We reach the car before I could answer, Dada and Mama were already sitting inside with Sally and Ama sitting in the back.The sibling take their place in the driver and passenger seat before heading towards the restaurant.
As Gabriel drove, he spoke to Dada about the company through the rear view mirror while Amanda, Ama and Sally gush about Pear and Gab's new baby; their second. Jade though remained quiet, a direct contrast to the chaos in her stomach as knots form and tighten in her gut.
Sally and Jade sat opposite each other in the quiet coffee shop where they used to go to when they were younger, piles and piles of paperwork between them and Jade's patience running dangerously thin.
"Are you sure you want it held here?" Sally asks, jabbing her finger on the paper between them.
Jade groans, "No I don't know. In case you don't remember, I've never done anything like this before."
"Okay. Okay." the pale woman cooed softly before placing a hand on Jade's arm, "no need to bite. I'm just trying to make sure that you're absolutely sure of the venue. I know it's not easy."
"You're right. I'm sorry." Jade sighs, "I'm just... between my regular work and then this, I'm just really, really tired."
"I can tell. Why don't you just hire someone to do this for you?"
Jade shakes her head, "No I don't want to and I doubt Althea would want that either. I want to do this on my own."
"But you're not alone." A familiar voice says from behind me.
The car goes through a speed bump and it makes my head jerk back into the present. "Sorry." Gabriel says apologetically. "I didn't see it."
"By the way, Gab. Where's Pearl?" Mama asks curiously.
Dada huffs, "I miss my grandson!"
"You'll see him soon enough, Dada. Pearl is already there waiting for us."
"Well drive faster!" Mama exclaims excitedly, "I'm so excited!"
"Okay okay. Jeez. You're acting like you're the one getting married today, Ma."
At that, a nervous laugh bubbles up from Jade's throat and she sinks a little deeper into the seat.
"You okay, Jade?" Dada asks, "Gabriel says there's something you need to talk to us about."
The younger Tanchingco woman widens her eyes at her brother who simply keeps his eyes on the road, finding sudden interest on the car in front of them.
"Jade? What is it?" Mama adds, curious as to what it was her daughter had to say.
"Well..." She huffs, scratching at a spot on her cheek. "You see..."
Jade turns and sees Althea making her way towards their table. "Lablab!" she chimes happily before standing and wrapping an arm around her fiancee's neck, pulling her in for a deep kiss.
"I missed you." Jade whispers, pulling back just enough to utter the words that only Althea could hear.
"God, can you two get any sweeter?" Sally playfully whines from her seat.
Althea laughs, pulling away from the kiss to smile warmly at the petite woman. "Hello, Sally. No need to be jealous." with that, she pulls away from Jade to place a friendly kiss on the woman's cheek.
The three women sit and Althea eats while Sally and Jade finalize plans for their wedding.
"Jade." Althea huffs gently after wiping a paper towel on her lips. "I don't need a grand wedding. We can go to Baguio with our families, get married and I'll be just as happy."
"Uncle Oscar and Auntie Amanda would want to attend regular church before that but yeah, I agree with Althea if it's stressing you out this much." Sally adds.
"I know but..." she pauses to wipe the pad of her thumb along Althea's bottom lip, "... this is special and I want it to be perfect. We can always get Visas for you and Miggy, and get married in another country but this is the first one and I--" Jade is cut off when Althea leans forward for another kiss.
It's chaste and tame but Jade could feel the heat and intensity that it carried, and it made her stomach twist pleasurably.
"Alright. Just don't go bridezilla on me."
The separation of their lips pulls a deep whine from Jade, "I'll try."
"God you two are so sickeningly sweet. I'm surprised you didn't do the whole flash mob proposal with fireworks." Sally groaned in protest as she takes a sip of her latte.
Cream & Chocolates
Start from the beginning
