam mo ang pasikot-sikot dun." sabi ni lola at akoy litong-lito na.

Lumapit si lola sa aking at sinuklay niya ang buhok ko gamit ang mga daliri niya.

"Dahil pag-dating ng panahon kayo rin ng anak ni Odette ang magkakatuluyan." lola said and... that's... the thing she wants... to say.

She want me to marry her friend son. Kaya niya ako ipinagkakalolo sa ibang companiya.

"Tutal sa companiya ka naman na nag-OJT. Don't worry ija her son is good, good to be your husband." lola said and that hurt me.

I can't believe it, lola wants me to marry her friend son. Sa subrang dami ko ng iniisip di ko namalayan na nasa kwarto na ako.

Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko I just cry to God asking him to help me what should I do. I always pray to God that the man he will give me must be the one who loves me, he will love who I am, he will love my family like how he love me he accept what and who I am. But it seems he will only love me because of the friendship between his mother and my grandmother.